The Art of German Cooking and Baking/Game

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The Art of German Cooking and Baking
by Lina Wachtelborn Meier

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2543251The Art of German Cooking and Baking — GameLina Wachtelborn Meier

CHAPTER 7.

GAME.

Game must not be soaked in water and it should be washed only when necessary and then quickly dried. The flavor of game depends greatly on its preparation, the latter makes it one of the finest dishes. Game ought to be fried and roasted; boiled game is never as savory.

Butter, bacon and cream are the best fats in which to fry game. Sweet-sour victuals are best to serve with game as: Red cabbage, apple sauce, currant jelly and Cumberland sauce.

No. 1—ROAST SADDLE OF VENISON.

Quantity for 6–10 Persons.

1 saddle of venison
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
Bacon for larding
1 pt of sour cream, good measure
1 tsp. of lemon juice
1½ tbsps. of flour
½ cupful water
½ lb. of butter

Preparation: The deer, fawn or doe must hang in its skin a few days before it is cooked. The neck is cut off. The ribs are chopped off if they are too long. The skin is taken off, the meat pounded and larded closely with bacon strips; place a thin slice of bacon under the fillets. Fry the venison on both sides with part of the ½ lb. of butter, put the rest of the butter into the pot or pan and roast the meat 45 minutes, basting frequently with the sour cream. The roast should be pink inside and very juicy. Put it on a hot platter and prepare the gravy.

Stir the flour into the frying butter, brown it a few minutes, add the water, cook 5 minutes and add the lemon juice, then strain.

Remarks: The remnants of this venison may be utilized in a soup. Fry them with some butter or lard and soupgreens and a tablespoonful of flour, add water and cook slowly for two hours. For directions refer to No. 63 and 64 under Soups, Chapter 1.

No. 2—LEG OF VENISON.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

1 leg of venison, 3½ to 4 lbs.
Salt
¼ lb. of butter
½ qt. sour cream
⅛ lb. of bacon cut in wide, thin slices, for lining the pan
1 tbsp. of flour
½ cup of water
⅛ lb. bacon strips

Preparation: The meat is pounded on both sides, washed, dried, skinned and larded with bacon. The joint of the leg is chopped. Scald the leg with a pint of boiling water and place it into the hot butter in the roasting pan, brown it on both sides, then place the bacon slices on the bottom of the pan and the leg of venison on top of them, roast in the oven for one hour, basting it often with spoonfuls of cream.

The Gravy: After the leg of venison is done, stir the flour into the drippings, brown it for 2 minutes, then add the water, cook for 5 minutes and strain.

Remarks: With a tablespoonful of red wine you can improve the gravy. If you wish to have the meat rare, allow ¾ hour for roasting. Add or subtract some of the time for frying according to the size of the piece of venison.

No. 3—VENISON CUTLETS.

2½ lbs. of venison from back or loin
Salt
Scant ⅛ lb. of butter

For the Gravy.

⅓ lb. of butter
3 tbsps. of flour
1 qt. of water
¼ pt. of Madeira
Some soupgreens
1 pinch of sugar
Salt
1 clove
1 tsp. of meat extract
½ tsp. of lemon juice
1 pinch of pepper

Preparation: The meat is skinned, cut into ½ inch slices, each having a rib bone, then they are pounded on both sides and salted. Chop the scraps and fry them with the soupgreens, light brown in hot butter, stir in the flour and brown it, add the water and season with salt, pepper, sugar, lemon juice, Madeira and clove and cook slowly for 1½ hours. Strain the gravy and put into it the meat extract and truffle slices and stew a little while. The cutlets are fried 4 minutes in the ⅛ lb. of butter; serve on a hot platter and pour the gravy, which should be smooth, over it.

Remarks: You may also pour tomato or champignon gravy over the meat. The platter with the cutlets would look well garnished with puff-paste scallops.

No. 4—DEER OR DOE LIVER.

Quantity for 2 Persons.

1 deer or doe liver
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
⅛ lb. of butter
1 tbsp. of chopped onion
2 tbsps. of vinegar
2 tbsps. of water
½ tsp. of meat extract
½ tbsp. of flour

Preparation: The liver is washed and dried. Trim off the membrane, cut into even thin slices, salt and pepper and fry quickly in the hot butter. Onion and flour are stirred in and stewed with the liver. Then the water, vinegar and meat extract are added and cooked well ; when done, serve at once because the liver will get hard and tough when standing.

