TO CUT UP A CHICKEN

Pick, singe, and draw ; lay the chicken on a board kept for the

purpose, cut off* the feet at first joint ; cut a slit in the neck, take 18

274 POULTRY.

out the windpipe and crop, cut off the wings and legs at the joint which unites them to the body, separate the first joint of the 1^ from the second, cut off the oil-bag, make a slit horizontally under the tail, cut the end of the entrails hoae, extend the slit on each side of the joint where the legs were cut off; then, with the left hand, hold the breast of the chicken, and, with the right, bend back the rump until the joint in back separates, cut it clear and place in water. Take out the entrails, using a sharp knife to separate the eggs (if any), and all other particles to be removed, from the back, being careful in removmg the heart and liver not to break the gall- bag (a small sack of a blue-green color about an inch long attached to the liver); separate the back and breast ; commence at the high point of the breast and cut downwards tow^ard the head, taking off part of the breast with the wish-bone ; cut the neck from that part of the back to which the ribs are attached, turn the skin off the neck, and take out all lumps and stringy substances ; very care- fully remove the gall-bag from the liver, and clean the gizzard by making an incision through the thick part and first lining, peeling off the fleshy part, leaving the inside whole and ball-shaped ; if the lining breaks, open the gizzards, pour out contents, peel off inner lining, and wash thoroughly. After washing in second water, the chicken is ready to be cooked. When young chickens are to be baked, with a sharp knife cut open the back at the side of the back-bone, press apart, and dean as above directed, and place in dripping-pan, skin side up.

Chickens are stuffed and roasted in the same way as turkeys, and are much better for being first steamed, especially if over a year old. Boast for twenty or thirty minutes, or till nicely browned. Some prefer to broil or fry old chickens after first steaming until tender, but stewing or boiling is better. In broiling chickens the danger of under-cooking on the one hand, or burning on the other, is avoided by breaking the bones slightly with a rolling-pin so that the pieces are flattened. Covering with a sauce-pan will also con- centrate the heat, and help cook them thoroughly without burning.

Some, in making chicken or meat pies, line the bottom of the dish with crust, and place in the oven until well ** set,** then line the sides, fill, cover, and bake; it is always difficult to bake the

POULTRY. 275

crust on the bottom of dish unless this plan is adopted. A still better plan is to use no bottom crust, only lining the sides of the pan.

The gariyshes for turkey and chicken are parsley, fried oysters, thin slices of ham, slices of lemon, fried sausages or forced-meat balls.

Baked Chickens. Dress the chickens and cut them in two, soak for half an hour in cold water, wipe perfectly diy and put in a dripping-pan, bone side down, without any water ; have a hot oven, and, if the chickens are young, half an hour's cooking will be sufficient. Take out, and sea- son with butter, salt and pepper ; pack one above another as closely as possible, and place in pan over, boiling water^ covering them closely — ^this keeps them moist until served — boil the giblets in a little water, and, after the chickens are taken from the dripping-pan, pat into it the water in which giblets were boiled, thicken it, and add the chopped giblets. This manner of baking chickens is fully equal to broiling them. — Mr9. E, W. Herrick

Baked Spring Chickens. Cut each of four chickens into seven or nine pieces, wash thor- oughly and quickly, and put in a colander to drain ; put a half table-spoon each of lard and butter into a dripping-pan, lay in the pieces, and add half a pint hot water ; place in oven and bake half an hour, turn, taking care that they get only to a light brown, and, just before taking up, add salt and pepper to taste ; when done take out in a dish and keep hot. To make the gravy, add a half pint or more of water, set the dripping-pan on the stove, and add one table-spoon flour mixed with half cup of cream or milk, stirring dowly, adding a little of 'the mixture at a time. Let cook thor- oughly, stirring constantly to prevent burning, and to make the gravy nice and smooth ; season more if necessar}'. — Mrs. L, Hvsh.

