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Pigeons, Fried

Pluck, singe, and draw two young pigeons, and truss them as if for boiling. Spread a little clarified butter over them, and dredge them well with flour. Lay two or three rashers of bacon in a stewpan, place the pigeons upon these, season with salt and pepper, and turn them about until they are nicely browned all over. Add half a cupful of water, and steam them until done enough. Take them up, drain them well, dip them into some frying batter, and let them be entirely covered with it. Fry in hot fat until they are brightly browned, and serve on a hot dish. Garnish the dish with parsley, and send the gravy to table in a tureen. The frying batter may be made as follows. Make five ounces of dried flour into a paste by stirring into it half a pint of water. Mix two table-spoonfuls of oil smoothly with the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, and add a pinch of salt; mix these ingredients with the flour and water. The batter ought to be rather thicker than cream. If it appears too thick, a little more water must be added-some flours require less liquid than other. Just before the batter is used, stir into it the whites of the eggs whisked to a firm froth. Time, half an hour to steam pigeons; ten or twelve minutes to fry them. Probable cost, 2s. 2d. Sufficient for two persons.