No. 5—VENISON RAGOUT.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

3–4 lbs. of venison
¼ lb. of butter
4 tbsps. of flour
1½ qts. of water
½ onion, sliced
6 pepper-corns
2 cloves
1 bay-leaf
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tumblerful of red wine
Salt

Preparation: The meat is cut into 3 inch squares. The ¼ lb. of butter is browned with the flour, then water is added and all the spices and cooked 5 minutes. The meat is put into this gravy, the pot well covered and ¼ hour before done, the red wine is added. If the gravy has boiled down too far, add some more water. When the ragout is done, take out the meat, strain the gravy and pour it over the meat, serve on a hot platter. The gravy should be smooth. This meat should be cooked in an iron pot.

Remarks: Potato dumplings are nice with venison ragout.

No. 6—TO CARVE A LEG OF VENISON.

Leg of deer, doe or reindeer may be carved like a leg of veal. From the leg, remove first the skin and membrane and you will recognize the parts called the fricandeaux. On top of the leg lies a flat piece, on the side of it a piece that has the shape of a small fillet. These pieces may be used for fricassee or they may be filled and roasted. You may leave these pieces on the leg and lard and roast it with them. The tail end is chopped off, chopped in small pieces, and with the last ribs which are attached to it, a soup is cooked.

Remarks: All uncooked game keeps in vinegar or milk.

No. 7—SADDLE OF VENISON.

Quantity for 14–16 Persons.

1 saddle of venison, 8 to 10 lbs.
Salt
¾ lb. of butter
¼ lb. of bacon for larding
1 pt. sour cream
1 tsp. of lemon juice
2 tbsps. of white wine
6 pepper-corns
2 cloves
2 tbsps. of flour
1 cup of water
1 tsp. of meat extract, if necessary

Preparation: The joints are chopped in several places so the meat lies flat in the pan, then it is skinned, washed, larded well, salted and fried on both sides in the hot butter; then put into the oven with all the spices and left to roast for 2 to 3 hours, basting frequently with the sour cream.

For the gravy, stir in the flour, brown it a little, then add the water and cook with the roast for 15 minutes. Strain the gravy and if the color is too light, add the meat extract.

No. 8—LEG OF VENISON.

Quantity for 14–18 Persons.

1 leg of venison, 10 lbs.
Salt
6 pepper-corns
2 cloves
¾ lb. of butter
1 pt. of sour cream
2 tbsps. of flour
1 cup of water
1 tsp. of lemon juice
2 tbsps. of white wine
¼ lb. of bacon for larding

Preparation: The preparation is the same as described in No. 7, only the time for frying is longer, from 3 to 3½ hours.

Remarks: If the meat is from an old animal, it is best to keep it in milk, wine or vinegar for 2 to 3 days.

No. 9—ANOTHER FORM OF LEG OF VENISON.

Quantity for 14–18 Persons.

1 leg of venison, 10 lbs.
Salt
Some melted butter
Rolled out bread dough
1 sheet of paper

For the Gravy.

¼ lb. of butter and
¼ lb. of drippings
Salt
1 clove
3 pepper-corns
2 tbsps. of flour
Bouillon cooked from remnants
1 tumblerful of port wine

Preparation: The meat is skinned, the bone trimmed out, washed and salted. A sheet of paper buttered or brushed with fine salad oil, is wrapped around the meat, then it is enveloped in a layer of white bread dough. Heat ¼ lb. of drippings and ¼ lb. of butter, place the leg of venison into it and roast for 5 to 5½ hours, basting it often. Remove paper and crust, When done, and brush the meat with gravy.

The gravy is prepared by browning the flour in the drippings, adding all the spices, the port wine, and the bouillon, then cooking it well. If the gravy is too greasy, skim it off and strain before serving.

Currant jelly or apple sauce is served with this meat.

No. 10—CHOPPED STEAK OF GAME.

Deer, Doe, Boar or Wild Rabbit Meat is Used.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

3 lbs. of meat
¼ lb. of bacon
⅛ lb. butter Scant
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
½ lb. of butter for frying

For the Gravy.

1 tbsp. of flour
3 tbsps. of cream
1 tsp. of lemon juice
½ cup of water
1 tbsp. of capers

Preparation: The membrane and tendons are removed from the meat, then it is chopped or ground fine together with the bacon and mixed well with ⅛ lb. of butter, salt, pepper and shaped into steaks.

