Stock for White Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ham
• 7 lbs veal
• 4–6 quarts cold water
• 1.5 oz salt
• 2 mild onions
• 1 head celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 teaspoonful whole white peppercorns
• 2 blades mace
• calf's head skin, calf's foot, or old fowl

Instructions

1. Wash the veal thoroughly and divide it once or twice.
2. Lay the veal into a clean soup-pot or well-tinned large saucepan upon the ham slices, freed entirely from skin and fat.
3. Pour in cold water—1 pint per pound of meat for very rich soup, or 1.5 pints per pound for ordinary stock.
4. Bring to a boil and carefully skim off scum from the time it first begins to boil.
5. Once thoroughly cleared, add salt (1 ounce to the gallon), mild onions, celery head, carrots, white peppercorns, and mace.
6. If desired, add the skin of a calf's head, calf's foot, or old fowl.
7. Let the soup stew very softly for 5 to 6 hours if the quantity is large, simmering until the meat falls from the bones.
8. Strain into a clean deep pan and keep in a cool place until wanted for use.