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 maitre d'hotel, piquante, or poi-vrade 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 maitre d'hotel sauce.

In Chartreuse

A chartreuse with pigeons is made and served as a chartreuse of prairie-hens.

In Papillotes

When cleaned and prepared as direct-ed, 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 ooultry, four pigeons. Cut them in four pieces each.

Put in a saucepan two ounces of butter, and set it on the fire; when melted, brown the pigeons in it, and then take them from the pan.

The pigeons being taken off, put into the pan, which is kept on the fire, half a carrot and two onions sliced, half a turnip, sliced also; four or five stalks of parsley, one of thyme, one of celery, a bay-leaf, two cloves; the latter five tied together. Cover the whole with broth or water; boil gently till about half done, then add the pieces of pigeons, and salt and pepper; continue boiling till the whole is done.

Dish the pigeons, throw away the seasonings, mash the carrot, onions, and turnips through a colander, which you mix with the sauce. Place the mixture around the pieces of pigeons, and serve warm.

Stuffed

It is stuffed, cooked, and served like a stuffed chicken.

The Same, Stewed

Put a piece of butter the size of a walnut in a stewpan, and set it on a good fire; when hot, add two ounces of bacon cut in dice, then place in four pigeons, leave thus till of a fine golden color, and then take pigeons and bacon off the pan. Put again in the stewpan the same quantity of butter as before; when melted, sprinkle in, little by little, a teaspoonful of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, and when of a proper thickness, and of a brownish color, put the pigeons and bacon back in, add four small onions, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, a pinch of allspice, salt, pepper, half a glass of broth, same of claret wine; simmer about an hour, take off parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, and send to the table.