Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Put the pulp into the sauce, stir it over the fire till it is hot, and it will be ready for use. Time, an hour and a half or more to simmer the bones. Probable cost, uncertain, woodcocks being seldom bought. Woodcock Raised Pie, Cold.— Make some good veal forcemeat. Bone four woodcocks. Put the bones and trimmings into a saucepan with a shallot, a small onion, and a sprig of thyme, and cover them with stock. Let them simmer till the gravy is strong and good. Remove the gizzard from the trail, then pound it, and mix it with the forcemeat. Place the woodcocks, skin downwards, open upon a board, spread over them first a layer of forcemeat, then two or three sliced truffles, and another layer of forcemeat. Fold the skin over, and restore the bird to something of its original shape. Line a pie-mould with pastrA' {see Raised Pies). Put a layer of forcemeat at the bottom, place two woodcocks on this, cover them with a few slices of truffle and a thin layer of forcemeat, put in the other two woodcocks with a little more truffle and another layer of forcemeat, and place some thin slices of fat bacon over all. Cover the pie, and finish in the usual way. Bake in a moderate oven. Half an hour after it has been taken out of the oven, pour into it a little of the gravy from the woo ( 1148 ) WOO bones, which should be strong enough to form a jelly when cold (see Raised Pies of Game and Poultry). Close the hole in the cover, and when the pie is cold, serve on a dish covered with a napkin. Woodcock Raised Pie, Hot.— Prepare some forcemeat as in the last recipe. Divide four woodcocks into quarters. Line a pie-mould with pastry {see Raised Pies), and fill it with alternate layers of forcemeat and pieces of woodcock. Cover it, and bake in a moderate oven. Take it out, pour into it some good brown sauce made of the trimmings of the woodcock stewed in beef gravy. Serve hot upon a dish covered with a napkin. If liked, a hollow place may be left in the centre of the pie, into which a piece of the crumb of bread, covered with fat bacon, may be put, whilst the pie is being baked. When done enough, this hollow may be filled with sliced truffles mixed in brown sauce. Woodcock, Roast.— Pluck the woodcocks carefully, neck and head as well. Do not open them, but truss them securely {see Woodcocks, To Truss). Fasten them feet downwards to a spit, put them down to a brisk clear fire, flour them, and baste liberally with dripping or butter. When they have been down about five minutes, put a buttered toast, free from crust, under them, to catch the droppings from the trail. After this is done, hold a dish under them when they are basted. When the steam draws to the fire, they are done enough. Dish them with a piece of toast under each, and garnish with watercresses. Send melted butter or orange gravy to table in a tureen. It is an improvement to cover the woodcocks with slices of bacon before putting them down to the fire, and, when they are to be had, two or three vine-leaves may be laid under the bacon. Time to roast the woodcocks, if liked underdone, fifteen to twenty minutes ; if liked well dressed, twenty-five to thirty minutes. Probable cost, uncertain. Sufficient, two for a dish.