This section is from the book "The Modern Cook: A Practical Guide to the Culinary Art in All Its Branches", by Charles Elme Francatelli. Also available from Amazon: The Modern Cook: A Practical Guide to the Culinary Art in All Its Branches.
Comprising Supreme of Fillets of Fowls, d l' Ecarlate. d la Toulouse.
with Truffles, Ac.
with Cucumbers, d la Belle-vue. a' la Perigord.
Fillets of Fowls, d l' Indie'nne.
a' la Marechale.
a' la Valencay.
a' la Royale..
a' la Pinanciere, etc.
a' la d' Uxelles.
It should be observed that the whole of the following entrees are expensive; with good management, however, much of the cost may be reduced, by subsequently using the remains of the fowls here required in the preparation of a variety of other dishes; such as those comprised in the last section of entrees of poultry, and also for making galantines, ballotines, cutlets, croquettes, pies, etc.
Take out the fillets of three or four young fowls, in the following manner: - First, slit the skin on the centre of the breast in a straight line, so that, by folding it down on both sides, the fillets will be left bare. Next, draw the point of a knife along the edge of the breastbone, cut through the centre of the merry-thought, and then remove the fillets by dividing them from the breast and ribs, carefully running the point of a knife close to the bones, while the fillet is held up with the fingers of the left hand, so as to prevent the knife from injuring it. The fillets being thus removed entire, divide the minion fillets from the large ones, and after the sinew which runs along these has been carefully extracted without tearing them, they should be trimmed and placed in a small sautapan with some clarified butter, covered with a round piece of paper, and placed in the larder; the larger fillets must also be trimmed in the following manner: - Place the fillet upon the edge of the table, with the pointed end to -the right, and the smooth side downwards; then bear moderately with the finders of the left hand upon the pointed end of the fillet, and at the same time slip the edge of a sharp knife (dipped in water) into that part, and slide the knife under the hand, closely bearing toward the skin so as not to waste any more of the fillet than is positively necessary for the purpose of removing it; it must then be trimmed neatly round at the thick end, and nearly to a point at the thin end. The fillets should now be arranged, all in the same direction, in a sautapan with some clarified butter; then seasoned with a little salt, covered with a circular piece of buttered paper, and placed with the others. It is necessary to observe that if the large fillets incline from right to left when placed in the sautapan, the minion fillets should be curved in the opposite direction : the latter may be decorated, or contises with truffles or tongue; in which case they must be covered with thin layers of fat bacon. When about to send to table, place the sautapan containing the large fillets over a stove-fire, and as soon as they become set and whitened on one side, turn them over immediately on the other, and do not let them acquire any color; then, quickly pour off all the butter, add a large spoonful of Supreme sauce (No. 38), and having tossed the fillets in it over the fire without allowing them to boil or simmer, dish them in a close circle with a round scollop of red tongue (previously warmed in a little half glaze for the purpose) between each of them ; fill the centre with scollops of button-mushrooms tossed in a little of the sauce, place the minion fillets, in a similar row to the others, upon the top of them ; pour some Supreme sauce round the entree, and upon each of the fillets, without masking the pieces of tongue, and serve.
 
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