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Squab, Saute, with Tarragon

Cut the feet and necks off six fat, fresh squabs. Split open through the back, empty, and remove the breast bones. Envelope them in a coarse towel and gently flatten them with a cleaver. Heat a tablespoon melted butter in a large frying pan, lay in the squabs, one beside another. Season with a half teaspoon salt and two saltspoons white pepper. Fry them for six minutes, turn them over, season with a half teaspoon salt and two saltspoons white pepper and cook for six minutes on this side as well. Take them off the pan and keep on a plate. Have six very thin slices of lean raw ham, place them in the pan in which the squabs were cooked and fry on a brisk fire for one minute on each side. Arrange the ham on a hot dish, place the squabs over. Have four tarragon leaves placed on top of each squab. Skim the fat from the surface of the gravy, add a half gill white wine to the gravy, a half gill demi-glace and a half teaspoon finely chopped tarragon. Boil for five minutes, pour over the squabs and serve.