Artificial Pigeons

I remembered having heard John say we had pigeons enough to feed a famine, so I thought we might eat some of these birds at our picnic breakfast. "Now, Isobel, we will have some pigeons killed, and make them up as fricassee dean, artificial chickens, and in jelly. I want you to make me a forcemeat any time during the day; it will keep good if well seasoned. The ingredients you must use are; one pound of raw veal, one ounce of chopped, and two of grated fat bacon, a minced shallot, the plucked leaves of thyme, and the juice of a lemon; also blanch a pair of pigeons."

In the afternoon, I found that she had accurately followed my directions. I cut the meat from the pigeons, minced it finely, mixed it with the forcemeat, and bound all together with a well-beaten egg; formed it into the shape of a chicken, put one pair of feet so that they showed under the body. From the other leg I cut off the feet, and placed them so that they resembled the wings, brushed it all over with a beaten egg, then screened with bread crumbs, and set it in a tin pie-dish.

"Isobel, this must be baked in a hot oven for thirty minutes; take it carefully, and stick a piece of thyme in its mouth when dished. Now I shall cook pigeons in jelly; but do remember not to turn them from the mould till the very minute they are to be served."

Pigeons In Jelly

"To-day is Monday; our party is fixed for Wednesday; if we make the jelly to-day we can skim it to-morrow, and make it into moulds, so that it will be quite ready for packing. You had better order a calf's foot from the butcher. When it comes, put it into a stewpan with a quart of water, a blade of mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, a teaspoonful of whole mixed pepper, a slice of ham, and one of lemon. When it has boiled for two good hours, turn it through a sieve into a clean stewpan, put in four young pigeons dressed as for roasting, let them simmer for thirty minutes; then remove the birds and set them on a dish. While they are cooling, clear the gravy; it ought to make a delicious jelly. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the pigeons, dust them slightly with cayenne; stir the well-beaten whites and crushed shells of two eggs into the jelly, strain it through a thick cloth which has been dipped into boiling water. It is rather hot, but wring it in another cloth, just as you would a flannel that is to be used for fomentation. Place an oiled or well-soaked mould under the cloth, pass half the jelly through into it; when nearly set, put in the birds; then pour in the remainder of the jelly. Take it down to the cellar to set."

Stuffed Rabbits In Jelly

I had long wished to try a new dish of rabbits; but when 1 broached the subject to Isobel, she looked very much astonished.

Next day I skinned a couple of rabbits, cut off their heads, and blanched them till they were perfectly white, then stuffed them with forcemeat, just as I should veal; after which I rolled them round and wrapped them in fat bacon. When Isobel came into the kitchen she could not guess what they were, and I would not satisfy her curiosity till after she had partaken of them. I baked them for an hour, during which time I basted them well. I then allowed them to cool, cut each one into three, and placed them in a round tin mould, which Isobel had carefully oiled. I warmed a bottle of savoury jelly (which I always keep at hand), added to it a small pot of black currant jelly, a glass of port wine, a dash of nutmeg, and the juice of lemon. When all was mixed and heated in an earthen pot, poured it over the rabbits, and put it away in a cold place.

Next morning I turned the mould out myself, garnished it with hard-boiled eggs, which had been cooked on the previous day, but left in their shells till I required them.

Everybody joined in praising this dish, and great was the astonishment of all when I let them into the secret.