Bone two nice poulardes as for poularde à l’ambassadrice (No. 514), lay
them on a cloth, have ready prepared four pounds of forcemeat (No. 120),
spread some half an inch in thickness over the inside of the poulardes;
have ready boiled a Russian tongue, which cut in halves lengthwise, trim
each half, lay one upon the middle of each poularde, cut twelve pieces
of fat bacon four inches in length and the thickness of your finger, lay
three pieces upon each side of the tongue at equal distances apart, and
between each piece lay rows of small very green gherkins, season with a
little salt and pepper, cover with a little more of the forcemeat, roll
and sew up the poulardes, tie them in cloths and braise two hours, as
directed for poulardes à l’ambassadrice; when done take them out of the
cloths, pull out the packthread you sewed them up with, dress them on
your dish in a slanting direction, make a border of mashed potatoes
round, have ready twenty small croustades de beurre à la purée de
volaille (No. 405), which dress upon the mashed potatoes at equal
distances apart, and upon the top of each place a plover’s egg (from
which you have peeled off all the shell) warmed in broth, between each
croustade lay small bunches of asparagus (previously boiled), cut an
inch and a half in length, and six or eight in a bunch; have ready the
following sauce: put three quarts of white sauce (No. 7), and one of
white stock in a stewpan, the sauce strongly flavoured with mushrooms,
place it over the fire, keep stirring, reduce to two-thirds, add a gill
of whipped cream, season with a little salt and sugar if required; pour
the sauce over the poulardes, and upon the breast of each sprinkle a few
heads of sprue grass nicely boiled and cut very small; in carving they
must be cut across, it will resemble marble.