neat pieces, and put into a stewpan with half or a tablespoonful of
flour (depending on the quantity), mix well, moisten with a glass or two
of wine, and sufficient broth or water to make a thickish sauce, season
well, add a little Harvey sauce, mushroom-catsup, a little sugar, and
cayenne pepper; let simmer, but not boil, take out the pieces, which
dress upon toast, reduce the sauce, pour over, and serve. A little
coloring may be added, if approved.
567. _Widgeons._--Rub the breast of a widgeon over with a part of the
liver, chop up the remaining part, to which add a few bread-crumbs, a
little chopped lemon-peel, chopped parsley, and an egg, with which stuff
the interior, roast nearly as long as for the wild duck before a very
sharp fire, dress upon toast on a dish, having ready the following
sauce: put half a glass of port wine into a stewpan, with a teaspoonful
of chopped eschalots, a little salt, pepper, and cayenne, boil a few
minutes, add the juice of a lemon, and two ounces of fresh butter, sauce
over, and serve. Widgeons are hashed the same as wild duck.
568. _Teal, a new method._--Procure four, draw them; then put half a
pound of butter upon a plate, with a little pepper, grated nutmeg,
parsley, a spoonful of grated crust of bread, the juice of a lemon, and
the liver of the teal, mix well together, and with it fill the interior
of the teal; cover them with slices of lemon, fold in thin slices of
bacon, then in paper, and roast twenty minutes before a sharp fire; take
off the paper, brown the bacon, dress them upon a slice of thick toast,
letting the butter from the teal run over it, and serve very hot.
569. _Teal à la sans façon._--Roast four teal quite plain, prepare a
quarter of a pound of butter as above, with the omission of the livers,
which place in a stewpan over the fire, stirring quickly, until forming
a kind of sauce, add some fillets from the pulp of a lemon, sauce over,
and serve. The remains of teal also make excellent hash.
570. _Larks à la minute._--Proceed as directed for snipes à la minute,
previously stuffing them with their livers as directed for widgeons,
adding a few mushrooms at the commencement; but do not let them stew too
quickly, or the bottom will brown and give a bad flavor to the sauce;
seven minutes are quite sufficient to stew them.
571. _Lark Pie._--Cover the bottom of a pie-dish with thin slices of
beef and fat bacon, over which lay ten or twelve larks previously rolled
in flour, stuffed as above, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter
ditto of pepper, one of chopped parsley, and one of chopped eschalots,
lay a bay-leaf over, add a gill of broth, and cover with three quarters
of a pound of half puff paste, bake one hour in a moderate oven, shake
well to make the gravy in the pie form a kind of sauce, and serve quite
hot.
572. _Jugged Hare._--Put a quarter of a pound of butter, with a pound of
bacon cut into dice, and the hare, cut into pieces, in a stewpan: set
upon a moderate fire until the pieces of hare are becoming firm, when
add six ounces of flour, mix well, and moisten with sufficient water to
cover it: add two glasses of any kind of wine, and one of vinegar,
season high with pepper and salt, let simmer until tender, keeping well
skimmed; when done, and the sauce becoming rather thick, dress upon your
dish, and serve.
573. _Jugged Hare (another way)._--Put about half a pound of butter,
with ten ounces of flour, into a stewpan, put it on the fire, and keep
stirring it round until it has a yellow tinge; then add a pound of bacon
cut in square pieces, stir it a little longer on the fire; the hare
having been previously cut up, put it into the stewpan and stir it about
until it becomes firm, when add four glasses of port wine and sufficient
water to cover it; season, and add two bay-leaves and four cloves, and
when half done, about fifty button onions, or ten large ones in slices,
a tablespoonful of brown sugar, let it simmer until it is well done and
the sauce rather thick; dress up, sauce over, and serve. If an old one,
it will take about four hours.
ROASTS--SECOND COURSE.
These dishes consist almost always of game, which require to be
sent up immediately they are taken from the fire, and require great
care and attention in cooking them. In the following pages will be
found many which are scarce and rarely seen in London, and never
mentioned in our various cookery books; but considering that many
of our friends reside in the country, I have written it for them.
574. _Turkey Poults._--Turkey poults, so called from being used when
about the size of a large pullet, are trussed with the legs turned at
the knuckle and the feet pressing upon the thighs, the neck is skinned
and the head fixed under the wing; roast them the same as directed for
turkeys, about twenty-five minutes or half an hour, according to their
size, and in the same modes, but they are usually served, one larded and
the other barded, with gravy and water-cresses in the dish.
