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Cullis, or Rich Gravy

Take the bones of a large leg of mutton, or of a large piece of beef. A ham bone or a little bacon rind may be added. Break into small pieces and put into a large saucepan with five pints of water. Bring to a boil, and let it simmer very gently for five hours, being careful that it keeps on simmering slowly all the time, then strain it. Skim it carefully. If there be time, leave it until the next day, so that the fat may be entirely removed. Return it to the saucepan, and put with it a large onion stuck with three cloves, a bay-leaf, half a tea-spoonful of bruised celery-seed tied in a muslin bag, or a few sticks of celery, a large carrot sliced, a bunch of savoury herbs, two tea-spoonfuls of salt, a tea-spoonful of white pepper, and a blade of mace. Simmer these gently for two hours; strain; stir into the mixture a tea-spoonful of Bovril and a little browning. Thicken it with a table-spoonful of brown thickening, or with from one to two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smoothly with a little cold water and added gradually to the contents of the saucepan, and let it simmer twenty minutes longer. If too thick, a little water may be added; if not thick enough, stew it a little longer. Strain it from the vegetables before putting it aside. This gravy will keep a week, but in hot weather it would be well to boil it up once or twice. Time, eight hours. Probable cost, 6d., exclusive of the bones. Sufficient for one pint and a half.