Olives Stuffed with Chestnuts

Take twelve Spanish olives and six Spanish chestnuts, put two ounces of butter
in a saucepan with two ounces of ham cut in small pieces, a small carrot and onion
peeled and cut into thin slices and fry until they are brown; then add a bay-leaf, a
blade of mace, four peppercorns, dredge in one tablespoonful of flour and moisten
with some of the liquor from the olives. Stir the whole until they are mixed then
place the pan over the fire and stir occasionally. Boil the chestnuts and when they
are tender peel and put them in a mortar with one pound of butter, salt and pepper to
tajste, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg, pound until smooth. Peel the olives,
remove the stones, fill the hollows with the chestnuts, and lay them in a lined stewpan;
strain the above sauce over them and let them simmer at the side of the fire
until they are hot through. Cut a thick slice of bread, fry it in butter until it is
nicely browned, then drain and scoop out the center, making a hollow large enough to
hold the olives. When it is ready put the olives on the bread, place it on a hot dish,
garnish tastefully round with quarters of hard-boiled eggs, pour the sauce round the
bread and serve while it is very hot.