Hashed Calf's Head is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of the remains of a cooked calf's head served in a stock made from the bones, herbs and flavourings that's served with bacon rolls and forcemeat balls. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Hashed Calf's Head.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
HASHED CALF'S HEAD (Cold Meat Cookery).
878. INGREDIENTS.—The remains of a cold boiled calf's head, 1 quart of the liquor in which it was boiled, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a strip of lemon-peel, 2 blades of pounded mace, salt and white pepper to taste, a very little cayenne, rather more than 2 tablespoonfuls of sherry, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, forcemeat balls.
Mode.—Cut the meat into neat slices, and put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan with the above proportion of liquor that the head was boiled in. Add a bunch of savoury herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a strip of lemon-peel, and 2 blades of pounded mace, and let these boil for 1 hour, or until the gravy is reduced nearly half. Strain it into a clean stewpan, thicken it with a little butter and flour, and add a flavouring of sherry, lemon-juice, and ketchup, in the above proportion; season with pepper, salt, and a little cayenne; put in the meat, let it gradually warm through, but not boil more than two or three minutes. Garnish the dish with forcemeat balls and pieces of bacon rolled and toasted, placed alternately, and send it to table very hot.
Time.—Altogether 1-1/2 hour.
Average cost, exclusive of the remains of the head, 6d.
Seasonable from March to October.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
remains of a cold, cooked, calf's head
1l of the liquid in which the calf head was cooked
1 bunch of savoury herbs, tied together
1 onion
1 carrot
1 strip of lemon zest
1/2 tsp ground mace
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
a little cayenne pepper
1 tbsp butter mixed with 1 tbsp plain flour until smooth
2 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp mushroom ketchup
forcemeat balls
bacon, rolled up and grilled
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Remove the meat from the calf head and cut into slices. Place the bones and any trimmings in a large pan with the 1l of reserved liquor. Add the savoury herbs and the onion and carrot (coarsely chopped) along with the lemon zest and mace. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce has reduced by half.
Strain the sauce into a clean pan then whisk in the butter and flour mix, a little at a time. Bring to a simmer then whisk in the sherry, lemon juice and mushroom ketchup.
Season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper with a little cayenne pepper. Add in the meat and gently allow to warm through (about 3 minutes, at most). Turn onto a serving dish, garnish around the edges with forcemeat balls and rolls of bacon. Serve hot
