Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/508

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Ingredients. A calf's head. For the forcemeat: the calf's brains and tongue, 2 tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, 1 dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 level teaspoonful of mixed herbs, the grated rind of a lemon, 2 eggs, salt and pepper. For the sauce: 1 pint of the stock, 1½ ozs. of butter, 1½ ozs. of flour, 1 tablespoonful of cooked coarsely-chopped mushrooms, 1 tablespoonful of coarsely-chopped gherkins, the juice of 1 lemon. For the stock: see preceding recipe.

Method.—Prepare blanch, and partially boil the head as directed in the preceding recipe. Boil the tongue in the same saucepan, remove the skin, and chop it finely. Wash the brains in several waters, let them remain in salt and water until wanted, then tie loosely in a piece of muslin, boil with the head for about ½ an hour, and when cool chop coarsely. Mix the tongue, brains, breadcrumbs, parsley, herbs and lemon-rind together, add a liberal seasoning of salt and pepper, and beaten egg in sufficient quantity to thoroughly moisten the whole. Bone, flatten, and season the head, spread on the forcemeat, roll up tightly in a cloth, and cook gently for 2 hours. When nearly ready, melt the butter in a stewpan, stir in the flour, and cook for 5 minutes. Add to the roux or thickening a pint of stock from the saucepan, stir until it boils, simmer gently for 10 minutes, then put in the mushrooms, gherkins, lemon-juice, and seasoning to taste. Serve the head on a hot dish, garnished with cut lemon, and the sauce separately in a tureen.

Time.—About 4 hours. Average Cost, from 7s. to 9s. 6d.

Ingredients.—A calf's head. For the stock: 1 or 2 onions, 1 or 2 carrots, 1 small turnip, 2 strips of celery, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), 12 peppercorns, salt. For the sauce: 1½ oz. of butter, 1½ ozs. of flour, ½ a pint of stock, ½ a pint of milk, lemon-juice 1 dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 egg, browned breadcrumbs.

Method.—Prepare and blanch the head in the usual manner, return it to the saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, skim well, then add the prepared vegetables, herbs, peppercorns, salt to taste, and simmer from 2 to 2½ hours, according to size. Boil the tongue at the same time. Wash the brains in several waters, let them remain in salt and water until wanted, then tie loosely in a piece of muslin, boil with the head for about ½ an hour, and when cool, chop coarsely and use for the sauce. The head may be served plainly-boiled, but it presents a better appearance when it has been coated with egg and brown breadcrumbs, and baked for 20 minutes in the oven, being frequently basted during the time. It is more easily carved, and the various parts are more evenly distributed when the bones are