Tête de Veauà la Poulette

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8-quart heavy stockpot with lid
• •Parchment paper cut to fit the pot
• •Fine-mesh skimmer
• •12-inch wide sauté pan
• •Flexible spatula
• •Sharp slicing knife
• •Deep 2-quart serving bowl or timbale

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the head

   Set the tied calf’s head in a deep bowl, cover it with cold water, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse it well. This brief soak draws away loose blood without leaching the meat for hours; a head already soaked by the butcher needs only a thorough rinse.

   The butcher’s preparation matters here. The head should arrive fully singed, cleaned, boned, rolled, and firmly tied, with no glands or stray hairs left for you to discover at the stove.
2. 2

   Blanch and rinse

   Put the head in an 8-quart stockpot and cover it by 1 inch with fresh cold water. Bring it slowly to a boil, skimming the grey foam as it rises, then boil for 3 minutes. Drain immediately, rinse the head under cool water, and wash the pot. This blanching is useful scaffolding: it clears the proteins that would otherwise muddy the blanc and cling to the finished slices.

3. 3

   Build the blanc

   Whisk the flour with 1 cup of the cold water until perfectly smooth, then pour it into the clean pot. Add enough remaining water to cover the head by 1 inch, followed by the vinegar, salt, butter, onions, carrots, and bouquet garni. Return the head to the pot and whisk the liquid gently as it approaches a simmer so the flour cannot settle and scorch. Lay a round of parchment directly over the surface and cover the pot slightly ajar; the acidulated, lightly thickened blanc protects the meat’s pale colour while it cooks.

4. 4

   Poach without boiling

   Hold the blanc at a bare simmer, about 185 to 195°F (85 to 90°C), for 2½ to 3 hours. You want an occasional lazy bubble, never a rolling boil. Turn the roll once or twice and add hot water if the surface becomes exposed. The head is ready when a thin skewer passes through the cheek and skin with little resistance, and the centre reaches about 190°F (88°C); tenderness, not the clock, makes the decision. If the pot boils hard, lower the heat and add a cup of cold water. Ça se rattrape, provided you catch it before the outside tightens.

5. 5

   Warm the poulette

   Transfer the prepared Poulette Sauce (No. 101) to a wide sauté pan and warm it over the lowest heat until it flows easily and naps the back of a spoon. Do not boil it. If it has tightened while waiting, loosen it with 1 tablespoon of strained hot blanc at a time; the sauce should cling generously without sitting like paste.

6. 6

   Slice on the bias

   Lift the head from the blanc and let it settle for 10 minutes beneath a sheet of damp parchment. Remove every length of twine. If the tongue is included and its coarse outer skin remains, peel it away while warm. Cut the roll somewhat aslant into small slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, halving any very broad pieces so they can be tossed without tearing. Keep the slices warm beneath a spoonful of strained blanc.

7. 7

   Toss and serve

   Slip the warm slices into the Poulette Sauce (No. 101) and turn them carefully with a flexible spatula over very low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce should coat every piece, but it must not simmer. If oily beads appear, lift out the meat, take the pan off the heat, and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cold water until the sauce becomes smooth and glossy again. Ça se rattrape. Return the slices, spoon everything into a warmed deep serving bowl or timbale, and scatter the chopped parsley over the top. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Order the head from a butcher several days before you cook. Ask for calf, not mature beef, and request it fully cleaned, boned, rolled, and tied, with the tongue included if possible. Frozen is an honest choice when that is how the specialist butcher keeps it.
• •The correct texture is tender and gently gelatinous, not firm like roast meat and not collapsing into glue. A skewer should enter without resistance, but the roll must still hold a clean slice after its short rest.
• •Poulette Sauce (No. 101) is a finished component and stays in its own entry, exactly as the classical kitchen organized it. Prepare it while the head poaches, then keep it only gently warm. Real butter gives the finish its sheen and body; a fat substitute will not behave the same way.
• •Serve this with boiled potatoes or plain rice to collect the sauce. A dry, fresh white such as Mâcon-Villages has enough acidity for the gelatin and butter without bullying the lemon.

Advance Preparation

• •The calf’s head may be poached one day ahead. Cool it promptly in enough strained blanc to keep it moist, refrigerate, then reheat it very gently in the same liquid before slicing.
• •Have the Poulette Sauce (No. 101) ready for the final stage, but complete its buttered finish close to serving. Once the sliced head enters the sauce, the dish waits for no one.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them for up to 3 days. Reheat over very low heat with a spoonful of reserved blanc, stopping before the sauce simmers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 470g)