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Mutton, Fillet of, Braised

Cut the fillet from a well-hung leg of mutton by taking off a few inches from the loin end, and a good knuckle, which will do for boiling, from the other end. Take out the bone, and fill the hollow with forcemeat, if liked, or put the fillet, well sprinkled with pepper and salt into a braising-pan as it is, but first lay over the bottom slices of bacon, and on these a couple of carrots and two large onions, each stuck with four cloves, a small bunch of parsley and thyme, a few peppercorns, and half a pint of gravy or stock. Put more bacon on the top of the fillet, place the lid on the pan, and braise for three or four hours. Strain the gravy, and flavour it to taste; reduce it by rapid boiling. Have ready some French beans boiled and drained; put the beans into a stewpan with the gravy, and when hot serve them and the meat, which should be glazed, on the same dish. The chump end of a loin may be roasted before the fire, enveloped in well-buttered paper, then glazed, and served with beans in precisely the same way. The meat should be roasted slowly without getting any brown colour. Time, about two hours to roast the chump. Probable cost, 1s. per pound.