Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

Salmis of Game. — It is a very general belief that a Salmis should only be made of Game which has previously been cooked. This is a great mistake, for the best foi’m of Salmis is made of Game which has purposely been lightly cooked before it is stewed as a Salmis. Another frequent error is to spoil a Salmis by loading it with truffles, cocks’ combs, and all sorts of additions. For a Salmis as simple as it is good Wyverris method is in all ways to be recommended. It applies to Grouse, Black Game, Pheasants, and Wild Duck. Slightly roast the game before a fast fire, basting well with melted butter and bacon fat. Take the birds away as soon as they have browned nicely, and let them get cold. When cold, carve from each bird the wings, breast, and legs, and trim each piece as neatly as possible, removing the skin from it. Take all the trimmings and put them with the carcases, chopped up, SALMIS OF GAME into a stewpan ; add a slice of ham, also cut up and put in a couple of shallots, a bouquet of sweet herbs, two cloves (if liked), the least dust of cayenne, and a saltspoonful of salt. Add a gill of Marsala and as much broth as will just cover the contents of the saucepan. Set it to boil, then simmer for a couple of hours, strain off the liquid, and when quite cold take off all fat. In a separate saucepan make a roux with one ounce of flour and one of butter, and proceed to thicken the broth. Let it get cool, put the pieces of the birds into it, and let the whole rest for at least an hour, marinading, as it were, so that the meat may be well flavoured. When time to serve, put the pan containing the Salmis in the bain-marie, and let it gradually become hot, adding to it a tablespoonful of Marsala and a teaspoonful of lemon- juice or Seville orange- juice. Arrange the pieces of game neatly in a hot silver dish, and pour just enough of the sauce over them to glaze them, serving the remainder in a hot sauce-boat. The treatment of small birds, such as Quail or Snipe, which can be made into a Salmis whole, and of Partridges, Plover, etc., which can be divided into halves, is slightly different. For this method, truss the birds for roasting, put an ounce of butter in a stewpan and fry in it a quarter of a pound of streaky bacon cut in pieces one inch long and half an inch thick. When turning colour, put in the birds to cook for eight minutes, and then dredge an ounce of flour over them. Pour into the stewpan three gills of strong broth and one gill of Marsala, bring this gently almost, but not quite, to a boil, stirring to prevent lumping, and the Salmis is ready. Take the birds out of the pan, set them on a hot dish and pour the sauce over them. To make a Salmis of cooked Game cut the pieces as neatly as possible, and put all trimmings, bones, and scraps into a saucepan -with a small onion minced, and a bunch of herbs. Pour in a pint of broth, and let it simmer, closely covered, for one hour. Skim, strain, add a gill of Marsala add a teaspoonful of lemon-juice. Give the sauce a boil up, then let it cool. Put the pieces of Game into it, and gradually warm up both together in the bain-marie till quite hot. Serve in a hot dish with croutons of fried bread. To Cook Venison. — English and Scotch Venison, whether