Stewed Pigeons with Green Peas

Pigeon browned with bacon and stewed with peas.

Truss two pigeons with their legs inwards, cutting off the necks and washing the livers and returning them again to the insides of the birds. Blanch four ounces of streaky bacon, cut it into squares removing all rind, and fry it in a stewpan with one ounce of butter. When lightly browned take the bacon out, put the pigeons in and fry them brown, then remove them and place them one side with the bacon. Stir two tablespoonfuls of flour in the stewpan with the fat, and when cooked pour in one and one-half pints of broth. When boiling strain it through a conical strainer into another stewpan; put in the pigeons and bacon, one quart of green peas, a bunch of sweet herbs, and pepper and salt to taste. Cook slowly for half an hour, then take them out, remove the strings and place them on a hot dish. Take the bunch of herbs out, skim the fat off the peas, put them and the bacon round the birds, and serve with a sauceboatful of the strained gravy.