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Poultry, for the Sick

Boil or roast a fowl in the usual way. As it is not likely that a sick person will eat the whole at one time, cut off as much as is required for present use, and put the rest aside. As much as it is thought will be used may be cut off as it is wanted, and warmed up in two or three ways, as follows. Wrap the joint in oiled paper, lay it on a hot gridiron, and warm it gently over a clear fire. Serve it with a little light gravy for sauce. Or broil it without the paper. Or put it in a stewpan, barely cover with a little cold broth, and heat it very gently over a moderate fire. Or put an ounce of Carolina rice into a stewpan with half a pint of stock, and let it simmer gently until the rice is quite tender and the liquid absorbed. If it is very dry, put two more spoonfuls of stock with it, lay the piece of bird upon the rice, and let it remain a few minutes until it is quite warm. Serve the rice, fowl, and gravy together. When an invalid finds it difficult to masticate food, the fowl may be prepared as follows. Pick the meat from a cold roast or boiled chicken, and carefully remove every little piece of skin, gristle, or sinew. Mince finely, and, if liked, season with pepper, salt, and pounded mace. Generally speaking, however, it is best to defer seasoning the food which is intended for the sick, as their fancies vary so much, and they very often exceedingly dislike flavoured dishes. Put the bones and trimmings of the bird into a stewpan, with a bunch of parsley and a little pepper and salt, and let them simmer gently until the gravy is considerably reduced. When the mince is wanted, put a little of it into a clean stewpan, strain a small quantity of gravy over it, thicken it or not, according to taste, with a little flour and butter, let it get quite hot, and serve immediately.