Grilled Widgeons

Remove the heads, neck and wings from a brace of widgeons, split them down the back'and truss as for spatchcock. Remove the breast-bones and rub the interior of the birds with mushroom powder. Put the trimmings and bones into a stewpan with the gizzards and livers, one teaspoonful of made mustard, one wine-glassful of port wine, salt, pepper and cayenne to taste, a small quantity of brown stock, and boil gently for half an hour. Lay the birds on a gridiron and broil them over a clear fire, turning them when done on one side. When cooked, lay the birds on a hot dish, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the gravy and strain it over them. Serve while very hot. Mallard or pintail can be used in place of widgeons if preferred.

Roasted Widgeons

Pluck and singe a brace of widgeons, cut off the heads and claws, draw the birds without breaking the entrails and wipe them with a wet cloth; rub them all over with cold butter, dredge them with flour and roast them for about twenty minutes. Carefully preserve all the gravy that flows from them, and when nearly done sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Serve at once with their gravy and red currant jelly, or with orange essence made as follows: Chop very finely two peeled onions or one shallot, grate the yellow rind of a large orange and chop one ounce of ham or bacon very fine; put these ingredients into a small saucepan, add to them a small sprinkling of salt and pepper, one-half pint of gravy from roasted wild fowl, one gill of port wine and one saltspoonful of salt, and simmer all gently for ten minutes. Meanwhile squeeze the juice from a whole orange and half a lemon into a sauceboat. At the end of ten minutes strain the sauce into the orange and lemon juice, and serve immediately.