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Italian Steak

Take two or three pounds of steak from the rump or fillet--let it be quite an inch and a half in thickness. Brown it in a stewpan with two or three ounces of butter, turning it frequently over a quick fire. When brown alike on both sides, remove the steak to a baking-pan, with a tight-fitting lid (earthenware pans are always used for this purpose on the Continent), and fry two medium-sized onions, sliced, a shallot, minced, and a bunch of parsley in the same butter. Spread this over the steak in the pan. Add two large wine-glassfuls of port, and two breakfast-cupfuls of stock, with a root of celery cut into pieces, two pickled gherkins, four or five cloves, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Cover down the lid tight, that no steam may escape, and let it bake in the oven nearly an hour and a half, when put in a turnup and a carrot, whole, and close as before. If the roots are young they will be done in half an hour. Cut them into dice, and lay them over the top of the steak, which should be placed on a hot dish. Send to table with the gravy strained over. Probable cost, 1s. 4d. per pound.