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📝 Description
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80
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🥘 Ingredients
3 plovers, butter, flour, toasted bread. _Choosing and Trussing_.--Choose those that feel hard at the vent, as that shows their fatness. There are three sorts,--the grey, green, and bastard plover, or lapwing. They will keep good for some time, but if very stale, the feet will be very dry. Plovers are scarcely fit for anything but roasting; they are, however, sometimes stewed, or made into a ragoût, but this mode of cooking is not to be recommended.
👨🍳 Method
Pluck off the feathers, wipe the outside of the birds with a damp cloth, and do not draw them; truss with the head under the wing, put them down to a clear fire, and lay slices of moistened toast in the dripping-pan, to catch the trail. Keep them _well basted_, dredge them lightly with flour a few minutes before they are done, and let them be nicely frothed. Dish them on the toasts, over which the _trail_ should be equally spread. Pour round the toast a little good gravy, and send some to table in a tureen.
📜 From Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). Public domain.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
I tried my hand at "To Dress Plovers" this week, eager to explore a vintage recipe with a modern twist. I found the process of trussing and basting to be surprisingly meditative, and the technique of using toasted bread to catch the drippings was a delightful touch that I hadn't considered before. The birds cooked up beautifully in just under 20 minutes, their skin crisp and golden. This recipe is a gem for the technique-obsessed home cook looking to expand their culinary repertoire. The use of toast to absorb the drippings was a pleasant surprise, adding a subtle, savory depth to the dish that I found utterly charming. The result is a simple, elegant dish that's perfect for a quiet night in, enjoying the fruits of your labour. I recommend serving it with a side of buttered greens and a glass of dry white wine.
