Recipe Manuscript

Calf'S Head Fricasse

Name: Calf'S Head Fricasse
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT3H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 calf's head (approximately 2-3 kg, cleaned thoroughly); 2-3 liters water; 2 bay leaves; Small bunch fresh parsley; 1 medium onion, finely chopped (approx. 120 g); 2 stalks celery, boiled and finely chopped (approx. 80 g); 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour (approx. 15 g); 5 eggs (medium-sized); Juice of 1 large lemon (approx. 50 ml); Salt and pepper, to taste

"Calf'S Head Fricassee"

1917

From the treasured pages of Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias

Written by Michael Gkines

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)European American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1917

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

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

Calf'S Head Fricasse

"Πάρε ἕνα μοσχαρίσιο κεφάλι, καθάρισέ το καὶ βράσε το μὲ ἀρωματικὰ χόρτα. Κόψε το εἰς μικρὰ κομμάτια μέσα εἰς τὸ ζουμί του. Βράσε ὀλίγο ψιλοκομμένο κρομμύδι νὰ φύγῃ ἡ μυρωδιά του καὶ ἕνωσέ το μὲ τὸ κεφάλι, πρόσθεσε καὶ ὀλίγο ψιλοκομμένο βρασμένο σέλινο. Κανόνισε τὸ ζουμὶ καὶ βάλ' το εἰς τὴν φωτιὰ νὰ πάρῃ βράσι. Εἰς ἕνα ἄλλο κατσαρολάκι βάλε ἕνα ποτήρι νερό, ὀλίγο ἀλεύρι, πέντε αὐγά, κτύπησέ τα καλά, βάλε τὸ ἀνάλογο λεμόνι καὶ δέσε τὸν φρικασὲ ὅπως συνήθως."

English Translation

"1046. Calf's Head Fricassee. Take a calf's head, clean it and boil it with aromatic herbs. Cut it into small pieces in its broth. Boil a little finely chopped onion to remove its smell and mix it with the head, also add a little finely chopped boiled celery. Adjust the broth and put it on the fire to bring it to a boil. In another small pot, put a glass of water, a little flour, five eggs, beat them well, add the appropriate amount of lemon, and bind the fricassee as usual."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a concise, matter-of-fact manner, typical of early 20th-century Greek instructions, assuming a strong reader familiarity with basic cooking processes and few measurements. Ingredients are often listed as 'a little' or 'to taste,' and quantities were guided by experience. The Greek script uses period-appropriate spellings and old-style diacritics, with direct instructions that jump from task to task. Recipes from this era rarely specified exact cook times or temperatures, reflecting a trust in the cook’s intuition and knowledge of their hearth.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias (1917)

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

Writer

Michael Gkines

Era

1917

Publisher

Ekdotika Katastemata

Background

A sumptuous journey through early 20th-century Greek-American kitchens, this cookbook offers practical and time-tested recipes for savory dishes and delightful sweets—each crafted to suit the American system, yet infused with Greek tradition. A perfect companion for both family cooks and aspiring chefs.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an early 20th-century Greek-American community cookbook, published in 1917 in New York by Michael Gkines. The cookbook is a fascinating blend of traditional Greek recipes and the practicalities of American kitchen life, a true culinary bridge for immigrants negotiating new lands and old memories. The dish itself reflects resourceful nose-to-tail cooking, where every part of the animal was valued. Calf's head fricassee was considered both comforting and celebratory, making use of humble ingredients and elevating them with a thickened egg-lemon sauce, a hallmark of Greek cuisine.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks of the day would have used a large heavy stockpot or cauldron for boiling the calf's head, with an open flame or sturdy stove as their heat source. Chopping was done with a simple but sharp knife, and vegetables were simmered in small tin or copper pans. Wooden spoons were standard for mixing and stirring, and strainers made of cloth or metal mesh were used for clarifying broths. Beating eggs and mixing sauces would be done by hand with a fork or wire whisk.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

3 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

1 calf's head (approximately 4.4–6.6 lb, cleaned thoroughly)
8–12 cups water
2 bay leaves
Small bunch fresh parsley
1 medium onion, finely chopped (approx. 4 oz)
2 stalks celery, boiled and finely chopped (approx. 3 oz)
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour (approx. 0.5 oz)
5 eggs (medium-sized)
Juice of 1 large lemon (approx. 3 tbsp)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Begin by thoroughly cleaning a calf's head and placing it in a large stockpot with aromatic herbs such as bay leaves and parsley.
Submerge the calf's head in water and simmer gently until tender, skimming any impurities.
Once cooked, remove the meat from the bones, cut it into small pieces, and return it to the strained cooking liquid.
In a separate pan, quickly sauté finely chopped onion in a little boiling water until its sharpness is mellowed, then add it to the pot with the meat.
Stir in some finely chopped, boiled celery for freshness.
Adjust the level of the broth so the pieces are just covered, and bring everything back to a simmer.
For the sauce, in a small saucepan, blend together 1 cup water, a heaped tablespoon of flour, and five eggs.
Beat everything together thoroughly, adding the juice of about one lemon.
Gradually temper this mixture with a bit of the hot broth before stirring it into the main pot, allowing it to thicken gently into a smooth velvety sauce.
Do not let it boil after adding the egg-lemon mixture to keep the sauce creamy and unified.

Estimated Calories

650 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking this recipe takes some time since the calf's head needs to simmer until tender and the sauce is made carefully at the end. Each serving is filling and rich, thanks to the ingredients used. These numbers will help you plan your cooking and portion sizes.

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.