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Chaudfroid of Quails

Draw and clean the birds well, remove the breasts and backbones, but leave the legs. Cut four ounces of fat bacon into small pieces, fry it for a few minutes and then add one-half pound of calf's liver also cut up, one chopped carrot and onion, a bunch of sweet herbs and seasoning of salt and pepper and grated nutmeg. When well cooked pound the above mixture in a mortar until it is quite smooth, then pass it through a fine hair-sieve. Stuff the birds with the liver forcemeat. Tie each one separately in a piece of muslin and place them in a stewpan. Chop the bones of the birds and put them in with them, add some chopped vegetables, a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme, one-half pint of stock and one teacupful of sherry. When boiling move the stewpan to the side of the fire and allow the contents to simmer gently for thirty minutes or so. When cooked remove the birds from the stewpan, drain and press them lightly between two dishes. Strain the cooking liquor of the birds through a silk sieve, return it to the stewpan and boil until reduced to a glaze. Remove the pieces of muslin from the quails, baste them with the glaze several times in order to coat them well, and leave them until cold. When ready arrange the birds in a circle on a dish, garnish them with chopped aspic jelly, fill the center with small salad, and serve.