Stewed Pigeons

Bleed six young pigeons in order to kill them, reserving the blood in a bowl; mix with it a spoonful of vinegar to prevent its coagulating. After the pigeons are drawn, singed and well cleansed, truss them with the legs thrust inside. Glaze four dozen small, raw onions, cut eight ounces of bacon into half inch pieces and fry them for a few moments in a saucepan with butter; remove them with a skimmer leaving in the fat, and to this add the pigeons, fry them on all their together sides, and season when they have acquired a fine color, then dredge over a spoonful of flour and cook together for two minutes while tossing them about, now moisten the pigeons gradually to their height with white wine and hot stock (No. 194a), stir the liquid till it boils rapidly, then leave it in this state for five minutes, afterward removing the saucepan to a more moderate fire; now add a garnished bunch of parsley (No. 123) and some mushroom peelings. When the pigeons are three-quarters done, put in both the glazed onions and the bacon and finish cooking together. At the last moment, drain out the pigeons, untruss and range them on a dish surrounded by the garnishings. Strain the sauce, free it of fat and thicken it with the blood mixed with two raw egg-yolks, cook this thickening without boiling it and finish the sauce with a piece of butter, then strain it over the pigeons.