Baked Chicken with Parsnips. Wash, scrape, and quarter parsnips, and parboil for twenty min- utes; prepare a young chicken by splitting open at back, place in a dripping-pan, skin side up, lay parsnips i^Tound the chicken, q>riDkle ¥riih salt and pepper, and add a lump of butter the size

276 POULTRY.

of an egg, or two or three slices of good pickled pork ; put enough

water in pan to prevent burDing, place in oven and bake untU

chicken and parsnips are done to a delicate brown ; serve chicken

separately on a platter, pouring the gravy in the pan over the pars*

Chicken Croquettes.

Boil two fowls weighing five pounds each till very tender, mino« fine, add one pint cream, half pound butter, salt and pepper tc taste ; shape oval in a jelly glass or mold. Fry in lard like dough- nuts until brown. — Mrs. E. L. Fay^ New York (Xty.

Bbeaded Chicken. Gut a tender chicken into seven pieces as if for frying, roll in beaten yolks of two eggs, then in finely grated bread crumbs seasoned with chopped parsley, pepper and salt ; place in dripping-pan, dot the pieces with bits of butter (one table-spoon in all), add a little water, bake slowly, basting often. When done, take out chicken and make gravy in the pan by adding a mixture of fiour and butter, make smooth by stirring. Add either cream or milk to make suffi- cient gravy, which season to taste.

Broiled Chickens or Quails. Cut chicken open on the back, lay on the meat-board and pound until it will lie flat, lay on gridiron, place over a bed of coals, broil until a nice brown, but do not burn. It will take twenty or thirty minutes to cook thoroughly, and it will cook much better to cover with a pie-tin held down with a weight so that all parts of the chicken may lie close to the gridiron. While the chicken is broil- ing, put the liver, gizzard and heart in a stew-pan and boil in a pint of water until tender, chop fine and add flour, butter, pepper, salt, and stir a cup of sweet cream to tRe water in which they were boiled ; when the chicken is done, dip it in this gravy while hot, lay it back on the gridiron a minute, put it in the gravy and let boil for a half minute, and send to the table hot. Cook quails in the same way. — Mrs. ,A, 8. Chapman.

Chili Colorad. Take two chickens; cut up as if to stew ; when pretty well done, add a little green parsley and a few onions. Take half pound large

roLLTRY. 277

pepptjr pods, remove seeds, and pour on boiling water; steam ten or fifteen minutes ; pour off water, and rub them in a sieve until all the juice is f>ut ; add the juice to the chicken ; let it cook for half an hour ; add a little butter, flour and salt. Place a border of rice around the dish before setting on table. This dish may also be made of beef, pork or mutton ; it is to be eaten in cold weather, and is a favorite dish' with all people on the Pacific coast. — Mrs. Gov. Bradley^ Nevada.

Chickens for Lunch. Split a young chicken down the back, wash and wipe dry, s* ason with salt and pepper. Put in a dripping-pan, and place in a mod- erate oven ; bake three-quarters of an hour. This is much better for traveling lunch than when seasoned with butter. — Jfrs. W. B. Broymy Wcukingiony D. C.

Chicken Pot-pie. Cut up a chicken and put on in hot water enough to cover, and take care that it does not cook dry ; while boiling cut off a slice from bread dough, add a small lump of lard, and mix up like light biscuit, roll, cut out with cake-cutter and set by stove to rise ; wash and pare potatoes of moderate size, and add them when chicken is almost done; when potatoes begin to boil, season with salt and pep- per, add dumplings and season again. See that there is water enough to keep from burning, cover very tightly, and do not take cover off until dumplings are done. They will cook in half an hour, and may be tested by lifting one edge of the lid, taking out a dumpling and breaking it open. Or, the dumplings may be placed in steamer over cold water, taking care to leave some of the holes in steamer open, as if all are covered by the dumplings, the steam will not be admitted, and they will not cook well. If there arc too many dumplings to lie on bottom without covering all holes, attach them to the side and upper edge of steamer by wetting dough and pressing it to the edge. When done remove to vegetable dish and pour hot gravy over them. Dish potatoes by themselves, and chickens and dumplings together. Make- gravy by mixing two level table-spoons flour and a little butter together, and stir into the hroth remaining in pot slowly, add more boiling water if needed and season with salt and pepper. Or, make dumplings with one pint

