Trim a nice small fillet about fifteen inches long, and cut off the
thickest part of the thin end, then with a long knife cut a deep
incision down the thin side, lengthwise, which fill with a pound of veal
forcemeat (No. 120), with which you have mixed some ox-tongue, truffles,
and hard-boiled whites of eggs, cut into good-sized fillets, season with
a little chopped eschalots, then cover the fillet with leaves of celery
as large as you can get them, over which also lay slices of cooked ham,
and envelope the whole in thin slices of fat bacon, tie it up with
string, then place it in a braising-pan with two calves’ feet, and half
cover it with good stock, place it on a slow fire and stew it two hours
and a half, or until tender, which try with a trussing-needle, take it
up and leave it on a dish to get cold; then pass the stock through a
sieve into a stewpan, and place it upon the ice to set, when firm take
off all the fat, wash the top with hot water to take off all the grease,
then clarify it as directed for aspic (No. 1360), and pass it through a
napkin, trim the fillet at each end lightly, leaving the top untouched,
when quite cold have ready a long mould and pour a little of the
clarified stock into it half an inch in depth, place it on the ice, and
when set ornament it with fillets of truffles, tongue, and whites of
hard-boiled eggs, which cover carefully with more of the clarified stock
half an inch thick; when quite set lay in the fillet of beef, the top
downwards, and fill the mould with the remainder of the jelly; when set
turn it out of the mould upon a dish by dipping the mould in warm water,
garnish round with stoned olives and the remainder of the clarified
stock; you may also stick atelettes on the top, ornamented tastefully.
If you cannot procure a mould place the fillet upon a dish, and garnish
it tastefully with croutons of aspic.