Mock Turtle Soup (Mock turtle soup)
Overview
Mock turtle soup is an English soup made to imitate the very expensive green turtle soup. Instead of turtle, it uses a calf's head, cooked until the gelatinous meat can be cut into small cubes, which copies the texture of turtle meat. The cubes are served in a rich brown stock flavoured with onion, herbs such as thyme, marjoram and basil, cloves and a generous dash of Madeira or sherry. Some recipes add small forcemeat balls, chopped hard-boiled egg and lemon. Modern versions often use veal shank or beef. The soup is dark, glossy and strongly savoury.
History
Mock turtle soup was created in the mid-eighteenth century, when green turtle soup was fashionable at grand English dinners but turtles were costly and later hunted nearly to extinction. Lewis Carroll made the Mock Turtle a character in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, drawn with a calf's head. The soup spread to Germany, where it is still made in Lower Saxony, and to the United States, especially Cincinnati.
Main ingredients
Calf's head or veal, beef stock, madeira or sherry, onion, herbs, egg. The soup is built on brown beef stock and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
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Recipe
Method
- 13 h
Simmer the calf's head or veal in the stock with the vegetables, herbs and cloves for 3 hours.
- 2
Lift out the meat, cut it into small cubes and strain the stock.
- 315 min
Cook the butter and flour until brown, then whisk in the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 4
Add the meat and the Madeira and heat through.
- 5
Serve with chopped egg and a slice of lemon.
- ✓
Serve. About 4h 40m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
