Woodcocks in Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 whole woodcocks, plucked and cleaned
• 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
• 1 jícara olive oil
• 1 jícara white wine
• 2 1/2 tablespoons manteca (lard)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. Pluck and clean the woodcocks, wiping them with a clean cloth without washing them. Season with salt.
2. In a baking dish, arrange the sliced onion, then add the olive oil, white wine, manteca (lard), and ground pepper.
3. Place the seasoned woodcocks in the dish, cover tightly, and braise slowly over moderate heat.
4. When the woodcocks are half-cooked, add their livers and innards to the dish.
5. Continue cooking until the birds are cooked through.
6. Strain the sauce into a separate vessel.
7. Using a mortar and pestle, pound together the cooked onion, livers, and innards until well broken down.
8. Return this paste to the sauce to thicken it, then pour the sauce over the woodcocks and serve.