Procure four legs of poulardes and take out the thigh-bone, leaving the one in the leg, but cut off above the knuckle; then put four spoonfuls of salad oil in a stewpan, season the legs with a little pepper and salt, and lay them in, place the stewpan over a slow fire, cover it, and let them remain till they get a yellowish colour, turn, and when three parts done add thirty button onions cut in rings, set it over a sharp fire to give a tinge to the onions, pour off as much oil as possible, add a pint of white sauce (No. 7), and half the quantity of white stock, let simmer until it becomes rather thick, then take out the legs, which dress flat on your dish; season the sauce a little more if required, add the yolks of two eggs, stir them in quickly, sauce over, sprinkle bread-crumbs upon them, place a small piece of butter on each leg, place them in the oven a quarter of an hour, salamander a light brown and serve.
No. 805. Entrees of Spring Chickens, Pullets, Fowls, etc.
The number of entrées which may be made of this kind of poultry is immense, but to abbreviate and avoid repetition I have classified the three sorts together, so that the following entrées may be made from either of the three sorts, but for many entrées the spring chickens are preferable; the pullets are generally most used, especially for fillets, for if the fillets are very small the least neglect would make them very dry and uneatable, two large fillets are again awkward, however tender, there being too much for one and not enough for two; but I have made this observation merely to state that the same entrées may be made from either where you happen to have them in the house.
No. 806. Filets de Volaille à la Sévigné.
Take two nice plump pullets, fillet them as directed for the poularde (No. 792), detach the filet mignon, or small fillet, from each, lay the fillets on a board, dip your cotelette-bat in water, beat one of the small fillets flat, then another and lay on the top of it, thus making two large fillets of the four small, then with a thin knife detach the skin from the large ones, melt two ounces of butter in a sauté-pan, lay in the fillets, which season lightly with white pepper, salt, and juice of a lemon; stand it by till ready, then make some forcemeat with the legs as directed (No. 122), from which make six flat long quenelles with two tablespoons, and poach them in a little stock, place the fillets over the fire, turning them when half done, but keeping them quite white, (the two small fillets will be done before the others,) be sure and not do them too much, they are done as soon as they feel firm to the touch; then make a small border of mashed potatoes on your dish, dress the fillets half way round and the quenelles the other, making them stand as high as possible, sauce over with a thin purée of cucumbers (No. 105); have ready a handful of green peas nicely boiled, which sprinkle over and serve.
No. 807. Filets de Volaille à la Néva.
Fillet and dress two fowls as above, likewise make the forcemeat and six quenelles with the legs, when the quenelles are partly cold dip them in a basin containing two eggs well beaten, take them out with a fork, and sprinkle some chopped boiled Russian tongue over, place them in an entrée-dish, cover and put them in a hot closet for an hour, cook the fillets as before; make a small border of mashed potatoes on your dish, dress the fillets and quenelles alternately to form a crown, and have ready prepared the following sauce: break up all the bones of the fowls and put into a stewpan with a glass of Madeira wine, an onion in slices, one bay-leaf, two cloves, a little carrot and celery, place it over the fire two minutes, then cover the bones with two quarts of white stock, and let them simmer gently one hour, skim well and pass it through a cloth into another stewpan, add six spoonfuls of good brown sauce (No. 1) and reduce it to a clear demi-glace, then add ten heads of white mushrooms and ten pieces of boiled Russian tongue cut the size of half-crown-pieces, place the garniture in the centre, sauce over and serve; if you cannot obtain the Russian tongue for any of the above purposes, the English pickled tongue may be used instead.
No. 808. Filets de Volaille sauté au Suprême.
Fillet three fowls as before, making nine fillets from the three, sauté the same, dress them in crown on a border of mashed potatoes, sauce over with a sauce suprême (No. 57) and serve; should you require a larger entrée use four fowls instead of three.