Ingredients (Serves 12)
- 1/2 calf's head with tongue and brains
- 2 carrots
- 3 onions
- 250 g mushrooms
- 3 lemons
- 12 eggs
- 65 g flour
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 cloves
- 170 g butter
- 50 g lean fatty bacon
- 1 bottle dry Madeira
- 1 box cockscombs
- 12 veal quenelles
- 12 crayfish
- 10 nasturtium seeds
- 8 pickles
- 1 bird pepper
- A few bardes of bacon + salt
Preparation
- Peel, wash, and slice 2 carrots; peel 3 onions (coarsely chop 2, keep 1 whole); clean 250 g mushrooms; peel 2 lemons, slice, and remove seeds; hard-boil 12 eggs.
- Drain half a boneless calf's head (with tongue and brains) under running cold water for 2 hours.
- Place the head and tongue in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, skim foam, and remove after 6 minutes. Run under cold water, brush clean, flambé any remaining hairs with alcohol, and rub with half a lemon.
- Dilute 35 g flour with cold water. Add half the carrots, chopped onions, lemon slices, 6 peppercorns, 1/2 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 1 clove, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Add 50 g butter, immerse the tongue, cover loosely, and cook for 1 hour. Then add the head and cook another 30 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid (white stock).
- Clean the brains. Prick the whole onion with 1 clove, place in a saucepan with 1/2 liter water, 1/4 bay leaf, 1/2 sprig thyme, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, add brains, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
Cooking
- Scrape 50 g fatty bacon, place in a casserole with 50 g butter, 1/4 bay leaf, thyme leaves, remaining carrots, onions, and lemon slices. When vegetables are golden, add 1/4 bottle dry Madeira and 1/4 liter white stock.
- Cut calf's head into pieces. On buttered muslin, layer bardes of bacon, head pieces, more bardes. Tie securely.
- Place package in casserole, cover, and simmer 1 to 1.5 hours.
The Stew
- In another pot, melt 50 g butter with 30 g flour. Moisten with ladle of white stock and remaining Madeira. Add cockscombs, mushrooms, 12 veal quenelles, 1 bird pepper, 8 sliced pickles, and 10 nasturtium seeds (or capers). Simmer 25 minutes.
- Add 12 live crayfish (castrated).
- Peel and slice tongue, halve brains, quarter eggs. Add to stew and cook 8 minutes.
Serving
Remove calf's head from casserole, unwrap muslin and bardes, and arrange on a dish with stew elements.
Source: Viard 1810. This faithful reproduction draws from classic French culinary archives, showcasing 19th-century techniques for an opulent mock turtle dish.
