This section is from the book "How To Cook Well", by J. Rosalie Benton. Also available from Amazon: How To Cook Well.
Just like "Roast Turkey." Roast nearly one hour and a half. This is better than to hurry them in a hot oven, as chickens should be well done inside.
Just like " Boiled Turkey." This is a good way to cook chickens that are not young, as the long, slow boiling will make them tender. Boil one hour at least. If old, a longer time will be necessary.
Clean, wash and cut a chicken in pieces. Put into boiling water, with half a pound of salt pork, cut into strips. Boil slowly, skimming occasionally, for an hour. Then lay the chicken on a hot platter, lined with slices of toast.
Strain the liquor, and put one pint of it in a sauce-pan, with a little chopped celery, if you have it. Rub smooth one fourth of a cupful of flour in one cupful of milk, and pour in when the liquor boils. When smooth, pour it upon one or two eggs (beaten light). Return to the fire for a moment, but do not curdle the egg. Pour this sauce over the chicken.
No. 2. Make as above, but omit the salt pork, and add salt to the water. When making the gravy, boil the milk with the liquor; then make a "roux" and pour the hot liquor on it. Pour the gravy over the chicken. This is more delicate, but perhaps more troublesome, than the other way. Old fowls will do for this.
Cut into pieces, a young chicken, and fry it in lard, with a little minced onion. When brown, add one tablespoonful flour; cook a moment, stirring constantly. Add three cupfuls boiling water, salt and pepper (also allspice and cloves, if you like). Boil slowly till the chicken is very tender. Dish on toast, as above. Thicken the gravy with "Browned Flour," and add one tablespoonful Worcestershire Sauce or Walnut Catsup. Pour this over the chicken.
Joint a young chicken. "Egg-and-crumb" the pieces, or dredge with flour. Fry in plenty of hot lard over a moderate fire, or they will not be done through. Turn the pieces when half done, and season. Fry nearly one hour, being careful not to let them burn. Lay on a hot platter and dress with parsley.
Joint two tender spring chickens. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, and dredge with flour. Have ready in a fryingpan half a pound of salt pork, cut into slices. When it begins to brown take it out, and lay the pieces of chicken in the fat which remains. Fry them slowly, and turn them often. It will be nearly an hour before they are done. When tender, lay the chickens on a hot platter. Pour into the frying-pan one and one half cupfuls of cream. Boil up a minute. Then add one tablespoonful of flour, rubbed into one tablespoonful of butter. Stir while the gravy thickens, and then pour over and around the chicken.
(An Old Maryland Receipt.)
For the mush cakes make " Corn Meal Hasty Pudding," rather stiffer than usual.
Pour it into a flat dish about half an inch thick and set aside to become cold. When ready to fry for dinner cut it in squares or round cakes, and fry in hot lard.
Serve around the chicken, with Cream Gravy poured over it. See "Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy."
(An Old Virginia Receipt.)
Clean and wash small chickens. Split them down the back as for broiling. Lay them flat in a dripping-pan, and pour one cupful of boiling water over them. Set them in a moderate oven, covered tight with an inverted pan; roast with a steady heat, basting often with butter, and with the water in the pan. The chickens must be left covered each time they are basted. In three quarters of an hour they should begin to brown. Increase the heat, and in a few minutes dish them, first testing their tenderness with a fork. When done, they should be of a mellow, brown hue on top. Sprinkle over them salt and pepper. Thicken the gravy left in the pan, with a little "Browned Flour," and add a little hot water, if necessary. Season with salt, pepper and parsley, and serve in a gravy-boat.
Slice an onion, and fry it in butter till brown. Scatter in one tablespoonful of curry powder. Cover, and cook a few minutes. Add more butter, and put in the chicken cut in pieces, and dredged with flour. Fry till tender. Serve in a bed of rice, if you like; but it is very good without. Veal cut in pieces is very good cooked thus, and is cheaper than chicken.
Choose a tender spring chicken for this purpose. Cut it open down the length of the back. Clean it, wash, and wipe dry. Dip each half into melted butter. Lay on a hot, buttered gridiron over a fire not too hot at first. (It is a good plan to begin to broil it before the coal, freshly put on over a very hot fire, has kindled very much.) Put the inside toward the coals first. Lay a pan or tin cover over the chicken, with a weight on it, to keep the pieces flat. Turn them over in ten minutes.
Broil half an hour. Season with pepper and salt just before dishing, and lay on bits of butter just after.
 
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