Original Receipt in 'The Book of Household Management', 1861, edited by Isabella Beeton (See Mrs.B)CHESTNUT SAUCE FOR FOWLS OR TURKEY.
390. INGREDIENTS:½ lb. of chestnuts,½ pint of white stock, 2 strips of lemon-peel, cayenne to taste, ¼ pint of cream or milk.
Mode: Peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts, and put them into boiling water for a few minutes; take off the thin inside peel, and put them into a saucepan, with the white stock and lemon-peel, and let them simmer for 1-½ hour, or until the chestnuts are quite tender. Rub the whole through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon; add seasoning and the cream; let it just simmer, but not boil, and keep stirring all the time. Serve very hot; and quickly. If milk is used instead of cream, a very small quantity of thickening may be required: that, of course, the cook will determine.
Time: Altogether nearly two hours.
Average cost: 8d.
Sufficient: this quantity, for a turkey.