French dishes for American tables

339. Roast Canvas-Back Ducks. Prepare and clean four canvas-back ducks, pass them over some lighted alcohol to singe the hair; wash them well, and do not cut off the heads. Pass a skewer through the thighs and under the wings, and put them before the fire for fifteen minutes to roast. Take out the skewers, garnish with water-cresses, and serve some currant jelly separately. 340. Red-Head Ducks. Prepare and cook as the foregoing. 341. Broiled Red-Head Ducks. After having cleaned and washed three red-head ducks, split them in two for broiling, and, when well-colored on both sides, serve them with a sauce poivrade (Art. 95), sauce piquante (Art. 86), or other sharp, highly-seasoned sauces. 342. Salmi of Red-Head Ducks. Take the "5 remains of three red-head ducks, or two whole redhead, cold, cut up in pieces, and finish as for salmi of partridge (Art. 308). Mallard, teal, and other wild ducks are prepared as described in the foregoing articles on ducks ; the time necessary to roast them depending on their size. CHAPTER V. 343. Green Peas a l'Anglaise. Put a quart of water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt ; when boiling, add three pints of green peas, and boil them for twenty-five minutes ; take one out and see if thoroughly done, if so, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and sugar, and serve them very hot. 344. Green Peas a la Francaise. Put three pints of green peas in a saucepan, with ten branches of parsley tied together, a whole onion peeled, a pinch of salt and sugar, and a pint of water. Boil for twenty-five minutes, and, if sufficiently done, take out the onion and parsley. Mix on a table an ounce of butter with a teaspoonful of flour, which add to your peas on the fire, stir gently with a spoon, and, when thoroughly mixed and the butter dissolved, serve very hot. 345. Green Peas with Bacon. Cut the rind from a quarter of a pound of bacon, which cut in small pieces and place in a saucepan on the fire, when beginning to color add a tablespoonful of flour, a little pepper and nutmeg, and ten branches of parsley tied together ; moisten with a glass of water ; add three pints of green peas, and boil about thirty minutes ; if sufficiently done, remove the bunch of parsley, and serve. Peas cooked in this way are often used as a garnish for different kinds of meat. 346. Green Peas a la Paysanne. Put three pints of green peas in a saucepan, with an ounce of butter, ten branches of parsley tied together, a whole onion peeled, a pinch of sugar, a little salt, half a glass of water, a lettuce cut in pieces (as for Julienne soup). Simmer very gently, and, when the peas are sufficiently done, mix three yolks of eggs with three tablespoonfuls of cream, and, having removed your parsley and onion, add the eggs to your peas ; mix all well together, and serve. 347. String-Beans a l'Anglaise. Take three pints of string-beans, string them, and put them in nearly two quarts of boiling water, in which you have put a little salt ; when the beans are sufficiently cooked, drain them and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, a very little chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, and serve them very hot.