Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Generally speaking, the breasts only of pheasants. LARDING NEEDLE. chickens, turkeys, and partridges are larded, and the backs and thighs of hares. When the flesh is soft, as in the case of poultry, the part to be larded should be dipped for a moment into boiling water, which will give firmness to it. Lardoms. — Lardom is the name given to the strip of bacon which is to be used for larding. Bacon intended for this purpose should be cured, as has been said in the preceding recipe, without saltpetre, or it will give a pink tinge to white meats. Lark Pastry (to be eaten cold). — Take a dozen larks, empty them, cut off their heads, legs, and necks, and put them into a saucepan with a few trimmings of veal, if veal trimmings are at hand, a sprig of parsley, a very small sprig of thyme, a sliced carrot, and a pint of water. Let them simmer very gently until the liquid is considerably reduced, and will jelly. Mince the livers of the larks finely, and mix them with half a pound of lean veal, half a pound of sausage-meat, four ounces of unsmoked bacon, three table-spoonfuls of chopped parsley, a dessert- spoonful of powdered thyme, a tea-spoonful of white pepper, and a little salt. The quantity must be regulated by the condition of the bacon. Work up half of this forcemeat with a table-spoonful of light wine, and fill the larks with it. Line a mould or pie-dish throughout with a good stiff crust. Put a layer of loose mincemeat at the bottom, lay the larks upon it, and fill up the empty spaces with mincemeat. Place three or four slices of bacon on the top, put on the cover, fasten the edges securely, and cut a slit in the middle through which the gravy may afterwards be poured. Bake in a moderate oven. When the pastry is sufficiently baked, strain the liquor into it through the hole in the top, then cover it with a small ornament, and let it get quite cold before cutting it ; indeed, it will be better if the dish is kept a day or two before being used. Time to bake, from an hour and a half to two hours. Probable cost of larks, Is. 6d. per dozen. Sufficient for six or eight persona. LAB ( 366 ) LAR ' Lark Pie (to be eaten hot). — Take a dozen larks, empty them, cut off their heads, necks, and legs, roll them in floirr, fill them with a forcemeat made of foiu- table-spoonfuls of finely-grated bread-crumbs, half a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the rind of a quarter of a lemon, finely minced, a small saltspoonful of salt, and half a salt-spoonful of pepper. Place three or four slices of bacon and three or four slices of lean beef at the bottom of a pie-dish, put the larks upon them, and strew over them half a tea-spoonful of pepper, a table-spoonful of parsley, a shallot cut into small pieces, and a little salt, if required, but this will depend upon the condition of the bacon. Pour half a pint of weak stock over the whole, line the edges with a good crust, cover the dish with the same, and bake in a moderate oven. Time to bake, from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half. Probable cost of larks, Is. 6d. per dozen. Sufficient for six or seven persons.