Pigeons A La Crapaudine, And Piquant Sauce

Split the pigeons at the belly, and turn the breast over; put four ounces of butter into a stewpan with chopped sha-lots, parsley, thyme, mushrooms, pepper, and salt ; set the stewpan on the fire to melt the butter; put the pigeons on the dish, but not too near each other; pour the butter over the pigeons, and when the butter begins to get cold, roll the pigeons in bread crumbs, and put them in a souties-pan that has been buttered with clarified butter; do not turn them till the under-side is brown ; when of a nice brown, lay them on a cloth to souk the butter from them : lay them round a dish, and the sauce in the middle.

N. B. Six pigeons will make a dish; the breast-bone should be taken out, and the leg and thigh boned ; the pinions cut off, the wing bone taken out, and the pigeons flatted with a flatter; they may be broiled on the gridiron over a clear stove.

Compote Of Pigeons With Truffles

Draw the legs of four pigeons in the same manner as chickens for boiling. singe them, and fill them with forcemeat; put a small raw truffle in each pigeon; put the necks and gizzards into la stewpan, and any other giblets that are at hand, about a quarter of a pound of lean ham, a few onions, a few blades of mace, a little parsley, two or three bay l20 THE IMPERIAL AN'D leaves, half a pint of sherry, and a pint of stock; wrap the pigeons in sheets of bacon, put them in the stew pan, and set the stew pan over a slow lire to do very gently for an hour; then strain the liquor; skim the fat very clean from it, and put a little butter into a stewpan to melt; when melted, put as much flour as will make it of a proper thickness; stir it for a few minutes over the lire before the liquor is put in; then put the liquor in; keep stirring it all the while; let it boil for a few minutes; slice a few truffles, and put them in the sauce; take the pigeons up, lay them on a cloth to dry; then put them on the dish, with the truffles and sauce over them ; a few fat livers and force-meat balls may be added. N. B. Squeeze half a lemon; season with pepper and salt, etc.

Pigeons Braised, And Asparagus Peas

They should he tame pigeons, the legs drawn in, and as much skin as possible left on the neck ; they should be put on to blanch in cold water; when they come to a boil, take them up, and wash them in several waters; put sliced lemon over the breast, and sheets of bacon over that; tie it on with fine twine; put them in a white braise; about twenty minutes will do them; (for the asparagus peas, see page 96); strain the braise that the pigeons were done in, skim the fat very clean from it, and put the bottom on the fire to boil very fast; when reduced to a glaze, put it to the asparagus peas; dish the pigeons first, and put the sauce over them : garnish with paste.

Four Pigeons Larded, And A Ragout Of Cocks' Combs

Draw in the legs of four large pigeons, fill them with farce, and then lard them ; lay sheets of bacon in the bottom of a stewpan; put a pint of stock in it, four onions, a little parsley, a few bay leaves, and a blade or two of mace; put the pigeons in, cover them over with sheets of bacon, and set them on a stove to simmer for half an hour; put some lighted charcoal on the cover of the stewpan; when the pigeons are done, finish them the same as other hidings ; put the ragout on a dish, and the pigeons on it: garnish with paste.

Pigeons In Savoury Jelly

Having roasted your pigeons with the heads and feet on, put a sprig of myrtle in their bills; make the same kind of jelly as directed for chickens; and when it is set, lay in the pigeons with their breasts downwards, fill up your mould with jelly, and turn it out.

Pigeons A La Daube

Take four or five pigeons, cut off their feet and pinions, and split them through the breast; then take out the livers, and flat them with a cleaver; make a hot marinade of some scraped bacon, season it with mushrooms, or two green onions, pepper, salt, parsley, and a little nutmeg; fry all together for a few minutes, and let the pigeons be heated through in it, and let them remain till you put them upon your gridiron : take a thin slice of ham for each pigeon, and put them, with the ham, always at top; that is, when you turn your pigeons, turn your ham upon them: for your sauce, take a ladle of good stock, some sweet basil, a little parsley, a shalot minced very line, and a few slices of mushrooms; boil all toge-ther a few minutes: dish the pigeons up with their breasts downwards, let your ham continue upon them, and pour your sauce over them, with the juice of an Orange or lemon.

Pigeons A La Royale

TAKE any number of pigeons you please that are of an equal size, put a peeled truffle in each, and give them a fry in butter; add chopped mushrooms, parsley, a slice of ham, and some pepper and salt; put them into a stewpan to braise, with a few slices of veal, first scalded, and the first seasoning over the pigeons; cover them with thin slices of bacon, and put a sheet of white paper over the hole ; stop the pan close, and let them simmer over a slow fire till they are quite tender; take out the pigeons, and clean them from the fat; strain the braise, and boil it a moment, in order to skim it very clean : when it is ready, squeeze in a lemon, and pour the sauce over the pigeons.

Pigeons A La Pumpton

Roll out savoury force-meat, like paste, into a buttered dish, and put a lair of very thin slices of bacon, squab pigeons, sliced sweetbread, asparagus tops, mushrooms, cocks' combs, a palate boiled tender and cut into pieces, and the yolks of four eggs boiled hard : make another force-meat, and lav it over the hole like a pie crust: bake it; and, when done, turn it into a dish ; pour in some rich gravy, and serve it up hot.