Ingredients for 3-4 people
For the veal head stock:
1 veal head halved (about 0.8 kg)
1 onion, halved
1 spring onion
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 pepper
1 zucchini half
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1 dl vinegar
1dl white wine
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 sprig of thyme
1 bunch of parsley
4 juniper berries
1 small celeriac, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
5-6 peppercorns
2-3 cloves
Salt
For the fried side dish:
50 g butter
1 carrot, diced
1 small celeriac, diced
1 potato, diced
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of parsley
Salt and pepper
For the vinaigrette:
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
8 tbsp olive oil
1 tomato, finely diced
80 g pepper finely diced
100 g cucumber, diced
100 g potato, finely diced
100 g celery, finely diced
100 g zucchini, finely diced
1 shallot, finely diced
1 tbsp Pommery mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs: parsley, chives, finely chopped
Preparation
Prepare the veal's head: Clean the veal's head thoroughly. If necessary, remove the hair with a kitchen knife. Bring enough water to the boil in a large pot. Put the veal's head in and blanch for a few minutes to remove any impurities.
Drain the veal's head and put it in a large pot. Add onions, spring onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, mustard seeds, garlic, zucchini, peppers, cloves, parsley, thyme and salt.
Fill with enough water so that the head is completely covered. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer the veal's head over a low heat for about 2-3 hours until the meat is tender.
Remove the veal's head from the water and allow to cool. Then cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the vinaigrette: Fry the chopped shallot, potato, celery and carrot in the pan with butter and set aside. Now put the finely chopped ingredients such as the tomato, pepper, zucchini, cucumber and shallot in a bowl and mix with the olive oil, white wine vinegar, Pommery mustard and honey and round off the whole thing with salt and pepper. Finally, fold in the freshly chopped parsley and chives and serve. You can either mix the vinaigrette with the veal's head or add it separately; steamed potatoes go well with it.
For the fried side dish: Fry the diced potatoes, carrots and celery together in butter with thyme and parsley until golden brown and crispy.
Now arrange all the components to your liking and then enjoy.
Nice to Know:
In the Middle Ages, veal head was considered a delicacy in various regions, especially during times when meat availability fluctuated seasonally.
The veal head is often braised, boiled or prepared in a aspic, with the flavour being enhanced by the addition of herbs, spices and vegetables.
In modern cuisine, the dish has lost some of its popularity, but remains an important part of regional traditions. In rural areas, veal head is still valued and often served at festivities or traditional menu offerings. It is also particularly popular when prepared as "head jelly" or "jelly", in which the meat and innards are enclosed in gelatin to create a cold dish.
The preparation of veal head usually requires a certain degree of culinary skill and experience, as it is important to prepare the tender yet flavorful parts of the head in the best possible way. The dish is often served with mustard and fresh bread and is considered a hearty and nutritious dish from the "home cooking" tradition.
