Home › The World's Kitchen › Roast Rail Birds

Roast Rail Birds

Cut off at the first joint the legs of six nice, fat, picked, rail birds. Tear the skin from the neck and head of each bird and pick out the eyes with the point of a small knife. Remove the intestines, keeping the livers and hearts on a plate; press the legs of each bird under the breasts, and place on a small roasting tin. Season inside and all around with one teaspoon salt and half teaspoon white pepper; pour a tablespoon water over the tin. Set in a brisk oven to roast for ten minutes. Remove and keep warm. Finely chop the livers and hearts with half a very small white onion and two branches well-washed parsley. Have six small freshly prepared toasts two inches square and quarter-inch thick. Evenly spread the mixture over the toasts. Dredge with a tablespoon bread crumbs, divide a teaspoon butter in very small pieces over and place in the oven for five minutes. Remove, arrange on a hot dish, place the birds on top, decorate the dish with a little watercress and serve.