MEAT
Preparation

1. Weigh, trim and wipe meat (wash salted meat).
2. Wash all internal parts thoroughly and cook as soon as possible.
3. Remove superfluous fat and tie or skewer into shape if necessary.
4. Bone joints if awkward in shape, as they are more economical to carve. If stuffed, the flavour is improved and the meat foes further.
5. Thaw frozen or chilled meat by leaving in warm place before cooking.        
6. If any suspicion of taint, wash the meat in vinegar and water.

Boning

1. Use a small, sharp, pointed knife.
2. Work close to the bone and remove the meat by making short, sharp movements of the knife taking care not to pierce the meat.
3. Cut through the sinews, disjoint the bones, free them completely from the flash and remove them. If the knife has been kept close to the bone, the bones will be quite clean and free from flesh.

To bone a leg of Mutton

1. Begin to bone from the fillet end.
2. Work the flesh back from the bones.
3. Disjoint the bones and remove them as they are severed from the meat.
4. Fill the cavity with stuffing and skewer or tie with string, shaping it, as far as possible, in its original state.

To bone a shoulder of Mutton

1. Place joint on the board with the cut side uppermost.
2. Find the position of the bones, and cut through to the bone.
3. Loosen the flesh by cutting close to the bones until they come out cleanly and neatly.
4. Fill the cavity with stuffing and skewer and tie into they come out cleanly.

To bone a loin or breast of Mutton

1. Cut sharply along both sides of each bone, loosen the flesh and remove the bones.
2. Flatten out the meat, shape neatly, cover with forcemeat.
3. Roll up and tie loosely.

METHODS OF COOKING MEAT

Roasting or Baking

1. Wipe the meat, bone, or bone and stuff if desired, and skewer into shape.
2. Place in a baking tin with dripping and put into a hot oven. Expose the meat to a high temperature for 10 mins.
1. To coagulate the surface albumen ;
2. To prevent the escape of juices.
3. After 10 mins reduce the heat
1. To prevent over hardening of the surface ;
2. To coagulate the albumen thoroughly and evenly throughout ;
3. To cook the meat right through to the centre.

4. Unless covered, or a double roasting tin is used, baste the meat every 15-20 mins. for the first half of the time ; afterwards about every 30 mins.

Basting (if not over frequent) :-

1. Keeps the meat moist.
2. Prevents charring of the outside.
3. Prevents undue shrinkage.
4. Improves the flavour.

Time per 450g (1lb)

Pot Roast

Pot roast is roasting in a stewpan. To heat an oven for the sole purpose of cooking a very small joint is extravagant and unnecessary. Small joints – rump, steak, loin and best end of neck and small birds – may be roasted in a stewpan with a well-fitting lid.

1. Place enough fat in the saucepan to cover about 1 ½ ins. and make hot.
2. Tie the meat into a neat shape and put into the hot fat.
3. Cook for a few minutes on each side to coagulate the surface albumen.
4. Cover with the lid, place the pan over moderate heat, baste occasionally and turn the meat from time to time.
5. Cook until tender and make the gravy the usual way.
   
   

Roast Heart

1. Soak the heart in water and salt from 15 to 20 mins. and clean it well, removing any blood clots.
2. Remove the loose flaps and superfluous fat.
3. Cut through the division in the middle and fill the cavity with veal or onion stuffing (see p. 137).
4. Bake a sheep’s heart about 40 mins.

Calf’s heart about 1 to 1½ hrs.

Bullock’s heart about 1½ to 2 hrs.

            Hearts may be stewed or braised.

