A fillet of beef can only be procured in this country by purchasing a
rump and sirloin together, (in France it is sold as a separate joint,)
but the rump and sirloin can be used for other dishes, or for the
servants’ meals, and in families where they kill their own meat, it is
of no consequence. To cut out the fillet lay the rump and sirloin upon
the table, the inside uppermost, then pass your knife along close to the
chine bone, keeping the knife close to the bone until you get past the
fillet, then commence cutting upwards through the fat, which trim from
the fillet, except a little at the sides, then with a sharp knife take
all the skin from the top of the fillet, beat it lightly, and lard it
nicely lengthwise with small lardons of fat bacon, two inches in length,
and the thickness of a quill; have prepared and cut in slices six
onions, two carrots, two turnips, one head of celery, one leek, a
handful of parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, and six bay-leaves, moisten
with a teacupful of salad oil, lay your fillet on a large dish and cover
with the vegetables, let it remain thus all night; to cook it run a lark
spit through the length of the fillet, lay all the vegetables upon four
sheets of paper, (or more, for if not sufficient paper it will burst and
the vegetables fall in the dripping-pan,) lay the fillet upon them,
cover and tie it up surrounded with the vegetables; baste it well when
you first put it to the fire, to prevent the paper from burning, roast
an hour and a half or a little longer before a good fire; when done,
take it from the vegetables, glaze the larded part, brown lightly with
the salamander, and it is ready to be sauced and served. It may also be
roasted without the vegetables, but then an hour would suffice.