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Turkey, Stuffed with Chestnuts

Take as many sound chestnuts as will completely fill the body of the bird. Make a small gash with a sharp knife in the outer skin to keep them from bursting, throw them into plenty of fast-boiling water, and let them boil until soft. Drain and dry them, and peel off the outer and the inner skin, look them over carefully, and reject any decayed or mouldy nuts. Fill the turkey's crop with good veal forcemeat, afterwards fill the body of the bird with the boiled chestnuts and the liver, and sew it up securely. Put it down to roast, and baste liberally. Serve on a hot dish, and send brown gravy and either bread sauce or onion sauce to table with it. The brown sauce may be made with turkey giblets as follows. Mince the heart and gizzard, and let them simmer gently for an hour or more. Skim the liquor, strain it, thicken with a little brown thickening, and season with pepper and salt. Add a glassful of claret and a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, let it boil a minute or two, and it will be ready for serving. Time to roast the turkey, an hour and a half to two hours and a half, according to size.