Thickenings for Soups, Sauces and Stews

Thickening for Soups.—Put some egg-yolks into a bowl, beat them up with a wooden spoon and dilute with a few spoonfuls of good raw cream; some broth, or cold sauce; pass this through a sieve or tammy, add a dash of grated nutmeg and a few bits of fine butter. Boil well the soup, remove it to one side of the range and mix in the strained thickening; return it to the hot fire, to let cook without ceasing to stir and especially without letting it boil.

For Sauces.—This thickening is composed of egg-yolks beaten and diluted with some cold broth or raw cream. In order to thicken the sauce, it should necessarily be boiling, then remove it from the hot fire and stir a spoonful or more of it into the thickening, then pour the rest of the thickening into the sauce and cook it while stirring over a slow fire, without permitting it to boil. All sauces thickened with eggs must afterward be strained through a tammy.

Thickening or Liaison Prepared Ready to Use.—Twenty-five egg-yolks for one quart of cream; mix well together, pass it through a fine strainer and keep it in a pot in order to thicken sauces and stews as they are needed.

Butter and Cream Thickening.—Incorporate some butter and cream, and just when ready to serve, stir it vigorously (do not heat it again), and serve it at once.

Blood Thickening.—Reserve the blood of poultry or game, adding to it a little vinegar to prevent it from coagulating, then strain it through a sieve and stir in gradually when needed to thicken a sauce.

Arrowroot, Fecula and Cornstarch Thickening.—Dilute one or the other of these with some water, broth or cold milk; strain through a sieve, and pour it into the liquid, stirring it continuously.

Thickening of Kneaded Butter.—Incorporate as much flour into butter as it will absorb to form a soft paste; mix it in small parts in the sauce, stirring constantly until all the butter is melted.