Book of Household Management — 041 - Recipes. Chapter 19. Part 2.

BOILED CALF'S HEAD (with the Skin on).

876. INGREDIENTS.

--Calf's head, boiling water, bread crumbs, 1 large bunch of parsley, butter, white pepper and salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of melted butter, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 2 or 3 grains of cayenne.

_Mode_.

--Put the head into boiling water, and let it remain by the side of the fire for 3 or 4 minutes; take it out, hold it by the ear, and with the back of a knife, scrape off the hair (should it not come off easily, dip the head again into boiling water).

When perfectly clean, take the eyes out, cut off the ears, and remove the brain, which soak for an hour in warm water.

Put the head into hot water to soak for a few minutes, to make it look white, and then have ready a stewpan, into which lay the head; cover it with cold water, and bring it gradually to boil.

Remove the scum, and add a little salt, which assists to throw it up.

Simmer it very gently from 2-1/2 to 3 hours, and when nearly done, boil the brains for 1/4 hour; skin and chop them, not too finely, and add a tablespoonful of minced parsley which has been previously scalded.

Season with pepper and salt, and stir the brains, parsley, &c. , into about 4 tablespoonfuls of melted butter; add the lemon-juice and cayenne, and keep these hot by the side of the fire.

Take up the head, cut out the tongue, skin it, put it on a small dish with the brains round it; sprinkle over the head a few bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley; brown these before the fire, and serve with a tureen of parsley and butter, and either boiled bacon, ham, or pickled pork as an accompaniment.

_Time_.

--2-1/2 to 3 hours.

_Average cost_, according to the season, from 3s.

to 7s.

6d.

_Sufficient_ for 8 or 9 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

BOILED CALF'S HEAD (without the Skin).

877. INGREDIENTS.

--Calf's head, water, a little salt, 4 tablespoonfuls of melted butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, pepper and salt to taste, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice.

[Illustration: CALF'S HEAD.

] [Illustration: HALF A CALF'S HEAD.

] _Mode_.

--After the head has been thoroughly cleaned, and the brains removed, soak it in warm water to blanch it.

Lay the brains also into warm water to soak, and let them remain for about an hour.

Put the head into a stewpan, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and when it boils, add a little salt; take off every particle of scum as it rises, and boil the head until perfectly tender.

Boil the brains, chop them, and mix with them melted butter, minced parsley, pepper, salt, and lemon-juice in the above proportion.

Take up the head, skin the tongue, and put it on a small dish with the brains round it.

Have ready some parsley and butter, smother the head with it, and the remainder send to table in a tureen.

Bacon, ham, pickled pork, or a pig's cheek, are indispensable with calf's head.

The brains are sometimes chopped with hard-boiled eggs, and mixed with a little Béchamel or white sauce.

_Time_.

--From 1-1/2 to 2-1/4 hours.

_Average cost_, according to the season, from 3s.

to 5s.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

_Note_.

--The liquor in which the head was boiled should be saved: it makes excellent soup, and will be found a nice addition to gravies, &c. Half a calf's head is as frequently served as a whole one, it being a more convenient-sized joint for a small family.

It is cooked in the same manner, and served with the same sauces, as in the preceding recipe.

HASHED CALF'S HEAD (Cold Meat Cookery).

878. INGREDIENTS.

--The remains of a cold boiled calf's head, 1 quart of the liquor in which it was boiled, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a strip of lemon-peel, 2 blades of pounded mace, salt and white pepper to taste, a very little cayenne, rather more than 2 tablespoonfuls of sherry, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, forcemeat balls.

_Mode_.

--Cut the meat into neat slices, and put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan with the above proportion of liquor that the head was boiled in.

Add a bunch of savoury herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a strip of lemon-peel, and 2 blades of pounded mace, and let these boil for 1 hour, or until the gravy is reduced nearly half.

Strain it into a clean stewpan, thicken it with a little butter and flour, and add a flavouring of sherry, lemon-juice, and ketchup, in the above proportion; season with pepper, salt, and a little cayenne; put in the meat, let it _gradually_ warm through, but not boil more than _two_ or _three_ minutes.

Garnish the dish with forcemeat balls and pieces of bacon rolled and toasted, placed alternately, and send it to table very hot.

_Time_.

