The flesh of the doe or roebuck is a kind of black meat, and possesses a wild gamey taste; it is seldom used without being pickled in a marinade, and is sent to the table with a sharp and savoury sauce.

No. 776. Cotelettes de Chevreuil À la BohÉmienne.

Cut twelve cotelettes from the necks, the same as you would mutton, but they will be rather larger, make two quarts of the marinade as for filet de boeuf À la BohÉmienne (No. 426), and lay in the cotelettes, let them remain four days; when ready for use take them out, dry upon a cloth, season with a little pepper and salt, dip in flour, egg and bread-crumb afterwards, dip them in clarified butter, and again in the bread-crumbs, beat them lightly with a knife, place them on a gridiron, broil nicely, dress them in crown, and have ready the following sauce: put six tablespoonfuls of the marinade in a stewpan, with a piece of glaze the size of a walnut, reduce it a little, then add twelve spoonfuls of brown sauce (No. 1) and six of consommÉ, reduce again until it adheres to the back of the spoon, season a little high, add half a tablespoonful of currant jelly, sauce round and serve. Garniture as for cotelettes de mutton may be introduced.

No. 777. Cotelettes de Chevreuil sautÉ sauce poivrade.

Having cut twelve cotelettes, season with pepper and salt, put a quarter of a pound of butter in a sautÉ-pan, melt it and lay in the cotelettes, put them over a sharp fire and when partly done turn, keeping them underdone; take all the butter away without disturbing the cotelettes, then pour a pint of thin poivrade sauce (No. 32) and half a pint of consommÉ over, let them simmer about ten minutes till the meat has taken the flavour of the sauce, dress the cotelettes as before, reduce the sauce till it adheres to the spoon, add twenty pickled mushrooms, sauce over and serve.

No. 778. Minced Chevreuil.

With the remains of a haunch or any other part from a previous dinner, take the meat and cut it up in very thin slices, have ready boiling on the fire about a pint of sauce piquante (No. 27), throw in the meat, but do not let it boil; after the meat is in, season rather high, and finish with a spoonful of currant jelly, it requires to be rather thick, turn it out on your dish and garnish round with triangular scippets of bread fried in butter, serve immediately.

No. 779. Of the Wild Boar.

The principal and most recherchÉ part of this ferocious animal is the head, which is eaten cold, stuffed the German fashion; it is, however, a second course dish, and will be given in that series. The cotelettes are dressed exactly as the chevreuil, it may also be minced, but as it is seldom or ever eaten in this country, I shall content myself with these few remarks (see Boar’s Head, No. 984).

No. 780. Of Venison for EntrÉes.

The haunches and necks are usually roasted, its high price would prevent its being cut up for entrÉes, as that would only be spoiling a noble dish to make a small one, and then would not be so delicious as the joint nicely roasted, but in large families in the country, where venison is very plentiful, the receipts for a few entrÉes may be very acceptable.

No. 781. Cotelettes de Venaison en demi-glace.

A neck of venison requires to be hung a fortnight or three weeks before it is ready; cut the cotelettes as described for mutton, but of course they will be larger, and you must leave as much of the fat as possible, and be careful in beating it flat not to detach the fat from the lean, as the fat is so delicate; put two ounces of butter in a sautÉ-pan to melt, lay the cotelettes over and place them on a brisk fire, when half done turn them, fry them a good colour, (they are done when they feel firm to the touch,) lay upon a cloth, dress in crown on a small border of mashed potatoes, and place them in the oven to keep hot, pour off the fat from the sautÉ-pan, and put in a glass of port wine, let reduce a little, then add a pint of demi-glace (No. 9) and four spoonfuls of consommÉ, reduce till it adheres to the spoon, add a little sugar and a pat of butter, mix well, and sauce over the cotelettes, which serve as hot as possible.

No. 782. Cotelettes de Venaison aux olives.

Proceed exactly as above, but just before pouring the sauce over add about twenty stoned olives, dress them in the centre, sauce over and serve; truffles or mushrooms may likewise be introduced.

No. 783. Cotelettes de Venaison au jus de groseilles.

SautÉ and dress your cotelettes as above, then put a pint of thin sauce poivrade (No. 32) in the sautÉ-pan with a little consommÉ, reduce till thickish, skim a little, add a spoonful of currant jelly, sauce over and serve.

No. 784. Hashed Venison.

The remains of a haunch of venison when cold is much thought of as hash, under which humble name it makes its appearance amongst the most sumptuous dishes, and is a great favourite with epicures, but if no fat remains do not attempt to dress it; but a good haunch well-carved will supply sufficient fat to hash the remainder.

Put a quart of good brown sauce (No. 1) in a stewpan with a pint of consommÉ (No. 134), a piece of glaze, and a good bunch of parsley, let reduce to a good demi-glace, skim, then have as much venison as you require cut in thin slices, the fat thicker than the lean, put it into the sauce, season with pepper and salt, put it over a sharp fire to get hot as quick as possible, but do not let it boil or it would get hard and become very greasy, serve as hot as possible, with red currant jelly separate, make only sufficient for one entrÉe.

No. 785. Venison Pie.

May also be made from the remains of a haunch in a common pie-dish or silver soufflÉe-dish; put some thin slices of venison at the bottom of the dish, season with pepper, salt, and little chopped eschalot, then a layer of fat, proceeding alternately till the dish is full, building it up to form a dome and give the pie a good appearance, put in a piece of glaze the size of a walnut, a few spoonfuls of gravy, and four of brown sauce, cover with puff-paste (No. 1132), make a hole in the top, egg over, and bake in a hot oven; when done pour about six spoonfuls of demi-glace (No. 9) into it with a funnel, shake it about a little and serve very hot. Should you require to make a pie with raw venison pass it a few minutes in butter in a sautÉ-pan upon the stove.