Soyer's standard cookery

Cover the breast of the fowl or chicken with butter or dripping, or better still, tie a piece of fat bacon over it. Place in bag, and set on grid .in a hot oven. Allow twenty-five minutes for a small spring chicken; thirtyfive minutes for a large fowl; forty-five to fifty minutes (according to size) for stuffed poultry or game in a moderate oven. Boiled Fowl. Place the fowl (or other poultry) ready trussed, in a paper bag. Put a little bacon or fat ham on the breast. Place in bag one small chopped carrot, one onion, one clove, a little sweet herb, celery (if desired), salt and pepper, according to taste. Add one and a quarter tumblers of water. Seal up bag. Tie a piece of string round the neck of the bag to prevent the water running out. Allow forty-five to sixty minutes in a moderate oven (300° Fahr.). Boiled Turkey. Same as above. Allow one hour and forty-five minutes. If stuffed, allow two hours and thirty minutes. Tough Old Fowl. This can be sent tender to the table if treated as follows: — Clean, truss and stuff according to taste. Put five spoonfuls of dripping or butter upon the breast. Place in the paper-bag. Allow one hour and forty-five minutes to two hours and a half, according to the size of the bird in question, in a moderate oven (300° Fahr.). The old rooster will appear on the table like a spring chicken, more serviceable than has ever been known in the history of cooking. Fowl. Savory crumbs. Wash the fowl out well inside with plenty of cold water. Dry well, put the liver and a small shallot inside the bird. Have ready a large tablespoonful of white breadcrumbs. Add to them a lump of butter the size of a big walnut, pepper and salt to taste, a teaspoonful of finely minced chives, and a teaspoonful of well washed and minced tarragon. Mix all together and put into the bag with the bird. Cook gently for sixty-five minutes in 300° Fahr. Open bag. Slip bird and crumbs out gently on to a hot dish and send to table with new potatoes and salad. Turkey or Goose. Allow one and a quarter hours in moderate oven; if stuffed, allow one hour and forty-five minutes to two hours, according to size. Pigeon. Requires very delicate cooking. My method cooks a pigeon to perfection, whether it is stuffed or not. To roast allow fifteen minutes in a very hot oven; if stuffed, allow twenty to twenty-five minutes (350° Fahr.). Roast Quail. Truss and lard the quail in the usual way. Place in bag. Seal up and put on grid. Allow eight minutes in a very hot oven (350° Fahr.). It must be cooked quickly. If no lard or fat is used, a little melted butter will do just as well. Chicken Bruxelloise. Cut a chicken into small pieces, add a finely-chopped leek, a chopped onion, a large tablespoonful of flour, seasoned to taste, half a pint of milk, and a small bouquet garni. Mix well and place in the bag. Cook for forty-five minutes in 300° Fahr. Aylesbury Duckling with Turnips. Thoroughly butter a paper-bag, place the duckling inside, cut a few slices of carrot and turnip into fancy shapes, cut up a few blanched spring onions and add with a bouquet garni. Pour in three tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, and a wineglassful of Madeira. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Cook for forty-five to fifty-five minutes, according to size of bird, in 300° Fahr. Poulet a la Reine.