--Altogether 1-1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the remains of the head, 6d.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

VEAL COLLOPS (an Entree).

879. INGREDIENTS.

--About 2 lbs.

of the prime part of the leg of veal, a few slices of bacon, forcemeat No. 417, cayenne to taste, egg and bread crumbs, gravy.

_Mode_.

--Cut the veal into long thin collops, flatten them, and lay on each a piece of thin bacon of the same size; have ready some forcemeat, made by recipe No. 417, which spread over the bacon, sprinkle over all a little cayenne, roll them up tightly, and do not let them be more than 2 inches long.

Skewer each one firmly, egg and bread crumb them, and fry them a nice brown in a little butter, turning them occasionally, and shaking the pan about.

When done, place them on a dish before the fire;

put a small piece of butter in the pan, dredge in a little flour, add 1/4 pint of water, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, a seasoning of salt, pepper, and pounded mace; let the whole boil up, and pour it over the collops.

_Time_.

--From 10 to 15 minutes.

_Average cost_, 10d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

CALF'S LIVER AUX FINES HERBES & SAUCE PIQUANTE.

880. INGREDIENTS.

--A calf's liver, flour, a bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley; when liked, 2 minced shalots; 1 teaspoonful of flour, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, pepper and salt to taste, 1/4 pint water.

_Mode_.

--Procure a calf's liver as white as possible, and cut it into slices of a good and equal shape.

Dip them in flour, and fry them of a good colour in a little butter.

When they are done, put them on a dish, which keep hot before the fire.

Mince the herbs very fine, put them in the frying-pan with a little more butter; add the remaining ingredients, simmer gently until the herbs are done, and pour over the liver.

_Time_.

--According to the thickness of the slices, from 5 to 10 minutes.

_Average cost_, 10d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

CALF'S LIVER AND BACON.

881. INGREDIENTS.

--2 or 3 lbs.

of liver, bacon, pepper and salt to taste, a small piece of butter, flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, 1/4 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Cut the liver in thin slices, and cut as many slices of bacon as there are of liver; fry the bacon first, and put that on a hot dish before the fire.

Fry the liver in the fat which comes from the bacon, after seasoning it with pepper and salt and dredging over it a very little flour.

Turn the liver occasionally to prevent its burning, and when done, lay it round the dish with a piece of bacon between each.

Pour away the bacon fat, put in a small piece of butter, dredge in a little flour, add the lemon-juice and water, give one boil, and pour it in the _middle_ of the dish.

It may be garnished with slices of cut lemon, or forcemeat balls.

_Time_.

--According to the thickness of the slices, from 5 to 10 minutes.

_Average cost_, 10d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

CALF'S LIVER LARDED AND ROASTED (an Entree).

882. INGREDIENTS.

--A calf's liver, vinegar, 1 onion, 3 or 4 sprigs of parsley and thyme, salt and pepper to taste, 1 bay-leaf, lardoons, brown gravy.

_Mode_.

--Take a fine white liver, and lard it the same as a fricandeau;

put it into vinegar with an onion cut in slices, parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, and seasoning in the above proportion.

Let it remain in this pickle for 24 hours, then roast and baste it frequently with the vinegar, &c. ; glaze it, serve under it a good brown gravy, or sauce piquante, and send it to table very hot.

_Time_.

--Rather more than 1 hour.

_Average cost_, 10d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

_Note_.

--Calf's liver stuffed with forcemeat No. 417, to which has been added a little fat bacon, will be found a very savoury dish.

It should be larded or wrapped in buttered paper, and roasted before a clear fire.

Brown gravy and currant jelly should be served with it.

FILLET OF VEAL AU BECHAMEL (Cold Meat Cookery).

883. INGREDIENTS.

--A small fillet of veal, 1 pint of Béchamel sauce No. 367, a few bread crumbs, clarified butter.

_Mode_.

--A fillet of real that has been roasted the preceding day will answer very well for this dish.

Cut the middle out rather deep, leaving a good margin round, from which to cut nice slices, and if there should be any cracks in the veal, fill them up with forcemeat.

Mince finely the meat that was taken out, mixing with it a little of the forcemeat to flavour, and stir to it sufficient Béchamel to make it of a proper consistency.

