Wash the livers, first cut out the gall; with a sharp knife open the gizzards by cutting an incision round them, but not so deep as to cut the inner skin; then with your fingers tear them open. Pour boiling water on the feet and skin them; cut off the toes, and crack the leg in half, wash all these, and stew them in very little water, with pepper and salt. When the ducks are done, add the liquor the giblets were boiled in to the gravy, which has dropped from them, and thicken it with a little butter rolled in flour. Serve the liver on the dish with the ducks.
ROAST DUCK, No. 2.
118. Prepare the ducks as directed above, and for the filling, mince two onions finely, add some pepper, salt, and a table spoonful of powdered sage, with an ounce of butter and some beaten egg.
Rub the inside of the ducks with pepper and salt, put in the dressing, truss them, and put them on the spit. For the gravy, proceed as directed above.
ROAST GOOSE.
119. Clean your goose, wash it, and wipe it dry, then season it with pepper and salt both inside and out. Make a dressing of bread crumbs, pepper, salt, butter, a little sweet marjoram, and some onions finely minced. Fill the goose with this dressing, truss it firmly, and put it on the spit. Whilst it is roasting, baste it with butter, and be careful not to let it burn.
Clean the giblets, put them on in a stew-pan, with very little water, some salt and pepper, and boil them. Add the liquor they were boiled in to the gravy which dripped from the goose. Thicken it with some butter rolled in flour, let it boil a few minutes; add more pepper and salt, if necessary. Pour this gravy in the boat, and serve it with the goose. Some prefer a little sage added to the dressing in place of the sweet marjoram.
A very good dressing for roast goose is to substitute potatoes boiled and finely mashed instead of the bread crumbs, then add the pepper, salt, onions, and sweet marjoram as before.