The Decadent Cookbook by Jerome Fletcher Alex Martin Medlar Lucan Durian Gray

have such a bestial aspect to it. The Irish, among others, used to make a sort of blood cake whereby a layer of blood was left to coagulate and then sprinkled with salt. A second layer of liquid was added and also left to coagulate. In this way a block was formed which was then cut up into squares and put aside as food for use in times of scarcity.
    Another blood ‘recipe’ from Ireland is mentioned by the early 18th century traveller, Henri Misson de Valbourg. In his Memoirs and Observations in his Travels over England translated by Mr Ozell, he notes that the peasants “bleed their cows and boil the blood with some of the milk and butter which came from the same beasts, and this with a mixture of savoury herbs, is one of their most delicious dishes.” It is difficult to gauge the degree of irony in that last remark.
    Blood makes an excellent basis for a Decadent meal. Dark, heavy, rich and sinister, it combines beautifully with other Decadent themes: vice, corruption, incest and death.

    To start the meal we suggest a black blood soup from Sweden.
S VARTSOPPA

    For the meat and giblets:
    G IBLETS OF 1 GOOSE ( HEART, GIZZARD, NECK, HEAD, WING TIPS, FEET AND LIVER )
    1 - 1½ LITRES OF WATER
    T ABLESPOON OF SALT
    1 SLICE OF YELLOW OR RED ONION
    4 - 6 WHITE PEPPERCORNS
    2 - 4 CLOVES

    For the soup:
    6 DECILITRES OF GOOSE OR PIG’S BLOOD
    3½ LITRES MIXTURE OF BOUILLON ( A GOOD MEAT STOCK,
    LIGHT OR DARK) AND GIBLET STOCK
    3 TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER
    7 - 9 TABLESPOONS OF FLOUR
    3 TEASPOONS SALT
    6 - 7 TABLESPOONS GRANULATED SUGAR
    ½ TEASPOON WHITE PEPPER
    ½ TEASPOON OF GINGER
    ½ TEASPOON GROUND CLOVES
    R ED CURRANT JELLY
    4 - 6 TEASPOONS DISTILLED VINEGAR
    1 DECILITRE COGNAC
    1 - 3 DECILITRES OF RED WINE, DRY MADEIRA, DRY SHERRY OR PORT
    For the garnish

    G OOSE GIBLETS AND MEAT
    5 - 6 GOOD SOUR APPLES
    24 PRUNES
    ½ LITRE WATER
    2 - 3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
    GOOSE LIVER SAUSAGE

    Wash the giblets thoroughly. Put them in cold water and bring to the boil slowly. Skim and add the onions and spices. Bring back to the boil and cook gently for 2 - 3 hours until the meat is well done. Strain and leave the stock to cool. Skim thoroughly when cold. When cool cut the giblets into regular pieces and remove all the bones.
    Wash the prunes and soak in water for a while. Wash, peel, core, halve and then slice the apples. Heat the sugar and water together, in which mixture the apples are then cooked, a few at a time. Remove and set them aside. Stone the prunes and cook in the same way, reserving the resultant fruit stock.
    Strain the blood. Melt the butter, add the flour and stir until cooked. Add the bouillon and giblet stock mixture and allow to cook slowly for 10 minutes. Strain and return to the rinsed saucepan. Meanwhile, vigorously whisk the blood into the soup, whisking continuously. The soup separates easily. Take the pan off the heat, add the spices, wine and fruit stock. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep the soup warm in a bain marie so that it doesn’t separate.
    Serve the soup as hot as possible with the giblets, fruit and sliced goose liver sausage arranged on a platter.

    There are two alternatives to this. One is a Polish blood soup called Tchernina. The other is to make a traditional Chinese hot and sour soup. This has ox’s blood drizzled into it as a finishing touch. The important thing is that the soup is hot enough for the blood to thicken in it, rather like adding a raw egg to French onion soup.

    For the main course we recommend jugged hare and blood sausages - together if you wish to make a sensation, separately for a more subtle, calculated effect.
J UGGED HARE

    There are those who believe that jugged hare can be made without the blood, that it tastes just as good using stock instead. One should treat such persons with contempt. They are the sort who think that the Brahms double concerto sounds just as good without the cello part.

    S ADDLE OF HARE
    ½ LB PIECE OF FAT BACON
    2 LARGE ONIONS
    4 - 5 CARROTS
    BOUQUET