No. 1128 — Roast Thrushes Stuffed with Bacon and Mushrooms
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1128 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Pluck and eviscerate twelve to sixteen grey thrushes. The original directs cleaning and finely chopping the intestines.
Fry the chopped entrails in a spoonful of butter with one finely chopped onion or half a handful of minced shallots.
Add ¼ Russian pound of chopped bacon, the crumb of French bread soaked in cream and gently squeezed, two eggs, salt and black pepper; mix and stuff the thrushes.
Melt ½ Russian pound of butter in a shallow saucepan, add about twelve chopped champignons or cleaned fresh porcini, salt and pepper, and fry covered.
Once boiling, stir in ½ spoonful of flour diluted with a spoonful of water, add broth and the juice of ¼ lemon, and set the stuffed thrushes in the sauce.
When the mushrooms are nearly tender, add enough honey wine ('medok') to flavour the sauce and finish cooking.
Arrange the thrushes on a platter, garnish with shallots and croutons fried in butter, and pour over the sauce.