The other portion of butter is heated and in this the steak is fried 10 minutes on the stove, basting and turning often. Put it on a hot platter and prepare the gravy.

If there is too much drippings left, take some out, stir in the flour, brown a few minutes, then add all the ingredients and cook well, pour it over the steak, serve immediately.

No. 11—COLD GAME PIE.

Made From Deer, Doe, Boar or Rabbit Meat.

A good way to utilize the remnants of game roasts. Quantity for 6 Persons.

2 lbs. fried or roasted game
¼ lb. of butter
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 tsp. of grated onion
¼ lb. finely grated Parmesan cheese
¼ lb. of truffles, sliced
4 eggs
¼ lb. finely chopped sardines
2 soaked rolls
Some butter for the dish

Preparation: The meat is chopped or ground very fine. The butter is melted—add to it the rolls, chopped sardines (from which the bones have been removed) and onions, one whole egg and 3 yolks of eggs. This mixture is stirred on the stove and left to stew until dry.

After cooling it off, add the chopped meat, salt and pepper. Press the whole through a sieve so there will be no chunks or pieces. Into this mass stir the truffle slices, the beaten whites of eggs, and the Parmesan cheese.

Fill a buttered dish or casserole with this mixture, cover it, set it in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water and boil 1½ hours. After cooling, turn it out on a platter, garnish the platter with prepared lettuce. This makes a fine dish for an evening dinner.

Remarks: This pie may also be served hot; then serve a game gravy or herb gravy with it.

No. 12—GAME RAGOUT MADE FROM REMNANTS.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

1½ lbs. cold game remnants, either deer, doe, rabbit or wild boar meat
⅛ lb. of bacon
1 tbsp. of butter
2½ tbsps. of flour
1½ tbsps. of lemon juice
1 small onion
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 pt. bouillon, boiled from the bones
½ cup sour or sweet cream
2 vinegar or dill pickles, sliced

Preparation: The meat is cut from the bones in nice, equal pieces. The bones are brought to boil in 2 qts. of cold water and boiled down to 1 pt. of broth or bouillon.

Cut the bacon into cubes and brown it in the butter, onion slices and flour and add the bouillon. If you have left-over game gravy, add that too, season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and cream and cook slowly for 20 minutes, then strain and cut the pickles into it. Put the meat pieces into this gravy and let it get hot, but do not cook or the meat will get tough. The gravy must be smooth. After heating, serve at once.

Remarks: If you wish to have the ragout very fine, omit the pickles and take truffles or champignons instead.

No. 13—LEG OR SADDLE OF WILD BOAR.

Quantity for 14–18 Persons.

10–14 lbs. of wild boar meat

For Pickling.

5 qts. of vinegar
10 pepper-corns
1 large onion, sliced
1 doz. juniper berries
3 cloves

For Frying.

1 bottle of red wine
Salt
1 qt. of bouillon

To Cover the Roast.

1 lb. grated rye bread
½ lb. of butter
3 tbsps. of sugar
4 pulverized cloves

For the Gravy.

3 tbsps. of flour mixed with some water
1 tsp. of meat extract

Preparation: The roast is pounded, the surface scored or cut in squares and the meat placed into a deep pot or jar. Vinegar, pepper, juniper berries, cloves and onion slices are put in and left with the meat for 3 days. After this time take the roast out and roast it in a deep roaster with all that was on it in the jar, except the vinegar. Instead of that, pour on the red wine and bouillon, season with salt and roast in the oven for 3½ hours. Then strew the roast with rye bread crumbs which have been mixed with ½ lb. of butter, pulverized cloves and 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar. Roast it 30 minutes longer so the crust will get hard and brown. In the meantime add the flour mixed with water to the gravy and cook it a while, then strain, add the meat extract, cook again, taste for salt and spices and skim off the fat.

Remarks: The remnants of roast are utilized in the same way as those of pork roast.

No. 14—HOW TO SKIN A RABBIT.

Hang the animal up by its hind legs on two nails, rip the rabbit from tail to throat, lengthwise. Take out the insides, cut the bile carefully from the liver, retain the latter and the heart and lungs, and throw away the rest of the intestines. Now separate the fur skin from the inner skin, make a cut through the fur around each ankle, pull the legs through, cut off the ears and pull the whole fur skin down from the hind legs over the head.

No. 15—RABBIT ROAST.

Quantity for 4 Persons.

