The Queen Cook Book: A Careful Compilation of Recipes and Practical ...

Boil until tender a pickled beef tongue. When cooked throw into cold water for a few minutes, then peel. Save a pint of the liquor which the tongue was boiled in. When the tongue is perfectly cold slice thin as for the table and half hash it. Dissolve two ounces of gelatine in one pint cold water. Plan to cook a piece of veal the same day or day before, so as to have the gravy. Take one teacup of the gravy, two tablespoons of light brown sugar, add to the gravy three tablespoons of vinegar or juice of one lemon, one pint of liquor the tongue was cooked in, the dissolved gelatine and a pint of boiling water. Strain through a fine sieve and set in cold water till it begins to thicken. Take a jelly mold and put in a layer of jelly, then a layer of tongue and then of jelly, and so on till all is in. Set it on ice over night to get solid. When you are ready to use it, dip the mould in hot water quickly and turn out on platter. Garnish with parsley or any soft fine green. This makes a handsome dish for lunch or tea. Cut it with a sharp knife. [illustration: page number 62] Jellied Chicken. Take one or two chickens according to number of persons; cut up as for fricassee chicken; cook slowly with just water enough to cover, till very tender; season as for eating; take up the chicken; boil the liquor till it will jelly thick when cold. Pick the meat to pieces; cut in small pieces; season with salt, pepper and a little butter while hot, and then put a layer of each in the mold alternately when just cool; then set it in the cold to harden. To use on table cut in slices with sharp knife. Glazed Pigeons. Pluck, singe, draw, and wash lightly (do not lay them in water, but rinse off) rub in the salt, and brown both sides in a hot spider, with half butter and half suet for a few minutes, then put them in your kettle with the browned butter, add enough hot water to cover them, season just right and cook gently until tender, one or more hours, according to age, tightly covered; when cooked remove the cover and let boil rapidly (taking the birds out, being careful not to break them) till the broth is rich enough to jell when cold. Add a little cream and thicken. Serve the pigeons on a platter, pour the sauce over them. Serve with the ordinary sour orange now so abundant and cheap, cut in pieces (not slices) around the core, after peeling, and take out the seeds, sprinkle well with sugar or any salad dressing you like. They are nice to serve with any game or poultry. Baked Pigeons. Clean the birds as directed before, season, stuff with a nice turkey dressing adding a little fine chopped [illustration: page number 63] salt, pork, place them compactly in your baking pan, with thin slices of salt pork on top, three, say, to season, dredge with flour and nearly cover with hot water, cover tight and place in a moderately hot oven till tender. If the birds are old and tough, this is the best way to cook them, but it will take two or three hours. Add cream to gravy and thicken. Add water while baking as needed. To Dress Turkey and Chicken. Take your fowls from the roost at night, without frightening or injuring them. Take them by the feet, place the neck on a stick of wood and with an ax cut off the head with one blow. Hang it up by the feet till it stops bleeding. It is best killed three or four days before using, in winter, and twenty-four hours or more in summer, according to your convenience for keeping it. If one has ice, it is a great help.