Trim the fillet; suppress the long muscle lying on its thicker side (Fr. chaîne), and open the meat lengthwise from the same side. Withdraw the meat from the inside of the fillet so as to leave a wall of meat only one-half inch thick all round. Finely chop the withdrawn meat and combine with it, per lb., little by little, from four to five tablespoonfuls of cream and four oz. of fresh foie gras. Season with salt and pepper, rectify the consistence of the paste, and add thereto, per lb., two oz. of chopped truffles.
Fill the hollow fillet with this forcemeat, thereby returning it to its original shape, and stud its top surface with pointed pieces of truffle one inch long by one-quarter inch wide, stuck into the meat aslant. In order to facilitate this operation, bore the meat, before the insertion of the pieces of truffles, by means of a small knife.
Now cover the fillet with slices of bacon and string it laterally, leaving a space of one inch between each strand.
[Poële] the meat carefully, and take care that the forcemeat inside be well, but not over-done. This may be ascertained by thrusting a braiding needle into the thickest part of the fillet, as soon as the meat seems resisting and elastic to the touch. If the needle withdraws clean, the fillet is ready.
Now glaze it, after having cut away the string and removed the slices of bacon; dish it, and surround it with the following garnish:—Small tartlet-crusts garnished by means of noodles with cream; a slice of foie gras stamped out with a round cutter and tossed in butter, upon the noodles; and a fine slice of truffle on the foie gras.
Sauce to be sent to the table separately.—The reduced [poëling]-liquor of the fillet, cleared of all grease, and added to a Périgueux sauce.
[1047—FILET DE BŒUF CHÂTELAINE]
Lard the fillet, [poële] it, and glaze it just before dishing up. Set it on a long dish, and surround it with the following garnish:—(1) Medium-sized artichoke-bottoms garnished with thick Soubise; (2) fine, peeled chestnuts cooked in the [355] ][poëling]-liquor; (3) small heaps of lightly browned potatoes, cooked in butter at the last moment.
Sauce to be sent separately.—The reduced [poëling]-liquor of the fillet, cleared of all grease and added to a Madeira sauce.