1 rabbit
⅛ lb. bacon for larding
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
½ Pt. sour or sweet cream
1 tsp. of lemon juice
1½ tbsps. of flour
1 cup of water
Scant ½ lb. of butter

Preparation: The dressed rabbit is washed and dried, head, throat and the skin from' the belly and its fore paws are cut off and the joints of its hind paws are chopped. The back and legs are larded with thin slices of bacon. The butter is heated and the larded hare is placed into it to roast for 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and baste frequently with cream. If it is an old hare, it will require l¼ hours for roasting. Ten minutes before the hare is done, add the lemon juice and the flour and stew 5 minutes, then pour in the water, leave the hare in this gravy 5 minutes longer, then serve it with the strained gravy.

No. 16—STEWED RABBIT.

Quantity for 4 Persons.

1 rabbit
¼ lb. of butter
⅛ lb. of bacon
2 cloves
2 cups of rye bread crumbs
½ bottle of red wine
Salt, pepper

Preparation: The rabbit is prepared as described in No. 15, well larded, cut into pieces large enough for each person. The forelegs may be larded too. These pieces are fried in ¼ lb. of butter until they are light brown. Now pour the drippings into a deep roasting pot, add the bacon slices and make a layer of hare meat, season with salt, pepper, cloves and put on 1 cup of rye bread crumbs. Over this pour the red wine. After making another layer of meat and bread crumbs, cover the pot well and stew slowly 2 to 2½ hours. Serve the meat on a hot platter, strain the gravy, flavor and pour it over the meat. If the pot cannot be closed tightly, paste a strip of paper or cloth around the rim and cover.

Remarks: Potato dumplings are good with this meat.

No. 17—ANOTHER FORM OF STEWED RABBIT.

Quantity for 4 Persons.

The preparation is the same as given under No. 16 with the exception of taking ½ pt. of sour cream instead of wine and 2 tablespoonfuls of flour instead of rye bread crumbs.

The hare is prepared and cooked the same as given under No. 16. If the gravy is too thick, add more water.

No. 18—RABBIT CUTLETS. Quantity for 4 Persons.

1 rabbit
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
2 eggs
1 small piece of bacon
Grated wheat bread for breading
1 egg
Some melted butter

For the Gravy.

½ pt. broth
1½ tbsps. of flour
⅛ lb. of butter
Juice of one lemon
½ tsp. of sugar
Salt
1 wineglassful of red wine

Preparation: All meat is cut from a well dressed rabbit, skin and membrane removed ; the bacon and meat are chopped or ground fine, seasoned with salt and pepper and mixed well with 2, eggs and small cutlets formed. The butter is heated, the cutlets brushed with it, then dipped into the bread crumbs and finally into the beaten egg. Some ribs are cut off the skeleton and stuck into each cutlet. The butter for frying is put into a pan, heated and the cutlets fried to a nice brown color. The gravy has been prepared by browning the heart, liver and lungs in 1½ tablespoonfuls of flour, then adding 1 pt. of broth or water, putting into this all the bones and seasoning with salt, cloves, and 4 pepper-corns. Cook the gravy for ½ hour and add the red wine or port wine, lemon juice and sugar. Strain and serve with the cutlets. Garnish the platter with currant jelly.

No. 19—HASBNPFEFFER (RABBIT PEPPER).

Quantity for 2–4 Persons.

The head, neck, breast, lungs, forelegs, heart, liver, 1 lb. of rabbit meat or lean pork
Some vinegar
1 small onion
⅛ lb. of bacon or butter
3 tbsps. of flour
Salt
4 pepper-corns
2 cloves
1 bay-leaf
2 pts. of water
1 tbsp. of sugar
½ cup of red wine (or not)

Preparation: The head, neck, breast, lungs, heart, liver and forelegs are cleaned well, cut in medium large pieces and left in vinegar for 1 day.

After the rabbit has been fried, cut 1 lb. of pork into medium large pieces. Cut the bacon into small cubes and fry it, or if you use butter, heat this and fry the finely sliced onion and pork in it and the rabbit meat which has been soaked in vinegar.

For the gravy, stir the flour into the drippings, stew a few minutes, then add water and all the spices and other ingredients. Then slowly cook the meat until tender in the gravy. When it is done, take the meat out and serve on a hot platter, strain the gravy and pour over the meat.

Remarks: You may omit the rabbit meat and pork and use only the heart, lungs, liver, head, neck, breast and foreleg's if these are sufficient. You may also stir a little vinegar into some rabbit blood and add to the gravy. The liver may be omitted and fried separately.

