Tête de Veau Farcie (Stuffed Calf's Head, Gratinated Rounds)

Ingredients

• Calf's head
• 250 grammes veal forcemeat with panade and cream
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 100 grammes brain trimmings
• 1 heaped spoonful dry Duxelles
• A pinch of chopped parsley
• Cayenne
• Butter
• A few drops of mushroom cooking liquor
• Breadcrumbs
• A sharp sauce: Piquante

Instructions

1. Cook the cut-up head in a Blanc.
2. Make the forcemeat with 250 grammes of veal forcemeat with panade and cream, 2 very finely chopped hard-boiled eggs, 100 grammes of sieved brain trimmings, a heaped spoonful of dry Duxelles and a pinch of chopped parsley.
3. Season it fairly strongly with Cayenne and mix well.
4. Take the part of the muzzle below the eye and on the forehead, where there is no flesh, and cut it out with a plain round cutter 5 centimetres in diameter.
5. Pipe the forcemeat onto the inner side of these rounds in the form of a macaron.
6. Butter a dish and moisten the bottom with a few drops of mushroom cooking liquor, then set the garnished rounds on it.
7. Sprinkle the forcemeat lightly with breadcrumbs and moisten with melted butter.
8. Set the dish on a tray containing a little hot water to make a bain-marie.
9. Poach and gratinate at the same time in a medium oven.
10. Serve separately a sharp sauce, such as Piquante, Ravigote or Tortue, or else Béarnaise or Valois.