1337.—VENISON, POTTED. (Fr.—Terrine de Venaison.)
Ingredients.—2 lbs. of venison, ¼ of a lb. of butter, 1 glass of port wine, salt and pepper, clarified butter.
Method.—Put the venison into a stewing-jar with a close-fitting lid, add the wine and ¼ of a lb. of butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the top of the jar with 2 or 3 thicknesses of buttered paper, press the lid down tightly, and cook in a moderately cool oven for 2 hours. Drain well, chop finely, pound in a mortar until smooth, moistening the preparation gradually with gravy, and pass it through a wire sieve. Season to taste, press into small pots, and cover with clarified butter.
Time.—To cook the venison, about 2 hours. Average Cost, 3s. 10d. Sufficient for 6 or 8 pots. Seasonable from June to February.
1338.—WIDGEONS, ROASTED. (Fr.—Sarcelle Rôtie.)
Ingredients.—Widgeons, butter for basting, watercress, lemons. For the sauce: ½ a pint of brown sauce (see Sauces), 1 glass of port wine or claret, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange, salt and pepper, castor sugar.
Method.—Truss the birds for roasting. Baste well with hot butter, and roast in front of a clear fire for about 20 minutes, or bake in a moderately hot oven for the same length of time. Keep them well basted with hot butter, and shortly before serving sprinkle lightly with flour, to give the birds a nice appearance. Meanwhile make the brown sauce as directed, add to it the wine, orange and lemon-juices, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper to taste, simmer for 15 minutes, then strain, skim, and serve with the birds on a hot dish, garnished with watercress and quarters of lemon, and hand the sauce separately.
Time.—About 20 minutes. Average Cost, from 1s. 6d. each. Seasonable from August 1 to March 15.
1339.—WILD DUCK, ROASTED. (Fr.—Canard Sauvage Rôti.)
Ingredients.—1 wild duck, ½ a pint of good gravy, ½ a pint of either Bigarade or port wine sauce (see Gravies and Sauces), flour, butter for basting, lemons.
Method.—Truss the bird for roasting, and if the fishy taste is disliked, cover a deep baking-tin to the depth of ½ an inch with boiling water, add a tablespoonful of salt, put in the bird, and bake it for 10 minutes, basting very frequently with the salt and water. Then
