Moulded Meat
Cut slices of cold roast veal or lamb, and slices of lean cooked ham very thin. Lay them in a baking-dish of good shape for moulding; a layer of meat, then a layer of sliced hardboiled eggs, with a little finely minced parsley, salt, and pepper. When the dish is filled, pour over a cupful of good, rich stock and bake half an hour. When cold turn out on a platter and garnish with springs of parsley.
A cold sliced-meat loaf set in its own jellied stock, meant to be baked, chilled and turned out whole. Everything depends on the stock: if it does not gel, the mould collapses on the platter.
- The hinge: gelatinous stock"Good, rich stock" here means a homemade stock (veal or lamb, to match the meat) reduced enough to set firm when cold. Most commercial cartons will not gel reliably; if you use one, dissolve about 1 tablespoon (1 packet) of powdered gelatin in the cupful before pouring.
- Oven temperatureThe recipe gives no temperature at all. A moderate oven, around 350F, will serve for the half hour: everything in the dish is already cooked, so the bake only needs to heat the loaf through and marry the stock with the meat.
- The vesselA "baking-dish of good shape for moulding" means straight or gently sloping sides so the loaf will release: a 1-quart loaf tin, charlotte mould or small souffle dish. Line it with plastic wrap or parchment if you want a guaranteed turn-out.
- Slice thinly and pack tightlyThe recipe asks for the meat 'very thin'; press each layer down as you go, or the finished loaf is more likely to fall apart into shingles when cut. Air pockets between the layers work against a clean slice.
- Chill under weightThe recipe says only "when cold," which in practice means at least 6 hours and preferably overnight in the refrigerator. Set a small plate and a can on top while it chills to compact the layers.
- Hard-boiled eggsCook them 10 minutes, cool in cold water and slice with a wet knife or an egg slicer. Centred yolks give the prettiest cross-section; stirring the eggs early in the boil is often recommended for this, though the effect is uncertain.
- Yield and servingA quart mould gives 6 to 8 slices, enough for a light lunch or a cold supper plate. Cut with a thin sharp knife, and serve with mustard, pickles or a sharp salad.
- GarnishThe parsley garnish is meant to be sprigs laid around the base of the turned-out loaf, not chopped over it.