Chicken And Ham Sandwiches

"When you come back, bring the cold roast chickens to me. That is right; see, I shall remove the legs and wings. Get the chopping-board, cut all the meat free from the breast; let it be very small, but do not mash it; it must be seasoned with a dust of salt and pepper, a mustardspoonful of made mustard and two well-mashed pickled walnuts; put all in a basin, add the same quantity of the baked ham, grated. Mix all together, with this mixture fill the other six cakes. Now wash the mustard and double cress; the best way is to put it all in the cullender, set in a large pan of water; be very careful not to allow it to get loose in the water or we shall lose part, take it out and allow to drain. In the meantime take the boiled eggs from the cold water; I put them there so that the shells might come off easily."

Pigeons With Forcemeat

"Isobel, butter me a mould thoroughly; hold it to the fire for a moment, and when the butter melts, let it run into every crevice. Now line the sides with forcemeat, made in exactly the same way as for veal stuffing. Just pop two pigeons into the small stewing-pan, and let them boil for twenty minutes. Chop the suet while I gather the parsley and thyme. Parsley, raw veal, bread crumbs, pepper, and salt - that is quite right; you have all the ingredients for the forcemeat there. You may moisten it with eggs, for it must be stiff enough to press to the mould, and remember the juice of a lemon is the greatest improvement Now the pigeons are sufficiently done, lay them in the centre of the mould, and cover well with forcemeat In the morning, bake it in a brisk oven for thirty minutes; then you may turn it out carefully. If you were serving it hot, you might send it to table surrounded by a gill of thick gravy."

Boiled Chicken In Jelly

"Isobel, you often said you would like to see a boned or devilled fowl; therefore, to-morrow morning we will have one of the six-month-old Brahmas killed before they are fed. Then you can pluck it while it is warm, and in the afternoon it can be dressed for boning."

With these words I left Isobel, and when I came to the kitchen next afternoon, was glad to see that everything was done in exactly the way I desired.

"Plucked and drawn; that is quite right. Give me the boning-knife and small hand saw. See; first I shall draw off the skin from the neck, taking great care not to tear it, then I cut the bird straight down the back, lay it open, and with this sharp knife remove the bones. Now mix together a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of the picked leaves of thyme, half a teacupful of fine bread crumbs, the juice from a lemon, a dust of pepper, and salt to taste." "Doesn't it want an egg, ma'am?" "No, Isobel; I think it makes the stuffing too firm. When making forcemeat balls I always add one, for it binds them together for frying; but a teaspoonful of cream is a great improvement "Fill the body of the chicken with this stuffing, close it up, and draw the skin over it again; skewer it carefully, place in a stewpan containing warm water, add an onion, a turnip, and a bouquet of parsley. Now we will let it simmer gently for forty minutes, but the moment it boils draw it away from the flame, and skim the liquor well. While it is cooking we will boil four eggs. Place the mould in water to soak.

"Give me the star and.half-moon shaped cutters, and I will cut a dozen beetroot stars, the same number in cucumber, and lay them in a little vinegar.

"Fetch me one of the large bottles of aspic jelly, set it near the stove for a little while, thinly coat the mould with a little of the jelly; when nearly set, ornament it with the beet and cucumber stars and the hard-boiled eggs. Lay a tuft of parsley at the bottom; now add a thick coating of jelly. When the bird is quite cold, pop it into the mould, then fill up with jelly. When nearly set, place hard-boiled eggs, cut in half, in the jelly, and take it straight down to the cellar. In the morning, you will simply have to turn it out See, it has taken us almost an hour and a half to make; I am sure we shall think it well worth the trouble. Do not garnish with parsley this time, but with little hillocks of chopped aspic jelly."