SC - Peacock

[marilyn traber]

> Guy asked where to get them.
> 
> We were going to do the peacock cooked and put back in its skin for 
> conference next easter, but people said I would die if I ate the cooked 
> meat that had been inside the raw skin (hence the cockentrice - a 
> replacement option) and we felt (this is run by a committee) there was not
> 
> much point killing a peacock to look at.
> 
	Why?  You might get salmonella poisoning (are peacocks prone to
salmonella?) but that won't necessarily kill you (and there is a way around
it, see below).  I've done several.  The one's destined to be eaten were
about 2 years old, very tender, mild gamey flavour (a little stronger than
turkey) and lots of breast meat.  These we baked in a pastry case and put
the skin on top for presentation, to prevent salmonella contamination.  They
were very successful.  

	I also did one purely for presentation (TV programme) which was
about 6 years old and looked very tough and gamey (much darker, stringy
looking meat).  Nobody ate that one, but it may be ones of that age which
gave peacock its bad reputation.

	I suspect their edibility, like any animal, depends on age and care.

> We had organised somebody who keeps peacocks to treat a fw extra nice - 
> good food, easy life, etc. Then you get them to come have a chat, and 
> have a nasty accident with a large pair of shears or a bone which twist 
> the wrong way in their neck...
> 
	The 2 year olds were easy - I gather the 6 year old one had half a
dozen adults running around after it before it succumbed!  Even the
stupidest birds gain a little cunning with age.

	Caroline


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