To make a Peacock Pye

To make a Peacock Pye. Pate de Paon. Pick it, and leave the Feathers on the Neck, cut the Neck off close to the Body, skin the Neck close to the Head, and cut it off; put a Stick tight into the Skin up to the Head, dry it in an Oven; cut off the Legs, and keep them, then draw it and singe it; keep some of the short Feathers of the Tail; truss it as for boiling, break down the Breast Bone, season it with Pepper and Salt, skewer it, put a Piece of Butter into the Belly of it, roast it about half enough, and let it cool; raise a Pye for it, or make it as you do a Ham Pye; put in the Belly of the Peacock ten Yolks of Eggs boil’d hard, blanch half a Dozen Sweet-breads, cut them in Dice, lay them round the Bird so as to make it even at Top, lay over that some thin Slices of interlar’d Bacon, and Butter over all; close your Pye, and make a Funnel in the Middle; garnish it as you’ll see in the garnishing of some of the other Pies, which will direct you how to place the Head and Feet; you must make a Piece of Paste like the Rump, stick five or six Feathers in it after the Pye is bak’d, place the Head at the Head of the Pye, and carve the Outsides; when it is bak’d, fillthe Pye up with clarified Butter, and keep it for a standing Dish to ornamentthe Middle of your Table, or set it on a Side Table. John Thacker. The Art of Cookery. 1757