575. _Roast Capon with Cresses._--Roast and serve a capon in any of the
ways directed for turkeys, roast of a nice gold color, and serve with
water-cresses round; a capon weighing five pounds requires about three
quarters of an hour to roast. Poularde au cresson, exactly as above.
576. _Roast Pullet._--For a dinner of four entrées you would require two
fowls, but not too large; truss and roast them as directed for a turkey,
judging the time required according to their size, and serve with gravy
and water-cresses; they may be larded, barded, or served in any way
mentioned in the foregoing receipts. A fowl weighing two pounds and a
half would require half an hour roasting, or three quarters of an hour,
if larger.
577. _Spring Chickens_ are served like fowls, generally plain roasted,
but they may be larded as the poularde. Be particular in tying the legs
upon paper to the spit, as directed for the turkey, as it so improves
their appearance when roasted. About twenty minutes would be sufficient
to roast them.
578. _Goslings._--A green goose roasted plain, and served with a little
gravy, is generally sent up for second courses; but if the larger ones
are used, they must be stuffed with sage and onions, but very few would
choose such a thing for a roast second course, whilst green geese in
their season are great favorites; truss them by cutting off the leg at
the knuckle, and the wing at the first pinion, fixing them at the side
with skewers to throw the breast up; a full-grown goose will take one
hour to roast, but a green one not more than half an hour.
579. _Ducklings_ make a very favorite roast in the London season; they
must have good fillets, white and plump, and require to be a little more
underdone than any other description of poultry; if too much done, the
fat catches and gives a rank flavor to the flesh, besides causing the
fillets to eat dry. They are usually served plain roasted for a second
course, yet I have served them differently upon some occasions for the
sake of variety, but it must be with a very thin sauce and one that
invigorates the palate, although they never can be better than when
served plain roasted. I shall here give one or two deviations: truss
them by twisting the legs at the knuckles and resting the feet upon the
thighs, cut the wing off at the first pinion and run a skewer through
the bird, fixing the pinion and legs with it, place them upon a spit,
and roast twenty minutes.
580. _Guinea Fowls._--These birds must be very young, for, being
naturally very dry, they are not eatable if more than twelve months old;
they are generally larded or barded, and served plain roasted, rather
well done; they are trussed like the common fowls, and require nearly
three quarters of an hour to roast.
581. _Pea Fowls._--These magnificent birds make a noble roast, and when
young are very excellent; they are larded, plain roasted, and served
with the tail stuck into the bird, which you have preserved, the head
with its feathers being left folded up in paper, and tucked under the
wing; roast about an hour and a half, take the paper from the head and
neck, dress it upon your dish with water-cresses, and the gravy and
bread-sauce separate in a boat.
GAME (CHOICE OF).--There is no article of food that is so deceiving
in appearance to know if it is young, tender, and good, or not, as
game; to a person living in the country, where a member of the
family has shot them in his day's sport or have been received as
presents, a knowledge how to distinguish them is requisite. Young
birds may be distinguished by the softness of their quills; females
will eat better than males, they are more tender and juicy. Old
pheasants are known by the length and sharpness of their spurs, in
young ones they are short and blunt.--Old partridges before
Christmas have light-blue legs, instead of yellow-brown.--Wild fowl
may be known to be old from their bills and the stiffness of the
sinews of the legs, those that have the finest plumage are the
worst eating.--Hares and rabbits: try if the ear will easily tear
and the jaw-bone break between the finger and the thumb, if not
they are only fit for soup or jugging.--On receiving birds of all
kinds, put in their mouths three or four peppercorns bruised and
one clove of garlic, and pepper the place where shot. In case you
receive many, tie a piece of paper to them with the date on which
they were received.
582. _Pheasants._--At the present day there are great varieties of
these birds, which differ as much in their flavor as their plumage.
There are also a large quantity of hybrids sold in market as a genuine
pheasant, and it is impossible to know them when plucked. The flavor of
the bird will depend in a great measure on the nature of the country
where it is killed.
Have them prepared and trussed: put them about eighteen inches from the
fire for five minutes, then draw them close, and roast as quickly as
possible, rubbing them all over with a little butter, serve up with
bread-sauce separate, and good gravy under. They are also good larded,
or one larded and the other barded.
