Ortolans, Roast
INGREDIENTS for dish for 4 persons. birds, 4 vineleaves, 2 rounds of toast, 1/4 lb. of butter. AVERAGE COST, 6s.
Keep the birds till tender, then pluck, truss and wipe carefully, but do not draw them. Wrap each bird in a freshlygathered vine-leaf, tie them on a bird-spit and roast them for 25 minutes, or rather less if they are small. Place the slices of toast in the pan to catch the trail, melt the butter in the pan and baste incessantly.
To have ortolans cooked to perfection, it is absolutely necessary that the basting should be kept up. Dish them on the toast, and send some good gravy to table with them.
TIME.-25 minutes to roast.
SEASONABLE from October to February.