Tender rump steak or fillet of beef
Two slices of fat bacon
Three teaspoonsful of olive oil
Salt
A tiny pinch of nutmeg
Anchovy, minced and mixed with chopped herbs
A small clove of garlic
Stock

"Put a piece of very tender rump steak or fillet of beef into a stewpan with two slices of fat bacon and three tea-

spoonsful of the finest olive oil; season with , salt and a tiny pinch of nutmeg; let it cook uncovered, and turn the meat over occasionally. When it is nicely browned add an anchovy minced and mixed with chopped herbs, and a small clove of garlic with one cut across it. Then cover the whole with good stock, put the cover on the stewpan, and when it is all sufficiently cooked, skim the grease off the sauce, pass it through a sieve, and pour it over the beef. Leave the garlic in for five minutes only."

This recipe was first published in "The Cook's Decameron: a study in taste, containing over two hundred recipes for Italian dishes," written by Mrs. W.G. Waters and published by William Heineman (1920). For the entire copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org. A variety of recipes from this cookbook can also be found on this website.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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