278 POULTRY,

gour milky two well-beaten eggs, half tea-spoon soda (mixed in part

of the flour), and flour enough to make as stiff as can be stirred

with a spoon ; or baking-powder and sweet milk may be used. Drop

in by spoonfuls, cover tightly, and boil as above. A pot-pie may

be made from a good boiling piece of beef; if too much grease

arises skim off.

Chicken Pie.

Cut up two young chickens, place in hot water enough to cover, (as it boils away add more so as to have enough for the pie and for gravy to serve with it), boil until tender; line the sides of a four or six quart pan with a rich baking-powder or soda-biscuit dough quarter of an inch thick, put in part of the chicken, season -with salt, pepper and butter, lay in a few thin strips or squares of dough, add the lest of chicken and season as before; some add five or six fresh eggs or a few new potatoes in their season, season liquor in which the chickeii9 were boiled, with butter, salt and pepper, add a part of it to the pie, cover with crust a quarter of an inch thick, with a hole in the center the size of a tea-cup. Keep adding the chicken-liquor as needed, since the tault of most chicken pies is that they are too dry. There can scarcely be too much gravy. Bake one hour in a mod- erate oven.

Veal pias are similarly made, omitting eggs, and using two or three pounds veal to a quart of dough. Add to liquor loft in pot a table-spoon of butter mixed with flour to a paste, season with pep- per and salt, for gravy, adding water if needed. — L, A, C.

CmcKfa? Pie with Oysters. Boil the chicken — a year old is best— until tender, drain ofl* liquor from a quart of 03'ster8, boil, skim, line the sides of a dish with a rich crust, put in a layer of chicken, then a layer of raw oysters, and repeat until dish is filled, seasoning each layer with pepper, salt, and bits of butter, and adding the oyster liquor and a part of the chicken liquor until the liquid is even with the top layer ; now cover loosely with a crust having an opening in the center to allow steam to escape. If the liquor cooks away, add chicken gravy or hot water. Bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. Make gravy hy adding to chicken liquor left in pot (one quart or more) two tablespoons flour, rubbed smooth with two

POULTRY, 279

tablespoons butter, and seasoned highly with pepper; let cook until there is no raw taste of flour and salt to taste and serve.

Chicken Pudding. Dress and cut one chicken into small pieces, put it into a sauce- 2MUQ or kettle with a little water, season with salt and pepper, let boil until it begins to grow tender, then take out and put into i; three-quart pudding dish ; have ready one quart green corn giated or cut fine, to which add three egg^i l>eaten light and one pint swei > milk ; season with salt and pepper, and .pour this mixture over the chicken, dredge thickly witli flour, lay on bits of butter and bake until done. — Mrs. A. Wikon, Rye, N. Y.

Dressing for Chicken or Beef. Boil potatoes, mash as if for the table, except that they should be less moist, stuff* the chicken or roast with this, and bake as ordi- narily ; for ducks add onions chopped fine ; if the bread-dressing is wanted too, it may be laid in the corner of the pan. — Mn, Carrie

Fricasseed Chicken.

Gut up and put on to boil, skin side down, in a small quantity of water, season with salt, pepper, and slices of an onion if liked; stew gently until tender, remove chicken, add a half pint cream or milk to gravy, and thicken with butter and flour rubbed smoothly together (adding a little of the gravy to soften and help mix them)» let boil two or three minutes, add a little chopped parsley and serve. Or, first fiy the chicken brown in a little hot lard, take out chicken, add a table-spoon flour, and let cook a minute, stirring constantly; add a pint water (or stock if at hand), a little vinegar or Worces- tershire sauce, season with salt and pepper; when it has boiled, remove from fire, strain, add the beaten yolk of an egg, pour over the chicken and serve. Or, put chicken in sauce-pan with barely enough water to cover, stew gently until tender ; have a frying-pan prepared with a few slices of salt pork, drain chicken and fry with pork until it is a fine, rich brown ; take chicken and bits of pork bom the pan, pour in the broth, thicken with brown flour, mixed smooth with a little water, and season with pepper ; now put chicken and pork back into gravy, let simmer a few minutes, and serve ?ery hot. — Mrs. J. H. S.

