875. Canvas-back Ducks, Broiled.

—Take two fine, fat canvas-back ducks; pick, singe, draw, and wipe them thoroughly. Split them through the back without detaching them, and lay them on a dish to season with a good pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a tablespoonful of oil. Roll them in well, and put them to broil for seven minutes on each side. Dress them on a hot dish, spread a gill of maître-d’hôtel butter over ([No. 145]), decorate with a little watercress, and serve.

876. Red-head Ducks, roasted—Broiled.

—Red-head ducks roasted are prepared exactly the same as canvas-back ducks roasted ([No. 874]).

Red-head ducks broiled are prepared exactly the same as for canvas-back ducks broiled ([No. 875]).

877. Reed-birds, Roasted.

—Procure twelve freshly killed, fine, fat reed-birds; cut off their legs and wings, pick the eyes out, and remove the skin from the heads, clean and wipe them neatly, and with a skewer remove the gizzards from the sides, then cover their breasts lightly with thin slices of bacon; arrange them on three kidney-skewers, four on each, and lay them in a roasting-pan; season with a pinch of salt, spread a very little butter over, and set them in the oven to roast for seven minutes; remove them to a hot dish with six hot toasts; garnish with watercress and send to the table immediately.

878. Saddle of Venison, Jelly Sauce.

—Procure a saddle of a small venison, weighing about five pounds; pare it neatly, remove the sinews from the surface, and lard it with a larding-needle as finely as possible; tie it three times around. Put into the roasting-pan one sliced onion and one sliced carrot; lay in the saddle, seasoning with one pinch of salt; spread half an ounce of butter over, and put it in a brisk oven to roast for forty minutes, basting it frequently with its own gravy. Untie before lifting it from the pan, arrange neatly on a hot dish; pour into the pan half a glassful of Madeira wine and a gill of white broth ([No. 99]); let come to a boil on the stove. Skim the fat off the gravy, straining the lean part over the saddle. Serve with half a pint of hot currant-jelly sauce ([No. 884]) separately.

All saddles of venison are prepared the same way, only with different sauces and garnishings.