Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Pigeons. — Tame pigeons should be cooked as soon as possible after they are killed, as they very quickly lose their flavour. Wood pigeons and rock pigeons, on the contrary, should be allowed to hang a few days before they are dressed. Although these birds may be said to be in season all the year round, they are at their best from Midsummer to Michaelmas. In choosing them, it should be remembered that dark-coloured birds are thought to possess the highest flavour, and light-coloured birds to be the most delicate, Young birds are, of course, always to be preferred to old ones. When the legs are large and deeply coloured, the pigeon is old, and will very likely be tough. House pigeons are the best, and wood pigeons the largest. Rock pigeons are inferior in quality to both the others. Pigeons (a la St. Menehould). — Mix an ounce of butter and flour smoothly together over a moderate flre. Add haK a pint of milk, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, a bay leaf, two moderate-sized onions, a carrot, and a parsnip, all sliced, and a little salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Stir the sauce until it boils ; then put in two plump young pigeons, trussed as if for boiling, and let them stew gently until they are done enough. Take them up, drain them, cover them with egg and bread-crumbs, and fry in hot fat until they are lightly coloured. Serve on a hot dish, with the sauce poured round them. Time, about half an hour to stew the pigeons. Probable cost, 2s. 4d. Sufficient for two or three persons. Pigeons, Braised, with. Mushrooms, &C. — Stuff three pigeons with good veal forcemeat, and truss them as if for boiling. Put one or two slices of fat bacon under and over the birds, and place with them, in a pan just large enough to contain them, a large onion fried in hot butter, a broken shank of veal, a bimch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, a blade of mace, a little pepper and salt, and a pint of good stock. Cover the preparation with buttered paper, press the lid of the saucepan closely down, and let the pigeons stew as gently as possible. Take them up, and keep them hot while the gravy is boiling quickly down to a jelly. Glaze them with this, and serve with stewed mushrooms or green peas. Time to braise, three-quarters of an hour. Probable cost, 3s. 6d. Sufficient for three persons. Pigeons, Broiled. — Pigeons may be broiled whole, or split open and flattened with a cleaver. They are more easily cooked when flattened, but retain their juice better iE left whole. Pluck, draw, singe, and wash the bird. Dip it in some oil or clarified butter, season with pepper and salt, and broil over a clear fire until it is nicely browned. Baste once or twice ; and in order to do this put the bird on a plate, and with a feather brush it over with PIG ( 560 ) PIG oil or butter. Serve as hot as possible, and send mushroom sauce, brown gravy, parsley sauce, tomato sauce, or piquant sauce to table in a, tureen. Time to broil the pigeon, fifteen to twenty minutes. Probable cost, 9d. to Is. 9d. each. Sufficient for one person.