To Make White Scotch Collops Mr. Lowthers Way
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Elizabeth Langley
Written by Elizabeth Langley
To Make White Scotch Collops Mr. Lowthers Way
"Take the best part of a Leg of Veal cut your collops as thin as a Wafer beat them very well then cut them in small prices the big =ness of a crown butterr your stew pan & warm it upon the Fire Season your collops very lightly with salt pepper & nutmeg, so put them in & keep them stirring till they are enough let them not brown at all then put in half a Pint of cream or more according to the quantity of meat then take the Yolks of 2 or 3 eggs & beat them well with a little cream & catchup then put it to the Collops & shake them over the fire before you send them up square in the juice of half a Lemmon. You must make forced meat Balls & boil them in milk."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is conversational and presumes a knowledge of the kitchen; it uses phrases like 'till they are enough' to indicate doneness, leaving timing to the cook's intuition. Spelling such as 'Wafer', 'big=ness', and 'catchup' reflect 18th-century conventions, where words and measurements were less standardized. The instructions also lack stepwise numbers and expect the cook to integrate modern equivalents for subtle flavorings, such as using Worcestershire sauce in place of mushroom ketchup, respecting the savory umami of the original.
Title
Cookbook of Elizabeth Langley (1757)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Elizabeth Langley
Era
1757
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the Georgian kitchen with Elizabeth Langley's 1757 culinary collection, where refined techniques and delightful recipes await those with a taste for historic gastronomy.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from Elizabeth Langley, a food writer active in 1757—a time when British cookery was adopting French techniques, focusing on light and refined dishes meant to highlight quality ingredients like veal. 'White scotch collops' were a stylish supper or luncheon dish in upper-class British homes, popular for their elegant, creamy sauce and tender texture. The mention of 'catchup' reflects the period's fondness for early savory sauces such as mushroom ketchup—a far cry from today's tomato-based ketchup.
Cooks in the mid-18th century would have used a sturdy wooden chopping board and a sharp knife to cut the veal, and a meat mallet or rolling pin for pounding the slices thin. Cooking would take place in a heavy copper or iron stew pan set over an open hearth or on an iron stove, with a wooden spoon or spatula for stirring. A simple earthenware bowl and a hand-whisk or fork would be used to beat the egg yolks and cream. For the poached forcemeat balls, a saucepan would be filled with gently heated milk.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings
4
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 lb 5 oz veal leg, trimmed
- 1 oz unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- A little grated nutmeg
- 4 fl oz double cream (add more if needed)
- 2–3 large egg yolks
- 1–2 tbsp cream (for tempering the yolks)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (substitute for mushroom/ketchup)
- Juice of 0.5 lemon
- Forcemeat balls (e.g. 5 oz finely minced veal, breadcrumbs, herbs), poached in milk
Instructions
- Begin with approximately 1 lb 5 oz of veal leg (sourced from the finest part), trimming off any sinew or gristle.
- Slice the veal into thin 'collops'—think slices no thicker than a millimeter or two, almost translucent.
- Pound them gently with a meat mallet until very thin, then cut each slice into pieces about the size of a large coin (around 1.5–2 inches across).
- Melt about 1 oz unsalted butter in a heavy-based pan over medium heat.
- Lightly season the veal with a scant pinch of salt, a little ground black pepper, and a small grating of nutmeg.
- Toss the collops in the pan, stirring constantly to keep them from browning; aim for gentle cooking just until the meat is tender—this will only take a few minutes due to the thinness.
- Now, pour in 4 fl oz of double cream (use more if you're scaling up).
- Whisk together the yolks of 2-3 eggs with a tablespoon or two of cream and a dash of Worcestershire sauce (as a modern stand-in for early 'catchup'), then add this to the pan.
- Stir over gentle heat until the sauce thickens—do not let it boil.
- Just before serving, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and shake the pan one last time to blend.
- Serve immediately, accompanied by small veal forcemeat balls, poached separately in simmering milk until cooked through.
Estimated Calories
410 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing this veal dish takes around 25 minutes, including slicing and prepping the meat and making the forcemeat balls. The cooking itself only takes about 15 minutes, since the thin veal cooks very quickly and the sauce comes together fast. Each serving has about 410 calories. This recipe serves 4 people.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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