Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/801

Rh Time.—About 10 minutes to roast. Average Cost, from 2s. to 3s. per dozen. Allow 2 to each person. Seasonable from November to February.

Ingredients.—2 dozen larks, 1 pint of good gravy or stock, 1 glass of port wine or claret, the juice of ½ a lemon, 2 ozs. of butter, 2 ozs of flour, 3 finely-chopped shallots, cayenne, salt, butter for basting, croûte of fried bread.

Method.—Roast the larks before a clear fire or in a moderately-hot oven for 10 minutes, basting them frequently with hot butter. Fry the shallots in the butter, add the flour, cook over the fire until brown, put in the stock, and stir until boiling. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the wine, lemon-juice, salt and cayenne to taste, put in the birds, and cook very gently for about 10 minutes. Dish the larks on the croûte, strain the sauce over, and serve.

Time.—About 20 minutes, to cook the larks. Average Cost, 4s. to 5s. Seasonable from November to February.

Ingredients.—2 or 3 fowls, 4 quarts of water, 2 lb. of common salt, 4 ozs. of brown sugar, ¼ of an oz. of saltpetre.

Method.—Boil the salt, sugar, saltpetre and water together for ½ an hour, skimming when necessary. Pour the brine into an earthenware vessel, and when quite cold put in the fowls, and let them remain 2 or 3 days. This method of preserving poultry is employed in South Africa, Australia and other hot countries. The birds are killed, immediately scalded and stripped of their feathers, and at once immersed in brine. They are usually conveyed to market in small barrels, 3 or 4 being packed closely together, and covered with brine. They are best when dressed as a curry or pilau.

Ingredients.—3 pigeons, 1½ ozs. of butter, ¼ of a lb. of raw ham or bacon, 2 dozen button onions, 1 carrot, ½ a turnip, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), 1 clove, 6 peppercorns, 1 pint of good stock, 1 tablespoonful of flour, salt and pepper.

Method.—Truss the pigeons for roasting, cut the bacon into dice, peel the onions, and fry the whole in hot butter until well browned. Add the stock, and when boiling put in the herbs and the carrot and turnip, previously cut into dice. Cover closely and cook gently for