193—Chicken Forcemeat with Panada and Butter

Remove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of chicken-meat. Pound, and add one-third oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg. When the meat is well pounded remove it from the mortar, and place in its stead one-half lb. of very cold panada (see No. 190, A. Bread Panada). Finely pound this panada, and then add one-half lb. of butter thereto, taking care that the two ingredients mix thoroughly. Now put in the chicken-meat, and wield the pestle vigorously until the whole mass is completely mixed. Finally, add consecutively two whole eggs and the yolks of four, stirring incessantly the while and seeing that each egg is only inserted when the one preceding it has become perfectly incorporated with the mass. Rub through a sieve, put the forcemeat into a basin, and smooth it with a wooden spoon.

Test the forcemeat by poaching a small portion of it in salted, boiling water. This test, which is indispensable, allows of rectifying the seasoning and the consistence if necessary. If it be found that the forcemeat is too light, a little white of egg could be mingled with it; if, on the other hand, it should be too stiff add a little softened butter.

N.B.—By substituting for chicken veal, game, or fish, &c., any kind of forcemeat may be made; for the quantities of the other ingredients remain the same whatever the basic meat may be.