Boston Cooking-School cook book

To Fillet a Chicken. Remove skin from breast, and with a small, sharp knife begin at end of collar bone and cut through flesh, following close to wishbone and breastbone the entire length of meat. Raise flesh with fingers and with knife free the piece of meat from bones which lie under it. Cut meat away from wing joint; this solid piece of breast meat is known as a fillet. This meat is easily separated in two parts. The upper, larger part is called the large fillet; the lower part the mignon fillet. One inch of wing bone is often left attached to fillet to be decorated, after cooking, with a chop frill. The tough skin on the outside of large fillet should be removed, also the sinew from mignon fillet. To remove tough skin, place large fillet on a board, upper side down; make an incision through flesh at top of fillet, and cut entire length of fillet, holding knife as close to skin as possible. To Bone a Bird. In buying birds for boning, select those which have been fresh killed, dry picked, and not drawn. Singe, remove pinfeathers, head, and feet, and cut off wings close to body in small birds. Lay bird on a board, breast down. Begin at neck and with sharp knife cut through the skin the entire length of body. Scrape the flesh from backbone until end of one shoulder blade is found; scrape flesh from shoulder blade and continue around wing joint, cutting through tendinous portions which are encountered; then bone other side. Scrape skin from backbone the entire length of body, working across the ribs. Free wishbone and collarbones, at same time removing crop and windpipe; continue down breastbone, particular care being taken not to break the skin as it lies very near bone, or to cut the delicate mem- branes which enclose entrails. Scrape flesh from second joints and drumsticks, laying it back and drawing off as a glove may be drawn from the hand. Withdraw carcass and put flesh back in its original shape. In large birds, where wings are boned, scrape flesh to middle joint, and break bone at that point, leaving bone at tip end to assist in preserving shape. To Dress Birds for Broiling. Singe, wipe, and with a sharppointed knife, beginning at back of neck, make a cut through backbone the entire length of bird. Lay open the bird and remove contents from inside. Cut out rib bones on either side of backbone, remove from breastbone, then cut through tendons at joints. To Carve Chicken, Fowl, or Turkey. Bird should be placed on back, with legs at right of platter for carving. Introduce carving fork across breastbone, hold firmly in left hand, and with carving knife in right hand cut through skin between leg and body, close to body. With knife pull back leg and disjoint from body. Then cut off wing. Remove leg and wing from other side. Separate second joints from drumsticks and divide wings at joints. Carve breast meat in thin, crosswise slices. Under back on either side of backbone may be found two small, oyster-shaped pieces of dark meat, which are dainty tidbits. Fora small family carve but one side of a turkey, that remainder may be left in better condition for second serving. BROILED CHICKEN I Dress for broiling, following directions given above. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in well-greased broiler. Broil 20 minutes over clear fire or in broiler of gas stove or electric range, watching carefully and turning broiler so that all parts may be equally browned. Place two inches from flame in gas stove, one inch from unit in electric stove. Expose flesh side to the fire the greater part of time, as the skin side will brown quickly. Remove to hot platter, spread with soft butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. BROILED CHICKEN II Dress for broiling. Place in dripping pan, skin side down, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dot over with butter. Bake 15 minutes in hot oven (425° F.), then broil 5 to 7 minutes.