Warm the veal in the oven for about an hour, taking care to baste it well, that it may not be dry; put the mince in the place where the meat was taken out, sprinkle a few bread crumbs over it, and drop a little clarified butter on the bread crumbs; put it into the oven for 1/4 hour to brown, and pour Béchamel round the sides of the dish.

_Time_.

--Altogether 1-1/2 hour.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

TO RAGOUT A KNUCKLE OF VEAL.

884. INGREDIENTS.

--Knuckle of veal, pepper and salt to taste, flour, 1 onion, 1 head of celery, or a little celery-seed, a faggot of savoury herbs, 2 blades of pounded mace, thickening of butter and flour, a few young carrots, 1 tablespoonful of ketchup, 1 tablespoonful of tomato sauce, 3 tablespoonfuls of sherry, the juice of 1/4 lemon.

_Mode_.

--Cut the meat from a knuckle of veal into neat slices, season with pepper and salt, and dredge them with flour.

Fry them in a little butter of a pale brown, and put them into a stewpan with the bone (which should be chopped in several places); add the celery, herbs, mace, and carrots; pour over all about 1 pint of hot water, and let it simmer very gently for 2 hours, over a slow but clear fire.

Take out the slices of meat and carrots, strain and thicken the gravy with a little butter rolled in flour; add the remaining ingredients, give one boil, put back the meat and carrots, let these get hot through, and serve.

When in season, a few green peas, _boiled separately_, and added to this dish at the moment of serving, would be found a very agreeable addition.

_Time_.

--2 hours.

_Average cost_, 5d.

to 6d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 6 persons.

STEWED KNUCKLE OF VEAL AND RICE.

885. INGREDIENTS.

--Knuckle of veal, 1 onion, 2 blades of mace, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 lb.

of rice.

[Illustration: KNUCKLE OF VEAL.

] _Mode_.

--Have the knuckle cut small, or cut some cutlets from it, that it may be just large enough to be eaten the same day it is dressed, as cold boiled veal is not a particularly tempting dish.

Break the shank-bone, wash it clean, and put the meat into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover it.

Let it gradually come to a boil, put in the salt, and remove the scum as fast as it rises.

When it has simmered gently for about 3/4 hour, add the remaining ingredients, and stew the whole gently for 2-1/4 hours.

Put the meat into a deep dish, pour over it the rice, &c. , and send boiled bacon, and a tureen of parsley and butter to table with it.

_Time_.

--A knuckle of veal weighing 6 lbs.

, 3 hours' gentle stewing.

_Average cost_, 5d.

to 6d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

_Note_.

--Macaroni, instead of rice, boiled with the veal, will be found good; or the rice and macaroni may be omitted, and the veal sent to table smothered in parsley and butter.

ROAST LOIN OF VEAL.

[Illustration: LOIN OF VEAL.

] 886. INGREDIENTS.

--Veal; melted butter.

_Mode_.

--Paper the kidney fat; roll in and skewer the flap, which makes the joint a good shape; dredge it well with flour, and put it down to a bright fire.

Should the loin be very large, skewer the kidney back for a time to roast thoroughly.

Keep it well basted, and a short time before serving, remove the paper from the kidney, and allow it to acquire a nice brown colour, but it should not be burnt.

Have ready some melted butter, put it into the dripping-pan after it is emptied of its contents, pour it over the veal, and serve.

Garnish the dish with slices of lemon and forcemeat balls, and send to table with it, boiled bacon, ham, pickled pork, or pig's cheek.

_Time_.

--A large loin, 3 hours.

_Average cost_, 9-1/2d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

_Note_.

--A piece of toast should be placed under the kidney when the veal is dished.

LOIN OF VEAL AU BECHAMEL (Cold Meat Cookery).

887. INGREDIENTS.

--Loin of veal, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, rather more than 1/2 pint of Béchamel or white sauce.

_Mode_.

--A loin of veal which has come from table with very little taken off, answers very well for this dish.

Cut off the meat from the inside, mince it, and mix with it some minced lemon-peel; put it into sufficient Béchamel to warm through.

In the mean time, wrap the joint in buttered paper, and place it in the oven to warm.

When thoroughly hot, dish the mince, place the loin above it, and pour over the remainder of the Béchamel.

_Time_.

--1-1/2 hour to warm the meat in the oven.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

LOIN OF VEAL, a la Daube.

