The encyclopædia of practical cookery

(2) Scald and clean a Calf’s Head, put it into a saucepan with a lump of salt and boil it until tender. Drain and bone the head, put it between two dishes with a weight on the top, and press it to an oblong shape. When the head is quite cold cut it in halves. Warm loz. of butter, and beat it well Sauces, d'C., referred to, see under their special heads. Calf — continued. with the yolks of four eggs ; season with salt and pepper. Brush the head over with a paste-brush dipped in the beaten eggs, then strew it thickly with grated breadcrumbs; brush it over again with the beaten eggs, then cover with more breadcrumbs, this time mixing finely-chopped parsley with them. Put the head on a baking-dish, and bake it in a brisk oven until nicely browned. Boil the brains, and when tender chop them finely ; put them in a saucepan with £ pint of gravy, season it with salt and cayenne pepper, and keep it hot at the side of the fire. When the head is cooked, put it on a hot dish, pour the gravy round, and Berve with a sauceboatful of parsley and butter sauce. Calf's-Head Cheese. — This tasty preparation can be made with any remains of cold, cooked Calf's Head, as follows : Cut the meat into moderate-sized pieces, put them in a saucepan with some brains or brain sauce, pour in 1 wineglassful t f Madeira or sherry, 1 table-spoonful of vinegar, and sufficient Calf’s-Head stock to cover; dust in some salt, pepper, and powdered sage, and add a lump of sugar. When boiling move the stewpan to the side of the fire, and let the contents simmer gently, keeping them well stirred. When the liquor has reduced to a jelly, turn the cheese into a mould, and leave it till cold and stiff. When ready to serve, tarn the cheese out of the mould on to a folded napkin or an ornamental dishpaper on a dish. Calf's Head a la Financiere. — For the preparation of this fanciful dish all the parts of the head are prepared as for a ragout — the ears are scalded and stuffed, the brains made into cakes. The pieces of meat are cut into large discs and arranged round a pain of forcemeat made of the trimmings. and around this again, either on the same dish or one below it, the cars and brain-cakes are arranged with blanched olives and button mushrooms. Attelettes garnished with cocks’ combs, truffles, and other things surmount the whole (see Fig. 309). Calf's Head a la Luxembourg. — Run a knife under the skin upon the top of the skull and saw off about 2in. of the skull-bone. Boil the head, take it out and drain it, and wipe on a cloth. Prepare a forcemeat as follows : Well wash the brains, cut them up into slices, put them into a saute-pan with 2oz. of butter, sprinkle over with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, squeeze over the juice of half a lemon, and cook gently over a slow fire, turning frequently. Mince them as fine as possible, put them into a basin, mix in 4 table-spoonfuls of sifted breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and chopped lemon-peel, and make the whole into a mass by adding the yolks of two eggs. Spread this over the head placed in a saute-pan, brush the surface with egg, sprinkle over breadcrumbs, and bake in a moderate oven for about half-an-hour. Brown the top with a salamander, and put it on a dish.