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WOODCOCK, SALMI OF (another way)

Draw the gravy from a pound of gravy beef, with a bit of lean ham, and a sheep's milt added to it. Then take a few shallots, a handful of mushrooms chopped, a few strips of ham, a carrot, a bunch of sweet herbs, such as we have indicated for the salmi of partridges, two cloves, half a dozen of peppercorns and the same number of blades of allspice. Fry all these for a short time in a stewpan with a little butter, then pour in a quarter of a pint of Madeira or sherry, and the gravy above mentioned. Put in also the backs and necks of the birds, leaving the rumps with the other limbs for the salmi. Let all stew very quietly. Season to taste, and at the expiration of a couple of hours strain the sauce. Then put into a stewpan about an ounce and a half of butter, and, when this boils, half a spoonful of flour. Stir the mixture as it boils until it has assumed a rich blonde colour; then add gradually the sauce, and let it boil a quarter of an hour longer. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon. If you have the trail, pound it, and mix it well with the sauce. Strain this over the woodcock into another stewpan. This latter must now be stood near the fire, so that it may heat without boiling. When the meat is fully penetrated with the sauce, serve it up very hot with fried sippets. As a variation from this mode, red wine may be substituted for white.