Chickens a la Braise.
YOU must take a couple of fine chickens, lard them, and season
them with pepper, salt and mace; then lay a layer of veal in the
bottom of a deep stew-pan, with a slice or two of bacon, an
onion cut to pieces, a piece of carrot and a layer of beef; then
lay in the chickens with the breast downwards, and a bundle of
sweet-herbs; after that lay a layer of beef, and put in a quart
of broth or water; cover it close, let it stew very softly for an
hour after it begins to simmer. In the mean time, get ready a
ragoos thus: take a good veal force-meat, or two, cut them small,
set them on the fire, with a little broth or water, a few cocks-
combs, truffles and morels, cut small, with an ox-palate, if you
have it; stew them all together till they are enough, and when
your chickens are done, take them up, and keep them hot; then
drain the liquor they were stew’d in, skim the fat off, and pour
into your ragoo; add a glass of red wine, a spoonful of catchup,
and a few mushrooms; then boil all together with a few artichoke-
bottoms cut in four, and asparagus-tops. If your sauce is not