“Smothered” Chicken.
2 tender chickens, roasting size, but not very large.
Pepper, salt and browned flour for gravy.
Clean and wash the chickens, and split down the back as for broiling. Lay flat in a baking-pan, dash a cupful of boiling water upon them; set in the oven, and invert another pan over them so as to cover tightly. Roast at a steady, but moderate heat, about half an hour, then lift the cover and baste freely with butter and a little of the water in which the fowls are cooking. In ten minutes more, baste again with gravy from the baking-pan. In five more, with melted butter and abundantly, going all over the fowls, which should now begin to brown. Increase the heat, still keeping the chickens covered. A few minutes before dishing them, test with a fork to ascertain if they are tender. When done they should be of a mellow brown hue all over the upper part—a uniform and pleasing tint. Dish, salt and pepper them; thicken the gravy left in the pan with browned flour, adding a little water, if necessary, season with pepper, salt and parsley, and send up in a gravy boat.
The flavor of “smothered” chicken—so named by the Virginia housewife of the olden time—is peculiar, and to most palates delightful.