Baked Thrushes

Have some well-cleaned thrushes, bone keeping on the legs; season the meats, and in each bird set a ball of forcemeat made with quenelle forcemeat (No. 91), and foies-gras from a terrine, half of each. Truss and fry in butter with a bunch of parsley garnished with thyme and bay leaf; drain off the butter, moisten with a little Madeira and stock (No. 194a), and reduce the moisture entirely while cooking slowly. Range a layer of game quenelle forcemeat mixed with cooked fine herbs (No. 385) on a dish; this layer should be seven inches in diameter by three-quarters of an inch high; place the dish on a baking-pan containing a little boiling water and poach the forcemeat in a slack oven. Dress the thrushes on this forcemeat, the breasts lying toward the outer edge and the legs in the center; cover the birds with well reduced veloute sauce (No. 415) into which mix a little game glaze (No. 398), and cooked fine herbs (No. 385); bestrew with parmesan, pour over melted butter, and brown in a hot oven or salamander (Fig. 123). Serve separately a veloute sauce (No. 415) reduced with white wine and mushroom essence (No. 392).