583. _Partridges._--The red-legged in this country are not so fine in
flavor as the gray; they are dressed like the pheasant, but all the time
at a very quick fire, and serve very hot from the spit; it is better to
wait a minute or two for it than to have it wait for you; dish it up
with a little made gravy with it, and bread-sauces, as above.
584. _Grouse._--These birds should be well kept, trussed like a fowl for
roasting, and served with brown gravy under, or may be dressed as
follows: truss as before, covering the breast with vine leaves and fat
bacon, which tie on; roast from half to three quarters of an hour
according to size, and serve with toast under, and melted butter over.
585. _Red Grouse, Gorcock or Moorcock--the common Moor Game
(l'Attagas)._--Trussed like a fowl for roasting, which cook quick before
a sharp fire, serve with toasted bread under.
586. _White Grouse or Ptarmigan (le Lagopède)._--They are to be trussed
like the above, and plain roasted, and served with toast under and fried
bread-crumbs, separate or dressed as follows:--Put two spoonfuls of
currant-jelly in a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon and a little salt
dissolved in it; when melted, pour over and serve.
587. _Wild Ducks (Canard Sauvage)._--The male is called the Mallard, and
the young one Flapper. Under the above title a great many birds are
sold.
They should all be cooked alike; they must be kept two or three days
before they are dressed; they are trussed by twisting each leg at the
knuckle, and resting the claws on each side of the breast, fixing them
with a skewer run through the thighs and pinions of the wings; rub the
liver over the breast, roast them before a quick fire from fifteen to
twenty minutes, baste with butter, not basting them when first put down
will keep the gravy in; one should be better done than the other, in
order to suit the taste of those at table; serve with made gravy under,
and a lemon separate.
588. _Widgeon, Whewer, or Whim (le Canard Siffleur)._--These should be
eaten fresher than a Wild Duck, trussed, dressed, and served the same;
fifteen minutes is sufficient before a good fire.
589. _Dunbird, Pochard, or Great-headed Widgeon (Pénélope, le
Millouin)._--In some parts, _Red Heads_, _Parkers_, or _Half Birds_.
These are dressed as above, but are not so good as the Widgeon.
590. _Teal (la petite Sarcelle)._--This is a delicious bird when fat,
which they generally are after a frost. They must be trussed with care
like ducklings; they will take about eight minutes to roast; serve with
gravy, water-cresses, and lemon, separate, about six on a dish; or with
sauces Nos. 141, 143.
591. _Garganey (la Sarcelle)._--These are called Summer Teal, resemble
it in shape, and are dressed the same way.
592. _Plover._--Of these there are several sorts, all of which are good
to eat at certain seasons.
They should be well kept, but not too long, trussed gently, but not
drawn, and put on a skewer, place them a little distance from a sharp
fire, with a bit of toast under to catch the trail, baste with a little
good butter, ten minutes is sufficient; dress them with toast under, and
serve with gravy separate. They may also be served barded with vine
leaves and very thin bacon.
593.--_Woodcock (la Bécasse)._--This is a most delicious bird when well
cooked; they must not be kept too long; they are fit for cooking when
they become black between the legs, and the feathers are rather loose;
truss them with the legs twisted at the knuckles, and the feet pressing
upon the thighs, bring the pinion of the wing to the thigh, having
previously skinned the neck and head; bring the beak round under the
wing, which pass through the pinions of the wings and thighs. Place four
on a skewer, tie them on a spit, and roast before a sharp fire from ten
to fifteen minutes, placing toast under to catch the trail; when done,
serve on the toast and a very little gravy: they may also be barded with
thin slices of bacon over the breast, and served with a sauce of _fumet
de gibier_.
594. _Snipes._--They are dressed in every respect like Woodcocks; and
from seven to ten minutes is sufficient. They may likewise be fried in
plenty of oil, and served with sauces Nos. 131, 143.
595. _Larks (l'Alouette)._--They are best in winter when very fat; they
are roasted plain or with a thin slice of bacon and a leaf of celery
tied over them; they require about eight minutes, and served with a
little gravy and bread-crumbs, they are also used in pies (see _Pigeon
Pie_); and may be dressed like Snipes.
