Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Woodcock, Salmi of (another way). — Draw the gravy from a pound of gravy beef with a bit of lean ham, and a sheep's milt added to it. Then take a few shallots, a handful of mushrooms chopped, a few strips of ham, a carrot, a bunch of sweet herbs, such as we have indicated for the salmi of partridges, two cloves, half a dozen of peppercorns, and the same number of blades of allspice. Fry all this for a short time in a stewpan with a little butter, then pour in a quarter of a pint of madeira or sherry, and the gravy above mentioned. Put in also the backs and necks of the birds, leaving the rumps with the other limbs for the salmi. Let all this stew very quietly. Season to taste, and at the expiration of a couple of hours strain the sauce. Then put into a stewpan about an ounce and a half of butter, and, when this boils, half a spoonful of flour. Stir the mixture as it boils until it has assumed a rich blonde colour;; then add gradually the sauce, and let it boil a quarter of an hour longer. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon. If you have the trail, pound it, and mix it well with the sauce. Strain this over the woodcock into another stewpan. This latter must now be stood near the fire, so that it may heat without boiling. When the meat is fully penetrated with the sauce, serve it up very hot with fried sippets. As a variation from this mode, red wine may be substituted for white. Woodcock, Salmi of (a la LucuUus).— Ude's recipe.— I'or this dish you must be particular in having the woodcocks very much underdone; then take out the intestines, and woo ( 1149 ) WOO with the addition of two or three fat livers of fowls make the following forcemeat : — Take half a dozen mushrooms chopped very tine, a shallot and some parsley the same ; fry these herbs in a small bit of butter. When they are nearly done, put the fat, livers, and the intestines of the woodcocks to fry with them, and when done put the whole into a mortar and pound them very iine ; season with salt and pepper, &c. ; rub this through a tammy ; then, as three woodcocks give you six fillets, cut six bits of bread of the same shape, fry them of a nice colour, then spread the farce (forcemeat) equally divided over the six pieces of bread, put them into the oven, and when they are a good colour serve them between each of the fillets ; as for the sauce, you make it with the trimmings as usual for salmi : this, well managed, is a delicious dish. The sauce must be made early, so as to keep the fillets in it to prevent them from drying ; then warm them without boiling, for boiling would make the dish good for nothing. Serve the legs in the middle. Woodcock, Scotch, or Woodcock Toast. — Take a slice of bread from a moderatesized stale loaf, also three anchovies, one egg, and two or three table-spoonfuls of thick cream. Beat the yolk of the egg, mix it with the cream, and stir the mixture over the fire till it thickens, but it must not boil. Toast the bread, butter well on both sides, and cut it in halves. Wash, scrape, and mince the anchovies, put them between the pieces of toast, pour the cream, &c., over the toast, and serve as hot as possible. Time, five minutes to make the sauce hot. Probable cost, 6d. Sufficient for one person.