A Pig Metelete.
HAVING taken out the entrails, and scalded your
pig, cut off the head and pettitoes; then cut the body
into four quarters, and put them, with the head and toes,
into cold water. Cover the bottom of a stewpan with
slices of bacon, and place the quarters over them, with
the pettitoes, and the head cut in two. Season the whole
with pepper and salt, a bay leaf, a little thyme, an onion,
and add a bottle of white wine. Then lay on more slices
of bacon, put over it a quart of water, and let it boil.
Skin and gut two large eels, and cut them in pieces about
five or six inches long. When your pig is half done, put
in your eels; then boil a dozen of large cray-fish, cut off
the claws, and take off the shells of the tails. When
your pig and eels are enough, lay first your pig in the dish,
and your pettitoes round it, but do not put in the head,
as that will make a pretty cold dish. Then lay your eels
and cray-fish over them, and take the liquor they were
stewed in, skim off the fat, and add to it half a pint of
strong gravy, thickened with a little piece of burnt butter.
Pour this over it, and garnish with lemon and cray-fish.
Fry the brains, and lay them round, and all over the dish.
—At grand entertainments this will do for a first course
or remove.