Take a brace of partridges, stuff them with the livers of the birds minced up together with butter and some truffles which have been cooked in champagne; wrap each bird up in a figleaf or vineleaf, and over these place a sheet of buttered paper. Then put the birds on the spit, and roast till about three-fourths cooked; then take off the spit, and under the four members of each bird spread a mixture of breadcrumb worked into a farce with pepper, butter, parsley, shalot, and grated nutmeg. Replace the birds on the spit, and let them finish roasting, basting them continually alternately with broth and champagne. These drippings, to which the grated peel of one lemon and the juice of a Seville orange are added, form the sauce to be served with it.
Partridge Tartlets.
Bouchées de Perdreaux.
Take the breasts of two cooked partridges, about six ounces, and cut into very small pieces. Mince two ounces of lean ham, one truffle, and six mushrooms; stir this mixture into a gill of white sauce. Butter nine small moulds, line them neatly with this mixture, smooth well over with a hot wet knife, fill in with minced partridge, coat them neatly over the top with the quenelle meat, steam them for twenty minutes; dish on a circle of mashed potato, pour good white sauce over and round them, and serve French beans or tomatoes in the centre.
Partridge à la Vénitienne.
Put a brace of partridges into a stewpan with butter, two glasses of Chablis, and two glasses of stock, add a bouquet garni, very little garlic, two cloves, salt and pepper; let them simmer gently. Take them off when done, pass the gravy through a sieve, add a little butter and flour to thicken it, a small piece of glaze, a little cayenne and salt. Pour the sauce over the partridges, and cover over all with two spoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese; put a few breadcrumbs and pieces of clarified butter on this, and set the whole on a baking sheet in the oven. Brown the birds well, and serve with sauce espagnole or sauce piquante.
Pintail.
This bird should be roasted at a clear quick fire, well floured when first laid down, turned briskly, and basted with butter constantly. It takes about twenty-five minutes to roast, and then it should be laid down before the fire for two or three more, when it will yield a very rich gravy. Score the breast, and sprinkle a little cayenne on it, and send cut lemon up to table to hand with it.