Roast Chicken

1. Pluck the bird while it is still warm, if possible, removing and remaining hairs or small feathers by singeing.
2. Draw the sinews in the legs by inserting a skewer below the knee joint and pulling out the sinews. Cut off the feet.
3. cut off the head, leaving a long flap of skin in the front to fold over and cut the neck close to the body.
4. loosen the skin at the head-end and carefully draw out the crop and the windpipe and with the fingers loosen the internal organs that can be reached.
5. make a slit at the other end of the bird crossways above the tail on the underside. Through this, loosen the internal organs at the lower end and draw out the inside taking care not to break the gall bladder attached to the liver.
6. wipe out the bird with a damp cloth.
7. cut the gizzard up the centre and remove the bag of grit, and use the gizzard, liver and neck for stock and gravy.
8. to truss, place the bird on its back and fold the skin over the opening at the neck and tuck it under the bird, fixing it in place by putting the lower joints of the wings over it.
9. push back the legs close to the side of the bird.
10. pass a skewer through the thick part of the leg, through the body and the other leg.
11. tie with string. Place the centre of the strong to catch in the wing tips, draw it under the ends of the skewer and across the back. Bring it round to the front and tie the legs and tail together.
12. stuff if desired at the neck end, using veal stuffing (see p. 137)
13. place a piece of fat bacon on the breast.
14. put some dripping in the baking tin and put in the bird.
15. cover it with well-greased paper and tuck it in well.
16. put into a hot oven, reduce to moderately hot after 10 mins. and cook for the time required (see p. 30).

Accompaniments to Roast Meat

Roast Beef (Plain): Thin gravy, Yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, mustard.

Roast Mutton (Plain): Thin gravy, red currant or cranberry jelly with leg, loin, neck. Onion sauce with shoulder.

Roast Lamb: Thin gravy, mint sauce.

Roast Veal: Grilled ham or bacon. Lemon, veal forcemeat stuffing or forcemeat balls fried or baked in the oven and used as a garnish. Thick gravy.

Roast Pork: Sage and onion stuffing (see p. 137). Apple sauce (see p. 49). Thick gravy.

Fowl: Forcemeat stuffing, bread sauce, bacon rolls, thick gravy.

Gravy for Roast Meat

Thin Gravy

1. Pour off the fat from the baking tin, leaving the sediment and meat juice behind.
2. Pour on boiling stock or vegetable water, stirring well.
3. Add ½ tsp Salt and 1/8 tsp pepper to each 300ml
4. Boil 3 or 4 mins. and pour into hot gravy boat.

Thick Gravy 12.5g Fat, 12.5g flour, to 300ml liquid (stock or vegetable water).

1. Pour off most of the fat from the baking tin.
2. For 300ml gravy, leave 1 dessertsp Fat in the tin.
3. Add 1 dessertsp Flour and blend well together with the fat.
4. Place over the heat and cook, stirring all the time, until the flavour becomes a rich brown colour.
5. Remove the tin from the heat, and add the stock or vegetable water very gradually at first, stirring all the time and blending together carefully to prevent lumps. When well mixed and a thin consistency, add the remaining liquid.
6. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and allow to boil 3 or 4 mins. still stirring, to cook the flour thoroughly.
7. Serve very hot.

GRILLING

Meats suitable for grilling are: Fillet and rump steaks, chops, cutlets, kidneys and sausages.

Preparation

1. Steak should be 1 in. to 1 ½ ins. in thickness. Beat it with a wooden beater or rolling pin as this helps to make it tender. Trim and skewer it if necessary.

Chops and Cutlets. Remove superfluous fat and also the bone from a chump chop. Skewer it into a neat shape.

Kidneys. Wash thoroughly. Dry and remove skin and fat. Split in two without cutting right through.

Sausages. Prick with fork.

2.       Brush over the prepared food with olive oil or melted fat to prevent charring.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Method

1. Prepare the meat.
2. Place the meat on a greased and hot grid iron.
3. Place under a red-hot griller or in front of a hot, clear, and smokeless fire.
4. Cook quickly on one side and turn to the other, using tongs or two spoons.

Do not prick the meat.

5.       Cook for the time required, turning frequently during the grilling.

6. Dish quickly and place maitre d’hotel butter on chops or steak immediately before serving.

Accompaniments to Grilled Meat

Maitre d’hotel butter

Potatoes cut into ribbons or chips and fried.

Grilled tomatoes (cut into halves before grilling) or mushrooms.

