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PIG'S HEAD, COLLARED (superlative)

Take a pig's head cut with as much of the neck as can be had. Clean it carefully, split it open to take out the brains, and bone it without injuring the outer skin. Rub it well with common salt, and let it drain for twenty-four hours, then put it into a deep pan, and pour over it a cold brine, prepared as follows. Put one pound of salt and a quarter of an ounce of saltpetre into a stewpan, with four quarts of water, a handful of chopped juniper-berries, half a dozen bruised cloves, three bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme and basil, and two or three sage-leaves. Boil quickly for a quarter of an hour, then put aside to cool. Let the head lie in this brine for nine or ten days, and turn and baste it frequently. Take it up, drain and dry it, and lay it open, skin downwards, upon a table; spread evenly over it a forcemeat, made of half a pound of uncooked ham, half a pound of breast of bacon, four ounces of fresh butter, half a dozen young onions, finely minced, a table-spoonful of chopped parsley, with a little cayenne and pounded mace. Pound these ingredients smoothly together. Shape the head as evenly as possible by laying the thick part of one cheek to the thin part of the other, then roll it tightly, bind it securely with tape, cover with a linen cloth, and put it into a stewpan, with as much cold water or stock as will cover it, together with the bones and trimmings of the head and a little seasoning. Let it simmer gently until done enough, that is, until a skewer will pierce it easily. Leave the head in the liquor until it is almost cold, then put it under a weight, and let it lie until the next day. Remove the bindings, and serve on a neatly-folded napkin. Collared pig's head is a most convenient dish to keep in the house, as it will remain good for a considerable time in moderate weather. Time to boil, four hours, or more, from the time the liquid reaches the boiling point. Probable cost, 1s. per pound. Sufficient for a breakfast or luncheon dish.