Recipe Manuscript

Scotch Scallops

Name: Scotch Scallops
Prep time: PTPT35M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g veal leg, thinly sliced; 100 g streaky bacon, cut into lardons; 3 + 2 egg yolks (5 total), separated for batter and thickening; 50 g plain flour; Pepper, to taste; Salt, to taste; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; Zest and slices of 1 lemon; 30 g breadcrumbs; 30 g butter, for frying; 200 ml strong beef or veal broth (substitute with chicken stock if necessary); 2 anchovies, finely chopped; Small bundle of fresh mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, marjoram, or what’s available); 1/4 tsp ground mace; 15 ml olive oil (as salad oil); Extra 30 g butter; Optional: Gravy if available

1672

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Constance Hall

Written by Constance Hall

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1672

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Scotch Scallops

"Cut thin Slices of a Legg of Veale Shopp it wt a Knife lard it wt Bacon hins & dypp it in batter made of Yelks of Eggs and flower make balls of Veale forceat wth peppr Salt nuttmegg &emmon & all beat Small rouls thm up wth yolkes of Eggs and grated bread fry this wt butterr & Strain it to them Some meat in butterr when they are pretty brown power out the butterr & strain to them Some Strong broth put in gravie (if you have it) Anchioves a bundel of sweet hearbs nuttmegg mace Slices of Lemmon a little Salt & Sallatt oil Some lett it Stew a good while then put In a Convenient quantity of Butter and thicken it up wth yolkes of Egges/"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a style typical for the late 17th century, favoring brevity and assuming familiarity with culinary technique. Spelling is irregular: ‘veale’ for veal, ‘shopp’ for chop, ‘wt’ for with, ‘Sallatt’ for salad (olive) oil, etc. ‘Forceat’ stands for ‘forcemeat’, and ‘balls’ refers to formed dumplings. There are no explicit measurements; cooks depended on experience and taste. The instructions condense multiple steps into single lines and freely intermix instructions for sauce and meat, expecting the reader to parse the logical sequence.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of Constance Hall - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of Constance Hall (1672)

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

Writer

Constance Hall

Era

1672

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A spirited foray into 17th-century kitchens, this collection by Constance Hall brims with the flavors, secrets, and delicacies of Restoration-era England—perfect for cooks keen to revive a dash of history in their modern menus.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This Scotch Scallops recipe hails from a manuscript by Constance Hall dating to 1672, in the midst of the Restoration era in England. The cuisine then was shaped by continental influences, particularly the French, yet retained robust English traditions in the use of veal, anchovies, and fresh herbs. Dishes like this reflect both the opulence and ingenuity of upper-class kitchens. The recipe’s mixture of larded veal, forcemeat, and a rich, layered sauce demonstrates the evolving sophistication of British cookery at the time, just as printed cookbooks and written collections like Hall’s were becoming markers of social and culinary status.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1672, this recipe would have been made over an open hearth or fire, using iron or bronze frying pans for sautéing and stewing. A sharp chopping knife was used for mincing the veal and herbs. Larding needles (if available) would insert bacon into veal, although careful knife work sufficed. A mortar and pestle ground spices and breadcrumbs. Thick ceramic or earthenware bowls held beaten eggs and batter. Metal or wooden spoons stirred and basted the mixture. Finally, a stewpot or deep pan was used for simmering the dish slowly over glowing embers, requiring an attentive hand to avoid curdling the eggs in the sauce.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Servings

Ingredients

1 lb 2 oz veal leg, thinly sliced
3.5 oz streaky bacon, cut into lardons
3 + 2 egg yolks (5 total), separated for batter and thickening
1.75 oz plain flour
Pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Zest and slices of 1 lemon
1 oz breadcrumbs
1 oz butter, for frying
7 fl oz strong beef or veal broth (substitute with chicken stock if necessary)
2 anchovies, finely chopped
Small bundle of fresh mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, marjoram, or what’s available)
1/4 tsp ground mace
0.5 fl oz olive oil (as salad oil)
Extra 1 oz butter
Optional: Gravy if available

Instructions

Start by slicing about 1 lb 2 oz of veal leg thinly.
Finely chop the veal slices with a sharp knife.
Cut about 3.5 oz streaky bacon into small lardons and use it to lard (insert into) the veal pieces, or simply mix them together for ease.
Make a batter by whisking together 3 egg yolks and around 1.75 oz plain flour.
Dip the veal/bacon mixture in this batter, forming golf ball-sized shapes.
For the forcemeat (stuffing), mix a few spoonfuls of veal (about 3.5 oz, finely chopped), with pepper, salt, nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp), and lemon zest (from 1 lemon).
Combine with an extra egg yolk and 1 oz of breadcrumbs, shaping small balls.
Fry the veal balls and the forcemeat balls in 1 oz butter in a frying pan until brown.
Pour off any excess butter.
Add 7 fl oz strong beef or veal broth (with extra gravy if available), 2 anchovies (finely chopped), a small bundle of fresh mixed herbs (such as parsley, thyme, and marjoram, tied together), a pinch of nutmeg, 1/4 tsp mace, a few thin slices of lemon, a pinch of salt, and a splash (0.5 fl oz) of salad (olive) oil.
Let the mixture stew gently for 20-30 minutes.
Finally, stir in another 1 oz butter for richness, then thicken the sauce with 2 more egg yolks before serving warm.

Estimated Calories

380 per serving

Cooking Estimates

This recipe takes some time because you need to chop the veal and bacon, mix the batter, shape the meatballs, fry them, and then simmer everything with the sauce for full flavor. The cooking itself takes under half an hour, but chopping and shaping the meatballs adds extra time. Each serving is about 350-400 calories depending on exact portions.