Venetian Sauce
This is an utterly useless name; but it sometimes occurs and must be explained. It is difficult to say wherein it differs from the Poulette sauce, and we have seen that the Poulette sauce differs little from Allemande or German sauce. The Venetian may be described as an Allemande made verdant with chopped parsley-to remind one of the green slime of the lagoons.
VENISON is one of the commonest of meats in Paris ; but then it is roebuck venison, which is of small account in England. Nobody who can command Southdown or Scotch mutton in this country will ever condescend to roebuck, a leg of which has to be larded before it has any value. It is a common remark in England, indeed, that good mutton, if it can be had four or five years old, is equal and more than equal to the only venison which is prized here that of the fallow deer, cultivated in parks. Even of this fallow deer, the doe has no repute, and it is only the buck, while it is in season, from June to Michaelmas, that attracts the regard of a connoisseur. The red deer of the Scottish Highlands is, in honour of its prowess, • eaten with rejoicing by those who stalk it; but it is coarse of texture, rank of flavour, and not to be compared with the fallow deer. Let the sportsman sing- My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here, My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer; A-chasing the deer and following the roe- My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go : but for the pleasure of the table give us neither a haunch of the red deer from Scotland, nor a Parisian mess of chevreuil-but English park venison; and for any useful purpose that is all we need consider now.
Haunch of Venison. It is one of the immutable laws of gastronomy that if a haunch (also a shoulder or a neck) of venison is not fat, it is not worth the trouble of roasting; Verjuice and if fat, all the art of the roaster is to be directed to nursing the fat. The venison is to be well kept-a fortnight at least, and when about to be cooked should be lightly sponged with warm water, and then dried with a cloth. Then lay over the fat a sheet of buttered writingpaper-which tie on and butter on the outside once more. Over this lay a paste of flour and water which has been rolled out about half an inch thick. Cover this again with two sheets of buttered paper, and tie all securely with twine. Lay the venison in a cradle-spit, before a strong, clear fire, and basting it constantly, let it roast for four hours. Twenty minutes before it is ready it must be unswathed. Baste the meat in every part with butter; sprinkle some salt on it; dredge in a little flour; and place it nearer the fire to brown and froth. Send it up to table as hot as possible, with brown gravy in a tureen, with currant jelly, and with a dish of French beans for vegetable garnish.
Venison Chops. To be done like mutton chops, but neither beaten nor trimmed of fat. Let them be peppered and salted, and turned every two minutes. They take twenty minutes to cook, and are served with a pat of butter under them. Currant jelly apart.
Venison Sauce.-Sweet: Black or red currant jelly melted in port wine. Sharp: Good brown gravy (if made of the venison itself so much the better), three gills; red wine, one gill; raspberry vinegar, half a gill.