888. INGREDIENTS.

--The chump end of a loin of veal, forcemeat No. 417, a few slices of bacon, a bunch of savoury herbs, 2 blades of mace, 1/2 teaspoonful of whole white pepper, 1 pint of veal stock or water, 5 or 6 green onions.

_Mode_.

--Cut off the chump from a loin of veal, and take out the bone;

fill the cavity with forcemeat No. 417, tie it up tightly, and lay it in a stewpan with the bones and trimmings, and cover the veal with a few slices of bacon.

Add the herbs, mace, pepper, and onions, and stock or water; cover the pan with a closely-fitting lid, and simmer for 2 hours, shaking the stewpan occasionally.

Take out the bacon, herbs, and onions;

reduce the gravy, if not already thick enough, to a glaze, with which glaze the meat, and serve with tomato, mushroom, or sorrel sauce.

_Time_.

--2 hours.

_Average cost_, 9d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

MINCED VEAL, with Béchamel Sauce (Cold Meat Cookery).

(_Very Good_.

) 889. INGREDIENTS.

--The remains of a fillet of veal, 1 pint of Béchamel sauce No. 367, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, forcemeat balls.

_Mode_.

--Cut--but do not _chop_--a few slices of cold roast veal as finely as possible, sufficient to make rather more than 1 lb.

, weighed after being minced.

Make the above proportion of Béchamel, by recipe No. 367; add the lemon-peel, put in the veal, and let the whole gradually warm through.

When it is at the point of simmering, dish it, and garnish with forcemeat balls and fried sippets of bread.

_Time_.

--To simmer 1 minute.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, 1s.

4d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

MINCED VEAL.

(_More Economical_.

) 890. INGREDIENTS.

--The remains of cold roast fillet or loin of veal, rather more than 1 pint of water, 1 onion, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, salt and white pepper to taste, 1 blade of pounded mace, 2 or 3 young carrots, a faggot of sweet herbs, thickening of butter and flour, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 3 tablespoonfuls of cream or milk.

_Mode_.

--Take about 1 lb.

of veal, and should there be any bones, dredge them with flour, and put them into a stewpan with the brown outside, and a few meat trimmings; add rather more than a pint of water, the onion cut in slices, lemon-peel, seasoning, mace, carrots, and herbs; simmer these well for rather more than 1 hour, and strain the liquor.

Rub a little flour into some butter; add this to the gravy, set it on the fire, and, when it boils, skim well.

Mince the veal finely by _cutting_, and not chopping it; put it in the gravy; let it get warmed through gradually; add the lemon-juice and cream, and, when it is on the point of boiling, serve.

Garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread and slices of bacon rolled and toasted.

Forcemeat balls may also be added.

If more lemon-peel is liked than is stated above, put a little very finely minced to the veal, after it is warmed in the gravy.

_Time_.

--1 hour to make the gravy.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, 6d.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

THE CALF A SYMBOL OF DIVINE POWER.

--A singular symbolical ceremony existed among the Hebrews, in which the calf performed a most important part.

The calf being a type or symbol of Divine power, or what was called the _Elohim_,--the Almighty intelligence that brought them out of Egypt,--was looked upon much in the same light by the Jews, as the cross subsequently was by the Christians, a mystical emblem of the Divine passion and goodness.

Consequently, an oath taken on either the calf or the cross was considered equally solemn and sacred by Jew or Nazarene, and the breaking of it a soul-staining perjury on themselves, and an insult and profanation directly offered to the Almighty.

To render the oath more impressive and solemn, it was customary to slaughter a dedicated calf in the temple, when, the priests having divided the carcase into a certain number of parts, and with intervening spaces, arranged the severed limbs on the marble pavement, the one, or all the party, if there were many individuals, to be bound by the oath, repeating the words of the compact, threaded their way in and out through the different spaces, till they had taken the circuit of each portion of the divided calf, when the ceremony was concluded.

To avert the anger of the Lord, when Jerusalem was threatened by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian host, the Jews had made a solemn to God, ratified by the ceremony of the calf, if He released them from their dreaded foe, to cancel the servitude of their Hebrew brethren.

