Cotoneum et Phasianum (Thyatian)
by Cab DavidsonIngredients
4 pheasant thighs (or 2 chicken thighs)
3 large quinces
Oil for frying
1 onion
1 stick of celery
¼ lb mushrooms
1 onion
1 large glass of white wine
Chicken or pheasant stock
1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey
A splash of garum or fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Chop the onion, celery and carrot finely and sautee until softened. Add the pheasant thighs and brown them. Peel and slice the quinces and mushrooms, and add them to the pan with the wine, honey, vinegar, garum or fish sauce, seasoning and if necessary just enough stock to cover. Cook in a moderate oven for 40 minuites.
Megs Comments
This is my take on a fairly classic Thyatian dish. Quinces are uncommon here in Norwold but we do grow them, and they’re an under-used fruit that I think should be more popular. I usually cook this using thighs from pheasant or chickens, which makes this a most economical dish. The breasts go to the tables of the nobles in the castle, whereas pheasant drumsticks are full of hard sinews so they go into the stockpot with the carcass. I cook great pots of this stew for the staff when pheasants are in season.
Note: This one is sort of based on lots of bits and bobs from Apicius, it's Roman in style but not a direct interpretation of a Roman recipe. Apicius has a stew that's got quince and leeks, but they didn't tend to have the same use of stock vegetables in their cooking. This retains the sweet, sour, salty basis of a Roman dish but it's just a little Anglicised - remember, I'm writing this from the perspective of a royal housekeeper in Norwold!)