The stall-fed or squab is prepared the same as the wild one.
To select.—If the legs are not red, they are young; and if not stiff, they are fresh. When not fresh, the rump is of a bluish color.
Clean and prepare them as directed for fowls.
Broiled.—Split the backs of the pigeons so as to open them, flatten them a little with a chopper. Put two ounces of butter (for six pigeons) in a saucepan, and set it on a good fire; when hot, add to it a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, salt, and pepper; then the pigeons. When half cooked, take them from the fire, roll them in bread-crumbs, place them on the gridiron and set on a moderate fire, turn over once or twice, and, when done, serve on a maître d'hôtel, piquante, or poivrade sauce.
Another way.—When cleaned, prepared, and split open as directed above, salt and pepper them, grease them slightly with melted butter, by means of a brush; then broil them till underdone, and serve with a maître d'hôtel sauce.
In Chartreuse.—A chartreuse with pigeons is made and served as a chartreuse of prairie-hens.
In Papillotes.—When cleaned and prepared as directed, bake the pigeons till about half done, then split them in two, lengthwise, and then proceed as for veal cutlets in papillotes.
They may be fried with a little butter, instead of baked.
With Vegetables.—Clean and prepare as directed for poultry, four pigeons. Cut them in four pieces each.