Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Calf's Head, Baked.— Take half a calf's head. Prepare it as if for boiling, removing the brains and tongue. Let it simmer gently for half an hour, then take it out of the water, drain it, and fold it in a cloth to dry. Prepare abreakfast-cupful of finely-grated bread-crumbs, mix with them two salt-spoonfuls of salt, half a salt-spoonful of cayenne pepper, two dessertspoonfuls of finely-shred sage, and the same of parsley. Brush the head over with beaten egg, and strew the bread-crumbs, &c., over it ; let it get dry, then repeat, the second time pouring hot butter over instead of brushing with egg. Fill the hollows of the eyes with crumbs. Bake the head in a good oven, basting it frequently with a cupful of sauce mixed -with a dessertspoonful of vinegar. The tongue and brains must be boiled separately, and cut into pieces, and a little time before the head is sufficiently baked, must be strewed with the crumbs and put into the oven to brown. Serve in a hot dish, with a little gravy round the meat, and oyster sauce in a tureen. Time to bake, two hours. Sufficient, half a head for four persons. Calf's Head, Baked (another way).— Boil half a calf's head in the usual way until tender ; then drain it, pour a little hot butter over it, and strew over it rather thickly some grated Parmesan cheese, and put it in a good oven until it is nicely browned, which will be in about three-quarters of an hour. Sufficient for four persons. Calf's Head, Boiled (with or without the Skin). — Thoroughly cleanse a calf's head, remove the brains, and put it into boiling water for ten minutes, to blanch it. Take it out, and lay it in a deep saucepan with sufficient water to cover it ; let it boil up, remove the scum very carefully as it rises, draw the pan to the side of the fire, and let it simmer very gently until ready. Wash the brains in two or three waters, remove the skin and the fibres which hang about them, and let them soak for an hour in cold salt and water ; pour that away, and put them into a saucepan with some fresh water to which a table-spoonful of vinegar has been added. Take the scum off as it rises, and boil them for a quarter of an hour. Chop them rather coarsely, and put them into a saucepan with a cupful of good melted butter, a table-spoonful of sage leaves chopped small, the same of scalded and finely-minced parsley, a little salt and pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. Take out the CAL (98) CAL tongue, skin it, trim it about the roots, and lay it in the middle of a hot dish with the brain sauce round it ; keep it hot. The appearance of the calf's head will be improved if after it is taken up it is brushed over with egg, covered with finely-grated bread-crumbs, and browned. Slices of cut lemon are usually placed round the dish. A little boiled bacon or pickled pork is sent to table with it, as well as either parsley and butter, tomato or mushroom sauce, in a tureen. Time to boil, with the skin on, two and a half or three hours, according to the size ; -without, one and a half or two hours. Sufiicient for seven or eight persons. The liquor in which it is boiled should be carefully preserved ; for though a calf's head is insipid if eaten cold, it is excellent warmed, and for this the liquor would be needed.