The legs only of the rabbits may be dressed in either of the foregoing ways, should the fillets be required for other purposes.
No. 199. Rabbit Pies. Cut two or three rabbits up in joints, and a pound of streaked bacon in slices; butter a pie-dish, lay some of the slices of bacon upon the bottom, dip the pieces of rabbits into flour, place a layer of them over the bacon, season well with pepper and salt, then add another layer of bacon, then rabbit, again seasoning, proceeding thus, building them in a dome above the edge of the dish; have ready a pound of half puff paste made as directed (page 480), with which cover them, ornamenting the top with leaves; egg over lightly, and bake about an hour and a half in a moderate oven, put half a pint of good gravy in with a funnel, and serve.
Rabbits plain boiled and served with onion sauce are also very excellent; make the sauce thus: peel and cut six large onions into very small dice, put into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, pass five minutes over the fire, keeping it stirred, add two ounces of flour, mix well, moisten with a pint and a half of milk, season with a little white pepper, salt, and sugar, keep stirring over the fire until the onions are quite tender, and it becomes rather a thickish sauce, when serve over the rabbit.
The remains of rabbits may be warmed and served with the above sauce, made into blanquettes, or minced as directed for turkeys or fowls.
No. 200. Pigeon Pie. Procure four pigeons, but not trussed, and cut off the feet; have a nice tender rump-steak, well seasoned, which dip in flour and lay at the bottom of a buttered pie-dish; place the pigeon over, elevating their tails to meet in the centre, season well with pepper and salt, place a piece of fat bacon over the breast of each bird, sprinkle a few chopped eschalots over, have six eggs boiled, the yolks of which place in the dish, pour in half a pint of water, and cover the pie with a pound of half puff paste made as directed (page 480), ornamenting the top with leaves of paste, sticking the pigeons’ feet in the centre, and brushing eggs lightly over the top; bake about an hour and a half in a moderate oven. Lamb or veal may be used instead of the beef at the bottom, if preferred, and the whole of the eggs, each cut in four lengthwise, instead of the yolks only.
No. 201. Pigeons in Compote. Put half a pound of lean bacon, cut into large dice, in a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, pass a few minutes over the fire, then have three pigeons trussed with their legs turned inside, place them in the stewpan with the bacon, breasts downwards, let remain until becoming of a light brown colour, moving them round occasionally; add a tablespoonful of flour, move round until becoming a little browned, moisten with a pint, or a little more, water, mix well, add a good bunch of parsley, with a bay-leaf, thirty button onions, a little pepper and salt, let simmer three quarters of an hour, skimming well, dress the pigeons upon a dish, with the bacon and onions round, reduce the sauce to a proper consistency, take out the parsley and bay-leaf, pour over and serve.
No. 202. Stewed Pigeons with Peas. Proceed precisely as in the last, but adding nearly a quart of very fresh peas with the onions and parsley, omitting the bay-leaf; dress the pigeons upon a dish, pour the peas and sauce over when ready to serve.
GAME.—No. 203. Pheasants, Partridges, Grouse, Black Game, Woodcocks, etc., by the greater part of the population are preferred plain roasted, which is, in my opinion, the best; but by way of change, and for the method of dressing the remains of any description of birds, I have given the few following simple receipts:
No. 204. Small Pheasants, the Miller’s Fashion. Roast a pheasant as directed (page 403), previously dipping it in flour, and occasionally shaking flour over whilst roasting, thus it will be very crisp and keep nearly white; put the crumb of two French rolls in a stewpan, with half a pint of milk, a small eschalot, a bay-leaf, an ounce of butter, and a little pepper and salt; let boil, take out the eschalot and bay-leaf, place a piece of buttered toast upon your dish, pour the sauce over, dress the pheasant upon the top, and serve; a little gravy may also be served separate in a boat.
No. 205. Pheasant with Cabbage. Procure a nice white-heart winter cabbage, which cut in quarters, and blanch five minutes in boiling water, drain quite dry, cut off part of the stalk, season well with salt, place it in a stewpan, with half a pound of streaked bacon and a pint of broth, and stew gently for about half an hour; then have a pheasant about three parts roasted, thrust it into the cabbage whilst hot, and let the whole stew gently together half an hour longer; take out the pheasant and cabbage, squeezing it to the sides of the stewpan to extract the stock, dress the cabbage in pyramid upon your dish, with the pheasant upon the top, dress the bacon, cut in slices, around, skim the stock well, let reduce to half, pour round and serve.