Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/841

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RECIPES FOR COOKING GAME
747

of a clear fire or in a moderate oven from 40 to 50 minutes, according to size and age. Baste frequently with butter, and when the cooking is about ¾ completed remove the bacon, dredge the breast lightly with flour, and baste well to give the bird a nice light brown appearance. Remove the trussing strings, serve on a hot dish, garnished with watercress previously well washed, dried and seasoned with salt, pepper, and salad-oil, and send the gravy, bread sauce, and 1 breadcrumbs to table separately.

Time.—From 40 to 50 minutes. Average Cost, 3s. to 4s. 6d. each. Seasonable from October 1 to February 12.

1311.—PHEASANT, SALMIS OF. (Fr.Salmis de Faisan à la Modérne.)

Ingredients.—1 pheasant, ½ a pint of brown sauce, No. 233 (see Sauces), 6 or 8 slices of goose liver, 6 or 8 slices of truffle, 2 or 3 ozs. of butter 2 finely-chopped shallots, ¼ of a teaspoonful of finely-chopped lemon-rind, ¼ of a teaspoonful of thyme, 1 bay-leaf, 1 glass of Madeira or Marsala wine, salt and pepper.

Method.—Pluck, draw and truss the bird for roasting. Baste it well with hot butter, roast in a quick oven for 30 minutes, basting frequently, then strain the butter used for basting into a stewpan. Divide the bird into neat joints, put the breast, wings and legs aside, and cut the remainder into small pieces. Re-heat the butter in the stewpan, put in the small pieces of pheasant, add the lemon-rind, shallots, bay-leaf and thyme, fry well then drain off the butter, return the pieces of pheasant to the stewpan. Heat up the brown sauce in a stewpan, add to it the wine, season to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes, then put in the pheasant. Meanwhile, re-heat the butter, fry the slices of liver, and drain them well. Arrange the pheasant in a silver or earthenware casserole, or stewpan, interspersed with slices of liver and truffle, pour the sauce over, garnish with glazed croûtes of fried bread and serve hot.

Time.—Altogether from 1¼ to 1½ hours. Average Cost, 5s. to 6s. 6d. Seasonable from October 1 to February 12.

1312.—PLOVERS, ROASTED. (Fr.Pluviers Rôtis.)

Ingredients.—Plovers, a slice of toast and a slice of bacon for each bird, butter for basting, brown sauce. No. 253 (see Sauces), 1 glass of port wine or claret, 2 lemons, watercress.

Method.—Pluck and truss the birds, but do not draw them. Brush over with warm butter, tie a slice of thin bacon over each breast, and roast in front of a clear fire from 15 to 20 minutes, according to taste. Hang the birds on the spit feet downwards, and put slices of toast in the dripping-tin to receive the trail as it drops from the birds. Keep them well basted with butter, and shortly before serving remove