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Classic
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page 161
177. Roast Spring Chicken. The best method of roasting young spring chickens is
to lard them thickly the same as a hare, as is customary in Bremen and Hamburg;
it makes them juicier and gives them a fine appearance on the table. They should
be roasted in a kettle with a tight cover, and the kettle should be of fitting
dimensions--not too large. If the cover is so arranged that embers can be placed
upon it, so much the better, if not, the kettle must be put into a hot oven
after the chickens have become tender so that they will rapidly become lightly
brown on top.
After the chickens have been prepared according to the directions in No, 168,
b., sprinkle moderately with fine salt because some salt is contained in the
butter, put a piece of butter together with the liver into the body of each
chicken and then put them into the kettle closely side by side with a piece of
butler; roast with the kettle uncovered at first on a slow fire until lightly
brown, then put on the cover and roast until tender, which will take about 1 1/2
hours. According to the requirements of a fine table, poultry must never be
roasted too strongly but should have a beautiful golden brown color, and to
attain this end it must at first be covered with fat pork slices.
Spring chickens will retain their juiciness if covered on the back and sides
with fat pork slices, and are then wrapped in grape leaves which have first been
carefullly washed and dried.
A good 1/4 hour after they are done, dredge with finely rolled cracker crumbs
(especially if the chickens have not been larded) which enhances their
appearance and improves the quality of the gravy; in this case, however, the
latter should be served without anything else being added. Instead of the
cracker crumbs, some thick sweet cream can be added gradually during the last
half hour of cooking. The fire should then be stronger and basting more
frequent. Care should be exercised that the gravy does not become too brown.
178. Baked Spring Chicken in Gravy. After the chickens have been prepared for
cooking they are divided lengthwise and then roasted until tender and juicy as
directed in the preceding receipt. Take them out of the pan, brown some flour in
the butter remaining
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