Mock Turtle Soup, Clear

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First bone, and then parboil the calf's head in plenty of water, and a small handful of salt, for about twenty minutes; and when the calf's head has become sufficiently cold, by steeping in cold water, proceed to trim away the rough parts, particularly the cuticle about the mouth.

Having done this, next place the head in a large stewpan, with a good-sized knuckle of veal, about a pound of raw ham, two carrots, two onions—one stuck with twelve cloves—a head of celery,a bunch of basil, marjoram, lemon thyme, a sprig of common thyme, some parsley, winter savory, and spring onions, and two blades of mace; add a quart of good stock, set the stewpan over the fire to boil sharply until the liquid is reduced to a glaze—due care being given to this part of the process to prevent the soup becoming burnt.

Next, fill up the stewpan either with stock or water; and when it boils again, skim it carefully, keeping it gently boiling by the side of the fire, until the calf's head is nearly done.

The head must now be carefully lifted out of the stock with a skimmer, and after being washed in a large pan of cold water, and well drained upon a sieve or cloth, placed in press, between two large dishes, in the larder to become cold.

The calf's-head stock must now be strained through a sieve into a clean stewpan; the grease entirely removed from its surface, and then clarified by mixing into it three whites of eggs previously whipped with a pint of cold water; set the stock on the fire, and whisk it until it boils, and then lift it to the side of the stove, there to boil gently until it has become bright: this will take about twenty minutes.

The stock must now be strained through a napkin into a soup-pot; the calf's head cut into pieces an inch square, and being placed in the mock-turtle stock, add half a pint of madeira, a pinch of cayenne, and allow tho soup to boil gently by the side of the fire until the pieces of meat are thoroughly done.

When about to send to table, add some very small forcemeat quenelles, and a little lemon-juice.

Note.—Forcemeat, for the quenelles here alluded to, is prepared as follows: viz.,—to half a pound of lean veal, pounded and rubbed through a sieve, add two ounces of panada, No. 184, six hard yolks of eggs, an ounce of butter, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and three or four yolks of raw eggs; pound all this in a mortar, rub it through a wire sieve, and then, having rolled this preparation out (with some flour shaken over the table) into the form of toy-marbles, throw these into some water kept ready boiling in a stewpan for the purpose; they will be done in six minutes; after being drained, put them into the mock-turtle.

No. 140