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POULTRY, RAGOUT OF (another way)

This is a general recipe, and may be used to ragout poultry, pigeons, rabbits, etc. Half roast the thing which is to be dressed as a ragout. Carve it into joints, as at table, and stew in good stock, with a couple of onions, two dozen corns of allspice and black pepper, a few cloves, a piece of lemon-peel, and for some things a stick of celery, for others a couple of bay-leaves. Skim the stew, and, keeping the lid quite close, let it simmer for three-quarters of an hour or more, according to the age and size of the birds. Strain off the gravy, leaving the fowls in the stewpan to keep hot. Take off the cake of fat which will soon form, and thicken the gravy with brown roux, or butter rolled in browned flour till it is as thick and stiff as pancake batter. Add to this a glass of white wine and the squeeze of a lemon. Dish the fowls, ducks, or rabbits, or whatever your dish may be, and pour the sauce hot over them. The sauce must be well worked, and ought to be smooth, thick, and well coloured. It may be made without wine.