Recipe Manuscript

A Calves Head To Hash

Name: A Calves Head To Hash
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1–1.5 kg calf's head (or veal or beef head if unavailable); 1–1.5 L water (for boiling); 500 ml reserved cooking liquor/stock; 1–2 anchovy fillets; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 50 ml white wine; Pinch of ground mace; Freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp); Salt to taste; 30 g unsalted butter (for thickening); 20 g all-purpose flour (for thickening); OR 50 ml double cream (alternate thickener); 250 g forcemeat balls or homemade meatballs (optional); 150 g veal sweetbreads, sliced and fried (optional); Brains from the calf's head (substitute: 2 egg yolks, if unavailable); 1 egg (for brains cake); 1 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for brains cake); 1 tbsp cream (for brains cake); Butter or mild oil (for frying)

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1720

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

A Calves Head To Hash

"Boil ye head till it is near enough, then take it up or cut it in pieces, then take gravy put to ye liquor an anchovy nutmeg mace a small onion or a little white wine boil this up with ye liquor, then strain it or let it boil up or put in your meat with a little salt, let it stew a little or thicken it up with butterr or flour or a little cream, you add forced meat balls or sweet breads, mix ye brains with an egg, a little nutmeg, flour, parsley or a spoonfull of cream make ym into cakes for garnish or fry them a little brown"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the style of its time—abbreviated, conversational, and assuming a foundational level of kitchen know-how. Terms like 'ye' (the) and 'ym' (them) reflect archaic spellings and contractions. Ingredients are listed as they’re added, not in a formalized list, and measurements are by experience (a 'spoonfull', 'a little'). Spelling and grammar shift even within one recipe, and directions are open-ended—reflecting a world where every cook was expected to use their senses, judgment, and the tools they had at hand.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 (1720)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe dates to around 1720, a time when British cookery was becoming more refined and French-influenced. Calf’s head was prized for its versatility and richness, often featured at grand tables and as a showpiece at feasts. The practice of hashing (mincing or chopping and simmering meats in a seasoned sauce) made dishes more palatable and allowed for creative garnishing such as the elaborate use of brains, forcemeat balls, and sweetbreads. Dishes like this showcased status, resourcefulness, and the cook’s skill at transforming every part of the animal into delicious fare, reflecting both economy and culinary sophistication of the era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks in the early 18th century would have used large iron or brass stockpots over a hearth or stove for boiling the head. Chopping knives and wooden boards handled the breakdown of meat. Small copper or earthenware saucepans were used to reduce and blend sauces, and flat iron or pewter pans sufficed for frying the brains-cakes. Strainers, ladles, and wooden spoons rounded out the kitchen's toolkit. For presentation, the finished hash was arranged on platters, garnished with carefully fried cakes and meatballs—both a culinary and visual delight.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

Ingredients

2–3 lb calf's head (or veal or beef head if unavailable)
4–6 cups water (for boiling)
2 cups reserved cooking liquor/stock
1–2 anchovy fillets
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp white wine
Pinch of ground mace
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp unsalted butter (for thickening)
2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for thickening)
OR 3 tbsp double cream (alternate thickener)
9 oz forcemeat balls or homemade meatballs (optional)
5 oz veal sweetbreads, sliced and fried (optional)
Brains from the calf's head (substitute: 2 egg yolks, if unavailable)
1 egg (for brains cake)
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for brains cake)
1 tbsp cream (for brains cake)
Butter or mild oil (for frying)

Instructions

To recreate this early 18th-century hashed calf's head, start by splitting a cleaned calf's head (about 2–3 lb, boned or unboned as available) and simmering it gently in a large pot of water for roughly 1–2 hours, until nearly cooked.
Remove the head, let it cool slightly, and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Reserve the cooking liquor as stock.
In a separate saucepan, combine 2 cups of the reserved stock with 3 tablespoons white wine, 1 small onion (finely chopped), 1–2 anchovy fillets, a grating of fresh nutmeg, and a pinch of mace.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain if desired for a smooth gravy.
Add the chopped calf’s meat back to the sauce, taste for salt, and let it stew gently.
Thicken with either 2 tablespoons unsalted butter mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons flour, or stir in 3 tablespoons double cream for richness.
Serve alongside or topped with fried forcemeat balls (homemade meatballs) or sliced sweetbreads (pan-fried), if available.
For garnish, beat the cooked calf’s brains with 1 egg, a pinch of nutmeg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon cream.
Form into small cakes and fry in butter until golden.
Arrange these on top of the hash for a striking, decadent finish.

Estimated Calories

450 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking this traditional dish takes about 30 minutes to get your ingredients ready and about 2 hours of actual cooking time. Each serving has about 450 calories, and this recipe makes 6 generous servings.