‘A name for hashed beef’ (Simmonds, Dict. Trade). Minced meat, crumbs of bread, onions, chopped parsley, etc., with seasoning, made up into balls, sprinkled with bread-crumbs, and fried.
1819. New Syst. Dom. Cookery (Murray), 39. To dress … Cecils, Mince any kind of meat, crumbs of bread, a good deal of onion, some anchovies, etc. … make them into balls of the size and shape of a turkey’s egg, with an egg; sprinkle them with fine crumbs, and fry them of a yellow brown.
1831. New Syst. Cookery, 51. To dress the same [cold beef] called Cecils.
