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Pheasant Pie

Take six ounces of the cushion of veal, free it carefully from skin and gristle, and mince it finely. Mix with it six ounces of fat bacon also finely minced, six ounces of finely-grated bread-crumbs, three ounces of chopped beef-suet, and one ounce of grated lean ham. Mix these ingredients thoroughly, season rather highly with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, and bind the forcemeat together with yolk of egg. The addition of three or four chopped mushrooms will be an improvement. Pluck and clean a well-hung pheasant, and divide it in two lengthwise. Bone the bird carefully, and fry the halves in hot fat until they are lightly browned. Drain them well, and put about half the forcemeat into them, then put them close together in their original position. Line a pie-mould, or form a case, according to the directions already given (see PASTE FOR RAISED PIES.) Lay slices of fat bacon at the bottom, and spread half of the remaining forcemeat on them. Put in the pheasant, the remainder of the forcemeat, and a slice of fat bacon over all. Lay on the lid, make a hole in the centre, and bake in a brisk oven. If there is any danger of the pie burning, lay a paper upon it. In order to ascertain when it is done enough, push a trussing-needle through the hole in the centre; if it penetrates easily, the pie is sufficiently cooked. This pie, if preferred, may be baked in a dish, and the pheasant may be jointed before it is put in. Half an hour after it is taken out of the oven pour into it, through the hole in the centre, a quarter of a pint of strong gravy made from the liver. Time to bake, two hours, or more. Probable cost, 6s. Sufficient for six or eight persons. To make an effective table dish, save the skin and plumage of the bird, keep the head crest in its proper position by means of a piece of wire, and the tail spread out. Let the pie be quite cold, and bring it up to table with the skin and plumage placed upon the top.