Part 109 (2/2)

BOILED FOWL AND RICE.

940. INGREDIENTS.--1 fowl, mutton broth, 2 onions, 2 small blades of pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, 1/4 pint of rice, parsley and b.u.t.ter.

_Mode_.--Truss the fowl as for boiling, and put it into a stewpan with sufficient clear well-skimmed mutton broth to cover it; add the onion, mace, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; stew very gently for about 1 hour, should the fowl be large, and about 1/2 hour before it is ready put in the rice, which should be well washed and soaked. When the latter is tender, strain it from the liquor, and put it on a sieve reversed to dry before the fire, and, in the mean time, keep the fowl hot. Dish it, put the rice round as a border, pour a little parsley and b.u.t.ter over the fowl, and the remainder send to table in a tureen.

_Time_.--A large fowl, 1 hour.

_Average cost_, in full season, 2s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but scarce in early spring.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DORKINGS.]

THE DORKING.--This bird takes its name from that of a town in Surrey, where the breed is to be found in greater numbers, and certainly in greater perfection, than elsewhere. It is generally believed that this particular branch of poultry was found in the town above mentioned as long ago as the Roman era. The Dorking's chief characteristic is that he has five claws on each foot; the extra claw, however, is never of sufficient length to enc.u.mber the foot, or to cause it to ”drag” its nest, or scratch out the eggs. The colour of the true Dorking is pure white; long in the body, short in the legs, and a prolific layer. Thirty years ago, there was much controversy respecting the origin of the Dorking.

The men of Suss.e.x declared that the bird belonged to them, and brought birds indigenous to their weald, and possessing all the Dorking fine points and peculiarities, in proof of the declaration. Others inclined to the belief that the Poland bird was the father of the Dorking, and not without at least a show of reason, as the former bird much resembles the latter in shape; and, despite its sombre hue, it is well known that the Poland c.o.c.k will occasionally beget thorough white stock from white English hens. The commotion has, however, long ago subsided, and Dorking still retains its fair reputation for fowl.

CURRIED FOWL.

941. INGREDIENTS.--1 fowl, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 3 onions sliced, 1 pint of white veal gravy, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1 tablespoonful of flour, 1 apple, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--Put the b.u.t.ter into a stewpan, with the onions sliced, the fowl cut into small joints, and the apple peeled, cored, and minced. Fry of a pale brown, add the stock, and stew gently for 20 minutes; rub down the curry-powder and flour with a little of the gravy, quite smoothly, and stir this to the other ingredients; simmer for rather more than 1/2 hour, and just before serving, add the above proportion of hot cream and lemon-juice. Serve with boiled rice, which may either be heaped lightly on a dish by itself, or put round the curry as a border.

_Time_.--50 minutes.

_Average cost_, 3s. 3d.

_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ in the winter.

_Note_.--This curry may be made of cold chicken, but undressed meat will be found far superior.

THE POLAND.--This bird, a native of Holland, is a great favourite with fowl-keepers, especially those who have on eye to profit rather than to amus.e.m.e.nt. Those varieties known as the ”silver spangled” and the ”gold spangled” are handsome enough to please the most fastidious; but the common black breed, with the bushy crown of white feathers, is but a plain bird. The chief value of the common Poland lies in the great number of eggs they produce; indeed, in many parts, they are as well known as ”everlasting layers” as by their proper name. However, the experienced breeder would take good care to send the eggs of his everlasting layers to market, and not use them for home consumption, as, although they may be as large as those laid by other hens, the amount of nutriment contained in them is not nearly so great. Mr. Mowbray once kept an account of the number of eggs produced by this prolific bird, with the following result:--From the 25th of October to the 25th of the following September five hens laid 503 eggs; the average weight of each egg was one ounce five drachms, and the total weight of the whole, exclusive of the sh.e.l.ls, 50-1/4 pounds. Taking the weight of the birds at the fair average of five pounds each, we thus see them producing within a year double their weight of egg alone; and, supposing every egg to contain a chick, and allowing the chick to, grow, in less than eighteen months from the laying of the first egg, _two thousand five hundred pounds_ of chicken-meat would be the result. The Poland is easily fattened, and its flesh is generally considered juicier and of richer flavour than most others.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SPANGLED POLANDS.]

CURRIED FOWL OR CHICKEN (Cold Meat Cookery).

942. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of cold roast fowls, 2 large onions, 1 apple, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 1 dessertspoonful of curry-powder, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 1/2 pint of gravy, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--Slice the onions, peel, core, and chop the apple, and cut the fowl into neat joints; fry these in the b.u.t.ter of a nice brown; then add the curry-powder, flour, and gravy, and stew for about 20 minutes. Put in the lemon-juice, and serve with boiled rice, either placed in a ridge round the dish or separately. Two or three shallots or a little garlic may be added, if approved.

_Time_.--Altogether 1/2 hour. _Av. cost_, exclusive of the cold fowl, 6d.

_Seasonable_ in the winter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COCHIN-CHINAS.]

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