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Pigeons, Stuffed and Stewed

Pluck and draw two plump, freshly-killed young pigeons, and truss them as for boiling. Mince the livers finely, and mix with them twice their bulk of highly-seasoned bread-crumbs, half a salt-spoonful of chopped lemon-rind, half a salt-spoonful of powdered thyme, a tea-spoonful of chopped parsley, and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg crushed to powder. Fill the birds with this forcemeat, and put in each half an ounce of fresh butter. Lay them breast downwards into a small stewpan, and barely cover them with veal stock or, failing this, water. Let them stew gently until they are done enough, then take them up, strain the gravy, thicken with two table-spoonfuls of cream, and the yolks of two eggs, and season with a little pepper, salt, and powdered mace. Stir the sauce over the fire until it is quite hot without boiling, put in the pigeons for a minute to heat, and serve immediately. A few stewed mushrooms is a great improvement to this dish. Time, about an hour to stew the pigeons. Probable cost, 2s., with pigeons at 9d. each. Sufficient for two or three persons.