1295.—LANDRAIL, OR CORN-CRAKE, ROASTED.
Ingredients.—3 or 4 landrail, butter, fried breadcrumbs.
Method.—Pluck and draw the birds, wipe them inside and out with a damp cloth, and truss them in the following manner: Bring the head round under the wing, and the thighs close to the sides; pass a skewer through them and the body, and keep the legs straight. Roast the birds before a clear fire, keep them well basted, and serve with fried breadcrumbs, with a tureen of brown gravy. If preferred, bread sauce may also be sent to table with them.
Time.—12 to 20 minutes. Average Cost, uncertain, being seldom sold. Sufficient for a dish. Seasonable from August 12 to the middle of September.
The Landrail or Corn-crake (Fr. rále de geuét)—This bird, Crex pratensis, belongs to the family Rallidae, or the rails, and is of a reddish-brown colour, marked with black or dark brown. Its bill is thick and shorter than its head, the wings are short, and the bird flies in a heavy embarrassed manner. When it alights on the ground it can hardly be sprung a second time, and it runs very rapidly and depends more on the fleetness of its feet than the strength of its wings. Its singular harsh cry, crek, crek, is first heard when the grass begins to shelter the bird, and it continues to be heard until the grass is cut. The bird however, is seldom seen, for it constantly skulks among the thickest portion of the herbage, and runs so nimbly through it, doubling and winding in every direction, that it is very difficult to get near to it. Marshy meadows and corn-fields are the chief habitat of the landrail, where it feeds principally on worms, slugs and insects, of which it destroys large numbers. The landrail is a migratory bird, and makes its appearance in England during April and May, about the same time as the quail, and frequents similar places. It leaves this island in the autumn, and visits the southern parts of Europe and the African coasts of the Mediterranean during the winter. The corn-crake is common in Ireland, and while migrating to the country is also seen in large numbers in the Isle of Anglesea. Its flesh is much esteemed.
1296.—LEVERET, ROASTED. (Fr.—Levraut Rôti.)
Ingredients.—2 leverets, butter, flour.
Method.—Leverets should be trussed in the same manner as a hare, but they do not require stuffing. Roast them before a clear fire, and keep them well basted all the time they are cooking. A few minutes before serving dredge them lightly with flour. Serve with plain gravy in the dish, and send them to table with red currant jelly.
Time.—From 40 to 50 minutes. Average Cost, about 4s. Seasonable from May to August.
1297.—LEVERET, TO DRESS. (See Leveret Roasted.)
1298.—ORTOLANS, ROASTED. (Fr.—Ortolans Rôtis.)
Ingredients.—Ortolans, toast, bacon, bay-leaves or vine leaves, butter for basting, brown gravy, No. 164 (see Gravies), fried breadcrumbs, watercress.
Method.—Remove the head, neck and crop, but let the trail remain. Truss for roasting, brush over with warm butter, cover the breast of each bird with a vine-leaf or bay-leaf, and tie over them thin slices of bacon. Attach them to a long steel skewer, running it through the body of each bird, and roast them in front of a quick fire for about 10 minutes. Baste the birds almost continuously with hot butter, and put
