Woodcock (sportsman's fashion). — Truss
three woodcocks, and put them down to a clear
fire. At the end of a quarter of an hour take
them up, and divide them into neat joints.
Put the inferior portions into a saucepan, with
four minced shallots and a sprig of thyme, and
add a wine-glassful of good gravy, another of
wine, a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup,
and the strained juice of half a lemon. Let the
gravy simmer for ten minutes. Remove the
gizzards from the trail of the woodcocks, and
pound them in a mortar, with half a shallot, a
slice of fresh butter, and a little pepper and salt.
When smooth, rub it through a sieve, and
spread it upon some small pieces of fried bread✪ Woodcock with Gravy
cut into the shape of hearts. Before using
these, put them in the oven for two or thi-ee
minutes. Put the joints of the woodcocks into
a separate saucepan, strain the gravy upon them,
and let them heat gently without boiling.
Place them on a dish, put the fried bread, with
the trail, round them, pour the gravy over all,
and serve very hot. Time, quarter of an hour
to roast the woodcocks ; ten minutes to simmer
the gravy.
Woodcock, Spurious.— Some years ago
a curious deception used to be practised by the
inferior poulterers in London upon genuine
cockneys, who were ambitious of having game
at their tables. " The grey plover was some-
times trussed like a woodcock, its bill cut off,
and the bill of a real woodcock inserted instead;
the bills of these latter birds being purchased
from the cooks of wealthy families." If sudi
a deception is ever practised nowadays, the
obvious way to discover the fraud would be to
give the bill a good tug."
Woodcock, Stuffed. — Pluck and singe
the birds, take out the inside, chop it fine with
bacon, parsley, onion, salt, and pepper ; mix it
with the yolks of two eggs ; fill the woodcocks
with this forcemeat, sew them together, and
truss as for roasting. Cover the bottom of a
stewpan with thin slices of bacon, put in the
birds, and cover them also with bacon ; let them
simmer for a quarter of an hour, pour in a cup-
ful of broth and half a glassful of white wine ;
lot it boil over a gentle fire. When done
enough, take out the birds and lay them on a
dish ; skim the fat off the sauce, strain it, add a
dash of vinegar, and pour it over the birds.
Woodcock, Stuffed and Roasted.—
Pluck and draw two woodcocks✪ Woodcock, Stuffed. Kemove the
gizzards, then mince the trail finely with half
its weight in fat bacon, and add a dessert-
spoonful of chopped parsley and a little pepper
and salt. A little very finely-minced shallot
may be added, if liked. Truss the woodcocks,
and roast them in the usual way. Send them
to table with gravy in a tureen.
Page 2332 · 3 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Woodcock (sportsman's fashion). — Truss three woodcocks, and put them down to a clear fire. At the end of a quarter of an hour take them up, and divide them into neat joints. Put the inferior portions into a saucepan, with four minced shallots and a sprig of thyme, and add a wine-glassful of good gravy, another of wine, a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, and the strained juice of half a lemon. Let the gravy simmer for ten minutes. Remove the gizzards from the trail of the woodcocks, and pound them in a mortar, with half a shallot, a slice of fresh butter, and a little pepper and salt. When smooth, rub it through a sieve, and spread it upon some small pieces of fried bread cut into the shape of hearts. Before using these, put them in the oven for two or three minutes. Put the joints of the woodcocks into a separate saucepan, strain the gravy upon them, and let them heat gently without boiling. Place them on a dish, put the fried bread, with the trail, round them, pour the gravy over all, and serve very hot. Time, quarter of an hour to roast the woodcocks ; ten minutes to simmer the gravy.
Woodcock, Spurious.— Some years ago a curious deception used to be practised by the inferior poulterers in London upon genuine cockneys, who were ambitious of having game at their tables. " The grey plover was sometimes trussed like a woodcock, its bill cut off, and the bill of a real woodcock inserted instead;
the bills of these latter birds being purchased from the cooks of wealthy families." If sudi a deception is ever practised nowadays, the obvious way to discover the fraud would be to give the bill a good tug."
Woodcock, Stuffed. — Pluck and singe the birds, take out the inside, chop it fine with bacon, parsley, onion, salt, and pepper ; mix it with the yolks of two eggs ; fill the woodcocks with this forcemeat, sew them together, and truss as for roasting. Cover the bottom of a stewpan with thin slices of bacon, put in the birds, and cover them also with bacon ; let them simmer for a quarter of an hour, pour in a cupful of broth and half a glassful of white wine ; lot it boil over a gentle fire. When done enough, take out the birds and lay them on a dish ; skim the fat off the sauce, strain it, add a dash of vinegar, and pour it over the birds.
Woodcock, Stuffed and Roasted.—
Pluck and draw two woodcocks. Kemove the gizzards, then mince the trail finely with half its weight in fat bacon, and add a dessertspoonful of chopped parsley and a little pepper and salt. A little very finely-minced shallot may be added, if liked. Truss the woodcocks, and roast them in the usual way. Send them to table with gravy in a tureen.
Records on this page
Woodcock with GravyWoodcock, StuffedWoodcock, Stuffed and Roasted