To Make Scotch Collops

This recipe for Scotch Collops comes from an early 18th-century English manuscript, dating to approximately 1706. Scotch Collops were a popular dish in both England and Scotland, particularly among the well-to-do, as veal and mutton were signs of some affluence. The name 'collops' refers simply to thin slices of meat, often enriched with luxurious touches like bacon, herbs, and sometimes wine. The use of anchovies in cookery, particularly dissolved in wine sauces, was all the rage in English kitchens of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, adding umami and complexity to dishes before the days of Worcestershire sauce and stock cubes. This recipe stands at the crossroads of medieval and emerging modern British cuisine, blending extravagant flavors with familiar roasting and frying methods.

In the 1700s, cooks would have used a sharp butcher's knife for slicing the meat and a wooden rolling pin (or sometimes a meat bat) for pounding the collops—pestles and kitchen mallets also featured in well-equipped kitchens. The herbs and lemon peel were chopped with a large kitchen knife or mezzaluna. Frying would be done in a heavy skillet or shallow pan over an open hearth, using either butter or dripping. Wine and anchovies would be warmed together in a small saucepan set over the coals. Egg yolks were typically beaten with a two-pronged fork or a wooden whisk.