850. Suprême of Partridge, Sauce Périgueux.
—Singe, draw, wipe neatly, and remove the skin from the breasts of three partridges. Make an incision on top of each breast-bone, from end to end, then with a keen knife carefully cut off the entire breast on both sides of the partridges, including the small wing-bone, which should not be separated from the breasts, and seeing that the entire breasts are cleverly cut away, without leaving a particle of it on the carcasses. Under each breast will be found a small fillet, which you carefully remove, and place on a dish for further action. With a small, sharp knife, make an incision in each breast, at their thinner side, three inches in length by one inch in depth. Season the inside of each breast with a pinch of salt, and half a pinch of pepper, equally divided. Stuff the breasts with two ounces of chicken forcemeat ([No. 226]), mixed with two fine, sound, finely sliced truffles, and four finely sliced mushrooms. Butter well a well-tinned copper sautoire; gently lay in the six breasts; take each small fillet, press them gently with the fingers, giving them a boatlike form. Make six slanting, small incisions on top of each, insert in each incision a small slice of truffle, cut with a tube half an inch in diameter. Lightly wet the top of each breast with water, then neatly lay one fillet on top of each breast lengthwise. Sprinkle a little clarified butter over all with a feather brush. Pour into the pan (not over the suprêmes) a quarter of a glassful of Madeira wine and two tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, tightly cover the pan with a lid, then place in the hot oven for ten minutes. Pour on a hot dish one pint of hot Toulouse garnishing ([No. 176]). Remove the suprêmes from the oven, neatly dress them over the garnishing, adjust paper ruffles on each wing bone, and immediately send to the table.
851. Suprême of Partridge à la Godard.
—The same as for the above ([No. 850]), but serving with half a pint of Allemande sauce ([No. 210]), adding two sliced truffles, six sliced mushrooms, six blanched cock’s combs, and six blanched cock’s kidneys, in place of the Périgueux sauce. Heat up well on the corner of the stove for four minutes, but do not allow it to boil, and pour the garnishing over the hot dish, dressing the suprêmes over it; serve very hot.
852. Grouse, Roasted Plain.
—Singe, draw, wipe, and truss two fine fat grouse. Place them in a roasting-pan with half a cupful of water, spread a little butter over each, and season with a pinch of salt. Put them into a brisk oven, and let cook for eighteen minutes, taking care to baste frequently with their own gravy; then untruss. Have a hot serving-dish ready; place two bread canapés ([No. 832]) on it; arrange the grouse over, and decorate the dish with a little watercress. Strain the gravy into a sauce-bowl, and serve it separately.
853. Grouse, Roasted à la Sam Ward.
—Take two fine fat grouse; pick, singe, draw, and dry them well; then truss them nicely. Place them in a roasting-pan, putting inside of each bird a piece of broiled toast four inches long and two wide. Drip in on each toast, with a spoon, a small glassful of good Madeira wine or sherry; season the grouse with a pinch of salt; spread a little butter over. Put them in a brisk oven, and let cook for eighteen minutes, taking care to baste them frequently. Lay them on a hot dish, untruss, strain the gravy over, and decorate with a little watercress. Serve with a little red currant jelly separately.
854. Grouse, Broiled with Bacon.
—Singe, draw, and wipe nicely two fat grouse. Split them in two through the back without separating the parts; lay them on a dish, and season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a tablespoonful of sweet oil. Roll them in well; then put them to broil on a brisk fire for seven minutes on each side. Prepare a hot dish with six small toasts, arrange the grouse over, spread a gill of maître d’hôtel butter ([No. 145]) on top, and garnish with six thin slices of broiled bacon ([No. 754]), then serve.