280 POULTRY.

Fried Spring Chicken.

Put skillet on the stove with about half table-spoon each of lard and butter; when hot lay in chicken, sprinkle over Avith flour, salt and pepper, place lid on skillet, and cook over a moderate fire; when a light brown, turn the chicken and sprinkle flour, salt and pepper over the top as at first, if necessary add more lard and butter, and cook slowly until done ; make gravy just the same as for baked chicken. As a general rule half an hour is long enough to fry spring chicken. To make rich and nice gravy without cream, take the yolk of an egg^ beat up light, strain and stir slowly into the gravy after the flour and milk have been stirred in and thoroughly oooked; as soon as it boils up the gravy is done, and should be removed from the stove. All gravies need to be stirred well and thoroughly oooked over a moderate fire. — Mn. L. H.

Fried Gumbo.

Cut up two young chickens, and fry in skillet^ when brown but not scorched, put in a pot with one quart finely chopped okra, four . large tomatoes, and two onions chop{)ed fine; cover with boiling water, boil very slowly, and keep the kettle tightly closed; add boiling water as it wastes, and simmer slowly three hours ; season with salt, pepper, and a little butter and flour rubbed together; serve with boiled rice. — Mrs. J. H. S.

Jelued Chicken.

Cook six chickens in a small quantity of water, until the meat will part from the bone easily ; season to taste with salt and pepper; just as soon as cold enough to handle, remove bones and skin ; place meat in a deep pan or mold, just as it comes from the bone, using gizzard, liver and heart, until the mold is nearly full To the water left in the kettle, add three-fourths of a box of Cox's gelatine (some add juice of lemon), dissolved in a little warm water» and boil until it is reduced to a little less than a quart, pour over the chicken in the mold, leave to cool, cut with a very sharp knifii and serve. The slices will not easily break up if directiona followed. — Jfm Prof. Bobeiis, Cape QirardeaUf Mx

POULTBT. 281

PiCKL£D Chicken.

dl four chickens till tender enough for meat to fill from bones; pat meat in a stone jar, and pour over it three pints of cold vine- gar, and a pint and half of the water in which the chickens were boiled; add spices if preferred, and it will be ready for use in two days. — Emma Chuli Rea,

Pressed Chickek. Take one or two chickens, boil in a small quantity of water with a little salt, and when thoroughly done, take all the meat from the bones, removing the skin, and keeping the light meat separate irom the dark ; chop and season to taste with salt and pepper. If a meat preaser is at hand take it, or any other mold such as a crock or pan will do ; put in a layer of light and a layer of dark meat till all is used, add the liquor it was boiled in, which should be about one tea-cupful, and put on a heavy weight ; when cold cut in slices. Many chop all the meat together, add one pounded cracker to the liquor it was boiled in, and mix all thoroughly before putting in the mold ; either way is nice. Boned turkey can be prepared in the same way, sUcing instead of chopping.'

Steamed Chicken. Bub the chicken on the inside with pepper and half tea-spoon of Bcdt, place in steamer in a kettle that will keep it as near the water as possible, cover, and steam an hour and a half; when done keep hot while dressing is prepared, then cut them up, arrange on the platter, and serve with the dressing over them. The dressmg is made as follows : Boil one pint of gravy from the kettle without the &t, add cayenne pepper and half a tea-spoon salt; stir six table- spoons of flour into a quarter pint of cream until smooth, and add to the gravy. Com starch may be used instead of the flour, and some add nutm^ or celery salt.

