SC - headcheese

[TG]

<< I assume the term goes back to period. >>

The earliest attestations for the term "headcheese" I found so far are
from the 19th century.

<< Do we have any period recipes for this? >> 

In case headcheese is roughly the same as German "Presskopf" (pressed
meat of the head together with other ingredients), there are some German
(predecessors of) recipes for Presskopf. A very detailed description how
to make "Preßkopf" is found in the "Frauenzimmerlexikon" (1715, Lexicon
for women). Prior to 1600, there are recipes in Rumpolt, one is online
in the ox-section of Rumpolt (# 2 "Ein gepreßten Ochsenkopff"). Rumpolt
has also a recipe for a "Gepresten Schweinskopff" (from the pig; the
more ears, the better) and "Ein gepresten Hirschkopff" (from a stag), of
which he says:

"... Also richt mans zu für König vnd Keyser/ für Fürsten vnd Herrn/ vnd
darff sich einer nicht schemen/ ein solche Speiß zu zurichten/ denn es
ist seltzam von einem Wiltpret/ wenn viel Ohren darvnter geschnitten
seyn".
(Roughly: '... This way it is prepared for Kings and the Emperor, for
princes and noblemen/ and one must not be ashamed/ to prepare such a
dish (for them)/ because it is something special made from deer/ if many
ears are cut into it'.) 

The "Rheinfränkisches Kochbuch" (1445) has a recipe for a liver sauce
which is said to fit for a "geprasten kop" (pressed head).

<< Any idea why it is called "cheese" although I seem to remember it
doesn't have any cheese in it? >>

I guess the common aspect is the element of pressing that is the same
with cheesemaking.

Best, Thomas