Boiling

Method

1. Trim meat and tie up loosely with string to keep a good shape.
2. Put the meat into boiling water-bring to water again and allow to boil for about 5 mins. to coagulate the surface albumen.
3. Reduce to simmering point and allow to simmer for remaining time.
4. Cook root vegetables in the water- carrot turnip, onion, but allow only sufficient time for them to be cooked when the meat is ready. Skim the meat before adding the vegetables.

Salt Meat

1. If the meat is very salt, soak for about 1 hr. before cooking.
2. Put into cold water and bring slowly to boiling point. This draws out some of the salt and softens the fibres.
3. Boil 5 mins, and then simmer.

Boiled ham or bacon

1. Soak the ham or bacon in cold water for a few hours, changing the water from time to time.
2. Put into cold water, bring to the boil and continue as fresh meat but simmer very gently.
3. If to be served cold, leave in the water until cold.
4. Remove the rind and cover with raspings or glaze.

Boiled tongue

1. Wash thoroughly and soak for about 2 hrs.
2. Put into cold water, bring slowly to the boil, skim and add carrot, turnip, onion and a bunch of herbs.
3. Cook gently – according to weight and time necessary.
4. When cooked, remove the skin and shape neatly, or put into bowl, pour over some stock, cover and press with weights and leave until cold.

Time per 450g

Accompaniments to Boiled Meat

Fresh Boiled Meat: Carrot, turnip, onion, parsley or caper sauce either coating the meat or served separately.

Salt Meat: Carrot, turnip and onion cooked with the meat; small suet dumplings, added about half an hour before the meat is cooked; gravy from the liquor in which the meat was cooked.

BRAISING

Meat suitable for braising is generally lean and deficient in fat. This deficiency is supplied by larding, i.e. inserting small strips or “lardoons” of fat, or by “barding”, which is covering the breast or surface with fat bacon. Larding bacon is sold expressly for this purpose, but any firm, fat bacon will do.

The braise consists of –

1. Equal quantities of onion and carrot and half of turnip.
2. Bacon
3. A little butter or dripping.
4. Stock (and in very good braise, wine).
5. Bunch of herbs.

Method

1. Slice the vegetables thickly.
2. Cut the bacon into small pieces.
3. Melt the fat, add the bacon and vegetables and fry slightly.
4. Put the vegetables, bacon, a little salt and bunch of herbs in stewpan (not enamel lined) or casserole. There should be space all round between the braise and sides of pan or casserole to prevent the joint from being scorched by immediate contact with the hot sides. If stewpan is used it must have a tight fitting lid.
5. Add sufficient stock to just cover the vegetables, and bring slowly to  boiling point.
6. Place the joint, rabbit or poultry on the bed of vegetables, cover with greased paper and tightly fitting lid. Cook over the heat for 2-3 hrs. according to the size of joint, basting as required.
7. Remove from stewpot to moderately hot oven. Baste during the last 15-20 mins. to make crisp.
8. Place the meat on a hot dish : strain the liquid and reduce in small panto the consistency of syrup : skim well, brush over the meat with this glaze.
9. Serve very hot using vegetables as garnish.

Suitable meat : small boned, stuffed joints, poultry, game, fillets, cutlets, sweetbreads, rabbit, rump steak (stuffed).

Pork/Porc

Must be cooked due to trickanosos.

·                     Lean flesh pale pink.

·                     Fat white, firm, smooth not excessive.

·                     Bones small, fine, pinkish.

·                     Skin smooth.

1. Leg             le Cussot                Roast, boil
2. Loin            la longe                   Roast, grill, fry
3. Spare rib     la basse cote           Roast, fillings
4. Belly           la Portrine               Pickling, boil
5. Shoulder     l’Epaule                   Roast, forcement
6. Head           le tite                      Brine

Whole pig may be pickled except head, trotters.

Preserve in brine = brinometer 55 – 60^O    

Brine                       100 water               

                              125 Slickpeter         Cold

                              1.5kg salt                 

POULTRY

1. Poussin               4-6 weeks

2. Poulet de Grain    Young fattened bird, 3-4 months

3. Poulet Reine        Fully grown, tender, prime bird

4. Poularde              Large fully grown prime bird.

5. Chapon               Carstrated – fattened

6. Poule                  Old hen

1. Roast, grill
2. Roast, grill, casserole
3. Roast, grill, casserole, sauté, sap.
4. Roast, boil, casserole.
5. Roast.
6. Stocks, soups.

