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Squabs, a L'Estouffade

Singe, draw, wipe and truss six fat squabs. Place them in an earthen coccotte dish, one beside another. Season with a teaspoon salt and half teaspoon white pepper. Glaze the breasts with a very little melted butter. Set in the oven to roast for fifteen minutes, turning over once in a while and occasionally basting with their own gravy. With a small Parisian potato scoop dig out all you can from two medium, red carrots, and two medium, sound, raw, peeled potatoes and keep separately. Place the carrots in a small saucepan with half ounce melted butter, adding one gill cold water. Season with two saltspoons salt and a saltspoon white pepper and boil for five minutes; then set the pan in the oven to braise for fifteen minutes. Remove and keep warm till required. Plunge the potatoes into boiling fat and fry for five minutes. Thoroughly drain, sprinkle half a teaspoon salt over them and keep in a hot place. Prepare the same amount glazed onions, and also keep separately. Chop up very finely four sound shallots and place all around the squabs; then place the glazed onions in the centre of the squabs and arrange the carrots and potatoes, alternately, around. Pour one gill hot demi-glace, on the breasts of the squabs; tightly cover the cocottiere and place it in the oven for fifteen minutes. Remove and send to the table without uncovering.