Snipe, Roast
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Remove the gills from the snipe and truss them like other birds for roasting, leaving the head skinned.
Pass the long beak through the legs and body instead of using a skewer.
Brush the snipe with warm fat and tie a slice of bacon over each breast.
Place toast under the snipe to catch drippings.
Roast and serve
Baste frequently and roast in a 400°F (200°C) oven for about 15 minutes, or less if you prefer it underdone.
Serve on the toast, garnish with watercress, and serve the gravy in a sauceboat.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Bacon
- Lays fat over the breast to keep the lean meat moist while it roasts.
- Good fat
- Brushed on and used for basting, adding moisture and promoting browning on the skin.
The step that matters
Roasting for a short time. Snipe is a small, lean bird that dries out and toughens quickly. Frequent basting and watching the time keep the meat moist, and the cook must decide how done it should be, since it is served underdone if preferred.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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