JOINTS

English                      French

Legs – Drum Stick      Cuisse – Pilon de Cuisse

            Thigh                            Grass de Cuisse

Wing                          Aile

Breast                        Blanc

Winglet                      Aileron

Carcass                     Carcasse

Supreme wing and ½ breast off chicken.

BEEF

Meat                       18-21 months

Storage

It must hang to become tender – the lower the temperature the longer it can be hung.

1^oC for 14 days.

Hanging

1. Tenderise
2. Flavour

·                     Flesh red and marbled.

·                     Fat firm, brittle in texture, white in colour.

1. Fore rib               Roast, Braise

2. Mid Rib               Roast, braise

3. Chuck Rib           Stew, braise

4. Stickling Piece     Stew, braise

5. Brisket                Boiling

6. Plate                   Stew

7. Shank                 Stew, broth, consome

1. Shine                  Stock, consome

2. Topside               Braise, stew 2^nd roast.

3. Thick flank           Braise, stew

4. Silverside             Boiling, pickling

5. Rump                  Roast, grill, braise, shallow fry.

6. Sirloin                 Roast, grill, braise, shallow fry.

7. Wing Rib             Roast, grill, fry.

8. Thin flank             Stew

9. Fillet                   Roast, grill, shallow frying.

BEEF BOUF

Weight                    90 kg per side

Fore Quarter            3 joints                    Stewing, braising

Hind Quarter            9 joints                    Roasting, frying better quality

Quality                    Lean bright red meat

                              Fat firm and brittle, creamy white in colour and odourless.

                              Depending on food – yellow if feed on grass – carritine.

Storage                   1oC on Hooks

                              Steak etc. on trays, changed daily because of blood.

Hanging                  Tenderising

                              Improves flavour

How                        Rigar Mortis – 14 days – bacteria breaks it down, adds flavour and tenderises it.

Best to buy             18 – 21 months old.

Steak (Biftecks)

1. Chateaubriand                           (tete)
2. Fillet              Coeur
3. Tomedos
4. Migonon

Porterhouse t bone or (Entrecote or Sirloin)

Fillet grilled              shallow fried

Steak Taretare         Raw chopped

Plank                       good quality            cooked on board

Carpet bag              fillet or sirloin           Stuffed with oysters

Bermuda                 Fillet or sirloin          Stuffed with banana

Club steak               Steak fromfomib

Point                       Cut from rump.

CUTS FROM SADDLE AND BEST END

Loin                           R

Bestend or rack          R

Breast                        S,B

Noisette                     G, Sf

Madallion                   G, Sf

Chop                          G, Sf

Cutlet                         G, Sf

Chump Chop              G, S

French double cutlet    G,Sf

Fillet                          P, G

Crown Roast               R

LAMB/MUTTON

Lamb = 1 year and under

Quality

Flesh                         Bright Red

Bone                          Pink Porious

Fat                            Thin, evenly distributed

Smell

Cooking                  20 min per ½ kg + 20 min over 150 – 200^oC

Dry Heat                 Roast, grill, shallow fry, spit roast

Moist Heat              Boil, stew, braise à Breaks collective tissue.

Baste

Improves flavour

Stops drying

Stops shrinking

Produces nice looking meat

Glaze                      Always place on a trivet

Mint Jelly

Marmalade

Red Jelly

Method

Score meat) ½ hour before cooked glaze

Makes it more attractive

Sweetens the meat.

Accompliments 

Lamb                      Jus Roti                  Water vress, red current jelly, mint

Mutton                    Jus Roti                  Soubise Sauce

Herbs                      Thyme and Rosemary

It is traditional to serve pommes Boulangene.

Start cooking at a high heat to seal the meat.

Fat from sheep are used for 2^nd class dripping.

