Salmis of Partridges

Pick, singe, draw and truss four partridges as for an entree (No. 178); roast them either on the spit or in the oven; they will require half an hour to cook, remove, untruss and let get partly cold, then cut them up into five pieces each; the two legs, two fillets and one breast piece; suppress all the skin covering each member and put them into a saucepan with buttered paper over and cover with the lid; keep either in a bain-marie or else at a moderate heat. Break up the bones, put them into another saucepan and moisten with a pint of broth (No. 194a) and a pint of Chablis, leave it on the range until it boils, then add a pint more broth and let cook very slowly for half an hour, being careful to skim off all the fat as it arises to the top, then strain through a napkin. Fry in butter a little chopped shallot, thyme, bay leaf and whole peppers, moisten with the stock and reduce with as much espagnole sauce (No. 414) stirring well from the bottom with a spatula to prevent it adhering thereto. After this sauce is well reduced, pour it through a tammy and put one-third of it with the pieces of partridge. Fry sixteen half hearted-shaped croutons in butter; dish up the salmis putting the legs at the bottom on top of bread croutons, cover these lightly with the sauce and lay the wings and breasts between intermingling in the other croutons and in the intersections formed by the, dress some turned and channeled mushroom heads (No. 118) and cut up truffles. Incorporate a few spoonfuls of good oil into the remainder of the sauce and pour it over the salmis.