Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/836

744 and lay the partridges on the top interspersed with strips of bacon and quarters of egg. Sprinkle on the mushrooms, parsley and onion, season well with salt and pepper, add stock to ¾ the depth of the dish, and cover with paste (see Veal Pie, No. 798). The pie will bake in about 1¼ hours; it should first be put into a hot oven to make the pastry rise, and afterwards baked more slowly. Several folds of well-greased paper laid on the top of the pie will prevent the crust becoming too brown, and a glazed appearance may be given to it by brushing it over with yolk of egg when ¾ baked. The remainder of the stock should be warmed and poured into the pie before serving.

Time.—To bake, from 1¼ to 1½ hours. Average Cost, 5s. to 6s. Seasonable from September 1 to February 12.

Ingredients.—Partridge, brown gravy, bread sauce (see Gravies and Sauces, No 180), fried breadcrumbs, slice of toast, butter for basting, 1 slice of bacon.

Method.—Pluck, draw, and truss in the same manner as a roast chicken. Cover the breast with a slice of fat bacon, and roast before a clear fire for about 30 minutes, basting frequently with hot butter. A few minutes before serving remove the bacon, dredge lightly with flour, and baste well to give the bird a nice pale brown appearance. Dish on the toast, and serve the gravy, breadcrumbs, and bread sauce separately.

Time.—To roast, about 30 minutes. Average Cost,—3s. 6d. to 4s. 6dd. [sic] the brace. Seasonable from September 1 to February 12.

Ingredients.—1 pheasant, 1 pint of oyster sauce, No. 310 (see Sauces) For the forcemeat: 12 sauce oysters, 2 tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped suet, ¼ of a teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, nutmeg, cayenne and salt to taste, sufficient raw egg to bind.

Method.—Beard the oysters, strain the liquor, and add both to the dry ingredients with as much of the egg as is necessary to moisten the whole. Truss the bird in the same manner as a boiled fowl, and stuff the breast with the oyster forcemeat. Wrap it in a well-buttered paper, put it into boiling stock or water, to which must be added, when it re-boils, 1 onion, 1 carrot, ½ a small turnip, and a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf). Simmer gently from 40 to 60 minutes, according to size, then remove the trussing strings, and serve on a hot dish with a little of the oyster sauce poured over, and the remainder sent to table in a sauce-boat. If preferred, a purée of chestnuts may