1. Leg                     le gigot                    Roast (boil mutton)

2. Loin                    la longe                   Roast, grill, fry

3. Best end             Lar Carre                 Roast, grill, fry

4. Middle neck         le Cou                     Stew

5. Scrag end            le Cou                     Broth

6. Shoulder              l’Epeyue                  Roast, stew

7. Breast                 la portrine                Stew Roasting.

VEAL

1. Head                   le tete

2. Scrag                  le cou

3. Neck end             les basses cotes

4. Best End             le carre

5. Chump rump        le quasi

6. Loin                    la longe

7. Leg                     le cuissol

8. Breast                 la poitnne

9. Shoulder              l’e’paule

10. Knuckle             le jarret

1. Thick flank           Thick Flank             legite a la noix

2. Topside               cusion                     la noix

3. Silver side            undercushion           lessoux noix

4. Osso Bucco                                      Bone Plentiful

5. Shin bones          Knuckel                  le jarret

Cuissot – Leg

Weights of main joints prepared

Cushion 

Veal                        Veau

Age                        3-4 months              Approx 50kg

Feed                       On milk and hen eggs

Flesh                      Should eb white with greenish tinge

                              If reddish it means its been fed on solids or graze.

Smell                      Of milk

If killed too young its very gelatineous.

Originally from Holland.

Ossobucco Classical Dish – (Italy) = Knuckle cut

Veal Information

Small Cuts of Veal

Escalope – Cut form cushion, loin or fillet weight 75 – 125g.

Mock escalope – Good trimmings, minced with egg whites shaped and paneed.

Fritto Piccata or Escalopine – Miniature escalope weight 25 – 50g.

Grenadin -  Thick triangular wedge cut across the grain from under cushion, larded and braised 175g.

Fricandeau – Large thick wedge cut from the cushion 1 ½ - 2 inches thick (with grain) braised a la Cuilliere. 1.2kg

Cotes and Cotelettes – Chops and cutlets on the bone – grilled or sautéed. 225 – 350g.

Paupiettes – Thin slices (esculope) 50g filled with 75g forcemeat braised.

Tendons – Breast with ends of ribs, braised. 150 – 175g.

A la Cuilliere – To cut with a spoon (Well Done)

Noisettes – Medallions cut from loin or breast end usually sautéed. 125g.

Osso bucco – Cut across the leg, knuckle usually braised. Weight  350g – 450g.

Rouelle – Round a straight across the top of the leg with bone about 1 inch thick braised 1.5kg (2 – 3 lb)

Pojarski – Origionally Cote de Veau hachee, meat removal from veal cutlet chopped. Butter seasonings reshaped on the bone.

Cooking procedures

The meat being so lean and lacked in flavour is usually landed or barded and flavoured with herbs and accompianied with strong sauces.

FRYING

Method – Shallow Fat Frying

1. Wipe the meat, remove superfluous fat and beat slightly.
2. Heat the fat until still with a faint blue fume rising.
3. Coat the food if necessary, and cook first on one side and then on the other until golden brown.
4. Reduce the heat and cook until the food is cooked through.
5. Drain on crumpled paper or wire tray.

Method – Deep Fat Frying

1. Heat the fat until still and a faint blue fume rises.
2. Coat the food and place in a frying basket, previously, except when coated in batter.
3. Lower basket into fat and cook food until golden brown.
4. Drain carefully.

Note: Food coated in batter should be removed with a skimmer or slice.

STEAMING

Meat and poultry are more tender if steamed rather than boiled, but it takes a longer time. Steaming is suitable for chops, cutlets and boiling fowl.

Chops and Cutlets

1. Wipe and trim the cop or cutlet.
2. Place on a greased plate, sprinkle with salt and cover with greased paper.
3. Cover with another plate or basin and place over a pan of boiling water.
4. Steam for about 40 mins. and serve with the meat juice poured round.

Steamed Fowl

1. Clean the fowl and truss as for roasting, except as follows :-
1. Cut off the legs.
2. Put the fingers into the bird and loosed the skin round the legs until the legs can be pushed back under the skin of the bird.
3. Tie firmly.
2. Steam 2 to 3 hrs., according to the age of the bird.
3. When cooked, remove string, place fowl on a hot dish and coat with egg, parsley or white sauce and serve with bacon rolls.

