Foods of England - The Judge's Circuit Soup

The Judge's Circuit Soup

Soups

Veal, cloves, mace, pepper and rice (White 1932)

Original Receipt from 'Good Things in England' by Florence White (White 1932), with thanks to Jeremy Beckett for spotting it.

The Judge's Circuit Soup
Worcester, 18th Century
This receipt was included in an old coverless exercise book sent by a B.B.C. friend. It possesses no name but evidently, from the following entry and other internal evidence, belonged to a Worcester cook and caterer probably during the first half of the 18th century. 'This dinner,' runs the record, 'we — my daughter and I — dres't under the Town Hall for the Corporation of Worcester; we had everything that could be had for money that was nice, and was praised by all the Gentle-men as very elegant, the best they ever sat down to of the size.' Unfortunately the bill of fare is not given, but there are 'receipts' for dressing a turtle, for cooking two fine turbots, for lobster and shrimp sauce, which were evidently featured. The directions have been modernized without destroying the character of the soup.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS: Veal, knuckle and lean part of leg; cloves, mace; black pepper and white pepper; rice 4 oz.; water one quart. TIME: 2 or 3 hours.

METHOD
1. Break the bones of the leg of veal and cut up the meat.
2. Put it into a pot and cover it with water.
3. Add cloves, mace, black and white pepper.
4. Let it stew gently two or three hours keeping it well skimmed.
5. Then put the rice in the quart of water, and boil till the water be chiefly gone.
6. Strain off your soup and thicken it with the rice and season to your taste.
7. 'Vermicelli is done in the same way, only when your soup is strained off then put in your vermicelli and let it boil a little while together instead of rice.'

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