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Rabbit, Roast, and Chestnuts

Take two dozen fine large chestnuts; slit each one lightly with a penknife, and throw all into a saucepan of cold water. Let them boil for a quarter of an hour, drain, and peel them. Whilst the chestnuts are boiling, skin, wash, and empty a plump young rabbit. Throw the liver into boiling water, let it boil ten minutes, and after-wards mince it finely, and mix with it a tea-spoonful of chopped onion, a tea-spoonful of chopped parsley, four ounces of fat bacon, a little pepper, salt, and pounded mace, and half the boiled chestnuts. Pound these ingredients in a mortar, and when the forcemeat is well mixed put it inside the rabbit, sew up securely, and truss firmly. Tie three or four slices of fat bacon over the animal, put it before a clear fire, baste frequently, and let it remain until done. Remove the skewers, lay the rabbit on a hot dish, pour over it a spoonful or two of the sauce made with the remainder of the chestnuts, and send the rest to table in a tureen. Garnish with sliced lemon. The sauce may be made as follows. Pound the peeled chestnuts till they are quite smooth, and with them an ounce of butter, and a little pepper and salt. Mix half a pint of good brown gravy gradually with the chestnut paste, and stir over the fire till it is quite smooth. Time to roast the rabbit, three-quarters of an hour to one hour. Probable cost of rabbit, 7d. to 9d. per pound. Sufficient for four or five persons.