796. Croustade Of Bread, Garnished With Scollops Of Fat Livers, A L'Epicurienne

When about to send the croustade to table, garnish it with a ragout of fat livers, prepared as follows: -

Wrap two Strasbourg livers in thin layers of fat bacon, and simmer them very gently in a wine mirepoix (No. 236) for half an hour ; then remove the stewpan from the fire, and allow the livers to cool in their liquor; they must now be taken out, cut into scollops without waste, and placed in a small deep sautapan, containing 4 oz. of black Perigord truffles cut into scollops, a dozen small quenelles of game, and a few button-mushrooms; to these add about half the mirepoix, freed from every particle of grease, and set the whole to boil briskly over the lire until the moisture be reduced to a glaze; next, pour in some brown fine-herbs sauce (No. 14), in sufficient quantity for the entree, toss the whole together over the fire, and use this ragout as directed above. A border of large double white cocks'-combs may be placed round the edge of the croustade, and a fine large Perigord truffle in the centre.

797. Croustade Of Bread. Garnished With Quails Au Gratin, A La Bourguignotte

Let a croustade be cut in the form of a cup, not more than five inches high, the carving of which must present eight bold fluted scollops at the upper part, and be brought to a tapering point toward the foot, as represented in one of the foregoing illustrations. When the croustade has been fried, the inner crumb must be removed, and the cavities lined with a well-seasoned farce of fat livers (No. 240), previously prepared for the purpose, leaving sufficient room for the insertion, in each of the scolloped times, of a quail that has been boned and filled with some of the farce, then trussed and partially braized ; these must then be neatly garnished round with some of the farce, covered over with thin layers of fat bacon, and a thick hand of buttered paper, secured with string, round the croustade, to prevent it from acquiring more color while in the oven. About an hour before dinner-time, set the croustade in a moderately-heated oven, to be baked. Just before sending it to table, remove the paper and bacon, absorb all the urease with the corner of a clean napkin, and place it carefully on its dish. On the breast of each quail place a very small fillet of fowl of circular form, colitises or decorated with black truffle, and then simmered in a buttered sautapan, covered with thin layers of bacon, to keep them white; between each quail place a large white cocks'-comb, fill the centre with a Bourguignotte ragout (No. 195), finished with the addition of some extract made from the carcasses of the quails, reduced to glaze, and serve.

Note. - Ornamental croustades of bread may also be garnished with puree of fowls a la Heine, ditto of game a la Polonaise, etc. ; and with almost every kind of ragout or garnish directed to be used for pates-chauds, vol'au'vents, borders of rice and potato-paste, for which see those articles.