Cormorant Receipts

from Europe

Albania - Belarus - Belgium - Bulgaria - Croatia - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Iceland - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Malta - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Rumania - Russia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - The Netherlands - Ukraine - United Kingdom - Yugoslavia

from outside Europe

Australia - Canada - China - India - Israel - South Africa - United States of America

Germany

1 - 2

D1 - Cormorant Breasts with Lentils
After the German hunting magazine "Die Pirsch" (1996, p. 81)
Translation from the German by Thomas Keller

Ingredients (for 2-3 persons): Breasts of one Cormorant, 1 large carrot (cut into pieces), 1 piece of celeriac (from the roots, not the greens - cut into little pieces of 8 mm), 300 g lentils, 2 onions, 200 g smoked bacon, 6 table spoons of vinegar, 4 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups of the marinade, 3 – 4 little red chilies (or freshly grounded pepper), salt, ½ bunch of fresh thyme, goose lard

Marinades (it looks as if you will need 2 marinades one to marinade the breasts and one for cooking the meal):
each ½ liter of a dry white wine, 4 table spoons of olive oil, 1 onion, 1 carrot, ½ bunch of lemon thyme, parsley, 1 by leaf red pepper.

Preparation method: Cut the breasts out of the bird, cut away all body fat. Marinade: Cut all vegetables for the marinade into pieces and boil it shortly with all other marinade ingredients. Let the marinade cool down, pour it over the Cormorant breasts and marinade the breasts for 48 hours. Then, dry the breasts, cut them into pieces, and brown them in a pan with some goose lard (fat). Add one cup of marinade and cook (stew) the breasts for 2 ½ hours until the meat is almost tender. Add some of the chicken broth every once in a while. In the meantime cut the bacon into strips, cut the onions and brown both with some goose lard (fat) in a (roast) pot. Add the carrots, the celeriac, the chilies and the (washed) lentils. Heat it. Then add vinegar, the marinade and the chicken soup. Now salt the breasts and give them onto the bacon and the vegetables. Add the thyme and cook the meal to perfection. Serve salt potatoes with it. Serve Riesling wine with it.

*****

D2 - Scottish Cormorant Pot/Stew
After the German hunting magazine "Die Pirsch" (1996, p. 81)
Translation from the German by Thomas Keller

Ingredients (for 6 persons): Breasts of two cormorants, 300 g smoked bacon, 2 onions, 1 green celeriac, 6 grounded juniper berries, salt, freshly grounded pepper, 2 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups of the marinade, whipped cream, 1 shot of whisky (Scotch), goose lard, 150 g barley (pre-boiled ?), ½ bunch of parsley, ½ bunch of fresh marjoram

Marinades (it looks as if you will need 2 marinades one to marinade the breasts and one for cooking the meal):
each ½ liter of red wine, 4 table spoons of olive oil, 1 onion, 1 carrot, each ½ bunch of fresh marjoram, some pepper corns (berries), 1 piece of garlic

Preparation method:
Cut the breasts out of the birds, cut away all body fat. Marinade: Cut all vegetables for the marinade into pieces and boil it shortly with all other marinade ingredients.Let the marinade cool down, pour it over the Cormorant breasts and marinade the breasts for 48 hours. Then cut the bacon into strips and brown it with some goose lard (fat) in a (roast) pot. Put it on a paper towel and let some of fat drip off. Put it aside. Cut the breasts into peaces and brown in the same fat (pot). Cut the onion and the celeriac into pieces and add it into the pot with the parsley and the marjoram (do not cut the parsley and the marjoram). Season it with salt pepper and the juniper berries. Heat it. Now, add the marinade and the chicken broth, and stew the meal for 2 ½ to 3 hours until the meat is almost tender. Wash the barley and add it, now. Cook the meal to perfection. Add some of the chicken broth every once in a while. Take away the parsley and the marjoram (remember that you should not have cut them!!!). Finally, add the bacon and some whipped cream and the Scotch whisky (to make it a Scottish dish !!!). Serve it with potato croquettes and green beans. Serve it with red wine (Burgundy).

Sweden

Cormorant in Cream Sauce [source]
Ingredients: 1 cormorant, salt & white pepper, allspice, 2 onoins, 2 carrots, a piece of celeriac, 1 tarty apple, 3 dl cream, 5 dl clear broth, 1 bay leaf.
Preparation method: Flay and divide the cormorant. Salt, pepper and brown in pan. Simmer 1,5 - 2 hours together with carrots, celeriac, apple, allspice, bay leaf and clear broth. Strain, thicken broth and add cream. Serve with boiled potatoes, green peas, carrots and lingonberry jam. The perfect compliment: Egi Bikavér, 1993. (A rich, full, slightly tarty wine with a touch of liqourice).

Page create on 10/11/2000
by S. Volponi