Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Pheasant, Hashed.— Cut the remains of one or two cold roast pheasants into neat joints, put them into a cool place, and cover them over until they are wanted. Dissolve an ounce of butter in a stewpan, mix half an ounce of flour smoothly with it, and stir the mixture quickly over a gentle fire, until it is lightly coloured. Pour over it half a pint of stock or water, and add a glass of claret, a finely-minced onion, a bunch of parsley, a small sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a little pepper and salt. Simmer the sauce gently by the side of the fire until it is thick enough to coat the spoon, then strain it, and put in the pieces of pheasant. Let these simmer for a minute or two until they are quite hot, but the sauce must not boil after the game is added. Serve the pheasant on a hot dish, with the hot gravy poured over it. Time, one hour and a half. Probable cost, 4d., exclusive of the wine and cold meat. Sufficient for three or four persons. Pheasant, Mock. — When only one pheasant can be obtained, a fine young fowl which has been kept three or four days may be trussed and roasted with it. Few people will discover that the two birds served on the same dish are not of the same species. Pheasant Pie. — Take six ounces of the cushion of veal, free it carefully from skin and gristle, and mince it finely. Mix with it six ounces of fat bacon also finely minced, six ounces of finely-grated bread-crumbs, three ounces of chopped beef suet, and one ounce of grated lean ham. Mix these ingredients thoroughly, season rather highly with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, and bind the forcemeat together with yolk of egg. The addition of three or four chopped mushrooms will be an improvement. Pluck and clean a well-hung pheasant. Cut oft' its head, and divide it in two lengthwise. Bone the bird carefully, and fry the halves in hot fat until they are lightly browned. Drain them well, and put about half the forcemeat into them, then put them close together in their original position. Line a pie-mould, or form a case, according to the directions already given {see Paste for Eaiscd Pies). Lay slices of fat bacon at the bottom, and spread half of the remaining forcemeat on them. Put in the pheasant, the remainder of the forcemeat, and a slice of fat bacon over all. Lay on the lid, make a hole in the centre, and bake in a brisk oven. If there is any danger of the pie burning, lay a paper upon it. In order to ascertain when it is done enough, push a trussing-needle through the hole in the centre ; if it penetrates easily, the pie is sufficiently cooked. This pie, if preferred, may be baked in a dish, and the pheasant may be jointed before it is put in. Half an hour after it is taken out of the oven pour into it, through the hole in the centre, a quarter of a pint of strong gravy made from the liver. Time to bake, two hours, or more. Probable cost, 6s. Suflicient for six or eight persons. Pheasant, Potted.— Pluck, di-aw, and singe a well-hung pheasant. Cut off its head, PHE (544 ) PHE