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LARK PASTRY (to be eaten cold)

Take a dozen larks, empty them, cut off their heads, legs, and necks, and put these into a saucepan with a few trimmings of veal, if veal trimmings are at hand, a sprig of parsley, a very small sprig of thyme, a sliced carrot, and a pint of water. Let them simmer very gently until the liquid is considerably reduced, and will jelly. Mince the livers of the larks finely, and mix them with half a pound of lean veal, half a pound of sausage-meat, four ounces of unsmoked bacon, three table-spoonfuls of chopped parsley, a dessert-spoonful of powdered thyme, a tea-spoonful of white pepper, and a little salt. The quantity of the latter must be regulated by the condition of the bacon. Work up half of this forcemeat with a table-spoonful of light wine, and fill the larks with it. Line a mould or pie-dish throughout with a good stiff crust. Put a layer of loose mincemeat at the bottom, lay the larks upon it, and fill up the empty spaces with mincemeat. Place three or four slices of bacon on the top, put on the cover, fasten the edges securely, and cut a slit in the middle through which the gravy may afterwards be poured. Bake in a moderate oven. When the pastry is sufficiently baked, strain the liquor into it through the hole in the top, then cover it with a small ornament, and let it get quite cold before cutting it; indeed, it will be better if the dish is kept a day or two before being used. Time to bake, from an hour and a half to two hours. Probable cost of larks, 1s. 6d. per dozen. Sufficient for six or eight persons.