Tête de veau (French 'calf's head') or testina di vitello (Italian) is a dish consisting of a calf's head, commonly found in
French,
Belgian
Belgian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to, Belgium
* Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent
* Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German
*Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...
,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
,
Swiss, and
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
cuisine.
Tête de veau may be served whole or boned. When boned, it is rolled and held together with string. It is usually poached, but it may also be roasted. It may be served hot or cold, often with a
vinaigrette
Vinaigrette ( , ) is made by mixing an oil with a mild acid such as vinegar or lemon juice (citric acid). The mixture can be enhanced with salt, herbs and/or spices. It is used most commonly as a salad dressing, but can also be used as a marina ...
or
ravigote sauce. Cold, it may be served in slices.
A well-known dish in Belgium is "tête de veau en tortue" ('as a tortoise/turtle'), served with tomato sauce with
Madeira and accompanied by
French fries. This may be linked with English
mock turtle soup
Mock turtle soup is an English soup that was created in the mid-18th century as an imitation of green turtle soup. It often uses brains and organ meats such as calf's head to duplicate the texture and flavour of the original's turtle meat aft ...
, known in
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...
as ''Mockturtle'', a soup made from calf's head prepared and seasoned to resemble
green turtle soup.
See also
*
Head cheese
Head cheese (Dutch: ''hoofdkaas'') or brawn is a cold cut terrine or meat jelly that originated in Europe. It is made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig (less commonly a sheep or cow), typically set in aspic, and usually eaten cold, ...
References
French cuisine
Belgian cuisine
Testina di vitello
German cuisine
Swiss cuisine
Beef dishes
Brain dishes
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