CLEOPATRA, 2.2
T HERE ARE MANY poetic references to food in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. From correspondences between the real Marc Antony and his wife, we know that while visiting Cleopatra in Egypt he dined on “five or six courses” and ate venison.
In England, deer hunting was only permitted on lands owned by the hunter and, in fact, illegal hunting in royal forests was punishable by heavy fines and even death. Once you taste this easy-to-prepare roast you will know why venison was considered “a lordes dysshe … a meat for greate men.”
1 cup red wine
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon dried savory
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 whole bay leaves
Venison loin (about 4 pounds)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
½ cup butter
¼ cup verjuice
1. Heat the wine in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar, fennel, savory, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to room temperature. Place the venison in a bowl and pour on the marinade. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, turning the roast occasionally to ensure even marinating.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the venison from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the roast in a baking pan and sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper over the roast. Dot with ¼ cup of the butter. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium. Allow the loin to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
3. Meanwhile, simmer the reserved marinade for 40 minutes, stirring frequently. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and whisk in the verjuice and remaining ¼ cup of butter. Serve the sauce in a small dish alongside the venison.
Herbed Veal Rolls
SERVES 6
Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day:
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierc’d the fearful hollow of thine ear;
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate-tree …
ROMEO AND JULIET, 3.5
S TUFFED AND ROASTED larks were a rare delicacy in Shakespeare’s time, so veal slices were often substituted for these tiny birds. In the original recipe the suggested list of herbs is extensive and includes all sorts of greens such as strawberry leaves and endive. Mixing an assortment of herbs, lettuces, and fruit leaves makes this veal filling delicious and unusual. Whenever possible, I now add crunchy endive and snips of organic, pesticide-free fresh fruit leaves to any recipe calling for fresh herbs.
½ cup currants
⅓ cup white wine
2 hard-cooked egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 dried plums, slivered
1½ cups chopped assorted lettuces and herbs (such as endive, spinach, chicory, parsley, thyme, sorrel, or strawberry leaves)
3 scallions, thinly sliced
12 very thin veal slices (approximately 3 by 4 inches each)
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground mace
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup finely diced endive
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
12 long fresh chives (optional)
1. Soak the currants in the wine for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the wine.
2. Mash the egg yolks and butter in a large bowl. Add the dried plums, currants, and 2 tablespoons of the wine from the currants and mix well. Toss in the lettuces and scallions and mix well. Season each slice of the veal with salt and pepper. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the lettuce mixture onto each veal slice, roll closed, and tie with kitchen string.
3. Place the olive oil in a large skillet and sear the veal for 1½ to 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Add the remaining wine from the currants, the mace, cinnamon, and cloves and gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the wine has
T HERE ARE MANY poetic references to food in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. From correspondences between the real Marc Antony and his wife, we know that while visiting Cleopatra in Egypt he dined on “five or six courses” and ate venison.
In England, deer hunting was only permitted on lands owned by the hunter and, in fact, illegal hunting in royal forests was punishable by heavy fines and even death. Once you taste this easy-to-prepare roast you will know why venison was considered “a lordes dysshe … a meat for greate men.”
1 cup red wine
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon dried savory
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 whole bay leaves
Venison loin (about 4 pounds)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
½ cup butter
¼ cup verjuice
1. Heat the wine in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar, fennel, savory, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to room temperature. Place the venison in a bowl and pour on the marinade. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, turning the roast occasionally to ensure even marinating.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the venison from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the roast in a baking pan and sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper over the roast. Dot with ¼ cup of the butter. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium. Allow the loin to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
3. Meanwhile, simmer the reserved marinade for 40 minutes, stirring frequently. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and whisk in the verjuice and remaining ¼ cup of butter. Serve the sauce in a small dish alongside the venison.
Herbed Veal Rolls
SERVES 6
Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day:
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierc’d the fearful hollow of thine ear;
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate-tree …
ROMEO AND JULIET, 3.5
S TUFFED AND ROASTED larks were a rare delicacy in Shakespeare’s time, so veal slices were often substituted for these tiny birds. In the original recipe the suggested list of herbs is extensive and includes all sorts of greens such as strawberry leaves and endive. Mixing an assortment of herbs, lettuces, and fruit leaves makes this veal filling delicious and unusual. Whenever possible, I now add crunchy endive and snips of organic, pesticide-free fresh fruit leaves to any recipe calling for fresh herbs.
½ cup currants
⅓ cup white wine
2 hard-cooked egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 dried plums, slivered
1½ cups chopped assorted lettuces and herbs (such as endive, spinach, chicory, parsley, thyme, sorrel, or strawberry leaves)
3 scallions, thinly sliced
12 very thin veal slices (approximately 3 by 4 inches each)
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground mace
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup finely diced endive
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
12 long fresh chives (optional)
1. Soak the currants in the wine for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the wine.
2. Mash the egg yolks and butter in a large bowl. Add the dried plums, currants, and 2 tablespoons of the wine from the currants and mix well. Toss in the lettuces and scallions and mix well. Season each slice of the veal with salt and pepper. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the lettuce mixture onto each veal slice, roll closed, and tie with kitchen string.
3. Place the olive oil in a large skillet and sear the veal for 1½ to 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Add the remaining wine from the currants, the mace, cinnamon, and cloves and gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the wine has
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