Recipe Manuscript

—Jelly For Cooked Birds, Meats, Or Made Dishes

Name: —Jelly For Cooked Birds, Meats, Or Made Dishes
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT6H
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 4 kg calves' feet (or substitute with pork trotters or 2 kg chicken wings/feet); 2 onions; 2 carrots; 1 head celery; 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 12 whole cloves; Juice and rind of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark soy sauce or Worcestershire or mushroom ketchup; 4 egg whites; 60 ml (1 wineglass) brown sherry

1880

From the treasured pages of The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)Asian Advanced Dinner Lunch Other

—Jelly For Cooked Birds, Meats, Or Made Dishes

Original Recipe • 1880

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

—Jelly For Cooked Birds, Meats, Or Made Dishes

"Boil down eight calves'-feet, with some pepper and salt, two onions, a head of celery, and two carrots, in three or four quarts of water, according to the quantity of jelly required; when perfectly boiled down strain it lightly without bruising the onions or carrots; let it cool, and remove all the fat; then, with a dozen cloves and the juice and rind of a lemon, boil it again, adding a tablespoonful of soy or any other dark-coloured, rich, and well-flavoured sauce; beat up to a light froth the whites of four eggs, and clear the soup or jelly; add a wineglass of brown sherry, and run or drip it through flannel. Pour what you require over the ready cooked or dressed meat into moulds, and let the rest cool in some large flat dish, and cut it up small for garnishing the meat or bird when served up."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a narrative style without strict measurements, relying on the cook’s skill and familiarity—a common Victorian era practice assuming proficiency in the kitchen. Directions are sequential but leave much to the practitioner: measurements like 'a head of celery' or 'a wineglass of sherry' reflect period units, pre-metrication. Spelling and terminology are historical but clear. Calves' feet were once a primary source of gelatin, so instructions center around extracting natural collagen rather than using pre-made gelatin. The reference to 'soy' predates mass-market soy sauce, often referring to any dark, savory condiment then available, including mushroom ketchup.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India (1880)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1880

Publisher

Thacker, Spink & Co.

Background

A delightful and practical guide to the vibrant culinary world of India, this handbook serves up classic recipes and kitchen wisdom tailored for the subcontinent’s kitchens in the late 19th century. Perfect for adventurous cooks eager to explore authentic Indic flavors.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from 'The Indian cookery book,' published in Calcutta in 1880. The book reflects the culinary cross-pollination of British and Indian kitchens during the Raj, adapted for colonial households where European and Indian tastes merged. Aspic, or savoury jelly, was a hallmark of Victorian dining and a symbol of refinement, used to garnish and preserve cooked meats in the colonial heat. The inclusion of soy or other dark sauces also nods to global trade and local adaptations in Indian kitchens managed by British cooks or their Indian counterparts. Preserving and presenting food in decorative jellies was considered both elegant and practical—a practice brought from the British Isles but keenly embraced and modified in India.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditional kitchens would rely on large iron or copper stockpots for simmering bones and vegetables, and a ladle for skimming. Straining was done through muslin, flannel, or a fine sieve, while a sharp knife and chopping board prepared the aromatics. A large cool dish was needed to allow the jelly to set, and ornate moulds were often used for creating elaborate shapes. The clarification with egg whites, an ancient French technique, required a steady hand and patience to achieve crystal-clear jelly, a prized Victorian table feature.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Servings

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

9 lb calves' feet (or substitute with pork trotters or 4 lb chicken wings/feet)
2 onions
2 carrots
1 head celery
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 whole cloves
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (1/2 fl oz) dark soy sauce or Worcestershire or mushroom ketchup
4 egg whites
2 fl oz (1 wineglass) brown sherry

Instructions

To prepare a rich and savory jelly for enhancing cooked poultry, meats, or elaborate dishes, begin by simmering approximately 9 lb of calves' feet (alternatively, pork trotters or chicken feet may be used for the collagen) with 2 onions (peeled and halved), 2 medium carrots, 1 head of celery (roughly chopped), 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in 3 3/4 quarts (15 cups) of cold water.
Bring to a gentle boil, skimming any scum that rises, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the stock has reduced by half and become gelatinous (about 4–6 hours).
Strain the stock carefully through muslin or a fine sieve without pressing the solids.
Allow to cool and skim off all fat.
To clarify, return the jelly to the pot, adding 12 whole cloves, the juice and thinly peeled rind of 1 lemon, and 1 tablespoon (1/2 fluid ounce) of dark soy sauce or another dark, rich sauce.
Beat 4 egg whites until frothy and stir into the mixture.
Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring gently only once.
When the egg whites have coagulated and lifted impurities, strain through a dampened flannel or several layers of muslin until perfectly clear.
Lastly, stir in 2 fluid ounces (1 wineglass) of brown sherry.
Pour the clarified jelly over your cooked meats or birds arranged in moulds for aspics, or allow to set in a flat dish.
Dice the remainder for garnishing when serving.

Estimated Calories

45 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and chop the ingredients, and about 4 to 6 hours to simmer the stock until it reduces. This recipe makes enough aspic jelly for about 12 servings, with each serving containing around 45 calories.

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.