No. 996 — Stuffed Young Chickens with Herb-Breadcrumb Filling
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 996 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Take two or three young chickens with a total weight of about three Russian pounds. Clean as described in the general note. Cut off the feet and the wings at the first joint and pull the tail feathers.
Remove the remaining feathers, rub the skin with flour and singe off small hairs. Eviscerate carefully without breaking the gallbladder, clean, wash, soak in water for half an hour and squeeze dry, as instructed by the historical source.
Rub outside and inside with salt, allowing about ½ teaspoon per Russian pound of flesh, and dust with flour, shaking off the excess.
For each chicken take ½ glass of dried crushed white bread, ½ egg, ½ spoonful of butter, two spoonfuls of milk, a handful each of dill and parsley, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a little nutmeg.
Mix the filling, stuff the birds and sew them closed. For two to three chickens allow about ½ Russian pound of butter.
Coat the chickens in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, arrange on a deep baking sheet or pan, place a piece of butter on each and add two spoonfuls of water to the pan.
Put in the oven roughly three quarters of an hour before serving. Roast, turning frequently to brown evenly and basting with the juices.
When cooked, baste one last time, sprinkle with more breadcrumbs and return briefly to the oven to brown.
Set each chicken on a board, remove the sewing threads and cut lengthwise in half; divide one chicken into quarters. Arrange the portions along an oblong platter.
Add one or two spoonfuls of cream to the pan juices, bring to the boil, strain and pour a little onto the platter without wetting the breadcrumb coating.
Either leave the breadcrumbs on the chicken or pour over browned butter with grated bread, No. 442. Garnish both ends of the platter with bunches of fresh parsley and offer the remaining hot strained sauce separately in a sauceboat.
The source says very young chickens roast in twenty to thirty minutes and older ones in thirty to forty minutes. If frying on the stove, choose a pan that holds the birds closely so less butter is needed; turn frequently over a strong fire once the butter begins to brown.
It also gives historical butter allowances: at least ¼ Russian pound for one chicken or one hazel grouse, ⅓ pound for two, ½ pound for three and ⅔ pound for four.
Serve with a salad. Some cooks add a little saffron steeped in ½ small glass of milk and strained to the filling.
To provide
3 Russian pounds of eviscerated young chickens 3 spoonfuls of flour 1½ teaspoons of salt For the stuffing: 1½ glasses of crushed rusks 1½ eggs and 1½ spoonfuls of butter 6 spoonfuls of milk | 3 generous handfuls of dill and parsley ¾ teaspoon of salt ⅛ nutmeg For frying: ½ Russian pound of butter 2 yolks and another ½ glass of crushed rusks For decoration: 2 bunches of parsley |