Pigeons,—(No. 98.)
To be worth the trouble of picking, must be well grown, and well fed.
Clean them well, and pepper and salt them; broil them over a clear, slow fire; turn them often, and put a little butter on them: when they are done, pour over them, either stewed (No. 305) or pickled mushrooms, or catchup and melted butter (No. 307, or No. 348 or 355).
Garnish with fried bread-crumbs or sippets (No. 319): or, when the pigeons are trussed as for boiling, flat them with a cleaver, taking care not to break the skin of the backs or breasts. Season them with pepper and salt, a little bit of butter, and a tea-spoonful of water, and tie them close at both ends; so that when they are brought to table, they bring their sauce with them. Egg and dredge them well with grated bread (mixed with spice and sweet herbs, if you please); then lay them on the gridiron, and turn them frequently: if your fire is not very clear, lay them on a sheet of paper well buttered, to keep them from getting smoked. They are much better broiled whole.
The same sauce as in the preceding receipt, or No. 343 or 348.
Veal Cutlets (No. 521 and No. 90). Pork Chops (No. 93).
151-* The season for these is from the 29th of September to the 25th of March; to ensure their being tender when out of season, STEW THEM as in receipt No. 500. TO WARM UP COLD RUMP-STEAKS. Lay them in a stew-pan, with one large onion cut in quarters, six berries of allspice, the same of black pepper, cover the steaks with boiling water, let them stew gently one hour, thicken the liquor with flour and butter rubbed together on a plate; if a pint of gravy, about one ounce of flour, and the like weight of butter, will do; put it into the stew-pan, shake it well over the fire for five minutes, and it is ready; lay the steaks and onions on a dish and pour the gravy through a sieve over them. 153-* See “The Art of Invigorating and Prolonging Life,” by the editor of “The Cook’s Oracle.” Published by G. B. Whittaker, No. 13, Ave-Maria Lane.
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VEGETABLES.