Rook pie

[Yorkshire Pudding]

Seeing HG's post about rook pie reminded me of a tale that my dad told me.....

 

When the ol fella was a "young man" himself and his mates used to go to a pub in the next village. Now this pub was a "proper" pub where you could carry on a bit. No food was served in this pub just the foaming liquids.The pub is situated on the old A1 (think slaughted lamb inn)

My dad ,my uncle and a mate went out shooting rooks one afternoon. They got a very good bag together. They took said rooks to the pub abd got the landlords wife to cook rook pie for everybody.The beer flowed and people started to come in to the bar and were told that a pie was being cooked for there enjoyment.

As they were tucking into the pie , some folks came in who had been traveling on the A1. On seeing this pie the husband and wife asked if they too could have some pie. Pie was served to them and they ate it up (you can guess whats going to happen) They went back to the bar with there plates and thanked the landlord and his wife very much for the lovely pie and asked what kind it was..... the answer was given. Me dad said both the fella and his wife turn white and rushed out of the pub never to be seen again.

 

all the best yis yp

[neil]

Wheres the little green man gone :unsure: never tried it and not sure i want to (is it just a local thing or do they smell funny everywhere)

[Hammergun]

I found a recipe for Rook Pie in an old cookery book (and am going to try it out this year). Posted before ages ago but I can't find it!

 

(I am told that rook meat is made more tender if marinaded in milk for at least 12 hours before use)

 

"The rook affords a dry and coarse meat. A pie made of young rooks is tolerable; at least, it is the best form of using these birds as food. There is, in the opinion of some, a resemblance between the flavour of the young rook and that of the young pigeon.

 

Rook pie - Rooks require long stewing, or they will not be tender. The breasts are the only parts of the birds which are really worth using, and when the other portions are put into the dish, care should be taken to cut out the spine and the flesh near it to the width of three quarters of an inch, or the pie will have a bitter taste. Many cooks lay the birds in a dish, season them with pepper and salt, put a coards flour-and-water crust over them, and then bake then for a couple of hours; the next day they remove the common crust, lay good pastry over them, and bake the pie in the usual way. The following recipe will, however be found very good:

 

Take six or eight freshly killed young rooks. Skin without plucking them, and to do this cut the skin round the first joint of the legs, and draw it over the head. Cut off the necks, draw the birds, and cut away the legs, backs and wings. Cut a pound of chunk steak into neat squares, pepper these, and lay them in a pie dish, pouring over them half a teacupful of stock or water, cover the dish closely, and bake themeat until it is almost done enough, Lay the breastsof the rooks upon the steak, with a small slice of butter upon each. Sprinkle over them a seasoning of salt, pepper and pounded mace, and pour over them as much stock or water as will barely cover them. let them bake gently for half an hour, Let the dish cool, then line the edges with good pastry, cover it with the same, ornament according to taste, make a hole in the centre that the steam may escape, and bake in a brisk oven. When the pastry is done enough, the pie may be served. Time to bake, altogether two hours and a half, probable cost, uncertain, rooks being seldom sold. Sufficient for five or six persons.

 

Rook Pie (another way) -Skin and draw six young rooks, and cut out the backbones. Season them with pepper and salt, put them in a deep dish with half a pint of water, lay some bits of butter over them and cover the dish with a tolerably thick crust. Let the pie be well baked."

[supergame]

What a delightful recipe! Almost as delightful as columbas recipe on seagulls.

I dread to think what those young rooks will of been fed prior to cooking them.

It was only yesterday I saw a rook, yes a rook not a carrion crow feeding on a several day dead road kill rat.

Good luck with the days following the meal. Have plenty of toilet paper handy.

[Cranfield]

I,ve eaten rook pie as a lad, its a dark meat, quite strong without being "gamey".

We have eaten it in a pie with the breasts whole, or minced with vegetables (like a pasty).

[Hammergun]

You think that's bad! You should see what prawns, crabs, lobsters and plenty of fish eat.

 

I was once in a farmyard years ago when I saw a hen pecking at a dead rat!

[Tony]

I don't feel well.

 

My crunchy nut cornflakes are feeling a little unsettled!

[rjimmer]

Traditional rook pie was made from young rooks that had not yet left the nest. Any good climbers here?

[Cranfield]

We use to call them "branchers", I think this was because they usually got shot, when they sat on the branches outside the nests.

[Hammergun]

I wouldn't think you could climb up a tree after the squabs - have you seen the nests - right at the top amongst the spindly branches!

:unsure:

[rjimmer]

I wouldn't think you could climb up a tree after the squabs - have you seen the nests - right at the top amongst the spindly branches!

:unsure:

We used to do it in one rookery near here. It's a boys job really!

They are supposed to build lower down when they expect a bad summer for wind.

[harryhawk]

When out rook hawking we feed the birds up on the fresh rook kill. The flesh looks very good, a nice dark rich colour. The falcons seem to enjoy it.

:unsure: