1 large calf’s head, well cleaned and washed.
4 pig’s feet, well cleaned and washed.
This soup should always be prepared the day before it is to be served
up. Lay the head and feet in the bottom of a large pot, and cover with
a gallon of water. Let it boil three hours, or until the flesh will
slip easily from the bones. Take out the head, leaving in the feet,
and allow these to boil steadily while you cut the meat from the head.
Select with care enough of the fatty portions which lie on the top of
the head and the cheeks to fill a teacup, and set them aside to cool.
Remove the brains to a saucer and also set aside. Chop the rest of the
meat with the tongue very fine, season with salt, pepper, powdered
marjoram and thyme, a teaspoonful of cloves, the same of mace, half
as much allspice, and a grated nutmeg, and return to the pot. When the
flesh falls from the bones of the pig’s feet, take out the latter,
leaving in the gelatinous meat. Let all boil together slowly, without
removing the cover, for two hours more; take the soup from the fire
and set it away until the next day. An hour before dinner, set on the
stock to warm. When it boils strain carefully, and drop in the meat you
have reserved, which, when cold, should be cut into small squares. Have
these all ready as well as the force-meat balls. To prepare these, rub
the yolks of five hard-boiled eggs to a paste in a Wedgewood mortar,
or in a bowl, with the back of a silver tablespoon, adding gradually
the brains to moisten them, also a little butter and salt. Mix with
these two eggs beaten very light, flour your hands, and make this paste
into balls about the size of a pigeon’s egg. Throw them into the soup
five minutes before you take it from the fire; stir in three large
tablespoonfuls of browned flour rubbed smooth in three great spoonfuls
of melted butter, let it boil up well, and finish the seasoning by the
addition of a glass and a half of _good_ wine—Sherry or Madeira—and
the juice of a lemon. It should not boil more than half an hour on the
second day. Serve with sliced lemon. Some lay the slices upon the top
of the soup, but the better plan is to pass to the guests a small dish
containing these.
If the directions be closely followed, the result is sure to be
satisfactory, and the task is really much less troublesome than it
appears to be.