After investing the city for some time, and reducing the inhabitants to dreadful suffering and privation, the Babylonians, hearing that Pharaoh, whom the Jews had solicited for aid, was rapidly approaching with a powerful army, hastily raised the siege, and, removing to a distance, took up a position where they could intercept the Egyptians, and still cover the city.

No sooner did the Jews behold the retreat of the enemy, than they believed all danger was past, and, with their usual turpitude, they repudiated their oath, and refused to liberate their oppressed countrymen.

For this violation of their covenant with the Lord, they were given over to all the horrors of the sword, pestilence, and famine--Jeremiah, xxxiv.

15-17. MINCED VEAL AND MACARONI.

(_A pretty side or corner dish_.

) 891. INGREDIENTS.

--3/4 lb.

of minced cold roast veal, 3 oz.

of ham, 1 tablespoonful of gravy, pepper and salt to taste, 3 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1/4 lb.

of bread crumbs, 1/4 lb.

of macaroni, 1 or 2 eggs to bind, a small piece of butter.

_Mode_.

--Cut some nice slices from a cold fillet of veal, trim off the brown outside, and mince the meat finely with the above proportion of ham: should the meat be very dry, add a spoonful of good gravy.

Season highly with pepper and salt, add the grated nutmeg and bread crumbs, and mix these ingredients with 1 or 2 eggs well beaten, which should bind the mixture and make it like forcemeat.

In the mean time, boil the macaroni in salt and water, and drain it; butter a mould, put some of the macaroni at the bottom and sides of it, in whatever form is liked;

mix the remainder with the forcemeat, fill the mould up to the top, put a plate or small dish on it, and steam for 1/2 hour.

Turn it out carefully, and serve with good gravy poured round, but not over, the meat.

_Time_.

--1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, 10d.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

_Note_.

--To make a variety, boil some carrots and turnips separately in a little salt and water; when done, cut them into pieces about 1/8 inch in thickness; butter an oval mould, and place these in it, in white and red stripes alternately, at the bottom and sides.

Proceed as in the foregoing recipe, and be very careful in turning it out of the mould.

MOULDED MINCED VEAL (Cold Meat Cookery).

892. INGREDIENTS.

--3/4 lb.

of cold roast veal, a small slice of bacon, 1/4 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, 1/2 onion chopped fine, salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste, a slice of toast soaked in milk, 1 egg.

_Mode_.

--Mince the meat very fine, after removing from it all skin and outside pieces, and chop the bacon; mix these well together, adding the lemon-peel, onion, seasoning, mace, and toast.

When all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, heat up an egg, with which bind the mixture.

Butter a shape, put in the meat, and hake for 3/4 hour; turn it out of the mould carefully, and pour round it a good brown gravy.

A

sheep's head dressed in this manner is an economical and savoury dish.

_Time_.

--3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, exclusive of the meat, 6d.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

BRAISED NECK OF VEAL.

893. INGREDIENTS.

--The best end of the neck of veal (from 3 to 4 lbs.

), bacon, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste; 1 onion, 2 carrots, a little celery (when this is not obtainable, use the seed), 1/2 glass of sherry, thickening of butter and flour, lemon-juice, 1 blade of pounded mace.

_Mode_.

--Prepare the bacon for larding, and roll it in minced parsley, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg; lard the veal, put it into a stewpan with a few slices of lean bacon or ham, an onion, carrots, and celery;

and do not quite cover it with water.

Stew it gently for 2 hours, or until it is quite tender; strain off the liquor; stir together over the fire, in a stewpan, a little flour and butter until brown; lay the veal in this, the upper side to the bottom of the pan, and let it remain till of a nice brown colour.

Place it in the dish; pour into the stewpan as much gravy as is required, boil it up, skim well, add the wine, pounded mace, and lemon-juice; simmer for 3 minutes, pour it over the meat, and serve.

_Time_.

--Rather more than 2 hours.

_Average cost_, 8d.

per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

BIRTH OF CALVES.

--The cow seldom produces more than a single calf; sometimes, twins, and, very rarely, three.

A French newspaper, however,--the "Nouveau Bulletin des Sciences,"--gave a trustworthy but extraordinary account of a cow which produced nine calves in all, at three successive births, in three successive years.

The first year, four cow calves; the second year, three calves, two of them females; the third year, two calves, both females.

With the exception of two belonging to the first birth, all were suckled by the mother.