596. _Quail (la Caille)._--Should be killed at least forty-eight hours
before they are wanted; they should then be plucked, singed, drawn, and
trussed by cutting off the wings at the first pinion, leaving the feet,
and fixing the pinion and the wings with a very small skewer; cover the
breast with vine leaves and a slice of fat bacon, and run a skewer
through the pinions and thighs of each: tie on a spit and roast for ten
to twelve minutes before a sharp fire. They should be served a nice gold
color in a dish with a little gravy; they may also be trussed as above,
and put into a pig's caul, and roasted and served with either sauces
Nos. 141, 601.
597. _Rabbits._--There are two sorts, the tame and wild; the wild
or gray inhabits the mountainous districts; has the finest flavor,
or on those places where it can feed on thyme, geneva, or other
aromatic herbs, or on the sea coast, where he gets the lichen or
wild moss. It has a much darker color than the tame. The tame
rabbit, if properly fed 21 days before killing, may be made a very
delicate article of nourishment; it should be kept from two to four
days. When killed it should be removed to a cold place as quick as
possible, that the fat may set.
If old, the claws will be long and rough, the coat rough and gray hairs
mixed with it. If young, the claws and wool smooth. If stale, the flesh
will be slimy and a bluish color; if fresh, it will be stiff, and the
flesh white and dry.
598. _Hares._--One is sufficient for a roast, skin and truss it nicely,
stuff the interior with a good veal stuffing, sew it up, then put it on
the spit, rub butter over the back and shake flour over it, roast it
about forty minutes before a sharp fire, but that depends upon the size,
of course; serve them with plain gravy in the dish and currant jelly
separate. They are also served with a sauce poivrade, or sweet sauce;
they may also be larded.
599. _Leverets_ are plain roasted and do not require stuffing, nor so
long roasting, being smaller; they are usually served with plain gravy,
but may be served with either of the sauces mentioned in the last; you
require two for a roast. They will take from twenty-five to thirty
minutes roasting. They may be larded, for a change.
600. _Wild Fowl Sauce._--The following is a good sauce; the quantities
are given for one wild duck.
Walnut catsup one tablespoonful; the same of Harvey's or Worcestershire
sauce, the same of lemon-juice, a wine-glass of red wine, a good slice
of lemon-peel, one eschalot minced, half a saltspoonful of cayenne
pepper, one blade of mace, and a wine-glassful of gravy; boil ten
minutes, serve very hot, and pour over the bird when cut up.
601. _Fumet de Gibier Sauce._--Take the remains or bones of game (the
back-bones of grouse are best), chop them up small, put them in a
stewpan, with a glass of white wine, an onion, a small piece of carrot
and of turnip sliced, a leaf of celery, a sprig of thyme, the same of
parsley, a bay-leaf, a clove, half a blade of mace; stir over the fire
five minutes, then add a quart of brown sauce, if too thick add some
water, boil for about twenty minutes, skim, strain, and serve; a little
lemon-juice and cayenne pepper may be added if approved of.
SAVORY DISHES.
602. _Veal and Ham Pies (raised)._--The following few dishes will
be found extremely useful for breakfasts, luncheons, second course
in a dinner party, or for dinner in summer, but above all for
supper when you give an evening party.
Having found a great difficulty in raising the crust for a pie with
my hands, I purchased for a trifle a tin pie-mould, by the use of
which the process is more simple, and the pie retains its shape
whilst baking, and secures the gravy, much better.
