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Scallop of Cold Veal or Chicken
565. Mince the meat extremely small; and set it over the fire with a scrape of nutmeg, a little pepper and salt, and a little cream, for a few minutes; then put it into the scallop-shells, and fill them with crumbs of bread, over which put some bits of butter, and brown them before the fire. Either veal or chicken looks and eats well prepared in this way, and lightly covered with crumbs of bread fried; or these may be put on in little heaps.
A Victorian way of using up the Sunday roast: cooked meat minced, bound with cream, capped with buttered crumbs and browned. The whole thing depends on keeping the meat moist, since it is already cooked and any further simmering only tightens it.
- The hinge: barely heat the meatThe mince goes over the fire only long enough to warm through in the cream, two or three minutes at most. Cooked veal or chicken held at a simmer turns dry and stringy, and no amount of butter on top will rescue it.
- "Scallop-shells"Real scallop shells, or the tinned metal shells sold for the purpose. Capacity varied, but something in the region of half a cup is a fair guide. Small ramekins, gratin dishes or a shallow ovenproof plate all work; divide the mixture into portions of about 1/2 cup.
- "Brown before the fire"An open coal or wood fire, with the shells set on a stand facing the heat. A broiler set high, with the shells 4-5 inches from the element, does the same job in 3-5 minutes. Watch them; the buttered crumbs go from gold to black quickly.
- How much creamNone is specified. Aim for enough to make the mince glossy and just cohesive, not soupy: about 2-3 tablespoons per cup of minced meat. Too much and the filling will bubble up through the crumb topping.
- Mince, not shred"Extremely small" means chopped fine with a knife or briefly pulsed, not pulled into strands. The texture of the dish is a smooth, spoonable pate against a crisp lid.
- The fried-crumb finishThe alternative at the end is a light covering of crumbs of bread already fried, or, in the recipe's words, 'put on in little heaps'; it is not certain whether the heaps are of crumbs or of the mince. As the crumbs are fried beforehand, that version presumably needs little or no further browning.
- Meat that has been sittingCold cooked veal or chicken should have been refrigerated promptly and used within three or four days. Since the mixture is only warmed rather than cooked, start with meat you would be happy to eat cold.
- YieldAbout 2 cups of minced meat fills four shells, enough for four as a first course or two as a light supper with a salad.