Books Index  ~  Accomplisht Cook or The Art & Mystery of Cookery by Robert May

Directions for the order of carving Fowl.

Lift that Swan.

The manner of cutting up a Swan must be to slit her right down in the middle of the breast, and so clean thorow the back from the neck to the rump, so part her in two halves cleanly and handsomly, that you break not nor tear the meat, lay the two halves in a fair charger with the slit sides downwards, throw salt about it, and let it again on the Table. Let your sauce be chaldron for a Swan, and serve it in saucers.

Rear the Goose.

You must break a goose contrary to the former way.  Take a goose being roasted, and take off both his legs fair like a shoulder of Lamb, take him quite from the body then cut off the belly piece round close to the lower end of the breast: lace her down with your knife clean through the breast on each side your thumbs bredth for the bone in the middle of the breast; then take off the pinion of each side, and the flesh which you first lac’t with your knife, raise it up clear from the bone, and take it from the carcase with the pinion; then cut up the bone which lieth before in the breast (which is commonly call’d the merry thought) the skin and the flesh being upon it; then cut from the brest-bone, another slice of flesh clean thorow, & take it clean from the bone, turn your carcase, and cut it asunder the back-bone above the loin-bones: then take the rump-end of the back-bone, and lay it in a fair dish with the skinny-side upwards, lay at the fore-end of that the merry-thought with the skin side upward, and before that the apron of the goose; then lay your pinions on each side contrary, set your legs on each side contrary behind them, that the bone end of the legs may stand up cross in the middle of the dish, & the wing pinions on the outside of them; put under the wing pinions on each side the long slices of flesh which you cut from the breast bone, and let the ends meet under the leg bones, let the other ends lie cut in the dish betwixt the leg and the pinion; then pour your sauce into the dish under your meat, throw on salt, and set it on the table.

To cut up a Turkey or Bustard.

Raise up the leg very fair, and open the joynt with the point of your knife, but take not off the leg; then lace down the breast with your knife on both sides, & open the breast pinion with the knife, but take not the pinion off; then raise up the merry-thought betwixt the breast bone, and the top of the merry-thought, lace down the  flesh on both sides of the breast-bone, and raise up the flesh called the brawn, turn it outward upon both sides, but break it not, nor cut it not off; then cut off the wing pinion at the joynt next to the body, and stick on each side the pinion in the place where ye turned out the brawn, but cut off the sharp end of the Pinion, take the middle piece, and that will just fit the place.

You may cut up a capon or pheasant the same way, but of your capon cut not off the pinion, but in the place where you put the pinion of the turkey, you must put the gizard of your capon on each side half.

Dismember that Hern.

Take off both the legs, and lace it down to the breast with your knife on both sides, raise up the flesh, and take it clean off with the pinion; then stick the head in the breast, set the pinion on the contrary side of the carcase, and the leg on the other side, so that the bones ends may meet cross over the carcase, and the other wings cross over upon the top of the carcase.

Unbrace that Mallard.

Raise up the pinion and the leg, but take them not off, raise the merry-thought from the breast, and lace it down on each side of the breast with your knife, bending to and fro like ways.

Unlace that Coney.

Turn the back downwards, & cut the belly flaps clean off from the kidney, but take heed you cut not the kidney nor the flesh, then put in the point of your knife between the kidneys, and loosen the flesh from each side the bone then turn up the back of the rabbit, and cut it cross between the wings, and lace it down close by the bone with your knife on both sides, then open the flesh of the rabbit from the bone, with the point of your knife against the kidney, and pull the leg open softly  with your hand, but pluck it not off, then thrust in your knife betwixt the ribs and the kidney, slit it out, and lay the legs close together.

Sauce that Capon.

Lift up the right leg and wing, and so array forth, and lay him in the platter as he should fly, and so serve him. Know that capons or chickens be arrayed after one sauce; the chickens shall be sauced with green sauce or veriuyce.

Allay that Pheasant.

Take a pheasant, raise his legs and wings as it were a hen and no sauce but only salt.

Wing that Partridg.

Raise his legs, and his wing as a hen, if you mince him sauce him with wine, powder of ginger, and salt, and set him upon a chafing dish of coals to warm and serve.

Wing that Quail.

Take a quail and raise his legs and his wings as an hen, and no sauce but salt.

Display that Crane.

Unfold his Legs, and cut off his wings by the joynts, then take up his wings and his legs, and sauce them with powder of ginger, mustard, vinegar, and salt.

Dismember that Hern.

Raise his legs and his wings as a crane, and sauce him with vinegar, mustard, powder of ginger and salt.

Unjoynt that Bittern.

Raise his legs & wings as a heron & no sauce but salt.

Break that Egript.

Take an egript, and raise his legs and his wings as a heron, and no sauce but salt.

Untach that Curlew.

Raise his legs and wings as a hen, & no sauce but salt.

Untach that brew. 

Raise his legs and his wings in the same manner, and no sauce but only salt.

Unlace that Coney.

Lay him on the back, and cut away the vents, then raise the wings and the sides, and lay bulk, chine, and sides together, sauce them with vinegar and powder of ginger.

Break that Sarcel.

Take a sarcel or teal, and raise his wings and his legs, and no sauce but only salt.

Mince that Plover.

Raise his leg and wings as a hen, and no sauce but only salt.

A Snite.

Raise his legs, wings and his shoulders as a plover, and no sauce but salt.

Thigh that Woodcock.

Raise his legs as a hen, and dight his brain.