BURLINGTON WHIMSEY.
Set aside until quite cold half a calf’s head dressed by the preceding receipt. If, on cutting it, the gelatinous part should not appear perfectly tender, pare it off closely from the head, weigh, and mince it; put it into a pint of good gravy, and stew it gently from ten to fifteen minutes. Mince as much more of the head as will make up a pound in weight after the edges are trimmed off, and part of the fat is taken away; add to this three ounces of the lean of a boiled ham finely chopped, the grated rind of a large lemon, three teaspoonsful of parsley and one of thyme shred very small, three quarters of a teaspoonful of mace, half a small nutmeg grated, a teaspoonful of salt, and a half-quarter one of cayenne; stir the whole well together, and put it, with half a pint more of gravy, to the portion which has been already simmered. When the whimsey has boiled softly from four to five minutes, pour it into moulds or pans, in which slices of the tongue have been evenly arranged, and when quite cold it will turn out very firmly. It may be garnished, before it is sent to table, with branches of parsley, which should, however, be perfectly dry; and when served for supper or luncheon, it may be accompanied by a salad dressing.
Calf’s head, 1 lb.; lean of ham, 3 oz.; gravy, 1-1/2 pint; rind of 1 large lemon; parsley, 3 teaspoonsful; thyme and salt, each 1 teaspoonful; mace, 3/4 teaspoonful; 1/2 nutmeg; cayenne, 1/8 part of teaspoonful: 5 minutes.
Obs.—The remains of a plain boiled head may be made to serve for this dish, provided the gravy used with it be well jellied and of high flavour. Slices from the small end of a boiled and smoked ox-tongue, from their bright colour improve greatly its appearance. It should be tasted before it is poured out, that salt or any other seasoning may be added if needful. After three or four days’ keeping, should any mould appear upon the surface, take it off, re-melt the whimsey, and give it two minutes’ boil. For change, the herbs may be omitted, and the quantity of ham increased, or some minced tongue substituted for it.
CUTLETS OF CALF’S HEAD.
Prepare, by the Cook’s Receipt, half a calf’s head with or without the skin on; only, in the latter case, allow more time for the boiling. When it is quite cold, remove the fillets of tape, and cut the head into slices of half an inch thick, brush them with yolk of egg, and dip them into fine bread-crumbs, seasoned with the grated rind of half a lemon, half a teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, some cayenne, and a little of the lean of a boiled ham chopped very small, should this last be at hand. Fry the cutlets in butter of a fine light brown, make some gravy in the pan as for veal cutlets, and add to it the juice of half a lemon; or mix a large teaspoonful of currie-powder, and one of flour, very smoothly with the butter, shake them over the fire for four or five minutes, and let the gravy simmer as much longer, after the water is added; or serve the cutlets, covered with good mushroom sauce.
HASHED CALF’S HEAD. (REMOVE.)
When the whole of this dish has to be prepared, make for it a quart of stock, and proceed in all else as directed for mock turtle soup (page [24]); but after the head has been parboiled, cut down a full pound and a half of it for the hash, and slice it small and thick, instead of dividing it into dice. Make the brains into cakes (see page [162]), and garnish the dish with forcemeat-balls, rolled in egg, and in the finest bread-crumbs, then fried a delicate brown, and well drained, and dried upon a warm sieve reversed. The wine and other seasonings should be the same as for the soup. Rich gravy, 1 quart; flesh of calf’s head, full 1-1/2 lb.; wine, and other seasonings, as for mock turtle soup. Obs.—The gravy for this should be stewed with ham, eschalots, &c., exactly as for the soup.
CHEAP HASH OF CALF’S HEAD.
Take the flesh from the bone of a cold boiled head, and put it aside until wanted; take about three pints of the liquor in which it was cooked; break the bones, and stew them down with a small bunch of savoury herbs, a carrot, or two should they be small, a little carefully fried onion, four cloves, a dozen corns of pepper, and either a slice or two of lean ham or of smoked beef. When the liquid is reduced nearly half, strain it, take off the fat, thicken it with a little well made roux, or, if more convenient, with flour and butter, stirred into it, when it boils, or with rice flour or arrow-root, mixed with a little spice, mushroom catsup, or Harvey’s sauce, and a small quantity of lemon pickle or chili vinegar. Heat the meat slowly in the sauce when it is ready, but do not allow it to boil. The forcemeat, No. 1, of Chapter [VIII.], may be rolled into balls, fried, and served round it. The gravy should be well seasoned. A little of Liebeg’s extract of beef (see Chapter [I].), or as much good beef broth as may be required for the hash, will convert this into a really good dish. For preparations which are of themselves insipid, the Jewish beef, of which we have often already spoken, is an admirable addition.