STEWING

Preparation Of meat

1. Remove any superfluous fat.
2. a. Cut coarse, tough meat into small pieces to expose as much surface as possible to the softening effect of the simmering liquid.

b. If not so coarse, leave whole if desired.

3.       Prepare the vegetables and cut into even sized smallish pieces ; chop or slice onions.

4. Tie peppercorns, herbs etc., in muslin.

Method 1

1. Arrange vegetables and meat in layers in a pan or casserole and sprinkle salt and pepper between the layers, leaving small whole potatoes for the top.
2. Add the herbs and cold water or stock.
3. Cover the pan or casserole with a tightly fitting lid.
4. Bring very slowly just to boiling point and then simmer very gently for 2 to 3 hours, according to the texture of the meat.

Method 2 : Thickened White Stews or Fricassee of veal, chicken, rabbit.

Sauce : 25g fat, 25g flour 300ml stock or milk.

1. Cut the meat into neat pieces and barely cover with cold water or stock.
2. Bring just to the boiling point and skim.
3. Add the herbs and flavourings and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hrs.
4. When the meat is tender, strain off the stock and use for the sauce.
5. Add the seasoning and flavouring, replace the meat and make thoroughly hot.
6. Arrange the fricassee or stew on a dish and garnish.

Method 3 Thickened Brown Stews.

450g meat to 25g flour, 25g fat to 600ml liquid.

Vegetable to flavour – carrot, turnip, onion.

1 tsp salt, ⅛ tsp pepper.

1. Wipe the meat, trim off the superfluous fat and cut into neat pieces.
2. Heat the fat in a saucepan. When smoking hot, fry the meat lightly on both sides, browning it slightly and then remove from pan.
3. Fry the vegetables lightly and remove.
4. Fry the onion and colour slightly.
5. Add the flour, mix well and fry slowly until the roux is a good, brown colour.
6. Add the water or stock and bring to boiling point, stirring all the time.
7. Cover with a tightly fitting lid and simmer gently 2 to 2 ½ hours until the meat is tender.
8. Arrange the meat in the centre of the dish and pour the brown sauce over.
9. Decorate with freshly cooked vegetables, cut into dice and cooked separately.

STEWING : APPLICATION OF BASIC METHODS

Method 1

Method 2

Method 3

METHODS OF CUTTING AND COOKING MEAT

GAME

Poultry

Storage

Fresh Polutry must be hung by legs in weel vetilated room for 24 hours.

The innards are not removed until required.

Quality

·                     The breast should be plump.

·                     The vent end of the breast bone must be pliable.

·                     Flesh should be firm.

·                     The skin to be white, unbroken with faint bluish tinge.

·                     The legs smooth with small scales and spurs.

GAME FEATHERED OR FURRED

Storage

·                     Must be hung to become tender and develop flavour.

·                     Hanging depend on age, type, condition and temperature.

·                     Game birds are not plucked or drown before hanging.

·                     Venison and hair are hung with their skins on.

·                     Game must be hung in well ventilated, dry, cold storeroom.

·                     The ears of hares and rabbits should tear easily.

Served with feet still on (nails clipped)

Birds

·                     The beak should break easily.

·                     The breast plumage is soft.

·                     The breast should be plump.

·                     Quill feathers should be pointed not rounded.

·                     The legs should be smooth.

French le Gibier

Derives from the French word giberier – to hunt therefore game can be defined as the flesh of the wild free roaming animals and birds that are edible to humans.

Although this definition is still correct many types of game are now produced domestically, reared like poultry, e.g. quail and guinea fowl.

Game is protected by legislation, which is designed to preserve needs, i.e. protect during the mating and breading periods, and restrict the hunting to curtain months of the year. Each type of game has a close season during which they must not be hunted, shot or sold. Shops or Wholesalers who sell fleshed game must be licensed.

