The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book. Victor Hirtzler
Risotto. In a vessel put one chopped onion, two ounces of butter, and the marrow of a beef bone chopped fine; and simmer until the onions are done. Then stir in one pound of rice, and put in oven for five minutes. Then add one and one-half pints of bouillon and a pinch of salt, cover, and place in oven for twenty minutes. Add a half cup of grated cheese before serving.
Pilaff à la Turc. Make a ring of risotto on a round platter, and in center put some well-seasoned chickens' livers, sauté au Madère.
Potage Quirinal. Make in the same manner as purée of game, but use pheasants only. Garnish with Julienne of breast of pheasants, truffles, and some dry sherry. Season with Cayenne pepper.
Fillet of sole, Normande. Cook the fillets "au vin blanc." Garnish individually with mussels, oysters, mushrooms, small Parisian potatoes, and very small fried fish. If small fish are not obtainable cut a fillet of sole in strips one-quarter-inch thick and two inches long, breaded and fry. Before serving place a slice of truffle on top of each piece of sole.
Peach ice cream. One pint of cream, one quart of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one pint of peach pulp, and a few drops of peach kernel extract. Put the milk and one-half of the sugar on the fire to boil. Mix the other half of the sugar with the eggs, stir into the boiling milk, and cook until it becomes creamy, but do not let it come to the boiling point after adding the eggs. Remove from the fire, add the cream, pulp and extract, and freeze.
Banana ice cream. Same as the above, except substitute the pulp of six bananas and extract, in place of the peach pulp.
Pineapple ice cream. Add one pint of finely cut pineapple instead of the peach pulp.
Hazelnut ice cream. Roast one-half pound of hazelnuts, pound to a fine paste, mix with a little milk and two ounces of sugar. Use instead of the peach pulp.
Raspberry ice cream. Use one pint of raspberry pulp in place of the peach pulp.
JANUARY 9
| BREAKFAST | LUNCHEON | ||||
| Preserved figs with cream | Omelet with soft clams | ||||
| Waffles | Ripe olives | ||||
| Coffee | Broiled Spanish mackerel, fine herbs | ||||
| Hollandaise potatoes | |||||
| Cucumber salad | |||||
| German huckleberry pie | |||||
| Coffee | |||||
| DINNER | |||||
| Bisque of California oysters | |||||
| Salted pecans | |||||
| Frogs' legs, Michels | |||||
| Roast pheasant, bread sauce and bread crumbs | |||||
| Compote of spiced peaches | |||||
| Sweet potatoes, southern style | |||||
| Asparagus, Polonaise | |||||
| Banana ice cream | |||||
| Lady fingers | |||||
| Coffee | |||||
Omelet with soft clams. Take the bellies of six soft clams and put in pan, season with salt and pepper, add a small piece of butter, and heat through. Mix with two spoonsful of cream sauce. Make an omelet, and garnish with the clams in cream.
Broiled Spanish Mackerel, aux fines herbes. Season the mackerel with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. Prepare a maître d'hôtel sauce with chopped chervil and chives, and pour over the fish. Garnish with quartered lemon and parsley in branches.
Cucumber salad. Slice some iced cucumbers and serve with French dressing. Or: Slice a cucumber and put in salad bowl, salt well and let stand for an hour, then squeeze the salt water out gently, and use dressing desired, as French dressing, Thousand Island dressing, etc. Or: Slice the cucumbers, cover with very thick cream, season with salt and paprika, and just before serving add the juice of one lemon.
Bisque of California oysters. Put one pint of California oysters, with their juice, in a pot and bring to the boiling point. Then skim, and add one pint of cream sauce, one-half pint of milk, a bouquet garni, and boil for ten minutes. Remove the bouquet garni, strain the broth through a fine sieve and return to the pot. Heat a pint of cream and strain into the soup, add three ounces of sweet butter, and season to taste.
Roast pheasant. Pheasant should be kept one week to season, before cooking. Clean, wrap in a slice of fresh lard, and roast in the same manner as chicken. Serve bread sauce and fried bread crumbs separate.
Bread sauce. Boil one cup of milk, add half of an onion, a little salt, one-third of a cup of fresh bread crumbs, and boil for five minutes. Remove the onion, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and season with Cayenne pepper.
Bread crumbs. Put in frying pan three ounces of butter and three-quarters of a cup of fresh bread crumbs, and fry until brown. Then drain off the butter and serve the dry crumbs in a sauce boat.
JANUARY 10
| BREAKFAST | LUNCHEON | ||||
| Oatmeal with cream | Oysters Yaquino | ||||
| Rolls | Cold assorted meats | ||||
| Coffee | Potato salad | ||||
| Brie cheese and crackers | |||||
| Oolong tea | |||||
| DINNER | |||||
| Potage Grande Mère | |||||
| Cold goosebreast with jelly | |||||
| Fillet of sole, royale | |||||
| Plain potted squab chicken | |||||
| Potatoes à la Reine | |||||
| Stuffed fresh mushrooms | |||||
| Hearts of romaine salad | |||||
| Pineapple ice cream | |||||
| Assorted cakes | |||||
| Coffee | |||||
Oysters Yaquino. Season one dozen oysters on the deep shell, with salt and paprika, put on each a piece of butter and some chopped chives. Place in oven, bake, and serve very hot.
Potage Grande Mère. Take equal parts of leeks, cabbage, onions and celery and cut in very small dices. Put in pot, cover with water, season with salt and pepper, and boil. When soft, add hot milk, and serve.
Fillet of sole, royale. Same as fillet of sole, Joinville.
Potted squab chicken. Prepare the chicken as for roasting. Season well, and put a small piece of fresh butter in each. Place in a sauté pan with butter and a piece of onion, brown well, basting from time to time. When almost done drain off the butter, add a cup of stock and a little brown gravy, and finish roasting. Strain the gravy over the chicken when serving. Serve in a casserole.
Potatoes à la Reine. Mix well, one cup of boiling water, one ounce of butter, and a half cup of flour; cool a little, and add the yolks of two eggs. Mix this dough with equal parts of fresh-boiled potatoes passed through a fine sieve, season with salt and a little grated nutmeg. Take up, with a spoon, in pieces the size of an egg, and drop one by one in warm swimming lard, heating gradually, so the potato will have time to swell (souffle), before becoming a golden brown color. When done, salt, and serve on napkin.
D'Uxelles. Put in flat sauce pan three ounces of butter, one chopped onion, and a slice of ham