A second Dudley book of cookery and other recipes

Have ready a large stewpan ; put in some slices of pork or bacon, the carrot and onion cut into slices, cloves and bouquet ; lay the partridges on this ; put the cabbage on top ; then some more bacon or pork ; add the wine and stock ; season with pepper, salt and grated nutmeg ; cover and cook slowly for thirty to forty-five minutes. Dress the cabbages on a dish to form a bed ; place the partridges on this (whole or cut up) ; garnish with slices of carrot and bacon or pork. Skim and strain the gravy ; add the sauce ; boil up and sauce all over. PARTRIDGES WITH MUSHROOMS TWO partridges, four ounces of lean bacon, peppercorns, two cloves, three ounces of butter, half a pound of fresh or a quarter of a pound of preserved mushrooms, chopped parsley, one gill of stock, seasoning, half a pound of larding bacon, a mirepoix (consisting of a small bunch of herbs, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, sliced onion, carrot and turnip), brown or half-glaze sauce, one glass of port wine, two ounces of cooked ham and meat glaze. Truss the birds ; then untruss and bone them leaving the end bone of the legs. Cut the larding bacon into the usual-sized strips and lard the breasts of the partridges. Shape them neatly. Line a braising pan with the trimmings of bacon, herbs, sliced onion, carrot, turnip, peppercorns, cloves, and one ounce of butter. Let this get thoroughly hot ; put in the birds, larded side upwards ; season with pepper, salt and aromatics ; put a few slices of lean bacon on top and set it in a hot oven for about fifteen minutes ; then add the port wine and the stock, and braise for about thirty minutes, keeping the birds well basted during the process of braising. Take up the partridges ; cut them in halves and keep hot, and brush over the surface with meat glaze. Chop up the carcases of the birds and put this into the pan in which the birds wrere cooked. Add about half a pint of sauce and boil up quickly ; remove the fat and strain the sauce ; skim well and season to taste. Dish up the birds on a border of mashed potatoes, or, if preferred, on a fried-bread crouton. The mushrooms are served in the centre or dressed on either side. Prepare the mushrooms as follows : — Wash and skin the mushrooms ; chop them finely and put them in the stewpan with two ounces of butter and two ounces of ham, also chopped finely, and fried a little in butter. Cook them over a quick fire for about ten minutes ; season to taste, and serve as directed. SPATCHCOCK OF GROUSE A GOOD BREAKFAST OR LUNCHEON DISH