A second Dudley book of cookery and other recipes

TAKE the meat of cooked venison and pound it in a mortar until thoroughly bruised. Add one ounce of fresh butter, a few peppercorns, a grate of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. When well mixed and pounded, pass through a fine wire sieve and place in a small potted-meat dish. Melt a little fresh butter and run it over to cover the top. Put in a cool place until cold. A little thick cream can be added to the potted meat, whilst being pounded, if this is liked. SADDLE OF VENISON A L’ALLEMANDE TAKE a small saddle of venison and cut away the flaps. Butter a pan and lay the saddle in it, pouring some butter over the top. Cook it briskly for about twenty minutes, and when it is beginning to turn brown (about half an hour before the meat is sufficiently done) pour half a pint (less or more according to size of joint) of thick, sour cream over it, basting it well until it turns a rich brown. Then add some more sour cream (about half a pint), and allow again to turn brown. If the sauce is not thick, add a very small quantity of flour. For flavouring, it is better to put into the roasting pan a few slices of celery, onion and carrot. Strain through a sieve before serving, and serve some of the sauce separately in a sauceboat. BRAISED HAUNCH OF VENISON REMOVE the spine-bone from a small haunch of venison, trim it and put it in a braising pan with a mirepoix consisting of two carrots, one large onion cut into slices, a head of celery, a few sprigs of thyme and parsley, two bay leaves, twelve peppercorns, three cloves and two blades of mace. Add half a pint of claret and sufficient stock to cover the venison. Cover with buttered paper ; bring it to the boil and put the lid on to the pan, and cook in a moderate oven for about three hours. Baste the surface of the venison with its own braise from time to time. When it is done, put it into a baking pan with about a gill of its own liquor well reduced, and brush it over with meat glaze. Keep it hot. Strain the remainder of the braise-stock liquor, add a glass of port wine and a pint of demi-glaze sauce ; reduce well and skim occasionally ; season to taste with salt and cayenne. Serve with some fried onions in a separate dish, or stewed Spanish onions. Demi-Glaze Sauce is made as follows : — Reduce three-quarters of a pint of Espagnol sauce with one and a half gills of good gravy (strained and freed from fat). Allow to simmer for about fifteen minutes, and season with a pinch of pepper and salt. HAUNCH OF VENISON ROASTED WHOLE MAKE a very firm paste of common flour and water. Beat it well and let it rest for a few minutes, then roll it out the thickness of one inch. Butter or grease well a sheet of kitchen paper and first wrap the haunch in this, then encase the joint in the paste and again wrap in kitchen paper (this is to preserve the fat). Lace it well with twine to keep the paper on the paste. Then roast in front of a large fire for three hours — or longer if it is a large haunch. When cooked, remove the paper and the paste, and dish up very hot. Serve in boats, red-currant jelly and gravy. u VENISON CONSOMME