A historical main dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Stewed oysters or lamb may be used in place of veal.
✨ Vintage Recipe
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Original Historical Recipe
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Original Ingredients
portions of the neck or breast of veal, cut into small pieces
a little salt pork cut fine
pepper and salt
a small piece of celery chopped coarsely
yellow top, picked (not chopped) up
a tablespoonful of flour
the yolk of one egg
milk to form a thin batter
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Cut portions of the neck or breast of veal into small pieces, and, with a little salt pork cut fine, stew gently for ten or fifteen minutes
2
Season with pepper and salt, and a small piece of celery chopped coarsely, also of the yellow top, picked (not chopped) up
3
Stir in a paste made of a tablespoonful of flour, the yolk of one egg, and milk to form a thin batter
4
Let all come to a boil, and it is ready for the patties
5
Make the patties of a light, flaky crust, as for tarts, cut round, the size of a small sauceplate
6
The centre of each, for about three inches, cut half way through, to be raised and serve as a cover
7
Put a spoonful of the stew in each crust, lay on the top and serve
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips Below
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Stewing the veal with salt pork achieves two goals: the gentle heat breaks down tough connective tissue in neck and breast cuts through slow hydrolysis of collagen into gelatin, while the pork fat bastes the lean veal, keeping it moist. The egg-flour paste creates a liaison—a traditional French thickening technique where egg proteins and starch molecules bond with liquid to form a smooth, stable emulsion that won't break when reheated.
Make Ahead
The veal stew can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. The gelatin that forms upon cooling will actually improve the texture. Reheat gently over low heat, whisking to restore smoothness. Unbaked pastry shells can be formed, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month; bake directly from frozen, adding 5 minutes to baking time.
Storage
Store leftover veal filling separately from pastry shells in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pastry shells will become soggy if stored filled. Reheat filling gently on the stovetop until warmed through. If shells have softened, crisp them in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes before filling and serving.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
Make Ahead
The veal stew can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. The gelatin that forms upon cooling will actually improve the texture. Reheat gently over low heat, whisking to restore smoothness. Unbaked pastry shells can be formed, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month; bake directly from frozen, adding 5 minutes to baking time.
Storage
Store leftover veal filling separately from pastry shells in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pastry shells will become soggy if stored filled. Reheat filling gently on the stovetop until warmed through. If shells have softened, crisp them in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes before filling and serving.
