Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/800

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Ingredients.—1 dozen larks, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, croûtes of toasted bread, butter.

Method.—Prepare the larks as directed in "Larks, Roasted," brush them over with beaten egg, and coat them carefully with breadcrumbs seasoned with a little salt and pepper. Broil over a clear fire for 10 minutes, and as soon as the breadcrumbs are set, brush them lightly over with oiled butter. Serve on croûtes.

Time.—About 10 minutes. Average Cost, 2s. 3d. to 3s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable November to February.

Ingredients.—12 larks, 12 small thin slices of bacon, 12 round or oval pieces of buttered toast, fried breadcrumbs, water-cress, salad-oil, lemon, butter or fat for basting, salt and pepper.

Method.—Pick and singe the birds, cut off the feet, and remove the gizzards. Truss them in shape by means of a skewer, which should be long enough to hold six. Brush them over with hot butter or fat, cover each breast with a piece of bacon, and roast the birds before a hot fire for about 10 minutes, basting them constantly. Place each bird on a piece of toast, arrange them in a close circle on a hot dish, fill the centre with fried breadcrumbs, and garnish with cut lemons, and watercress seasoned with salad-oil, salt and pepper.

Time.—About 10 minutes, to roast. Average Cost, from 2s. to 3s. per dozen. Sufficient, 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable from November to February.

Ingredients.—8 or 9 larks, 8 or 9 very small rolls of crisply-fried bacon, 8 or 9 round or oval pieces of buttered toast. For the farce or stuffing: 1 oz. of warm butter, 1 tablespoonful of breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped cooked ham or tongue, 1 large, finely-chopped fresh mushroom, or 4 small preserved ones, 1 dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 very finely-chopped shallot, salt and pepper, egg, brown breadcrumbs, butter for basting, fried potato straws.

Method.—Prepare the birds as in the preceding recipe, stuff with the prepared farce, coat with egg and brown breadcrumbs, truss and fix on a skewer, and roast for about 10 minutes before a clear fire. As soon as the coating becomes fixed, baste with hot butter, and repeat the process frequently. Place each bird on a piece of toast, dish them in a close circle, pile the potato straws in the centre, and garnish with the rolls of bacon. Serve with a boat of nicely seasoned gravy.