No. 1010 — Elaborate Fricassée of Boiled Young Chickens or Hen

Boil two to four cleaned, halved young chickens or one hen quartered in lightly salted water with root vegetables and ⅛ Russian pound of butter. Just before serving arrange the pieces as though the birds were whole.

Prepare the following garnishes:

a) Boil two cauliflowers in strained chicken broth and separate into portions.

b) Stuff twelve crayfish shells with a mixture of two or three crushed rusks, a little butter, one raw egg, dill and nutmeg; boil the stuffed shells.

c) Prepare a little puff pastry as in No. 303, cut nine to twelve small triangles, bake and use as garnish; the source suggests ⅔ glass of flour and ⅙ Russian pound of butter.

d) Cut six to nine neat slices of roast veal.

e) Make veal forcemeat as in No. 226; drop teaspoonfuls into salted water or broth to form elongated quenelles and cook them. The source gives ⅜ Russian pound of veal, ⅛ pound of bread, ½ egg, ½ spoonful of butter and nutmeg.

f) Boil about six asparagus shoots, cut into several sections, in salted water.

After arranging these garnishes, make the sauce. Mix 1½ spoonfuls of crayfish butter and ½ glass of flour, dilute with four glasses of strained broth, and boil while stirring until thick; strain.

Add six to eight cooked champignons, six to eight small fresh or pickled porcini, a few small seedless lemon slices, ¼ small glass of light white wine, salt and one or two lumps of sugar; boil.

Beat three or four yolks in a separate vessel and gradually add some very hot sauce, beating vigorously until smooth. Return to the remaining sauce, add crayfish tails and heat until very hot.

Pour the sauce and garnishes over the arranged young chickens or hen.

To provide