Macedoine of Beef

Beef cutlets with vegetables in a milk gravy.

The desired quantity of rump steak is cut into slices half an inch in thickness and formed into the shape of cutlets, three inches by two inches, flat; trim all to the same size and lard thickly on one side with fine lardoons of bacon fat. Lay out, larded side uppermost, in a flat pan and nearly cover with richly flavored stock; cover the pan with a lid and braise in an oven for an hour. Remove the lid, baste the slices with gravy and let them remain uncovered in the oven until the larding has taken color; they are then ready to dish. Use equal amounts of sliced carrots, turnips, cutting into fancy shapes; green peas, string beans, asparagus tops and small sprigs of cauliflowers; boil all in salted water until quite tender. Melt in a saucepan a lump of butter, add a little flour and stir in enough milk to make a sauce, adding pepper, salt and a little grated nutmeg. Put into this sauce all the vegetables, of which there should be sufficient quantity to make them adhere together, and toss them gently in it until quite hot. Pile in the middle of a dish and place the slices around them in a circle. Skin off all fat from the gravy, pour it around the dish but not over the slices, and serve.