Game is broken down into 2 categories or classifications:-

1. Gibier à plumage – feathered game, i.e. grouse.
2. Gibier à poil – furred game, venison, heir

As it is difficult to determine the age of wild birds, they are not controllable, like the rearing of poultry, therefore game birds vary in age, weight and size. Activity game birds spend a lot of time on the ground resting and feeding, they have to be on the move frequently so legs become well muscle tight, well developed and tough!

Fat, as stated above, because of their existence, there is very little fat on game birds, with exception of wild fowl. The flesh is very dry and usually needs banding. Usually when roasting, only the breast meat is served, the legs being reserved for terrines, pàtes, etc.

Hanging (see accompanying chart)

This tends to increase the typical gamy taste and to tenderise the meat. Hanging needs to be carried out, in a well ventilated cold room, which does not have to be refrigerated. The game birds are hung the neck with feathers still attached. Hanging time will depend on a number of factors.

Conditions regarding hanging:

1. Type of game bird or animal, size, weight.
2. Condition, tears, wounds, ages of bird or animal.
3. Temperature and humidity of hanging places.
4. Personal preference of the Consumer. Water fowls, teal, wild duck, grouse, and quails need little or no hanging.

La Grouse – 12^th August – 10^th December

The most commonly used is the red grouse, which is shot on the Yorkshire & Scottish Moor. It is a small reddish brown bird speckled with black feathers and white down feathers on its lower legs.

Red eye wattles, male more decorative.

Black Grouse – 20^th August – 10^th December

Le Coq De Bruyene (Black Grouse) found in Scotland, Wales and the North of England. The male is recognised by its blue black plumage and distinctive white lyre shaped tail.

Partridge fr le prerdreau – 1^st September – 1^st February

There are several varieties, the most common being the common and red legged varieties both found throughout the country. Both have brown plumage, the red leg having rich chestnut buns across a blue grey breast.

The common has a dark horse shoe on its breast.

Pheasant le faisan – 1^st October – 1^st February

One of the most common of game birds found throughout the UK. The male is recognised by its copper coloured plumage and multi coloured head. Its ringed neck, a excessively long tail, (usually 18 inches), the female is dull mottled brown with a tail half the length.

Quail la Caille (protected)

Originally imported from Egypt and India, they are now reared extensively on farms in this country. The birds resemble young partridge with their sandy speckled brown plumage. Usually sold oven ready boxed of 12. Their eggs are also extensively sold, again usually in boxes of 12, approx cost £1.80.

Snipe fr la becassine – 12^th August – 31^st January

Several varieties are eaten, the common Jack and Great Snipes. Small wading birds with streaked plumage and long straight beak. As the beak is used for trussing the head is left intact.

Woodcock la becasse – 1^st September – 31^st January

Similar to a snipe but larger. Has a slight curve in its beak, recognised by the russet coloured plumage and darker colouring on its head and under parts, again the beak used for trussing.

These 2 wading birds differ in preparation to the other game birds described. These types of birds do not have a gall bladder, so are cooked undrawn with the exception of the gizzard is removed.

Pratical larder 9^th January

Preparation of pheasants for roasting, then turning into Salmis de faisan.

Preparation and roasting of partridge then turning into a Chartrease de perdreau.

Degrees of feathered game Gibier à plume:

Wild duck                                     underdone

Grouse                                         underdone

Partridge                                      just done

Pheasant                                     just done

Plover                                          just done

Quail                                            just done

Snipe                                           just done

Woodcock                                    just done

Menu examples:

Salmis de faisan Truffle, Roast, split, R Wine, Shallot Game demi button mushrooms, crout de Coeur, aux, farce á gratin

Chantruse “en Pedreau”, moulded & decorated with veg, fine farce. Meat bound in glaze, pouched au bain Marie.

Accompaniment for Roast game:                   croute de mie de pain “frut”

                                                                  Farce a gratin

                                                                  Jus roti slightly greasy

                                                                  Pommes chip

                                                                  Cresson “water cress”

                                                                  Panier de citron

                                                                  Sauce pain

                                                Fry :           white bread crumbs golden / butter

Farce a gratin may be placed croutes de Coeur, on set into croute demie de pain.