Practical household cookery

Draw and singe thi*ee young pigeons ; cut off the feet and put them by; cut the pigeons in four; season each piece with salt and pepper ; cut also one pound of rumpsteak into small scollops ; beat them with the cutlet bat ; season these also with salt and pepper, then with onethird make a layer at the bottom of a pie-dish. Place six quarters of pigeons over them, intermixed with as many halves of yolks of hard-boiled eggs, and the pigeons' livers, then a layer of scollops of beef, then the other half of the pigeons and eggs; finish with the remainder of the beef scollops ; add the necessary quantity of hot broth or good stock ; cover the dish with puff paste in the usual way (see No. 318); imbed the feet of the pigeons in the top of the paste, so as to leave the claws out in a symmetrical form. and bake for about an hour and a half. When done, add some more broth to the pie, and put it aside till wanted. Note, — Mushroom trimmings, finely chopped with a little parsley, will improve this pie. 693. CHICKEN PIE. Draw, singe, and cut two chickens into small joints; trim these nicely and put the backs aside, to be used for soup or essence of chicken. Out half a pound of cushion of veal into small scollops, flatten these slightly with the cutlet bat ; cut also half a pound of lean bacon into thin slices ; cover the bottom of a pie-dish alternately with veal and bacon ; season with salt, pepper, and a little chopped parsley ; lay on these the half of the pieces of chicken with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs cut in two and seasoned with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley ; add another layer of veal and bacon ; repeat the seasoning ; lay on these, in a similar order, the remainder of the chicken ; season again and finish with a few slices of bacon, properly trimmed and laid on the top. Moisten two-thirds full with good stock and half a gill of mushroom ketchup ; cover the lot in the usual way with puff paste (see No. 3 1 8). Bake in a moderately-heated oven for about an hour and a half. When ready, replenish the gravy through the vent-hole, and servo either hot or cold. 694. GIBLET PIE. This pie should be made with two sets of either goose or turkey giblets. Put the liver apart, blanch the giblets for about two minutes in boiling water, immerse them in cold, and drain them on a cloth ; then cut them into pieces two inches long, and put in a stewpan with a carrot, an onion stuck with four cloves, a ''bouquet garni," and season with salt and pepper. Moisten with a quart of stock, and simmer gently for about an hour ; then remove the " bouquet garni," carrot, and onion ; strain the gravy through a strainer into a small stowpan ; dram the giblets upon a cloth; skim off all the fat from the gravy, and boil it over a brisk fire for about a quarter of an hour. Meanwhile, cover the bottom of a pie-^ish with scollops of beefsteak, well flattened with the cutlet bat, and season with salt, pepper, a little chopped parsley, sweet basil, and two chalots. Add the giblets in neat order, together with tlie liver, previously set apart ; sprinkle over it some fine herbs, and a small pinch of cayenne; moisten with the reduced gravy ; cover the lot with puff paste (see No. 318), bake it for an hour and a half, and serve. 696. RABBIT PIE.