Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

The cooking of Game differs from the cooking of Poultry in the fact that it is very easy to spoil the flavour by over-roasting. All Game birds should be roasted with their livers chopped and put inside them with either an ounce of butter or a slice of fat bacon rolled up. Partridges and Pheasants are improved in flavour by putting a shallot inside them. Game birds must be very carefully plucked, singed, and trussed according to the rules already given for Poultry. It is essential to roast them before a clear fire, and they must never be baked in the oven. The breasts of Game Birds should be covered with a wide slice of fat bacon fastened on with tape, and the bird itself wrapped in a buttered paper. It must be very frequently basted with butter whilst roasting. A few minutes before the bird is done uncover it, so that the breast may take colour. If the thick part of the leg “ gives ” when pressed with the finger, it is ready. Either bread sauce, brown gravy, or fried breadcrumbs are served with Game Birds, and with some birds all three are required. I have already given Wyvern’s recipe for Bread Sauce, page 260. His recipes for brown gravy and fried breadcrumbs are equally excellent, and if carefully followed neither will be in the least greasy. Fried Breadcrumbs.— Make four ounces of breadcrumbs by putting a few thin slices of bread into the oven and keeping them there till they turn a golden colour and are quite crisp. The oven ought not to be at all quick, or they will burn. Pound them in a mortar, or roll them into crumbs on a board with a rolling-pin. Sift the crumbs with a wire sieve so as to get them of an even size. Then put a couple of ounces of butter in a frying-pan over a low fire ; when quite hot put in as many crumbs as the butter seems likely to moisten. Stir about to encourage absorption, and add more crumbs if necessary. Dry the crumbs in the oven and serve. This drying in the oven will prevent greasiness. Brown Gravy.— This strong, pure, clear gravy to be served with Game Birds has to be made, as the birds themselves do not yield enough. For one pint of gravy procure one pound of fresh fowl giblets, half a pound of lean gravy beef, and use the giblets of the Game Bird besides. Cut the beef into little squares, wash, scald, and dry the giblets, and cut them into very small pieces. At the bottom of a stewpan put a layer of sliced onion with an ounce of clarified beef dripping, and over that lay the cut-up meat and giblets. Put the pan over a low fire, and fry till the contents are slightly coloured, then pour into it a small coffeecupful of water or broth. Keep the fire low, and reduce gently till a light brown glaze forms at the bottom of the stewpan, turning the meat, etc., during the cooking so that all may be coloured evenly. Add now a pint of water, a bunch of herbs, two ounces of carrot, two cloves (if liked), a quarter of an ounce of salt, and six peppercorns. Increase the heat under the pan, and bring it to the boil. Then ease off the fire again to simmering point, keeping the pan three parts covered. The simmering must be carefully maintained,