Recipe Manuscript

Eskalop So Šampionovým Rago

Name: Eskalop So Šampionovým Rago
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 300 g white button mushrooms; 100 g leftover roast meat (beef, veal or pork), finely chopped; 1 small onion (ca. 60 g), diced; 15 g fresh parsley, chopped; 30 g unsalted butter (+ extra for baking); 10 g plain flour; 100 ml beef or chicken broth; 2 egg yolks; Salt, to taste; 6 slices of veal or beef escalope, about 70 g each

"Escalope With Mushroom Ragout"

1870

From the treasured pages of Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1870

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

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

Eskalop So Šampionovým Rago

"Šampióny čisto umyť, obieliť, z vnútra prostriedok vybrať, kusy z pozostalej pečenky jako i cibuľu a zelený pe-tržel pokrájať, pokrájané v masle upražiť, pridať trochu múky, zaliať polievkou, mäso doň dať, posoliť a s pár žltky rozmiešať, týmto šampióny naplniť, na maslo do nádoby poklásť a upariť. Prichystaný eskalop pokladie sa do venca na misu, šampióny do prostriedku a to omáčkou poliať."

English Translation

"Clean the mushrooms thoroughly, peel them, remove the insides, chop the leftover roast pieces as well as the onion and parsley, fry the chopped ingredients in butter, add a bit of flour, pour in some soup stock, add the meat, salt, and mix with a few egg yolks. Fill the mushrooms with this mixture, place them in a dish with butter, and steam. Arrange the prepared escalope in a ring on a platter, put the mushrooms in the center, and pour sauce over it."

Note on the Original Text

Written in a telegraphic, almost shorthand style, the recipe assumes a confident home cook familiar with common techniques and intuitive sequencing. Precise measurements are absent, reflecting both oral tradition and the expected experience of the reader—instructions like 'pridať trochu múky' ('add a little flour') rely on the cook’s judgment. Spelling and phrasing have minor archaisms (e.g., 'šampiony' for 'mushrooms', 'prostriedok' for 'center'), and the structure runs continuously, only loosely divided into steps. This compact format allowed more recipes to fit in print and suited the busy, literate housewife.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči (1870)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1870

Publisher

Unknown

Background

An enchanting culinary treasure from the 19th century, this Slovak cookery book serves up a delightful array of recipes (recepty) to tempt the palate and inspire home chefs. A flavorful journey through time, it captures traditional tastes and kitchen wisdom with old-world charm.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe, hailing from an 1870 Slovak-language cookbook, showcases the elegant yet resourceful cuisine of Central Europe in the late 19th century. Such recipes often made thoughtful use of leftovers—here, yesterday’s roast is given new life inside mushrooms, a fashionable ingredient among the urban middle class. The inclusion of a light roux sauce, egg yolk enrichment, and the beautiful table presentation reflect the refined tastes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire period, while also nodding to the practical thrift of home cooks in that era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The cook of 1870 would have used a sharp knife and small spoon to prepare the mushrooms, a heavy iron skillet or copper pan for sautéing the filling, a wooden spoon for mixing, and a deep earthenware or tin baking dish for cooking the stuffed mushrooms. The sauce would be made over a wood- or coal-fired stove. For serving, a fine porcelain or ceramic platter would be used to display the escalope and the stuffed mushrooms attractively.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

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

10.5 oz white button mushrooms
3.5 oz leftover roast meat (beef, veal or pork), finely chopped
1 small onion (about 2 oz), diced
0.5 oz fresh parsley, chopped
1 oz unsalted butter (+ extra for baking)
0.35 oz plain flour
3.5 fl oz beef or chicken broth
2 egg yolks
Salt, to taste
6 slices of veal or beef escalope, about 2.5 oz each

Instructions

Start by taking fresh white button mushrooms (champignons).
Rinse them clean, then peel the outer skin and carefully scoop out the stems and some of the inside flesh to create hollow caps.
Take leftover roasted meat (such as beef, veal, or pork) and dice it finely, along with a small onion and a handful of fresh parsley.
Sauté the meat, onion, and parsley together in unsalted butter over medium heat until they are soft and aromatic.
Sprinkle in a spoonful of plain flour, stir, and then pour in a little beef or chicken broth to make a light sauce.
Season with a pinch of salt.
Whisk together two egg yolks and mix them into the meat filling of the heat to thicken slightly.
Fill the preparred mushroom caps with this mixture.
Arrange them, filled side up, in a buttered baking dish and add a few dabs of butter on top.
Cover and bake or steam gently until the mushrooms are tender.
To serve, arrange slices of escalope (thinly sliced, quickly sautéed meat) in a ring on a serving platter.
Place the stuffed mushrooms in the center and pour over the remaining sauce.

Estimated Calories

285 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing this dish requires time to clean and hollow the mushrooms, chop the meat and vegetables, and cook the filling. Then you fill the mushrooms and bake them till tender. Most of the time is spent on prepping the ingredients and letting the stuffed mushrooms cook gently in the oven.

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.