378. Pigeons En Casserole - French

Line a casserole with thin slices of fat pork; tie the pigeons in shape and place on top. Spread over them a thick layer of mixed vegetables (carrot, celery, pepper, parsley, half a turnip), chopped fine, a dozen button onions and a cup of peas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with more pork and add a very little boiling water. Cover tightly and cook in a slow oven for three hours. Serve in the casserole.

379. Pigeon - Creole

Clean, wipe dry and cut into quarters three pigeons. Let them stand in half a cup of olive oil for fifteen minutes; then drain the oil into a frying pan. Chop an onion, a bit of garlic, a green pepper (without the seeds), and a tablespoon of parsley. Fry in the oil until transparent; then add the pigeons and brown them. Turn all into a casserole with a can of tomatoes, salt, paprika and cayenne to taste; add a tablespoon of minced salt pork, half a cup of pitted olives and a pint of stock. Cover closely and simmer in the oven for an hour and a half; then thicken the sauce with a tablespoon or more of brown roux (No. 138). Sprinkle with grated Parmesan before serving, and garnish with fried toast cut in diamonds.

380. Pigeon Pie - English

Cut three pigeons in quarters; add a pound of top round steak, cut in finger lengths. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; then roll each piece in flour. Place in a deep earthenware pie dish, cover well with highly seasoned stock and bake slowly inside the oven until nearly done. Cut two hard boiled eggs in quarters and arrange on top. Wet the edge of the dish and press a two-inch strip of rich pie paste around it; then moisten it and place the top crust on, rolled out to the thickness of a dollar, pinching the edges together. Cut a cross in the middle, and in it stick the pigeon feet, well cleaned. Brush over with white of egg and bake a golden brown. Serve cold. For the crust use two-thirds butter to one of lard, three times the amount of flour and a pinch of salt. Moisten with ice water.