The art of cookery

To Broil a Chicken in the Oven. — After the chicken has been split down the back and properly prepared, lay it inside down upon a meat-board and press the joints and breast-bone close to the board with a rolling-pin — crushing them down until the chicken is quite flat — then wipe off all moisture with a dry towel, and lay the flattened chicken inside down upon a smoking hot roasting pan. Put a weight upon it to keep it pressed close to the pan until well seared and lightly browned. After the searing and browning have been accomplished remove the weight, and put the chicken, without taking it from the pan, into a very hot oven. Place it on the upper grate so the greatest heat may be from above. Close the oven door and leave the chicken undisturbed for twenty minutes. At the end of that time it will be evenly browned on the outside, and, if young and not large, will be perfectly cooked all through. If full grown or very large it will have to be cooked from forty to sixty minutes. When cooked, lay upon a platter, season with salt, pepper, and melted butter, and serve. To Broil Quail in the Oven. — Plunge the prepared birds in deep fat at frying temperature for half a minute, then place them as close together as possible on a roasting pan, and put them in a very hot oven for fifteen minutes, or until nicely browned all over. Or dip them Broiling. 45 in melted butter, instead of immersing in hot fat, lay in the roasting pan, put in the oven, and broil. Small birds of any kind may be broiled in the same manner as quail, and served on thin slices of either dry or buttered toast. To Broil a Rabbit in the Oven. — Spread the prepared rabbit open, flatten with a rolling-pin or mallet, lay inside down in a roasting pan, and broil in a hot oven like a chicken. When the rabbit is thoroughly cooked pour into the roasting pan two or three tablespoonfuls of hot water, add two of melted butter and one of minced parsley, let simmer a few minutes, season to taste with pepper and salt, pour over the rabbit, and serve. To Broil a Squirrel in the Oven. — A squirrel may be prepared, cooked, and served in the same manner as a rabbit. The flavor of parsley is so admirably adapted to that of rabbit or squirrel that it can always be appropriately used with either. To Broil a Fish in the Oven. — Open the fish down the front, lay it, skin side down, on a fish rack, or on oiled paper, in a roasting pan, season with salt, pepper, and melted butter, and dust with flour. Put to cook on the upper grate of a hot oven, and, when nicely browned, place on a warm platter, season with plain or parsley butter, and serve. A fish weighing three or four pounds will broil in an oven at the right temperature in about half an hour, and one of larger size in a proportionately greater length of time. CHAPTER VI. BAKING.