Cassell's dictionary of cookery

pigeons. Cut off the heads and necks, put the livers hack into the inside, truss securely, as if for boiling, and tie the pigeons with twine instead of skewering them. Cut half a pound of streaky bacon into small pieces, and put these into a stewpan with the pigeons and one ounce of butter. Place them on a moderate fire, and move them about until they are equally and lightly browned all over. Take the birds up, drain them, make a roux by mixing an ounce of flour smoothly with the fat in the saucepan, moisten with a pint of stock, and stir the gravy over the fire until it boUs. Strain it, and put it into a clean stewpan with the pigeons, the bacon, a bunch of parsley, a small sprig of thyme, and a pint of freshly-gathered shelled green peas, and a little pepper and salt if required. Simmer gently for half an hour, then take out the herbs, and place the pigeons on a hot dish with the gravy poured over them and the peas and bacon round them. Probable cost, 3s. Sufficient for two or three persons. Pigeons Stewed with. Green Peas (another way) . — Prepare the pigeons, and brown them in butter, as in the last recipe. Take them up, drain them, and cut them into halves lengthwise. Put them side by side in a stewpan with two ounces of butter rolled in flour. When this is dissolved, put in a pint of freshly-gathered young green peas, and a table-spoonful of nicely-seasoned veal stock. Cover the saucepan closely, and let the pigeons stew very gently until they and the peas are done enough, moving the pan about occasionally to prevent its contents burning. Serve the birds on a hot dish with the sauce and vegetables arranged around them. Time, twenty minutes to stew the pigeons. Probable cost, 2s. Sd. Sufficient for two or three persons. Pigeons Stewed with Mushrooms. — Pluck, draw, and singe two plump young house pigeons. Cut off their heads and necks, and truss them with the legs inwards, as if for boiling. Put them into a stewpan with half a pound of streaky bacon cut into small pieces and an ounce of fresh butter, and turn them about until they are equally and lightly browned, then take them up, drain them, and mix one ounce of fine flour smoothly with the butter in which they were fried. Moisten the roux with a pint of gravy or water, and a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, add a little pepper, salt, and cayenne, and stir the gravy over the fire until it boils, then strain it, and put it into a clean saucepan with the pigeons, the fried bacon, a bunch of parsley, a small sprig of thyme, and a dozen button onions. Simmer gently for half an hour, then take out the herbs, add a dozen small mushrooms, and stew ten minutes longer. Serve the birds on a hot dish, with the gravy poured over them, and the bacon, onions, and mushrooms put with them. Probable cost, 33. Sufficient for two or three persons. Pigeons, Stuffed and Roasted.— Pluck, draw, and singe two plump young pigeons, and fill them with a forcemeat made as follows : — Mince the livers finely, and mix with them the same quantity of finely-sliced suet and grated bread-crumbs. Add a little pepper, salt, and pounded mace, a heaped table-