Modern cookery for private families

by Eliza Acton

Cradle Spit.

Take a small, well-kept, but quite sweet hen-turkey, of from seven to eight pounds weight, and remove, by the receipt for a fowl (page [265]), all the bones except those of the pinions, without opening the bird; draw it into shape, and fill it entirely with exceedingly fine sausage meat, beginning with the legs and wings; plump the breast well in preparing it, and when its original form is quite restored, tie it securely at both ends, and at the extremities of the legs; pass a slight iron skewer through these and the body, and another through the wings and body; then lay a twine over the back of the turkey, and pass it under the ends of the first skewer, cross it in the centre of the back, and pass it under the ends of the second skewer; then carry it over the pinions to keep them firmly in their place, and fasten it at the neck. When a cradle spit, of which the engraving below shows the form, and which opens with a joint to receive the roast, is not at hand, a bottle jack will be found more convenient than any other for holding the turkey; and after the hook of this is passed through the neck, it must be further supported by a string running across the back and under the points of the skewer which confines the pinions to the hook; for, otherwise, its weight would most probably cause it to fall. Flour it well, place it far from the fire until it is heated through, and baste it plentifully and incessantly with butter. An hour and three quarters will roast it well. Break and boil down the bones for gravy in a pint and a half of water, or good veal broth, with a little salt, a few slices of celery, a dozen corns of pepper, and a branch or two of parsley. Brown gently in a morsel of fresh butter, a couple of ounces of lean ham, add to them a slight dredging of flour, and a little cayenne, and pour to them the broth from the bones, after it has boiled for an hour, and been strained and skimmed; shake the stewpan well round, and stew the gravy until it is wanted for table; clear it entirely from fat, strain, and serve it very hot. An eschalot or half an onion may be browned with the ham when either is liked, but their flavour is not, we think, appropriate to poultry.

The turkey may be partially filled with the forcemeat No. 1 or 3 of Chapter [VIII.], and the sausage-meat may then be placed on either side of it.

Hen turkey between 7 and 8 lbs. weight, boned, filled with sausage-meat, 3 to 4 lbs.; or with forcemeat No. 1, or with No. 3, Chapter [VI.], 1 lb. (that is to say, 1 lb. of bread-crumbs, and the other ingredients in proportion.) Sausage-meat, 2 to 3 lbs. roasted 1-3/4 hour.

Obs.—When a common spit is used for the turkey, it must be fastened to, and not put upon it.

Bread sauce can be served with the bird, or not, at pleasure.

It will be found an improvement to moisten the sausage-meat with two or three spoonsful of water: it should be finely minced, well spiced, and mixed with herbs, when the common forcemeat is not used in addition. In preparing it a pound and a quarter of fat should be mixed with each pound of the lean.

To give the turkey a very good appearance, the breast may be larded by the directions of page [181].

TURKEY À LA FLAMANDE, OR, DINDE POUDRÉE.

Prepare as for boiling a fine well-kept hen turkey; wipe the inside thoroughly with a dry cloth, but do not wash it; throw in a little salt to draw out the blood, let it remain a couple of hours or more, then drain and wipe it again; next, rub the outside in every part with about four ounces of fine dry salt, mixed with a large tablespoonful of pounded sugar; rub the turkey well with these, and turn it every day for four days; then fill it entirely with equal parts of choice sausage-meat, and of the crumb of bread soaked in boiling milk or cream, and wrung dry in a cloth; season these with the grated rind of a large lemon and nutmeg, mace, cayenne, and fine herbs, in the same proportion as for veal forcemeat (No. 1, Chapter [VIII]). Sew the turkey up very securely, and when trussed, roll it in a cloth, tie it closely at both ends, put it into boiling water, and boil it very gently between three and four hours. When taken up, sprinkle it thickly with fine crumbs of bread, mixed with plenty of parsley, shred extremely small. Serve it cold, with a sauce made of the strained juice and grated rind of two lemons, a teaspoonful of made mustard, and one of pounded sugar, with as much oil as will prevent its being more than pleasantly acid, and a little salt, if needed; work these together until perfectly mixed, and send them to table in a tureen.