COOKERY 269 



the liver on the breast till it is red. The only vege- 

 table I should admit is celery, and that is more than 

 doubtful. To vary with a ragotit : ' Half roast the 

 birds. Score the breast, but not too deeply, and in 

 each interstice put mixed spices and the juice of a 

 lemon. Keep them hot, add a glass of wine and 

 three finely- shred eschalots to the gravy and put it 

 over the ducks.' Meg Dods adds that ' . . . this is a 

 dish of very high goiit and prized accordingly,' and 

 she recommends when carving the breast to put a 

 little butter over it, and above that to squeeze a bitter 

 orange. Indeed, as the butcher said emotionally of 

 the steak he sold Tom Pinch, no game is better worth 

 ' humouring ' than the wild duck. 



To hash cold ducks. Carve as at table, and let 

 them soak till hot in boiling gravy, thickened with 

 bread crumbs and seasoned with salt, spices, a glass 

 of claret, and a spoonful of lemon or orange juice. 

 Garnish with sippets. 



For a salmi, the following is from a high French 

 authority : ' Roast to the required point, without allow- 

 ing to get dry. After removing from the fire, carve 

 into five parts, thighs, two fillets, and a breast-piece. 

 A hot salmi sauce is poured over the whole.' 



Madame de Salis has a good idea in her ' Wild 

 Duck a la Serviette' ' Take a duck, remove heart, 



