_Mode_.--Make a sage-and-onion stuffing of the above ingredients, by recipe No. 504; put it into the body of the goose, and secure it firmly at both ends, by pa.s.sing the rump through the hole made in the skin, and the other end by tying the skin of the neck to the back; by this means the seasoning will not escape. Put it down to a brisk fire, keep it well basted, and roast from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, according to the size. Remove the skewers, and serve with a tureen of good gravy, and one of well-made apple-sauce. Should a very highly-flavoured seasoning be preferred, the onions should not be parboiled, but minced raw: of the two methods, the mild seasoning is far superior. A ragot, or pie, should be made of the giblets, or they may be stewed down to make gravy. Be careful to serve the goose before the breast falls, or its appearance will be spoiled by coming flattened to table. As this is rather a troublesome joint to carve, a _large_ quant.i.ty of gravy should not be poured round the goose, but sent in a tureen.
_Time_.--A large goose, 1-3/4 hour; a moderate-sized one, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour.
_Seasonable_ from September to March; but in perfection from Michaelmas to Christmas.
_Average cost_, 5s. 6d. each. _Sufficient_ for 8 or 9 persons.
_Note_.--A teaspoonful of made mustard, a saltspoonful of salt, a few grains of cayenne, mixed with a gla.s.s of port wine, are sometimes poured into the goose by a slit made in the ap.r.o.n. This sauce is, by many persons, considered an improvement.
[Ill.u.s.tration: EMDEN GOOSE.]
THE GOOSE.--This bird is pretty generally distributed over the face of the globe, being met with in North America, Lapland, Iceland, Arabia, and Persia. Its varieties are numerous; but in England there is only one species, which is supposed to be a native breed. The best geese are found on the borders of Suffolk, and in Norfolk and Berkshire; but the largest flocks are reared in the fens of Lincolnshire and Cambridge. They thrive best where they have an easy access to water, and large herds of them are sent every year to London, to be fattened by the metropolitan poulterers. "A Michaelmas goose," says Dr.
Kitchener, "is as famous in the mouths of the million as the minced-pie at Christmas; yet for those who eat with delicacy, it is, at that time, too full-grown. The true period when the goose is in the highest perfection is when it has just acquired its full growth, and not begun to harden; if the March goose is insipid, the Michaelmas goose is rank. The fine time is between both; from the second week in June to the first in September."
It is said that the Michaelmas goose is indebted to Queen Elizabeth for its origin on the table at that season. Her majesty happened to dine on one at the table of an English baronet, when she received the news of the discomfiture of the Spanish Armada. In commemoration of this event, she commanded the goose to make its appearance at table on every Michaelmas.
We here give an engraving of the Emden goose.
TO DRESS A GREEN GOOSE.
969. INGREDIENTS.--Goose, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Geese are called green till they are about four months old, and should not be stuffed. After it has been singed and trussed, the same as in the preceding recipe, put into the body a seasoning of pepper and salt, and the b.u.t.ter to moisten it inside. Roast before a clear fire for about 3/4 hour, froth and brown it nicely, and serve with a brown gravy, and, when liked, gooseberry-sauce. This dish should be garnished with water-cresses.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 4s. 6d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ in June, July, and August.
[Ill.u.s.tration: TOULOUSE GOOSE.]
THE EGYPTIAN GOOSE.--Especial attention has been directed to this bird by Herodotus, who says it was held sacred by the ancient Egyptians, which has been partially confirmed by modern travellers. Mr. Salt remarks, "Horus Apollo says the old geese stay with their young in the most imminent danger, at the risk of their own lives, which I have myself frequently witnessed.
Vielpanser is the goose of the Nile, and wherever this goose is represented on the walls of the temples in colours, the resemblance may be clearly traced." The goose is also said to have been a bird under the care of Isis. It has been placed by Mr. Gould amongst the birds of Europe; not from the number of half-reclaimed individuals which are annually shot in Britain, but from the circ.u.mstance of its occasionally visiting the southern parts of the continent from its native country, Africa.
The Toulouse goose, of which we give an engraving, is a well-known bird.
ROAST GUINEA-FOWL, Larded.
970. INGREDIENTS.--A Guinea-fowl, lardoons, flour, and salt.
_Mode_.--When this bird is larded, it should be trussed the same as a pheasant; if plainly roasted, truss it like a turkey. After larding and trussing it, put it down to roast at a brisk fire; keep it well basted, and a short time before serving, dredge it with a little flour, and let it froth nicely. Serve with a little gravy in the dish, and a tureen of the same, and one of well-made bread-sauce.
_Time_.--Guinea-fowl, larded, 1-1/4 hour; plainly roasted, about 1 hour.
