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📝 Description
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🥘 Ingredients
The remains of a boiled calf's head, 1-1/2 pint of the liquor in which the head was boiled, 1 blade of pounded mace, 1 onion minced, a bunch of savoury herbs, salt and white pepper to taste, thickening of butter and flour, the yolks of 2 eggs, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, forcemeat balls.
👨🍳 Method
Remove all the bones from the head, and cut the meat into nice square pieces. Put 1-1/2 pint of the liquor it was boiled in into a saucepan, with mace, onion, herbs, and seasoning in the above proportion; let this simmer gently for 3/4 hour, then strain it and put in the meat. When quite hot through, thicken the gravy with a little butter rolled in flour, and, just before dishing the fricassee, put in the beaten yolks of eggs and lemon-juice; but be particular, after these two latter ingredients are added, that the sauce does not boil, or it will curdle. Garnish with forcemeat balls and curled slices of broiled bacon. To insure the sauce being smooth, it is a good plan to dish the meat first, and then to add the eggs to the gravy: when these are set, the sauce may be poured over the meat.
📜 From Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). Public domain.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
I tried making Mrs Beeton's calf's head fricassee this week, and I must say, it was an adventure in vintage cooking. I found the process of transforming the humble calf's head into a respectable dish surprisingly satisfying. The key, I discovered, was in the slow simmering of the liquor with mace, onion, and herbs—it filled my kitchen with an aromatic warmth that was utterly comforting. The part that truly delighted me was the forcemeat balls. I hadn't expected them to add such a delightful textural contrast to the tender meat. This dish is perfect for the comfort-seeker who enjoys a hearty, old-fashioned meal. The end result was a rich, savory stew that, despite its humble origins, felt indulgent and nourishing. Served with some crusty bread, it made for a hearty, warming meal on a chilly evening.
