Mock Turtle Soup

Ingredients

• 1 head Calf's head
• 2 Onions
• 1 bunch Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, bay leaf) (Originally "sweet herbs".)
• 5 tablespoonfuls Butter
• 5 tablespoonfuls All-purpose flour (Originally "browned flour".)
• 1 tablespoonful Allspice
• 1/2 teaspoonful Mace
• 1 teaspoonful Black pepper
• 2 teaspoonfuls Salt
• 2 Large eggs
• a little All-purpose flour
• 2 glasses Dry sherry or Madeira wine
• 1 tablespoonful Mushroom catsup or walnut catsup
• 5 quarts Cold water
• 1 sliced Lemon

Instructions

1. 1Clean the calf's head thoroughly, ensuring the skin is intact. Soak the head in cold water for 1 hour.
2. 2Place the calf's head in a pot with 5 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the bones easily slip from the flesh. This should take approximately 3-4 hours.
3. 3Remove the head from the pot, leaving the bones and broth. Take out the tongue and brains and set aside on separate plates. Also, set aside the cheeks and fleshy parts to cool. Chop the remaining meat, including the ears, very fine. Reserve 4 tablespoonfuls of this for the forcemeat balls.
4. 4Season the chopped meat (excluding the reserved portion) with pepper, salt, onions, allspice, herbs, and mace. Return the seasoned meat to the pot with the broth. Cover and cook for 4 hours. If the liquid reduces to less than 4 quarts, replenish with boiling water.
5. 5Just before straining the soup, remove 1/2 cupful of the broth and put it into a frying pan. Heat and stir in the flour (wet up in cold water) and butter. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. 6Strain the soup, scald the pot, and return the broth to the heat. Cut the tongue and fleshy parts of the head into small squares. Make about 15 forcemeat balls from the reserved chopped meat, seasoned and bound with flour and beaten eggs. They should be soft. Thicken the strained broth with the mixture from the frying pan. If not thick enough, add more flour. Drop in the diced tongue and fat meat, and cook slowly for 5 minutes.
7. 7Place the forcemeat balls and thin slices of lemon into a tureen. Pour the soup over them, add catsup and wine, cover for 5 minutes, and serve.