1904 - Cooking in Old Creole Days

Pot Au Feu

DDV CULINARY

The Pot Au Feu is served daily in French families.

Take two pounds of round of beef, cutting off all the fat very carefully,
put it in a good sized saucepan, add cold water enough to cover the meat well,
put the lid on half way to allow the steam to evaporate,
let it simmer by a fire of live coals an hour, and skim carefully as the scum arises.
While your broth is cooking, prepare your vegetables, have them nice and fresh,
wash and scrape carefully (requisite care must be taken),
throw them into a pan of cold water until the time to use them.
Cut three carrots in half,
two leeks the same way, or half an onion,
a small piece of cabbage
and a bit of garlic,
a piece of celery,
parsley
and pepper pod.
Put all these vegetables in your broth,
adding two or three tomatoes, or two spoonfuls of tomatoes;
let it simmer for two hours, skimming it carefully.
It can be served with or without vegetables.
Without vegetables it can be served as bouillon, to which you add rice, vermicelli,
macaroni, or any other Italian paste, or bread dried in the oven, or drop in a
poached egg, one for every person, if your dinner is a little short.

These receipts were given to me by an old colored cook who was brought up in
James Madison's family, and she said they were served on Mr. Madison's table
when he entertained the distinguished guests of his day.