No. 796. Filet de Poularde à la Pierre le Grand.
Fillet two poulardes as in the last, and when about three parts cooked lay them on a cloth, and with a thin sharp knife divide each fillet into two; have previously boiled a Russian tongue as in the last, cut also four pieces from the thick part, and pound the remaining tender part very fine; rub it through a wire sieve, then put a tablespoonful of chopped eschalots in a stewpan, with a small piece of butter, stir over the fire a few minutes, add a teaspoonful of flour, mix well, and a pint of white sauce (No. 7), reduce it a little, then add the pounded tongue and two yolks of eggs, stir them in quickly, and season a little more if required, stir over the fire a short time longer, till the eggs begin to set, then with a fork dip in each fillet, let them be well covered, and lay them on a dish to get cold, when egg and bread-crumb them twice over, and fry a good colour in four pounds of very hot lard, warm the four pieces of tongue in a little stock, make a border of mashed potatoes on your dish, dress the fillets in crown with the pieces of tongue interspersed; you have previously made a stock with the bones of the poulardes (No. 6), which reduce to a thin glaze, add a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar, and sauce round; fry two bunches of watercresses very crisp, sprinkle a little salt over, dress them in the middle and serve very hot.
No. 797. Filets de Poularde à la Dumas.
Fillet two poulardes and divide the fillets as in the last; when three parts cooked have ready the following puree: peel and cut in thin slices a very fresh cucumber, which put in a stewpan, with a spoonful of chopped eschalots and three pats of butter, pass gently over a slow fire twenty minutes, keeping them stirred, then add half a tablespoonful of flour and a pint of white sauce (No. 7); season with a little sugar and salt, rub it through a tammie, previously boiling five minutes, put it into another stewpan, with two yolks of eggs, stir quickly over the fire till the yolk sets, then dip in the fillets and proceed as in the last, dress the same and serve with a puree of cucumbers (No. 105), in which you have put three spoonfuls of cream. These entrées should be served immediately or they become soft.
Poulardes and capons may also be served in escalopes or blanquettes, as directed for the turkey (Nos. 788 and 789), especially any fillets that may be left neither larded or fried.
No. 798. Blanc de Poularde aux concombres.
Roast a large poularde in vegetables (see No. 417), and when cold cut the breast out carefully, and afterwards into thin slices, make a stock with the bones as directed (No. 6), then peel two cucumbers, which cut into pieces two inches in length, split each piece into four and take out the seeds if any, trim them at the corners and put them into a stewpan, with a spoonful of chopped eschalots and two pats of butter, place them over a slow fire tossing them occasionally; when a little tender pour off the butter and place in the pieces of poularde, then put the stock from the bones in a stewpan, not more than a pint, and reduce it to half, add a pint of white sauce (No. 7) and a little sugar, reduce till it adheres to the back of the spoon, then take it off the fire, and stir in a liaison of two yolks of eggs mixed with half a gill of cream, pass it through a tammie over the pieces of poularde and cucumbers, and stand in the bain marie to get hot, serve plain in a deep entrée dish.
This dish is much thought of by great epicures, the eyes are certainly not treated, but the palate is delighted. The same description of entrée may be made the next day from the legs.
No. 799. Cuisses de Poulardes à la Talleyrand de Périgord.
Bone the legs of two poulardes, leaving as much skin as possible on them, then stuff and braise them as directed for poularde à la Marie Stuart (No. 528), only place slices of truffles between the flesh and the skin, then poach a square piece of forcemeat (No. 120) three inches high, and smaller at the top than the bottom; when cold place it on a cloth and cut it in the shape of a pyramid according to the size of your dish, make it hot in some stock, take it out carefully and fix it in the centre of your dish upon a piece of mashed potato, then take up the legs, draw out the thread and place them on a cloth to drain; have four very small silver skewers, or atelettes, place a nice truffle warmed in stock on each, dress a leg upon each side of the pyramid upon a piece of mashed potato, perpendicular, and run an atelette through each at the top, fixing it to the forcemeat, they being nearly upright; then have ready the following sauce: chop four small truffles and put them in a stewpan, with half a glass of Madeira wine, reduce a minute, then add the stock the legs were braised in (having previously passed it through a cloth and taken off the whole of the fat), and twelve spoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1); reduce till it adheres to the back of the spoon, add a little sugar, sauce over and serve.