Page:Art of Cookery 1774 edition.djvu/124

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MAKE a good force-meat as above, cut off the feet quite, stuff them in the shape of a pear, roll them in the yolk of an egg, and then in crumbs of bread, stick the leg at the top, and butter the dish to lay them in; then send them to an oven to bake, but do not let them touch each other. When they are enough, lay them in a dish, and pour in good gravy thickened with the yolk of an egg, or butter rolled in flour: do not pour your gravy over the pigeons. You may garnish with lemon. It is a pretty genteel dish: or, for change, lay one pigeon in the middle, the rest round, and stewed spinach between; poach eggs on the spinach. Garnish with notched lemon and orange cut into quarters, and have melted butter in boats.

TAKE a small cabbage lettuce, just cut out the heart and make a force-meat as before, only chop the heart of the cabbage and mix with it; then you must fill up the place, and tie it across with a packthread; fry it of a bright brown in fresh butter, pour out all the fat, lay the pigeons round, flat them with your hand, season them a little with pepper, salt, and beaten mace (take great care not to put too much salt) pour in half a pint of Rhenish wine, cover it close, and let it stew about five or six minutes; then put in half a pint of good gravy, cover it close, and let them stew half an hour. Take a good piece of butter rolled in flour, shake it in: when it is fine and thick take it up, untie it, lay the lettuce in the middle, and the pigeons round: squeeze in a little lemon juice, and pour the sauce all over them. Stew a little lettuce, and cut it into pieces for garnish with pickled red cabbage.

Note, Or for change, you may stuff your pigeons with the same force-meat, and cut two cabbage lettuces into quarters, and stew as above: so lay the lettuce between each pigeon, and one in the middle, with the lettuce round it, and pour the sauce all over them.

FORCE your pigeons as above, then lay a slice of bacon on the breast, and a slice of veal beat with the back of a knife, and seasoned with mace, pepper, and salt, tie it on with a small packthread, or two little fine skewers is better; spit them on a fine bird spit, roast them and baste with a piece of butter,