Three thousand years ago, peacocks, peahens, and their eggs were considered to be a great delicacy. There were special dishes for cooking the eggs. Today peacock is no longer eaten in Greece. Originally bred on the island of Samos, the peacock became so outrageously expensive that one ancient Greek art lover, named Anaxandrided said "Isn't it crazy to keep peacocks in the house when for all that money you can buy two statues?"

Above is the actual dish on a silver platter. The peacock has been carefully skinned, roasted and then had the skin pulled back over it for preasentation at a Tudor banquet

 

1 large peacock

 

Stuffing:

chopped liver (from peacock)

1 cup currants or raisins

1 cup chopped nuts

 

Basting Sauce:

1/2 cup oil or butter

1 cup wine

1 tsp each marjorum,savory, thyme

chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

 

When you order the fowl, give instructions to the poultry man to prepare and dress the bird, to skin it carefully and not to chop off the head or feet, and to truss the legs to the breast.

 

When preparing to bake the fowl, spread the tailfeathers in a fan and set aside to use as decoration later. Oil a large baking pan and place the fowl in it. Wrap the head with damp cloth to protect it while baking.

 

Mix the stuffing and fill the cavity. Mix the basting sauce and baste fowl. Continue to baste while baking. Roast 2 hours in preheated oven at 350°.

 

Allow to cool 30 minutes and decorate for presentation. Gild feet and beak with gold nail polish. Put tail feathers in place. Place a piece of cotton soaked in whiskey in the beak. Light the cotton on fire as the bird is being served. Place the peacock on a bed of parsley. Arrange flowers, leaves and jewelry all around it.