Panada

Ingredients

• 2–3 rolls crumb of light bread
• good boiling broth, milk, or cream
• rich white sauce or gravy
• 2 fresh egg yolks
• 1 small bit lean ham
• 2–3 eschalots
• 1 bay-leaf
• a few mushrooms
• parsley
• 1–2 clove
• 1 small blade mace
• good butter
• strong veal broth or gravy
• fine spice, lemon-grate, or favourite English seasoning
• minced herbs, salt, cayenne, and mace
• well-pounded ham

Instructions

1. Pour boiling broth, milk, or cream over the crumb of two or three rolls or other very light bread, enough to cover and moisten it well.
2. Put a plate over to keep in the steam and let it remain for half an hour or more.
3. Drain off the superfluous liquid and squeeze the panada dry by wringing it in a thin cloth into a ball.
4. For the French method: stew slowly a small bit of lean ham, two or three minced eschalots, a bay-leaf, a few mushrooms, a little parsley, a clove or two, and a small blade of mace in a little good butter until they are sufficiently browned.
5. Pour to the browned aromatics as much broth or gravy as will be needed for the panada.
6. Simmer from twenty to thirty minutes until it has acquired the proper flavour without being much reduced, then strain it over the bread and boil it in.
7. Pour to the mixture as much only of rich white sauce or of gravy as it can easily absorb, and stir it constantly with a wooden spoon over a clear and gentle fire.
8. Continue stirring until it forms a very dry paste and adheres in a mass to the spoon.
9. Mix in thoroughly the unbeaten yolks of two fresh eggs, which will give it firmness.
10. Set it aside to become quite cold before using.
11. For the quicker English method: pour strong veal broth or gravy upon the soaked bread and let it soak.
12. Boil it dry without any addition except a little fine spice, lemon-grate, or any other favourite English seasoning.
13. Minced herbs, salt, cayenne, and mace may be beaten with the meat, to which a small portion of well-pounded ham may likewise be added at pleasure.