Woodcock Pudding

Ingredients

• a woodcock
• a slice of tender rump steak
• a quarter of a pint of strong beef gravy
• pastry
• floured cloth

Method

1. 1

   Pluck a woodcock very carefully, so as not to injure the tender flesh, and, without opening it, truss it for roasting.

2. 2

   Line a pudding-basin with pastry.

3. 3

   Put into it a slice of tender rump steak seasoned with pepper and salt only, put in the woodcock, and place another steak over it.

4. 4

   Pour over the meat a quarter of a pint of strong beef gravy, cover the basin with pastry, tie it rather loosely in a floured cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling until done enough.

5. 5

   Take it up, let it stand a few minutes, turn it upon a dish, and serve.

Nutrition per serving

As published

This recipe was extracted from Cassell's dictionary of cookery (1892) by Cassell & Company, page 2328. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Woodcock Pudding.— Pluck a wood- cock very carefully, so as not to injure the tender flesh, and, without opening it, truss it for roasting. Line a pudding-basin with pastry. Put into it a slice of t(;nder rump steak seasoned with pepper and salt only, put in the woodcock, and place another steak over it. Pour over the meat a quarter of a pint of strong beef gravy, cover the basin with pastry, tie it rather loosely in a floured cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling tUl done enough. Take it up, let it stand a few minutes, turn it upon a dish, and serve. Time to boil the pudding, an hour and a half. Probable cost, woodcocks, seldom bought. Sufficient for four or five persons. Woodcock Puree (for patties, crou- stades, &c.).— Take the remains of dressed woodcock. Pick the flesh fi-om the bones, and put the skin, bones, and trimmings into a saucepan, pour over them a little stock or water, and add a shallot, a small piece of celery, a sprig of thyme, and tliree or four pepper- corns. Let the gTavy simmer gently till it is strong and good. Mince the flesh finely, and pound it in a mortar with a spoonful of stock and a little piece of butter. When reduced to a p^^lp, rub it through a hair sieve. Strain th« stock, free it entii-ely from fat, and boil tiU it is considerably reduced. Season with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, and mix with it double the quantity of white sauce. If this is not at hand, a quarter of a pint of cream and a small spoonfiil of flour will answer the same purpose. Put the pulp into the sauce, stir it over the fire till it is hot, and it will be ready for use. Time, an hour and a half or more to simmer the bones. Probable cost, un- certain, woodcocks being seldom bought. Woodcock Raised Pie, Cold.— Make some good veal forcemeat. Bone four wood- cocks. Put the bones and trimmings into a saucepan with a shallot, a small onion, and a sprig of thyme, and cover them with stock. Let them simmer till the gravy is strong and good. Remove the gizzard from the trail, then pound it, and mix it with the forcemeat. Place the woodcocks, skin downwards, open upon a board, spread over them first a layer of force- meat, then two or three sliced truffles, and another layer of forcemeat. Fold the skin over, and restore the bird to something of its original shape. Line a pie-mould with pastrA' {see Raised Pies). Put a layer of forcemeat at the bottom, place two woodcocks on this, cover th«m with a few slices of truffle and a thin layer of forcemeat, put in the other two wood- cocks with a little more truffle and another layer of forcemeat, and place some thin slices of fat bacon over all. Cover the pie, and finish in the usual way. Bake in a moderate oven. Half an hour after it has been taken out of the oven, pour into it a little of the gravy from the woo ( 1148 ) WOO bones, wHcb should be strong enough to form a jelly when cold (see Raised Pies of Game and Poultry). Close the hole in the cover, and when the pie is cold, serve on a dish covered with a napkin. Woodcock Raised Pie, Hot.— Pic- pare some forcemeat as in the last recipe. Divide four woodcocks into quarters. Line a pie-mould with pastry {see Raised Pies), and fill it with alternate layers of forcemeat and pieces of woodcock. Cover it, and bake in a moderate oven. Take it out, pour into it some good brown sauce made of the trimmings of the woodcock stewed in beef gravy. Serve hot upon a dish covered with a napkin. If liked, a hollow place may be left in the centre of the pie, into which a piece of the crumb of bread, covered with fat bacon, may be put, whilst the pie is being baked. When done enough, this hollow may be filled with sliced truffles mixed in brown sauce. Woodcock, Roast.— Pluck the wood- cocks carefidly, neck and head as well. Do not open them, but truss them securely {see Woodcock

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.