Roast Pigeons

Clean, wash and stuff as you would chickens; lay them in rows, if roasted in the oven, with a little water in the pan to prevent scorching. Unless they are very fat, baste with butter until they are half done; afterwards in their own gravy. When done, take them out on a platter, add one cupful of milk to the gravy, thicken with flour, and pour over the pigeons.

Broiled Pigeons

Young pigeons are rightly esteemed a great delicacy. They are cleaned, washed, and dried carefully with a clean cloth, then split down the back, and broiled like chickens. Season with pepper, salt, and plenty of butter in dishing them.

Pigeon Pie

Cut the pigeons into four pieces each. Par-boil them for ten minutes, while you prepare a puff-paste. Put in the bottom some shreds of salt pork or ham; next a layer of hard boiled eggs, buttered and peppered; then the birds; sprinkle with pepper and minced parsley, squeeze some lemon juice upon them, and lay upon the breasts a piece of butter rolled in flour; cover with slices of egg, then with shredded ham; pour in some of the gravy in which the pigeons were par-boiled, and put on the crust (use no under crust), leaving a hole in the middle. Bake over an hour. Quail pie is made in the same way.

Stewed Pigeons

Clean and wash very carefully, then lay in salt and water for an hour; rinse the inside with soda and water, and stuff with a force-meat, made of bread crumbs and chopped salt pork, season with pepper. Sew up the birds, and put on to stew in enough cold water to cover them, and allow to each a slice of fat bacon cut into narrow strips. Season with pepper and a pinch of nutmeg; boil slowly in a covered sauce-pan until tender; take them from the gravy and lay in a covered dish to keep warm; strain the gravy, add the juice of a lemon and tablespoonful of currant jelly; thicken with browned flour. Boil up and pour over the pigeons.

Couplets Of Quail Or Pigeons

With a sharp-pointed knife, carefully cut the breast from quails or pigeons. At the small end of each breast stick in a bone taken from the leg, and trimmed. The breasts should now resemble cutlets. Sprinkle a little pepper and salt over each one, dip it in melted butter, and roll it in flour, or sifted cracker crumbs. Put the cutlets one side until ready to cook, as they should be cooked only just before sending them to the table, They should then be fried in a saute pan in hot butter. They may be served without further trouble in a circle with a center of green pease, which makes a most delicious dish for a company dinner course. However, there is a more elaborate way of finishing them, as follows : Put the carcasses into some cold water with very small pieces of salt pork and onion, sufficient only to produce the slightest flavoring. Simmer this about an hour, strain, thicken with a little browned roux, and season it with a little pepper and salt. As soon as the livers are done, take them out, mash, and moisten them with a little of the sauce. Prepare little thin pieces of toast, one for each breast; butter, and spread them with the mashed livers. Turn the cutlets over in this sauce, and use the little of it that remains for dipping in the pieces of toast. Serve the cutlets on the toast, in a circle, with a center of pease.