For braising Calf’s Head it should be parboiled, then
boned and cut into suitable slices, the ears being cut out
together with a ring, which is to enable them to stand
upright on the ragoilt dish ; the tongue is left entire, to be
carved on the table ; the brain is cut in dice, and used
as garnish to the dish. The variations which have been
applied consist mainly in changes concerning the con-
stituents of the sauce. From poivrade, or ravigote, and poor
man’s sauce, to Italian or tomato sauce, many varieties
may be used, but a good espagnole will perhaps be preferred
by most people. Some recipes prescribe to boil the brain in
a mixture of vinegar and water, with salt, and fat, and with-
out mincing it, to make a longitudinal incision into each
half of the brain, and then pour the sauce selected over it.
Other recipes inculcate the addition of much wine to the
braise; others, again, advise the calf’s head to be garnished
with fried eggs and croiltons, or propose a trophy of a
croustade on which the tongue is to be presented. Such
additions and ornamentations are applicable on special
occasions, but add nothing to the essential qualities of the
dish.
Calf’s head, being somewhat tasteless in itself, requires
always a savoury sauce, sometimes an addition oi forcemeat ;
with the latter it may conveniently be skiffed. For this pur-
pose it is parboiled and boned, all the apertures are closed by
sutures, the farce and the tongue are placed inside it as into
a sack, and this is closed at the neck-end by sutures ; it is
wrapped in a cloth, bound and sewed up, and braised with
all accompaniments. Cloth and sutures are removed, and
the head is dished with espagnole or a ragout made with
this sauce and suitable additions. As a variation, the
braised head may be sauced, crumbed, and baked. Some
ancient English recipes give two steps for preparing the
452
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
sack for receiving the fai'ce — the first is skinning ; the
second, boning. In this way all other solids of the head
are isolated, and can be mixed with the farce.
Calf's Head en Tortue is, in some cookery-books, miscalled
h la Tortue. The parboiled and boned calf’s head is cut
in twelve pieces, and finished in a ragout en tortue.
Calf's Head stuffed with Farce, after the manner of Fuits
Certain, is a somewhat fanciful preparation, inasmuch as
the eyes are made an object of culinary preparation, and
the brain cavity is filled with farce.
Calf's Head in Plain Bagoht d la Potdette, in Breadcrumb
d la Ste. M&n6hoidd, and fried, are esteemed dishes.
Calf’s Brain is very tasteless by itself, but a good vehicle
of even mild flavours and bland white sauces, and absolutely
tender. When brain is fried, as in a recipe for scollops, it
evolves a very fine osmazome flavour, superior to that of
any game or meat. But the frying must be managed most
carefully, as the least over-heating is destructive of the
flavour. In Fried Calf's Brain the Spaniards excel.
Braised and gratinated in Scollop Shells is a form which
admits of the introduction of tasty and aromatic elements.
Stetved d VAllemande is a form much used in South
Germany ; while the French dress it en mdtelote, or with
ravigote sauce.
Page 285
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
For braising Calf’s Head it should be parboiled, then boned and cut into suitable slices, the ears being cut out together with a ring, which is to enable them to stand upright on the ragout dish ; the tongue is left entire, to be carved on the table ; the brain is cut in dice, and used as garnish to the dish. The variations which have been applied consist mainly in changes concerning the constituents of the sauce. From poivrade, or ravigote, and poor man’s sauce, to Italian or tomato sauce, many varieties may be used, but a good espagnole will perhaps be preferred by most people. Some recipes prescribe to boil the brain in a mixture of vinegar and water, with salt, and fat, and without mincing it, to make a longitudinal incision into each half of the brain, and then pour the sauce selected over it. Other recipes inculcate the addition of much wine to the braise; others, again, advise the calf’s head to be garnished with fried eggs and croutons, or propose a trophy of a croustade on which the tongue is to be presented. Such additions and ornamentations are applicable on special occasions, but add nothing to the essential qualities of the dish.
Calf’s head, being somewhat tasteless in itself, requires always a savoury sauce, sometimes an addition oi forcemeat ; with the latter it may conveniently be skiffed. For this purpose it is parboiled and boned, all the apertures are closed by sutures, the farce and the tongue are placed inside it as into a sack, and this is closed at the neck-end by sutures ; it is wrapped in a cloth, bound and sewed up, and braised with all accompaniments. Cloth and sutures are removed, and the head is dished with espagnole or a ragout made with this sauce and suitable additions. As a variation, the braised head may be sauced, crumbed, and baked. Some ancient English recipes give two steps for preparing the
sack for receiving the farce — the first is skinning ; the second, boning. In this way all other solids of the head are isolated, and can be mixed with the farce.
Calf's Head en Tortue is, in some cookery-books, miscalled h la Tortue. The parboiled and boned calf’s head is cut in twelve pieces, and finished in a ragout en tortue.
Calf's Head stuffed with Farce, after the manner of Fuits Certain, is a somewhat fanciful preparation, inasmuch as the eyes are made an object of culinary preparation, and the brain cavity is filled with farce.
Calf's Head in Plain Ragout à la Poulette, in Breadcrumb à la Ste. Ménéhoïde, and fried, are esteemed dishes.
Calf’s Brain is very tasteless by itself, but a good vehicle of even mild flavours and bland white sauces, and absolutely tender. When brain is fried, as in a recipe for scollops, it evolves a very fine osmazome flavour, superior to that of any game or meat. But the frying must be managed most carefully, as the least over-heating is destructive of the flavour. In Fried Calf's Brain the Spaniards excel. Braised and gratinated in Scollop Shells is a form which admits of the introduction of tasty and aromatic elements. Stewed à l'Allemande is a form much used in South Germany ; while the French dress it en mdtelote, or with ravigote sauce.