[Illustration: ROAST WILD DUCK.]
_Mode_.--Carefully pluck and draw them; Cut off the heads close to the
necks, leaving sufficient skin to turn over, and do not cut off the
feet; some twist each leg at the knuckle, and rest the claws on each
side of the breast; others truss them as shown in our Illustration.
Roast the birds before a quick fire, and, when they are first put down,
let them remain for 5 minutes without basting (this will keep the gravy
in); afterwards baste plentifully with butter, and a few minutes before
serving dredge them lightly with flour; baste well, and send them to
table nicely frothed, and full of gravy. If overdone, the birds will
lose their flavour. Serve with a good gravy in the dish, or orange
gravy, No. 488; and send to table with them a cut lemon. To take off the
fishy taste which wild fowl sometimes have, baste them for a few minutes
with hot water to which have been added an onion and a little salt; then
take away the pan, and baste with butter.--See coloured plate, G1.
_Time_.--When liked underdressed, 20 to 25 minutes; well done, 25 to 35
minutes.
_Average cost_, 4s. to 5s. the couple.
_Sufficient_,--2 for a dish.
_Seasonable_ from November to February.
[Illustration: THE WILD DUCK.]
THE WILD DUCK.--The male of the wild dock is called a mallard;
and the young ones are called flappers. The time to try to find
a brood of these is about the month of July, among the rushes of
the deepest and most retired parts of some brook or stream,
where, if the old bird is sprung, it may be taken as a certainty
that its brood is not far off. When once found, flappers are
easily killed, as they attain their full growth before their
wings are fledged. Consequently, the sport is more like hunting
water-rats than shooting birds. When the flappers take wing,
they assume the name of wild ducks, and about the month of
August repair to the corn-fields, where they remain until they
are disturbed by the harvest-people. They then frequent the
rivers pretty early in the evening, and give excellent sport to
those who have patience to wait for them. In order to know a
wild duck, it is necessary only to look at the claws, which
should be black.
HASHED GAME (Cold Meat Cookery).