No. 20—RABBIT LIVER.

Quantity for 1 Person.

1 rabbit liver
1 pinch of salt and pepper
1 well beaten egg
Some flour
1 piece of butter for frying
1 slice of lemon

Preparation: The liver must be very fresh. As soon as the rabbit is shot, dress it, take the liver out and prepare it the same day. If you cannot do this the same day, it is better to leave the liver and prepare it with the rabbit.

The fresh liver is washed, sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper, dipped into egg and flour, then fried quickly in some hot butter and served at once on a hot platter. Place a lemon slice on it.

No. 21—RABBIT ROAST SALAD.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

¾ lb. of hare roast
3 medium sized, boiled potatoes
2 hard boiled yolks of eggs
2 raw yolks of eggs
¼ pt. fine salad oil
Wine vinegar according to taste
1 tsp. of mustard
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 tsp. of capers
1 tsp. of sugar
¼ cupful of cream

Preparation: The meat and potatoes are cut into small pieces. The 2 hard boiled yolks of eggs are mixed well and stirred with the 2 raw yolks, the oil dripped in, cream, vinegar and the other ingredients mixed in. Taste the gravy and stir lightly into it the meat and potatoes, then heap it in a glass dish, chop the 2 whites of eggs and strew over the salad.

No. 22—RABBIT PIE.

2 young rabbits
1 piece of bacon for larding
½ lb. chopped pork
1½ rolls
2 eggs
Salt
1 pinch of pepper
1 tbsp. of butter for the filling

For Frying.

¼ lb. of butter
3 tbsps. of flour
1½ qts. of water or bouillon
1 small onion
¼ bottle of white wine
1 bay-leaf
6 pepper-corns
1 clove
Lemon peel
1 small can of truffles, sliced

Preparation: Shoulders and legs are cut off and the rest of the meat removed from the bones and chopped very fine, also the pork. Mix this well with the soaked rolls, eggs, butter, salt and pepper.

Line the bottom and sides of the dish with this mixture. The meat from the loins of the rabbits is cut into nice pieces, fried brown in ¼ lb. of butter and put into the pie with the sliced truffles.

Now prepare the gravy. Into the butter in which the pieces of meat have been fried, stir 3 tablespoonfuls of flour, brown and add 1½ qts. of water or bouillon. Season it with all the spices, onion, salt, bay-leaf, pepper, clove, lemon juice, white wine and the truffle peelings and cook slowly for 1 hour. Strain the gravy and pour ¾ of it into the pie, put on another layer of the filling, bake in medium hot oven for 1½ hours or cover the dish well and set it in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water and boil 1½ hours. The remainder of the gravy should be served hot with the pie.

Remarks: The bones are chopped up and broth cooked from them which is used for the gravy to make this rich and palatable.

Remarks: This pie may be served cold.

No. 23—DOMESTIC RABBIT ROAST.

Quantity for 4 Persons.

1 domestic rabbit
⅛ lb. of bacon
⅛ lb. of butter
½ cup of sour or sweet cream
1½ tbsps. of flour
½ cup of water
Salt

Preparation: The domestic rabbit is prepared and cooked the same as described under No. 15, Rabbit Roast.

No. 24—STUFFED DOMESTIC RABBIT ROAST.

Quantity for 4–6 Persons.

1 domestic rabbit
⅛ lb. of bacon
⅛ lb. of butter
½ cup of sour or sweet cream
1½ tbsps. of flour
½ cup of water
Salt

For Stuffing.

Heart, liver, kidneys of the rabbit
2 soaked rolls
2 eggs
1 tbsp. of butter
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
Salt, pepper, nutmeg

Preparation: The domestic rabbit is prepared like the rabbit under No. 14, but the legs, neck and breast are left on, because it is going to be stuffed. It is washed well inside and outside and salted. Heart, liver and kidneys are chopped fine and mixed well with the soaked rolls and the other ingredients. The rabbit is filled with this stuffing and sewed up, the back well larded and fried on all sides light brown in hot butter. Then it is roasted in the oven for 1½ hours, basting frequently with the cream and lemon juice.

Remarks: The domestic rabbit may be made into ragout. See No. 5, Doe or Deer Ragout.

Remarks: The stuffing may be improved by adding champignons or truffles or ¼ lb. of chopped pork.

No. 25—LAPINS.

Lapins, the European hare, are prepared like rabbit. See No. 33 and No. 24.