Cornish Game Hen or Quail Pie Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 Cornish game hen or 2 quail | ||
| Stock from bird | ||
| Onions | 4 Medium, quartered | |
| Carrot | 1 Large, cut into thin strips | |
| Pie pastry | ||
| Butter | ||
| Butter | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Flour | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Cream | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Vegetable stock | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Egg | 1 | |
| Salt | To Taste | |
| Pinch of tarragon | ||
| Cooked | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), drained | |
| Parsley | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Butter dots | ||
| Egg yolk | 1 | |
Directions
Parboil the hen or quail gently in salted water -€” 45 minutes for quail, 20-30 minutes for game hen.
Pour off, skim, and reserve stock.
Cook onions and carrot strips separately in 1/2 -3/4 cup stock each, covered.
Boil gently until onions are transparent and carrot just tender.
Remove from heat.
Pour off, combine, and reserve stock from two vegetables.
Combine vegetables and set aside.
Make pastry and chill.
Brown bird(s) in butter on all sides.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan and stir in flour.
Cook slowly for 1 -2 minutes, then stir in cream.
When this is well mixed in, stir in 1/2 cup vegetable stock.
Cook sauce over medium heat, still stirring, until thickened.
Remove sauce from heat.
Beat egg, and add sauce to it a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Season the sauce with salt to taste and tarragon.
Mix 1 1/4 cup sauce with spinach.
Put spinach in even layer on the bottom of a baking dish (with a lip, if possible, to hold pastry cover).
Place bird(s), breast up, on spinach, and surround with cooked carrots and onions.
Sprinkle on parsley and dot with butter.
Roll out pastry into a top crust, making small cross-shaped slit(s) in pastry to allow drumsticks to protrude slightly from crust.
Add strip of pastry fluting all around edge of pie.
Beat egg yolk with fork and mix with a little of reserved vegetable stock.
Make pastry cut-outs, dip in yolk mixture, and use to ornament top crust.
Brush entire top of pie with egg mixture and bake for 50-60 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Pour off, skim, and reserve stock.
Cook onions and carrot strips separately in 1/2 -3/4 cup stock each, covered.
Boil gently until onions are transparent and carrot just tender.
Remove from heat.
Pour off, combine, and reserve stock from two vegetables.
Combine vegetables and set aside.
Make pastry and chill.
Brown bird(s) in butter on all sides.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan and stir in flour.
Cook slowly for 1 -2 minutes, then stir in cream.
When this is well mixed in, stir in 1/2 cup vegetable stock.
Cook sauce over medium heat, still stirring, until thickened.
Remove sauce from heat.
Beat egg, and add sauce to it a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Season the sauce with salt to taste and tarragon.
Mix 1 1/4 cup sauce with spinach.
Put spinach in even layer on the bottom of a baking dish (with a lip, if possible, to hold pastry cover).
Place bird(s), breast up, on spinach, and surround with cooked carrots and onions.
Sprinkle on parsley and dot with butter.
Roll out pastry into a top crust, making small cross-shaped slit(s) in pastry to allow drumsticks to protrude slightly from crust.
Add strip of pastry fluting all around edge of pie.
Beat egg yolk with fork and mix with a little of reserved vegetable stock.
Make pastry cut-outs, dip in yolk mixture, and use to ornament top crust.
Brush entire top of pie with egg mixture and bake for 50-60 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Chef