Boned Turkey.

With a sharp knife slit the skin down the back, and raising one ride at a time with the fingers, separate the flesh from the bones with knife, until the wings and legs are reached. These unjoint from the body, and cutting through to the bone, turn back the flesh and remove the bones. When bones are removed, the fleah

282 POULTRY.

may be re-ehaped by stuffing. Some leave tbc bones in the legs and wings, as they are most difficult to remove. Stuff with force-meat, made of cold lamb or veal and a little pork, chopped iine and sea- soned with salt, pepper, sage or savory, and the juice of one lemon ; sew into shape, turn end? of wings under and press the legs close to the back, and tie all firmly so that the upper surface may be plump and smooth for the carver. Lard with two or three rows on the top, and bake until thoroughly done, basting oflen with salt and water, and a little butter. This is a difficult dish to attempt. Carve across*in slices and serve with tomato-sauce. — Mr%, X Flem"

mingy PhUaddphiaf Pa.

Boned Turkey.

Bone and stuff as in preceding recipe, roll tight in a strong, clean doth, tie with tape in center and near the ends, and &sten ends firmly with strong twine, taking care to make the roll compact and perfectly secure; place in a rich stock, prepared by putting the bones in cold water with herbs, an onion peeled and stuck with ten cloves, and a sliced carrot and turnip, bringing to a boil, and skim- ming it until clear (if not enough to cover, add more boiling water), and boil four or five hours, take up, remove cloth, wash it in cold water, and replace turkey in it as before, place it between two platters under a heavy weight, and let stand over night to cool; strain the stock in which it was boiled, in the morning remove all fat, and put stock over the fire ; add to it two ounces gelatine dis- solved in a pint of cold water, and clarify as in general directions for "Soups." Stmiii through flannel until perfectly clear, pour it into two shallow molds, color one dark brown with caramel, and cool until the jelly is firm ; place turkey on a dish and garnish with the jelly cut in fanciful shapes ; or first place the turkey on a dish, and

pour the jelly over it.

Boiled Turkey.

Wash the turkey thoroughly and rub salt through it : fill it with

a dressing of bread and butter, moistened with milk and seasoned

with sage, salt and pepper, and mixed with a pint of raw oysters ;

tie the legs and wings close to the body, place in salted boiling

water with the breast downward, skim often, boil about two houTS,

but not till the skin breaks ; serve with oyster-sauce. — Mrs. E, L,

F., New York Oity.

POULTRY. 283

Roast Turkey.

After picking and singeing the turkey, plump it by plunging qoickly three times into boiling water and then three times into coldy holding it by the legs ; place to drain and dress as in general directions; prepare stuffing by taking pieces of dry bread and crust (not too brown) cut off a loaf of bread fully three or four days old (but not moldy); place crust and pieces in a pan and pour on a very little boiling water, cover tightly with a cloth, let stand until soft, add a large lump of butter, pepper, salt, one or two fresh eggs, and the bread from which the crust was cut, so as not to have it too moist. Mix well with the hands and season to suit taste ; rub inside of turkey with pepper and salt, stuff it as already directed on page 272, and sew up each slit with a strong thread ; tie the legs down firmly, and press the wings closely to the «de8, securing them with a cord tied around the body (or use skewers if at hand), steam (page 273) from one to three hours (or ontil easOy pierced with a fork), according to the size, then place turkey in pan with water from dripping-pan in which the turkey was steamed ; lard the turkey, or place on the breast the pieces of &t taken from it before it was stuffed, sprinkle with salt and pep- per, dredge well with fiour; if not sufficient water in the pan, keep adding boUing water and baste often, as the excellence of the turkey depends much on this. Cook until a nice brown and per- fectly tender ; remove to a hot platter and serve with cranberry sauce and giblet gravy. To make the gravy, after the turkey is dished place the dripping-pan on the top of range or stove, skim off most of the fat, and add water if necessary ; chop

284 POULTRY.