Poached fowl and bacon with'pudding'

 
                   POACHED FOWL AND BACON WITH 'PUDDING'
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Main Dish                        Chicken
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    4       lb           Boiling fowl with
                         Neck and giblets
    2       tb           Finely chopped mixed fresh
                         Savory, parsley, hyssop and
                         Sage
                         Salt and pepper
    1 1/2   lb           Piece boiling bacon
    2       c            Strong dry cider
                         Extra herbs to garnish
                         Pudding
                         Neck, liver and heart
                         From the bird
    1       t            Of the herb mixture above
                         Salt and pepper
    8       tb           Soft white breadcrumbs
    1                    Egg beaten
 
   This was a cheap and easy dish on which youngsters
   could practise when learning to carve poultry. Ask a
   kindly poulterer to cut off the bird's head and to
   supply the whole neck in its skin along with the
   prepared bird and giblets.  Mix the herbs together and
   put a tablespoonful aside. Add a light seasoning of
   salt and pepper to the rest and fill the mixture into
   the body cavity of the bird. Stitch or skewer the
   cavity openings securely. Truss the bird for boiling
   and place it on a trivet in a stewpan which will also
   hold the bacon and liquids. To prepare the neck, ease
   the spine and surrounding flesh out of the skin as if
   peeling off a stocking. Do not break the skin. Chop
   the liver and heart finely and mix with half the
   reserved herbs, a little seasoning and the
   breadcrumbs. Bind with the egg. Fill this mixture into
   the skin, allowing room for the bread to swell. Fasten
   the ends of the sausage-shaped 'pudding' securely and
   add to the pan. (If the skin is accidentally torn, or
   is not supplied, you can make the stuffing into small
   balls and fry or bake them, as an acceptable
   substitute.) Mix the cider with 425 ml/15 fl oz/2 cups
   water and heat until nearly boiling. Add the liquid to
   the pan, put on a well-fitting lid and poach the bird
   gently for 2-2 1/2 hours.  Add the bacon piece after
   30 minutes and the stuffed neck after a further 15
   minutes. Top up the pan with extra boiling water then,
   or later if needed. Test the bird for readiness after
   2 hours by thrusting a thin skewer into the thickest
   part of the thigh.  The juices should run clear. A
   smallish bird may be almost ready by this time, and
   the bacon piece should be done. Take the bacon out,
   with the 'pudding', and leave both to rest for 10-15
   minutes. The slice both to serve as a garnish for the
   poached bird. Scatter a few extra herb leaves over the
   breast of the bird before serving. First stuff your
   capons with saveray, With parsley, a little, hissop I
   say; Then take the neck, remove the bone; And make a
   pudding thereof at once With an egg and minced bread
   also With hacked liver and heart thereto... Then boil
   the capon, as I they say, With parsley, sage, hissop,
   saveray... With slices of bacon embrawded here and
   colour your broth with saffron dear... (Mrs
   Groundes-Peace's Old Cookery Notebook)
  
 
 
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