Pigeon Stuffed and Roasted (German Method) Recipe ingredients

To prepare this Pigeon Stuffed and Roasted (German Method) Recipe, first pluck and draw 2 young freshly killed pigeons. Open, scald, and clean the gizzard, and mince it with the liver and heart very finely. Mix with the mince the crumb of a roll which has been soaked in cold milk and pressed dry, and add a little salt and cayenne, a shallot chopped small, and a tablespoonful of shred parsley. If the flavor of the onion and the parsley is objected to, a little bacon and a pinch of powdered mace may be substituted for them. Bind the force-meat together with yolk of egg, and fill the crop with it between the flesh and the neck. The skin must be cut and raised carefully with the fingers, and then sewn or tied securely with thread. Dip the pigeons into butter, dredge well with flour, and season with pepper and salt. Cover them entirely with thin slices of fat bacon, put them into a stew-pan, and turn them frequently until they are brightly browned all over. Pour half a cupful of boiling water upon them, cover the saucepan closely, and let them steam until done enough. Serve on a hot dish, with the sauce round them. Time, about an hour to steam the birds. Sufficient for two persons.