serve hot, 2 or 3 oz. of lean ham, finely chopped, may be added to the chicken if liked.
Time.—1 hour. Average Cost, 2s. 9d. Sufficient for about 7 persons.
1160.—CHICKEN, ESCALOPES OF. (Fr.—Escalopes de Poulet.)
Ingredients.—The legs of a large uncooked chicken, ½ a lb. of lean veal, ¼ of a lb. of bacon (a corresponding amount of sausage-meat may be substituted for the veal and bacon), 6 mushrooms, 1 truffle, 2 yolks of eggs, 1 pint of stock, 3 ozs. of butter, 1½ ozs. of flour, 1 tablespoonful of sherry, a few drops of lemon-juice, 1 onion, 1 carrot, ½ a small turnip, 1 strip of celery, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), salt and pepper, spinach purée.
Method.—When veal and bacon are used, chop and pound them smoothly, then rub through a fine sieve. Add to this purée of meat the mushrooms and truffle cut into dice, season well with salt and pepper, and bind with 2 yolks of eggs. Bone the legs with the prepared farce or stuffing, shaping them as much like a roll as possible. Put 1½ ozs. of butter and the sliced vegetables into a stew-pan, lay the chicken legs on the top, cover, and fry gently for 20 minutes. Add stock to ¾ the depth of the vegetables, place a buttered paper over the chicken legs, put on the lid, and cook gently for 1 hour. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter, stir in the flour, and cook over the fire until a brown roux, or thickening, is formed. When the chicken legs are sufficiently cooked, remove them and keep them hot; strain the stock on to the brown roux, stir until boiling, simmer for 20 minutes, then add the sherry and lemon-juice, season to taste, and keep hot until required. Cut the chicken legs into ½-inch slices, arrange them slightly overlapping each other on the bed of spinach, strain the sauce round, and serve.
Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 3s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
1161.—CHICKEN FOR INVALIDS.
See "Chicken, Ramakins of," No. 1186. "Chicken, Small Soufflé of," No. 1193. "Chicken, Soufflé of," No. 1194. "Chicken Panada," No. 1178; also Chapter on "Invalid Cookery."
The Feather-legged Bantam.—Since the Bantam was introduced into Europe it has differentiated into several varieties, all more or less elegant, and some remarkable for their beauty. The Bantam should be of small size, but vigorous and brisk, exhibiting in its movements stateliness and grace. The most popular variety is remarkable for the tarsi or beams of the legs, which are plumed to the toes with stiff long feathers, brushing the ground. This variety is rare in its pure state. Another variety is red with a black breast and single dentated comb, with smooth tarsi and of a dusky colour. When this variety is pure it is a game fowl in miniature, both as regards courage and spirit, and is as handsome as it is spirited. There is also a pure white breed, which possesses the same characteristics.
