The universal cookery book

The most elegant dish of the Romans was a stuffed peacock. A young peacock is eatable when properly roasted, but an old one is really very poor eating; but the Romans used to prepare them in the following way: They selected those with the most beautiful plumage, and stifled them to death, believing that that mode of killing gave more brilliancy to the plumage. As soon as dead, they carefully split the bird open by an incision all along the back, from the bill to the rump. They then took out all the bones, meat, etc., leaving only the bones of the legs to the first joint, those of the wings to the second joint, and the head whole, except the brain, eyes, and tongue. The inside of the skin was now immediately lined with a coating of glue, and filled with bran to keep it in shape. The feathers that were spoiled were varnished, and false but brilliant eyes were placed instead of the natural ones. When dry the skin was filled with roasted birds or with the flesh of birds chopped and cooked, and carefully sewed up. The bird was served on a large silver dish made for that purpose. The dish was of an oblong shape, and in the middle and soldered to it was something resembling the trunk of a tree with a kind of limb on which the bird was fastened. It was meant to look just as if it were alive, and resting itself on a perch, with an ear of millet in its bill. It was always served at the beginning of the dinner, and was one of the last dishes eaten. — Pierre Blot. Chicken Fricassee. “Take two chickens, cut up, and lay them in skillet, with two slices of lean ham, two small eschalots, and a few blades of mace. Then season fowls with pepper and salt. Add a little water. When about half done, add half a pint of cream, and a lump of butter the size of a walnut, rolled in flour. Keep the fricassee constantly stirring till done.” A Souffle of Chicken. Take the white meat of a chicken, remove all the skin and sinews, and mince it up as fine as possible. Then put the meat into a stew-pan, together with some white sauce, a little parsley chopped fine, and pepper and salt. Set the pan on the fire, and stir it until it boils ; then remove it to one side to cool a little. Have the yolks of three eggs beaten to a CHICKEN CURRY firm froth, and stir these into the mixture. Butter well a mould, strew over the bottom and sides of it some fine bread-crumbs, and place a piece of white paper around the top to allow the souffle to rise. Then put it in a very quick oven to bake, and when done, serve with white sauce poured round it. — The Caterer. (By per.) Chicken Curry. Fine-grained poultry does not make good curry, as the curry-powder is unable to permeate the centre of the flesh. A coarse-grained bird will be found the best for this purpose. Boil the chicken in the usual manner, saving the broth. When cold, cut it neatly, and rub the curry-powder into the meat. Cut up one large sour apple and half an onion ; fry these in butter ; add the meat, toss it about a moment, and add half a pint of the chicken-broth and a tablespoonful of chutney, simmer until thoroughly amalgamated, and serve with rice or shredded maize. A little sugar is an improvement, and may thicken the sauce, but I like it without flour. — The Book of Entrees: Thomas J. Murrey. White , Stokes, & Allen, Pubs. Chicken Salad. No. i.