1807 Dinner Menu: Spinach Soup, Chicken Curry, Stewed Pears...

1807 A New System of Domestic Cookery
By a Lady

Spinach Soup
Saffron Dumplings
Roast Onions and Beets
Potato Pasty
Chicken Curry with Rice
Stewed Pears

Spinach Soup
2 handfuls spinach
1 turnip
2 onions
1 head of celery
2 carrots
A little thyme
Parsley
Butter size of a walnut
1 pint broth
1 quart fresh water
Salt and pepper
Shred two handfuls of spinach, a turnip, two onions, a head of celery, two carrots, and a little thyme and parsley. Put all into a stewpot, with a hit of butter the size of a walnut, and a pint of broth, or the water in which meat has been boiled; stew till the vegetables are quite tender: work them through a coarse cloth or sieve with a spoon; then with the pulp of the vegetables, and liquor, a quart of fresh water, pepper and salt, boil all together. Have ready some suet dumplings, the size of a walnut, and before you put the soup into the tureen, put them into it. The suet must not be shred too fine; and take care that it is perfectly fresh.
Did we eat it? Most of it.
Would I make it again? Probably not.

Saffron Dumplings
Excellent Rolls.
1 ounce of butter
½ pint milk
1½ spoonful yeast
A little salt
2 lbs flour
A little Saffron
½ teacup milk for boiling
Warm one ounce of butter in half a pint of milk, put to it a spoonful and half of yeast of small beer, and a little salt. Put two pounds of flour into a pan, and mix in the above. Let it rise an hour; knead it well; and make into seven rolls, and bake in a quick oven. If made in cakes three inches thick, sliced and buttered, they resemble Sally Lunn’s, as made at Bath. The foregoing receipt, with the addition of a little saffron, boiled in half a teacupful of milk, makes remarkably good Saffron Cakes to eat hot with butter.
Did we eat them? Some of them.
Would I make them again? Probably not.

Roast Onions
Onions
Salt
Butter
Roast Beet Root
Should be done with all the skins on. They eat well alone, with salt only, and cold butter; or with roast potatoes, or with beet root.
Did we eat them? Yes, mostly the beets.
Would I make them again? Probably not.

Potato Pasty.
Mashed potatoes
Salt and pepper
A little thick cream or butter
Paste
Boil, peel, and mash potatoes as fine as possible; then mix pepper, salt, and a little thick cream, or, if you prefer it, butter. Make a paste, and, rolling it out like a large puff, put the potato into it, and bake it.
Did we eat them? Yes
Would I Make them again? Probably not.

Chicken Curry.
Chicken
Butter
Sliced onions
1-2 cloves garlic
Gravy
4 large spoonfuls cream
Cayenne
1-2 spoonfuls of curry powder
A little flour
A bit of butter
A little lemon juice
Boiled Rice
Cut up the chickens before they are dressed, and fry them in butter, with sliced onions, till of a fine colour : or if you use those that have been dressed, do not fry them: lay the joints, cut in two or three pieces each, into a stewpan, with veal or mutton gravy, a clove or two of garlick, four large spoonfuls of cream, and some Cayenne: rub smooth one or two spoonfuls of curry powder, with a little flour, and a bit of butter, and add twenty minutes before you serve; stewing it on till ready. A little juice of lemon should be squeezed in when serving. Slices of rare done veal, rabbit, or turkey, make a good curry. A dish of rice boiled plain must be always served to eat with curry.
Did we eat it? Yes
Would I make it again? Yes

Stewed Pears.
Pears
Sugar
Lemon peel
1-2 cloves
Allspice
Water
Red liquor
Pare and halve, or quarter, large pears, according to their size: throw them into water, as the skin is taken off before they are divided, to prevent their turning black. Pack them round a block tin stewpan, and sprinkle as much sugar over as will make them pretty sweet: add lemon peel, a clove or two, and some allspice. Just cover them with water, and put some of the red liquor which will be directed hereafter; cover them close, and stew three or four hours. When tender, take them out, and pour the liquor over them.
Did we eat it? Yes
Would I make it again? Maybe
Notes: Made this without the red liquor.

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