Poached Fowl & Bacon With 'pudding' Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

4 lb boiling fowl with
1 neck and giblets
2 tbsp finely chopped mixed fresh
1 savory, parsley, hyssop and
1 sage
1 salt and pepper
1 1/2 lb piece boiling bacon
2 cup strong dry cider
1 extra herbs to garnish
1 pudding
1 neck, liver and heart
1 from the bird
1 tsp of the herb mixture above
1 salt and pepper
8 tbsp 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)

Servings: 6

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