Egg Sauce Recipe from 1841

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When I saw this recipe under the “Gravies” section in an 1841 cookbook, it didn’t look very appetizing. I sometimes eat boiled eggs for breakfast and thought this was worth a try.

Hard boil two eggs. When cooled, chop them and set aside.

[image error]Cut a ¼ cup of butter into small pieces. Put these in small saucepan with a heaping teaspoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of milk.

Stir the ingredients and melt on a medium heat.

Once melted, add 6 tablespoons of water and stir.

Let the mixture cook without stirring for 1 minute. Then pick up the pan and let the melted butter roll around the butter. Set it back on the burner and leave it alone for another minute. Roll the mixture again.

Repeat this until it begins to simmer, probably two or three times. Then do nothing until the mixture boils. It will be as thick as cream when done.

Stir in the reserved eggs.

I tried this egg mixture on chicken. Yummy! The egg sauce was even delicious by itself, though I added a little salt to the finished dish.

I’d love to hear if you try it.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Hale, Sarah Josepha. Early American Cookery, Dover Publications, Inc., 1996.