By giblets are understood the gizzards, heads, legs, livers, necks, and
ends of the wings of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other birds,
tame or wild.
You begin by cleaning them well, cut off the bills, take the eyes out,
warming the legs on live coals, so that you can take off the outer skin
and spurs; place the giblets in a tureen, turn boiling water and a
little salt on them, leave them thus five or six minutes, then wash well
and drain them.
_In Fricassee._--Put a piece of butter in a stewpan (the size to be
according to the quantity of giblets you have), set it on a good fire;
when melted, sprinkle in it, little by little, a teaspoonful of flour;
stir the whole with a wooden spoon; when of a proper thickness, and of a
brownish color, add half a gill of warm broth, same of warm water, a
sprig of parsley, a small pinch of grated nutmeg, two small onions,
salt, and pepper; then the giblets. About half an hour after add also
two mushrooms, cut in pieces. It takes about two hours to cook them
properly. Dish the pieces, strain the sauce, mix in it one well-beaten
yolk of an egg, and a few drops of lemon-juice; pour it on the giblets,
place the pieces of mushrooms over the whole, and serve.
_The same, stewed._--Put the giblets in a stewpan with butter, and set
it on a good fire; when they are of a fine yellow color, add one or two
sprigs of parsley, a clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme, one clove, half
a bay-leaf, two mushrooms cut in pieces, two small onions, and a pinch
of flour; wet with broth, let simmer gently for half an hour, and add
also two parsnips cut in slices, and previously half fried in butter;
simmer again for about an hour; dish the pieces of meat, strain the
sauce, put it back on the fire to reduce it a little, pour it on the
giblets, place the pieces of mushrooms at the top, and serve hot.
_Saute._--They may also be prepared and served as a _chicken saute_.