Procure four spring chickens trussed as for boiling, detach carefully
part of the skin from the breasts, and lay slices of French truffles
under the skin, shaping a heart upon the breasts of each, prepare half a
pound of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 79), divide it in four parts, and
place one on the top of the truffles under the skin of each breast,
covering with the skin, then put half a pound of butter, two onions, two
bay-leaves, and two wine-glasses of pale brandy, with a little stock
into a flat stewpan, lay in the chickens, place a sheet of buttered
paper over, put on the cover, place it ten minutes over a sharp fire,
then set in a moderate oven for an hour, when done take out the string,
lay them on a clean cloth to drain; have ready a croustade in the form
of a pyramid, which place in the centre of your dish entirely enveloped
with mashed potatoes half an inch in thickness; have ready some fine
heads of asparagus boiled very green, and cut about an inch in length,
stick them upon the pyramid with a small nice white head of cauliflower
at the top, dish your chickens round and sauce with a thin purée of
truffles (No. 53) round them.