Cassell's dictionary of cookery

them into neat joints, and if they are not very young, take off the skin before doing so. Line a quart pudding-basin with a good suet crust, half an inch in thickness, and in trimming it off leave an inch above the edge. Lay a thin slice of rump steak at the bottom of the pudding, then put in the pieces of partridge, season with pepper and salt, and pour over them a quarter of a pint of good brown gravy. Roll out the cover, lay it on the pudding, moisten the edge, and press over it the inch that was left round the rim. Wring a pudding-cloth out of hot water, flour it well, and tie it securely over the pudding. Plunge it into boiling water, and keep it fast boiling all the time it is on the fire ; as soon as it is taken off, cut a small round of pastry out of the top, to let the steam escape. If the appearance is not objected to, partridge pudding, like all other meat puddings, is much better when served in the dish in which it was cooked- If it is to be turned out, however, the basin must be thickly buttered before the pastry is put in. A few mushrooms will be a great improvement to this pudding, though it will be very good without. Time, three hours to boil. Probable cost, 4s. 6d. Sufficient for six or seven persons. Partridges, Red-Legged.— These biids should be cooked according to the directions [illustration: RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE] given for the ordinary partridges. If they be hung a proper length of time they are very good, otherwise they are hard and tasteless. Probable cost uncertain, red-legged partridges being seldom offered for sale. Partridges, Roast.— Let the partridges hang as long aS possible, or the flesh will be hard and flavourless. In cool weather they should be kept fully a fortnight before they are put down to the fire. They may be trussed either with or without the head, though the latter mode is at present more generally preferred. Pluck, singe, and draw the birds, and wipe them carefully, inside and out ; cut off the heads, and leave enough skin on the neck to skewer them securely. Draw the legs close to the breast, pass the trussing-needlo and string through the pinions and the middle joints of the thighs, and tie and skewer the legs. If the heads are left on, they should be brought round, and turned under the wing, with the bill laid on the breast. To give the birds a plump appearance, pass the needle through the back, below the thighs, then again through the body and legs, and tie the strings firmly. Put the PAB ( 511 ) PAB birds down before a clear fire, baste liberally with butter (a quarter of a pound will be required for a brace), and a few minutes before tliey are taken up flour them well, so that they may brown nicely. The birds may be dished upon fried bread-crumbs, or upon a slice of buttered toast, which has been soaked in the gravy in the pan under the birds, or they may be put on a hot dish, and garnished with watercresses. Brown gravy and bread-sauce should be sent to table with them ; two or three thin slices of fat bacon, tied lound the birds before they are put down to the fire, will greatly improve their flavour ; when obtainable, a large bane-leaf may be laid on the breasts under the bacoji. Time to roast a brace of partridges, thirty to forty minutes. Probable cost, 3s. per brace ; but the price varies considerably. Sufficient for four or five persons.