Pigeons a la Lombardy—Poeled

Prepare eight pigeons; singe, draw and truss for an entree (No. 178); wrap them up in a dry matignon (No. 406), with slices of fat pork and then in strong buttered paper. Butter and garnish the bottom of a saucepan with sliced carrots and onions, thyme, bay leaf and sprigs of parsley, add the pigeons, half a pint of white wine and as much stock (No. 194a), boil until there is no more moisture, then remoisten to half the height of the birds and let simmer gently until they are cooked, which will take from thirty to forty-five minutes, drain and strain the stock, skim off all its fat and reduce. Dish the pigeons in a circle over artichoke bottoms fried in butter and fill up the middle with a garnishing of escaloped sweetbreads also fried in butler, and on top lay small squares of cooked lean ham half an inch in diameter and fried in butter, and over these cooked channeled mushroom (No. 118) heads. Cover these garnishings with veloute sauce (No. 415) stirred into the pigeon stock and serve also a sauce-boatful of the same sauce.