Calf's Head Recipe ingredients

• 1 calf's head
• 1 onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 root of celery

To prepare this Calf's Head Recipe, first split the head through the center, remove brains and lay them in ice-cold salted water. Wash the head thoroughly in many changes of cold water.

To remove the skin, begin from under the head, keeping the knife close to the bone, remove as one piece. Singe the skin and place in cold water for one hour, after which scrape it with a knife; singe again and place in cold water.

Scald the cleaned head with boiling water, then place it, with skin on top, in a soup kettle; pour over it 4 quarts of cold water, bring to boiling point, and skim. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for two hours; add seasonings and let simmer for one hour longer.

Wash the brains in cold water; put in saucepan of boiling water and simmer for twenty minutes, drain, plunge into cold water and cut into pieces. When head is cooked, cut the skin into strips four inches long by two inches wide. Skin and trim the tongue, slice and arrange on a platter with the strips of skin and brains. Serve with sauce a la Tortue and garnish with new beets sliced, watercress, or parsley.

The broth in which the head is cooked should be saved for mock turtle soup.