Practical household cookery

Draw and truss two partridges as in No. 668 ; tie a thin slice of fat bacon on each breast; put them in a stewpan with an ounce of butter, and fry them to a nice golden colour all over; then moisten with a gill of essence of truffles (No. 1 70), the same quantity of Madeira, and three gills of good broth ; season with salt, pepper, and a " bouquet garni ;" lay a buttered sheet of paper over the partridges, cover the stewpan, and boil and simmer gently for fortyfive minutes. Meanwhile prepare a Financiere sauce (No. 187). When the birds are well braized, dish them up on a block of crumb of bread, previously cut six inches Jong by four inches wide and three inches thick, fried in butter as croutons; pour the half of the sauce over the partridges, put the remainder in a sauce-boat, and serve. 670. ROAST PARTRIDGES. Prepare and truss two young partridges as directed for roast pheasants (without stuffing); cover each breast with a thin slice of fat bacon, and tie these round with twine ; then set the birds to roast before a good even fire for about twenty minutes; remove the string from the birds ; dish them up with a good brown gravy, garnish round with seasoned watercress, and serve. 671. BOUDINS AND QUENELLES OF PARTRIDGES. For the preparation of boudins and quenelles of partridges, see Boudins and Quenelles of Chicken. 672. ROAST GROUSE. Pick, draw, singe, and truss a brace of grouse as for roasting pheasants ; lay and tie a thin slice of fat bacon on the breast of each bird, and set them to roast before an even fire for twenty minutes. When done, dish the birds on a crouton of bread (see Braized Partridges k la Perigueux) ; garnish with seasoned watercress, and serve with good gravy, Bread sauce, and fried bread-crumbs, in sauce-boats. 678. ROAST BLACK-GAME. These should be prepared and trussed in the same manner as grouse, roasted for twenty minutes with a slice of fat bacon tied on the breast of each bird, and served with the same ingredients as in No. 672. 674. ROAST SNIPE. Pick four snipe entirely, neck and head; draw them, but reserve the trail and liver, which chop and fry in a stewpan with a little butter for five minutes, and keep hot. Twist the legs so as to bring the feet behind the thighs, and run the bill through the thighs and body. Put a noose of string round the joints, across the lower part of the breast, bring both ends round the head and tip of the bill, and fasten it on the back. Cover the snipe with thin slices of fat bacon and tie these on with twine. Cut, toast, and butter four slices of bread, four inches long by two and a half wide, and half an inch thick ; set the birds to roast before a clear fire for eighteen minutes ; place the buttered toast under to receive the gravy from the birds, and baste frequently. When ready, remove the string, lay the fried trail and liver on the buttered toast, which will now be soaked with gravy, dish up the birds on these pieces of toast, and serve with a garnish of seasoned watercress and a sauce-boat of good gravy. 675. SALMI OF SNIPE. Draw four snipe, reserving the trail and liver, and roast them for eighteen minutes, without running the bill through the body. When cooked and cold, cut them in two lengthwise ; remove the neck, skin, and feet ; trim the halves, and put them in a saut^-pan. Found the trimmings and bones in a mortar, and put the pur6e in a stewpan with two shalots, a '' bouquet garni,'' two cloves, and half a bottle of claret ; boil and reduce it to one-half ; then add one and a half pint of Espagnole sauce. Simmer for half an hour, skim off the fat as it rises to the surface, strain the sauce through a tammy into a small stewpan, and reduce it again until it coats the spoon; pour this