Chop fine together a quarter of an onion, a clove of garlic, a piece of celery as long as your finger, a few bay leaves and just parsley enough. Season with a little oil, salt and pepper, cut up seven or eight tomatoes and put everything over the fire together. Stir it from time to time and when you see the juice condensing into a thin custard strain it through a sieve, and it is ready for use."
This sauce serves many purposes. It is good on boiled meat; excellent to dress macaroni, spaghetti or other pastes which have been seasoned with butter and cheese, or on boiled rice seasoned in the same way. Mushrooms are a great addition to it.
WHITE SAUCE FOR BOILED ASPARAGUS OR CAULIFLOWER
1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch 1/4 cup butter 1 tablespoon vinegar Salt and pepper 1/2 cup water or soup stock Yolk of 1 egg
Melt half the butter, add the flour and cook until it begins to brown. Add the water slowly, stirring meanwhile, the vinegar and the rest of the butter. Take from the fire and add the beaten egg yolk. This sauce should be smooth like a thin custard.
2 sardines or anchovies A bunch of parsley 1/4 of a small onion Garlic Lemon juice Vinegar Olive oil Salt, pepper
Wash, skin and bone the anchovies. Chop the parsley very fine with the onion. Rub a bowl with the cut side of a clove of garlic. Put in the anchovies and rub to a paste. Add the parsley and onion, a tablespoon each of lemon juice and vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture until it is smooth and thick. Capers may be added by way of variety. This is delicious as a sauce for plain boiled meat or fish.
2 lbs. fresh salmon A sprig of parsley 2 cloves garlic A bit of sage A bay leaf 1 egg Flour Salt, pepper Mayonnaise Oil for frying
Boil the piece of salmon for half an hour with the parsley, garlic, sage and bay leaf. Bone and roll into fillets 3/4 inch thick. If the fish has boiled very tender it may be necessary to tie the fillets in shape with string or strips of cheese cloth. Dip in beaten egg, then in flour, salt and pepper. Sauté a delicate brown. Serve with oil mayonnaise. The white from the egg used in the mayonnaise may serve for dipping the fillets if only a small piece of salmon is cooked.