This section is from the book "The Epicurean", by Charles Ranhofer. Also available from Amazon: The Epicurean, a Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies on the Culinary Art.
Cut half a lamb crosswise that is the entire saddle with the two legs, leaving one of the ribs attached to the saddle, saw off the knuckle of the leg bones, make a handle two inches long by removing the meat and scraping the bone well; roll the flanks under, tie the loin with three rounds of string having a knot at each round, then wrap the meat in a very heavy buttered paper and let reast either on the spit or in the oven. Unwrap it fifteen minutes before serving so as to brown it nicely, then dress and glaze, garnish around the dish with potato croquettes (No. 2782) and decorate both legs with paper frills (No. 10); serve separately a rather light half-glaze sauce (No. 413;.
Select a fore saddle of lamb with the two racks, lift off the shoulders and cut the rack bones in such a way that the saddle is not more than four inches high through its entire length; suppress the skin covering the fat and then roast it in a pan in the oven; this will take about twenty minutes. When done dress on a long dish, glaze and garnish around the meat with peeled chestnuts braised with branches of celery, and pour over some gravy (No. 404) or else serve it separately.
 
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