Hunter's Soup

Hunter's soup calls specifically for partridges, but quail, pheasant or dove make splendid soups as well.

Peel and cut into thin slices an equal quantity of carrots and onions, put them into a saucepan with a head of celery that has been washed and cut into small pieces, about two ounces of rather lean ham or bacon, a bunch of parsley and a small lump of butter. Fry all these until lightly browned, then dredge in a liberal quantity of flour and fry that also until browned. Stir in one pint of red wine and two quarts of broth, leave it over the fire until boiling, then move it to the side and let simmer. Clean and lay three partridges on a roasting pan and roast them in a brisk oven, basting well with butter. When the partridges are cooked, cut the flesh off the bones into nice equal-sized pieces. Break the bones into small pieces, put them into the soup, boil quickly for twenty minutes, then strain it through a fine hair sieve. Season the soup with salt and pepper, then return it to the saucepan with the pieces of partridge meat, and allow it to get thoroughly hot at the side of the fire, but do not let it boil again; then turn it into a soup tureen and serve it with a plate of sippets of toast or croutons of fried bread.