No. 969. Wild Ducks and Pintails.
Must not be too old, they require keeping two or three days or longer before they are dressed; they are trussed by twisting each leg at the knuckle, and resting the claws on each side of the breast, fixing them with a skewer run through the thighs and pinion of the wings (No. 953), rub the liver over the breasts, and roast them from fifteen to twenty minutes rather brown, serve three for a roast, as the breast is the only part eatable, a little gravy on the dish and lemons separate.
No. 970. Wild Ducks à la Chasseur.
Truss them as before, rub the liver over, and roast underdone, cut the breast in slices without detaching them, catch the gravy that escapes in a sauté-pan, add a piece of glaze the size of a walnut, place it on the fire, and when hot add four pats of butter, half a glass of port wine, a little mignonette, pepper, and the juice of half a lemon, shake altogether over the fire, and when the butter is melted sauce over and serve. Although I have directed that they should be roasted underdone they must have no appearance of rawness.
No. 971. Widgeons
Require but very little keeping before they are dressed, if well roasted they are nearly equal to the wild duck, and are served the same; it requires rather more than a quarter of an hour to roast them to perfection.
No. 972. Teal
Make a beautiful roast as well as entrée, and when in good order are very delicious, after a frost they are generally very fat; truss them with care, leaving the breast the same as ducklings, six will be sufficient for a dish, keep them a very light brown colour and rather crisp, serve with a little gravy and water-cresses, if approved of, serve lemon separate; these birds being tender are easily cut in halves by the carver, to one half of which he can assist each guest; they will require about eight minutes roasting.
No. 973. Teal au jus d’orange.
Roast as above, and serve with a sauce au jus d’orange (No. 17) over them, or they may be served with a sauce au jus de bigarade (No. 18), or a demi-glace de gibier (No. 61).