Pheasants a la Montebello

Cut into quarter inch squares, three-quarters of a pound of cooked duck's livers, and a quarter of a pound of truffles, season with salt and pepper, add half a pound of butter and put this equally inside of two pheasants; truss them for an entree (No. 178), and cover with bards of fat pork; place them in an oval braziere saucepan (Fig. 134), and moisten with half a pint of champagne and a pint of mirepoix stock (No. 419). Cook on a slow fire or in the oven for three-quarters of an hour. Prepare a garnishing to be composed of escaloped and braised foies-gras, eighteen large truffles, fourteen double cocks'-combs, and fourteen fine cocks'-kidneys. Just when ready to serve drain off the pheasants and untruss. Have already prepared a conical-shaped piece of bread-crumbs, four and a half inches long by three inches wide, and eight inches high; made for the purpose of upholding the birds; form a hollow on each side near the top to enable the pheasants to be placed therein; fry this piece of bread to a fine color, and paste it on the dish. Place the birds in an incline inside this hollow space with the breasts uppermost, and then garnish all around with the truffles, livers and kidneys, so that the bread is completely covered; trim five skewers with some of the truffles and the cocks'-combs (Fig. 11); stick two of them in each pheasant, and one on the summit of the bread; cover the whole with espagnole sauce (No. 414) reduced with the essence of truffles, and serve more of it in a separate sauce-boat.