Practical household cookery

Select three young and fat pigeons, cut these lengthwise in half, remove the wings and part of the breast-bones, tuck the leg-bones inside, season well with salt and pepper, and fry the halves or cutlets in a saut^pan on a brisk fire, with two ounces of butter, for fifteen minutes. Take them out and press them between two dishes till cold ; after which, turn each cutlet into a nice form, and dip them in melted butter and bread-crumb them ; broil them over a slow fire till of a golden colour, and then dish them up in a circle, fill the centre with a garnish of macedoine (No. 281), and serve. 66S. PIGEONS A LA CRAPAUDINE. Take three nice young pigeons, properly drawn and singed, and cut them lengthwise across the breast, without separating them at the back; flatten them with the cutlet-bat and remove the bones from the legs and breasts ; put these in a saut4-pan with one and a half ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and fry them for fifteen minutes over a brisk fire ; then put them between two-baking tins and press with a four-pound weight at the top. In the meantime chop fine two shalots, and fry them in the same saucepan for a few minutes ; then add half a pint of good stock, half a gill of vinegar, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley ; season with salt and pepper ; boil it, and reduce it by half; then squeeze the juice of a lemon in it. When the pigeons are quite cold, dip them in half an ounce of melted butter and bread-crumb them ; after which, broil them over a clear fire to a nice golden colour on both sides, strain the sauce through a pointed strainer over a dish, put the pigeons on it, and serve 656. ROAST PIGEONS. Draw and singe three young pigeons as above and truss them for roasting; cover the breast of each bird with a thin slice of fat bacon, tie on with string, and set the birds to roast before a good fire for fifteen minutes. When done take them from the fire and remove the string ; dish up the pigeons with the bacon on the breasts; pour the gravy under ; garnish round with watercress, previously seasoned with salt, pepper, and vinegar, and serve. Note, — Wild pigeons should always be roasted. 657. GUINEA-FOWL, HOUSEWIFE STYLE. Pick, draw, singe, and cut in pieces two young guineafowls as for stewed chicken and risotto; put the pieces in a stewpan with three ounces of butter and fry them over a brisk fire to a nice brown all over; then moisten with a gill of sherry and simmer for five minutes ; add half a pint of broth, salt and pepper to taste, and half a pound of fresh mushrooms cut in slices; then simmer till the pieces of fowl are tender, and sprinkle in a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley and squeeze in the juice of a lemon, toss up the whole whilst over the fire, and dish it up in the same style as stewed chicken, pour the sauce over, and serve. 658. ROAST GUINEA-FOWL Draw, singe, and truss two guinea-fowls for roasting ; cut six ounces of fat bacon in small strips of an inch and a half long, and lard the breasts with a larding-needle ; wrap each fowl in a well- buttered paper, and tie this with string ; then set the birds to roast before an even fire for about half an hour, and baste them twice ; remove the paper, and continue roasting for eight or ten minutes, or till the strips of bacon are nicely coloured, without, however, letting them get too brown. When done take them from the fire, remove the string, dish them up with their gravy nicely strained and skimmed, and garnish with watercress, seasoned as described for roast pigeons, and serva Note. — Guinea-fowls are poultry, although very often served as a substitute for game, on account of their darkcoloured flesh. 659. ROAST CYGNET. Cygnet should only be eaten in September; after that month they get tough.