_Sufficient_ for 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
_Note_.--The breast, if larded, should be covered with a piece of paper, and removed about 10 minutes before serving.
[Ill.u.s.tration: GUINEA-FOWLS.]
THE GUINEA-FOWL.--The bird takes its name from Guinea, in Africa, where it is found--wild, and in great abundance. It is gregarious in its habits, a.s.sociating in flocks of two or three hundred, delighting in marshy grounds, and at night perching upon trees, or on high situations. Its size is about the same as that of a common hen, but it stands higher on its legs. Though domesticated, it retains much of its wild nature, and is apt to wander. The hens lay abundantly, and the eggs are excellent. In their flesh, however, they are not so white as the common fowl, but more inclined to the colour of the pheasant, for which it frequently makes a good subst.i.tute at table. The flesh is both savoury and easy of digestion, and is in season when game is out of season.
LARK PIE (an Entree).
971. INGREDIENTS.--A few thin slices of beef, the same of bacon, 9 larks, flour; for stuffing, 1 teacupful of bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, 1 egg, salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoonful of chopped shalot, 1/2 pint of weak stock or water, puff-paste.
_Mode_.--Make a stuffing of bread crumbs, minced lemon-peel, parsley, and the yolk of an egg, all of which should be well mixed together; roll the larks in flour, and stuff them. Line the bottom of a pie-dish with a few slices of beef and bacon; over these place the larks, and season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and chopped shalot, in the above proportion. Pour in the stock or water, cover with crust, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. During the time the pie is baking, shake it 2 or 3 times, to a.s.sist in thickening the gravy, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. a dozen.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_.--In full season in November.
ROAST LARKS.
972. INGREDIENTS.--Larks, egg and bread crumbs, fresh b.u.t.ter.
_Mode_.--These birds are by many persons esteemed a great delicacy, and may be either roasted or broiled. Pick, gut, and clean them; when they are trussed, brush them over with the yolk of an egg; sprinkle with bread crumbs, and roast them before a quick fire; baste them continually with fresh b.u.t.ter, and keep sprinkling with the bread crumbs until the birds are well covered. Dish them on bread crumbs fried in clarified b.u.t.ter, and garnish the dish with slices of lemon. Broiled larks are also very excellent: they should be cooked over a clear fire, and would take about 10 minutes or 1/4 hour.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to roast; 10 minutes to broil.
_Seasonable_.--In full season in November.
_Note_.--Larks may also be plainly roasted, without covering them with egg and bread crumbs; they should be dished on fried crumbs.
BROILED PIGEONS.
973. INGREDIENTS.--Pigeons, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Take care that the pigeons are quite fresh, and carefully pluck, draw, and wash them; split the backs, rub the birds over with b.u.t.ter, season them with pepper and salt, and broil them over a moderate fire for 1/4 hour or 20 minutes. Serve very hot, with either mushroom-sauce or a good gravy. Pigeons may also be plainly boiled, and served with parsley and b.u.t.ter; they should be trussed like boiled fowls, and take from 1/4 hour to 20 minutes to boil.
_Time_.--To broil a pigeon, from 1/4 hour to 20 minutes; to boil one, the same time.
_Average cost_, from 6d. to 9d. each.
_Seasonable_ from April to September, but in the greatest perfection from midsummer to Michaelmas.
THE POUTER PIGEON.--This is a very favourite pigeon, and, without doubt, the most curious of his species. He is a tail strong bird, as he had need be to carry about his great inflated crop, frequently as large and as round as a middling-sized turnip. A perfect pouter, seen on a windy day, is certainly a ludicrous sight: his feathered legs have the appearance of white trousers; his tapering tail looks like a swallow-tailed coat; his head is entirely concealed by his immense windy protuberance; and, altogether, he reminds you of a little "swell" of a past century, staggering under a bale of linen. The most common pouters are the blues, buffs, and whites, or an intermixture of all these various colours. The pouter is not a prolific breeder, is a bad nurse, and more likely to degenerate, if not repeatedly crossed and re-crossed with Irish stock, than any other pigeon: nevertheless, it is a useful bird to keep if you are founding a new colony, as it is much attached to its home, and little apt to stray; consequently it is calculated to induce more restless birds to fettle down and make themselves comfortable. If you wish to breed pouters, you cannot do worse than intrust them with the care of their own eggs.
ROAST PIGEONS.
974. INGREDIENTS.--Pigeons, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt to taste.
_Trussing_.--Pigeons, to be good, should be eaten fresh (if kept a little, the flavour goes off), and they should be drawn as soon as killed. Cut off the heads and necks, truss the wings over the backs, and cut off the toes at the first joint: previous to trussing, they should be carefully cleaned, as no bird requires so much washing.