Recipe Manuscript

To Make Veal Olives

Name: To Make Veal Olives
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT25M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g veal (leg or similar, cut into 5mm slices); 2 egg yolks, beaten; 120g bacon (streaky, thinly sliced); 60g fresh breadcrumbs; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; 500ml beef or veal stock; 1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon (or 1 tbsp lemon pickle if available); 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or walnut ketchup or browning); 2 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp anchovy paste); Pinch cayenne pepper; 30g butter; 1 tablespoon plain flour; Pickled mushrooms, for garnish (optional); Small meatballs, for serving (optional)

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate 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

To Make Veal Olives

"Cut the thick part of a leg of veal in thin slices, flatten them with the broad side of a cleaver, rub them over with the yolk of an egg, lay over every piece a very thin slice of bacon, strew over them a few bread crumbs a little lemon peel, or parsley choped small, pepper, or salt, or nutmeg, role them up close or skewer them tight, then rub them with ye yolks of eggs, or roll them in bread crumbs, or parsley chop'd small, put them into a tin driping pan to bake or fry them, then take a pint of good gravy, add to it a spoonfull of lemon pickle the same of wallnut catchup, or one of browning, a little anchovy, or cayan pepper, thicken it with flour or butterr, or serve them up with force meat balls, or strew over them a few pickled mushrooms, you may dress veal cutlets ye same way, but not roll them."

Note on the Original Text

Early 18th-century recipes favored brevity and assumed considerable skill and intuition from the cook. Spelling was not standardized ('role', 'ye' for 'the', 'catchup' for 'ketchup'), and punctuation was sparse. Quantities and precise temperatures were rarely given, as kitchen apprentices learned by watching. Instead, recipes laid out the order of ingredients and main actions, trusting the cook to interpret guidance based on their own experience. The playful mix of verbs and frequent use of 'or' reflects both personal preference and the flexibility expected in adapting to available ingredients.

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 comes from early 18th-century England, around 1720. It appears in domestic manuscripts, which were often compiled by households to record practical and aspirational dishes of the day. 'Veal olives' were a fashionable way to prepare veal, reflecting the era's taste for elaborately rolled and stuffed meats, often enriched with bacon and aromatic herbs or spices. Such recipes sat midway between hearty home fare and the refined, French-influenced cuisine that was beginning to shape British upper-class dining. Ingredients like anchovy, walnut ketchup, and 'lemon pickle' were then staples of the English larder, adding deep umami and piquancy. The method reflects the inventive layering of flavors characteristic of the period, as well as the home cook's ingenuity in using available tools and larder stores.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1720, the cook would use a heavy cleaver or flat-ended mallet to flatten meat, a sharp knife for slicing, and simple skewers (metal or wooden) to hold the rolled 'olives' together. Tin or iron drip pans were essential for roasting or baking in the hearth oven, while frying would take place in heavy iron pans over an open fire. Mortar and pestle were often used for chopping herbs and mixing seasonings; basting brushes might be improvised from bundled feathers. A ladle or wooden spoon would aid in making and pouring rich, thickened sauces.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Servings

Ingredients

1 lb 2 oz veal (leg or similar, cut into 1/4 inch slices)
2 egg yolks, beaten
4 1/4 oz bacon (streaky, thinly sliced)
2 oz fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 cups beef or veal stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon (or 1 tbsp lemon pickle if available)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or walnut ketchup or browning)
2 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 oz butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
Pickled mushrooms, for garnish (optional)
Small meatballs, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Take about 1 lb 2 oz of veal (ideally from the thickest part of the leg) and slice it thinly, about 1/4 inch per piece.
Tenderize each slice by flattening it with the flat side of a large knife or meat mallet.
Brush each piece with beaten egg yolk.
Lay a very thin slice (about 1/2 oz) of streaky bacon on each.
Sprinkle over each with roughly 1 tablespoon of fresh breadcrumbs, a pinch of finely chopped parsley or grated lemon peel, a little salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a small grate of nutmeg.
Roll each slice up tightly (as you would a roulade), securing with a skewer or toothpick.
Brush the outside of each roll with more egg yolk, then roll in additional breadcrumbs or finely chopped parsley.
Place in a baking tin.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes, or fry gently on medium heat until golden on all sides and cooked through (about 10-12 minutes).
For the sauce: Warm 2 cups good beef or veal stock.
Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the finely grated zest of 1 lemon (as a substitute for lemon pickle), 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (as a substitute for walnut ketchup or 'browning'), 2 anchovy fillets (mashed or 1 tsp anchovy paste), and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Thicken with a roux of 1 tablespoon flour stirred into 1 oz melted butter.
Pour the sauce over the cooked veal olives to serve.
Garnish with cocktail pickled mushrooms or serve with small pork or veal meatballs if desired.

Estimated Calories

340 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the veal olives and sauce takes about 30 minutes, including slicing, filling, rolling, and prepping the sauce ingredients. Baking them takes around 20-25 minutes or frying about 10-12 minutes. Each serving provides roughly 340 calories. This recipe makes about 4 servings.