The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

GUINEA PIGS (Fr. Cochons d’lnde; Ger. Meerschweinchen ; Ital. Porcelli d’lndia ; Sp. Cochinos de Guinea). — These prolific little animals. ( Cavia aparcea are better known in this country as pets than subjects for the kitchen. Nevertheless, it is asserted in an authoritative volume (“ The Guinea Pig, or Domestic Cavy ”) that they form excellent dishes. The author informs us that in the time of the Peruvian Incas, and before the semi-barbarous Spaniards began to exterminate the semi-civilised Peruvians, the Cavy (as it is called) must have constituted a very important food supply. Guinea Pigs can be cooked in various ways, and make excellent stock for soups. They are killed by breaking the neck, and must be opened, cleaned, skinned, and plunged into scalding water for a short time, then into cold, and dried for cooking. The following receipts, from the same authority, may be useful : Cavy en Gibelotte. — The Cavy, having been killed in a proper manner and scalded, should be cut up into joints, something as a rabbit is carved. It requires a sharp knife to do this, as the skin is thick and tough. The body will cut into three pieces. Procure a middling-sized eel, and having prepared it in the usual way, out it into lengths of 2in. Make a roux with flour and butter, saute the Cavy and eel in this, with the addition of mushrooms and little onions ; moisten with white wine and double the quantity of stock ; season with salt, pepper, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, and little green onions. Then take out the pieces of eel and the little onions ; For details respecting Culinary Processes , Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads. Guinea Pigs — continued. cook the Cavy fast until the sauce is reduced to two -thirds ; replace the eel and little onions, and finish cooking slowly. Skim off the fat, take out the bouquet, and serve hot. Cavy aux Pines Herbes. — Take a full-grown and fat hog Cavy, killed, scalded, and cleaned as previously described ; blanch it in 1 pint of boiling water, and cut into joints. Make the water thick with a white roux of flour and butter ; put it over the fire in a moderate-sized stewpan, stir till thick and smooth, add 1 table-spoonful each of parsley and green onions, or chives, chopped small, and pepper and salt to taste. Stew the Cavy in this for two hours, or until it is perfectly tender. If 1 pint of stock be used instead of the water, this dish will be much improved. Thicken with the yolk of an egg, and servo. GUISADO.— This is a Spanish dish which answers to our ragout. It is very highly esteemed and, prepared as follows, appears upon the most aristocratic tables : Clean and prepare a fowl, pheasant, rabbit, or hare, whichever is prefei'red, taking care to preserve the liver, giblets, and blood. Cut it up in pieces, and dry them (without washing) on a cloth. Brown a few slices of onions in a gill of boiling fat (lard for choice), turn them with the pieces of meat into an earthenware pan or pipkin that will stand the heat of the fire, add a seasoning of herbs, onions, garlic, a few chillies, salt and pepper, put in also a few thin slices of bacon, and pour over all sufficient red wine and rich stock in equal proportions to moisten.