| TITLE | HEAD CHEESE |
| HISTORY | This recipe is one from the Madawaska Historial Society's REUNION FAMILIES' FAVORITE RECIPES. Copies of the cookbook may be ordered directly from the Historical Society, Madawaska, Maine 04756. This recipe is a 1985 Bicentennial Families recipe which comes from Alice Lagasse Chasse. |
| INGREDIENTS |
|
| PREPARATION | After
the butcher has slaughtered the hog, bled it to save the blood for boudin,
he removes the head and dips in a large black cauldron (set up outside
especially for the slaughtering). This is the first of many dippings in
boiling water to remove any dirt, clean crevices and the ears. The next
step, he divides the head in two, removes the brain and eyes.
The housewife takes it to her kitchen and once more dips it into a pot of boiling water. She lets it boil about 15 minutes. Removes it from water, cleans and scrapes off all unnecessary skin and hair. Once satisfied with this process, she places it in a cooking pot, covers it with clean salted boiling water and lets it cook until the meat falls off the bones, removes it to a bowl or tray, removes all the large bones and places the meat in a cheesecloth. It is returned to the bowl in this cloth and weighted down by a heavy object. They used a clean rock. This removes the excess liquid. Let stand overnight in a cool spot. In the
morning, remove meat and place in a crock jar for future use. Scrape fat
off cloth and save. Add sage. Serve on ployes or hot bread. Store in a
cool place.
|