one lies, then have that side nearest you and cut from the opposite
side.

You have, besides this joint, another roast from the ribs, or else cut
it up into chops till you come to the part under the shoulder; from this
the breast should be separated and both either made into a good Irish
stew, or the breast prepared alone in a way I shall describe, the neck
and thin ribs being stewed or boiled.

The neck of mutton is very tender boiled and served with parsley or
caper sauce; the liquor it is boiled in served as broth, with vegetables
and rice, or prepared as directed in a former chapter for the broth from
leg of mutton.

The mode I am about to give of preparing breast of mutton was told me by
a Welsh lady of rank, at whose table I ate it (it appeared as a side
dish), and who said, half laughingly, "Will you take some 'fluff'? We
are very fond of it, but breast of mutton is such a despised dish I
never expect any one else to like it." I took it, on my principle of
trying everything, and did find it very good. This lady told me that,
having of course a good deal of mutton killed on her father's estate,
and the breast being always despised by the servants, she had invented a
way of using it to avoid waste. Her way was this:

Set the breast of mutton on the fire whole, just covered with water in
which is a little salt. When it comes to the boil draw it back and let
it _simmer_ three hours; then take it up and draw out the bones, and lay
a force-meat of bread-crumbs, parsley, thyme, chopped suet, salt and
pepper all over it; double or roll it, skewer it, and coat it thickly
with egg and bread-crumbs; then bake in a moderate oven, basting it
often with nice dripping or butter; when nicely brown it is done, and
eats like the tenderest lamb. It was, when I saw it, served on a bed of
spinach. I like it better on a bed of stewed onions.

I now give some dishes made without meat.

RAGOUT OF CUCUMBER AND ONIONS.--Fry equal quantities of large cucumbers
and onions in slices until they are a nice brown. The cucumber will
brown more easily if cut up and put to drain some time before using;
then flour each slice. When both are brown, pour on them a cup of water,
and let them stew for half an hour; then take a good piece of butter in
which you have worked a dessert-spoonful of flour (browned); add pepper,
salt, and a little tomato catsup or stewed tomato. This is a rich-eating
dish if nicely made, and will help out cold meat or a