Well wipe and butter the interior of the mould, then have ready two
pounds of pâte fine, rather firm than otherwise, two thirds of which
roll out to fit the mould, press it evenly over the interior, raising
the paste half an inch above the edge of the mould, you have previously
prepared six pounds of veal, cut from the fillet, as follows: cut four
pounds into pieces an inch square, and as nearly as possible to the
length of the pie; with the remainder make some forcemeat (see Receipt);
then run eight pieces of fat bacon, each two inches in length, and a
quarter of an inch square, through each piece of veal; have also two
pounds of lean bacon, cut into pieces of nearly the same size as the
veal, then put a quarter of a pound of butter into a frying-pan, and
when melted over the fire, lay in the veal and bacon, season rather
highly with a teaspoonful of salt, the same of pepper, half that
quantity of grated nutmeg, and a tablespoonful each of chopped onion and
parsley, sauté the whole a quarter of an hour, occasionally turning the
meat, until getting of a nice color, and the bottom of the pan is
covered with a thickish glaze; then line the interior of the pie with
some of the forcemeat, to the thickness of half an inch, after which lay
three pieces of veal at the bottom with two of the ham, alternately,
which cover over with more forcemeat, to about an inch in thickness,
then more veal and bacon, with forcemeat, again proceeding thus until
full, finishing with the forcemeat, forming a dome about an inch above
the edge of the paste, and lay a pat of butter with a bay-leaf at the
top, then mould the remainder of the paste into a ball, which roll to
the size of the top of the pie, wet the edges with a little egg, lay on
the cover, which press down with the thumbs, working the edge up
gracefully with the thumb and forefinger, to about an inch above the top
of the mould, cutting some of the paste away where too thick, and crimp
the extreme edge with a pair of paste nippers; then have ready half a
pound of puff paste, which roll to about the thickness of about a
quarter of an inch, from which cut a piece the size and form of the dome
of the pie, upon which place it to form a lid (previously wetting the
top with a little water), press it down lightly, egg over with a
paste-brush, edges as well, make a small hole with a knife at the top,
and carve any design upon the puff paste according to fancy; tie a band
of buttered paper round the mould, an inch above the pie, put it into a
moderate oven to bake about two hours, but to be certain if done, run a
pointed knife or trussing needle into the centre, and if it feels tender
it is sufficiently baked.
Then take it from the oven, and pour in a gill of strong gravy, in
which you have dissolved a little isinglass (especially if in
summer); when cold, take it from the mould (which opens at one end
by drawing out a pin), and serve upon a napkin, garnished round
with parsley. To carve, cut it into slices, the whole breadth of
the pie and half an inch in thickness.
Such a pie as above would weigh four pounds when baked; but should
you require a smaller one, diminish the proportions accordingly. If
no puff paste, the top might be ornamented with a few leaves from
the trimmings of the other paste. I have given you the above
receipt very minutely, as the above applies to every description of
raised pie, the difference only being its contents.
603. _Raised Pie of Fowls._--Make the paste and forcemeat as in the
last, but instead of veal and ham, bone a young fowl as directed for
galantine, which lay flat upon a clean cloth, breast downwards, season
the interior with a little pepper, salt, and chopped onions; spread a
layer of forcemeat over, half an inch in thickness, have ten pieces of
veal of the thickness of your finger, and the same length as the fowl,
and the same number of pieces of fat bacon, lay half of the veal and
bacon alternately upon the fowl, well seasoned with pepper and salt,
cover over with more forcemeat, then another layer of veal and ham,
cover with more forcemeat, then roll the fowl over, making the skin meet
at the back, you have previously lined a raised pie-mould with paste,
then line the pie with forcemeat, half an inch in thickness, lay in the
fowl, sprinkle a little pepper and salt over, cover with the remainder
of the forcemeat, to form a dome, place a pat of butter and two
bay-leaves upon the top, finish and bake precisely as in the last: when
done, pour in a gill of gravy made from the bones of the fowl; serve
cold.
604. _Raised Pie of Pheasant._--Proceed precisely as for the pie of
fowl, but of course using a pheasant, an old one would answer the
purpose if kept long enough, but all the sinews of the legs must be
taken out in boning it, the fillets of the breast also, being very
thick, may be partly cut out and used with the veal for the interior; if
in a situation to obtain rabbits, the fillets of them might be used
instead of veal for the interior, and the legs for forcemeat.
For gravy, break up the bones of the birds, which put into a stewpan
with a glass of sherry, an onion, a few sprigs of thyme, parsley, and a
bay-leaf; let it simmer a minute over the fire, then add a pint of broth
and a little isinglass or gelatine, let the whole simmer for an hour,
giving it a nice brown color, when pass it through a sieve into a
smaller stewpan, place it again upon the fire, skim off all the fat, and
reduce it to half a pint, and when the pie is baked, pour it in, shaking
the pie a little to mix well; serve when cold.
Pies of grouse, partridges, moor fowls, &c. are made precisely in the
same manner, using one or more according to the size you wish to make
your pie. The fillets of hares are likewise excellent in pies, whilst
the legs might be jugged or converted into soup.
Capons, poulards, green geese, or ducklings may also be served in a pie
by proceeding as directed for fowls, but managing the size of the pie,
and seasoning in proportion.
Pigeon pie can also be made in the same way, but then the meat with
which the interior of the birds is filled must be cut much smaller, and
require less time in cooking.