Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals

by Andrew Caldwell

  4 thin slices calves’ liver, about ¾ lb

  salt and pepper

  ¼ cup flour

  2 tbsp vegetable oil

  3 tbsp butter

  1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

  ½ tbsp red wine vinegar

  1 tbsp chopped parsley

  1 tbsp chopped chives

  ½ tbsp chopped tarragon

  Place the liver, salt, pepper, and flour in a plastic bag to coat the liver and shake off the excess.

  Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the liver about 1 minute per side until nicely browned.

  Remove the liver to a warm platter.

  Wipe out the pan with a clean cloth. Add the butter and cook over a high heat until the butter is a hazelnut brown color. Add the shallots, stir and cook for about 1 minute, then add the vinegar.

  Pour the hot sauce over the liver.

  Sprinkle with parsley, chives, and fresh tarragon; serve immediately.

  Rognons de Veau Ardennaise (Veal Kidneys)

  Accompanied by 2 cups hot cooked rice mixed with ¼ cup chopped parsley.

  6 veal kidneys, split and cut into ½-inch slices

  ¼ cup butter

  2 tbsp minced shallots

  ½ cup sliced mushrooms

  2-3 tbsp diced green pepper

  ¼ cup brandy

  cup chicken broth

  1 ½ tbsp flour

  salt and pepper to taste

  Sauté the shallots, mushrooms, and green peppers in the butter for about 5 minutes.

  Add the kidneys and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

  Heat the brandy in a small saucepan. Light it and then pour over the kidneys and vegetables.

  When the flame dies, stir in the chicken broth, cover, turn heat to low, and cook for another 10 minutes.

  Mix the flour with the salt, pepper, and 3 tbsp water. Combine this with the kidney mixture and cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

  Shirred Eggs

  Melt 2 oz butter in frying pan, add two fresh eggs, cook quickly, flip eggs.

  Serve with a spoonful of thick cream on top and chopped parsley.

  Garlic Toast

  2 loaves French bread

  4-6 cloves garlic, halved

  Slice the bread lengthwise, then in serving-size pieces.

  Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

  Lightly rub garlic cloves on both sides until it melts on the toast. Serve immediately.

  ALEXANDER THE GREAT

  Babylon, Iraq

  June 13, 323 B.C.

  Only sex and sleep make me conscious that I am mortal.

  —Alexander

  Alexander the Great, a name that has inspired generals and common people alike for more than 2,000 years, was born the son of King Phillip and Queen Olympias of Macedonia. The family was a highly militaristic one, and from an early age Alexander was bred for war and the expansion of Macedonian power.

  Tutored as a child in the arts by the great Greek philosopher Aristotle but groomed even harder in military matters by his harsh father, Phillip, Alexander itched for conquest from his youth. Born in the town of Pella, some 50 miles from Thessalonica, the capital of ancient Macedonia, Alexander was brought up by his father and his equally manipulative mother with a vision to incorporate the states of the Greek world with their own dominant Macedonian army. This force could then be used primarily against their hereditary enemy, Persia, and would supposedly avenge all the wrongs done to the country in generations before by the despotic kings of the Asian Empire. More importantly, it would expand the aggressive Macedonian Empire.

  While fighting at the side of his father against the forces of Thebes and Athens at the battle of Chae Ronea in 338 B.C., Alexander resolved to incorporate the fragmented Greek states into one united force when he had the chance. For many decades the Greeks had always divided their strength by fighting among themselves; in fact, a constant state of war existed between most Greek cities.

  The opportunity he wanted arrived sooner than expected. Phillip’s wife Olympias was always trying to position her offspring to succeed the ailing king and was constantly plotting his downfall. So it came as little surprise that when attending a local religious ceremony on foot, Phillip was stabbed to death in the streets of his own capital. A furious Alexander, though still a teenager, quickly took control of the army, and anybody he perceived as being unfaithful to him was put to death, including several of his own family. The handsome, eloquent Alexander was immediately revered by the Macedonian troops, especially when he outlined his vision for conquest and spoke to them of the glories and riches to come.

  Constantly modeling himself on Homeric heroes such as his ancestor Achilles, Alexander demanded that the Greek states join him in a war against Persia or be destroyed by the new forces he was assembling. There would be no more squabbling between them. They would either join him or perish.

  Light, fast-moving cavalry, impeccably drilled and supported by a dense mass of heavily armored infantry equipped with long pikes, called a phalanx, were the cornerstones of his new army. Moving quickly and attacking when least expected, the Macedonian-based troops quickly became an irresistible force. The Greeks had no choice but to acquiesce, and so in 334 B.C., with about 32,000 infantry, 5,000 horses, and 160 ships, Alexander crossed the Hellespont waterway into Asia.

  Standing on the prow of the first galley, he threw a spear into the approaching beach, shouting, “I now declare all this land to be mine by right of spear!”

  Marching quickly, Alexander took Phoenicia, Syria, Tyre, then Egypt, which promptly surrendered, placing all its treasuries and grain at his disposal. In fact, Alexander named Egypt, which had previously been known to its inhabitants as Khem. Asia Minor fell quickly, and the Persians were soundly routed at the battles of Granikos and Issus, mysteriously declining to combine all their forces against him until much too late, when a massive battle on the fields of Gaugamela showed them the brilliance of Alexander and the end of their empire. They were finished, and within weeks the Emperor Darius was murdered by his own subjects, who were eager to replace him with this young, godlike king whom no force could seemingly resist.

  While building the first of many cities called Alexandria on the coast of Egypt, he began work on the famous library, which became one of the Wonders of the World. But the creator himself did not live to see its completion, or indeed any of his cities, always heading for the next horizon and another conquest.

  Passing back through Syria into Persia, he marched up the valley of the Tigris into Mesopotamia and advanced to the Caspian Sea. He had conquered all of Central Asia by 382 B.C., but because he showed no signs of slowing down, his army was becoming increasingly restless. The idealistic warriors who had followed their golden-haired leader had now marched and fought for 6 long years and still saw no sign of returning to their homes and families. Amazingly, they blamed only their officers. Alexander, the driving force behind all their adventures and hardships, was seemingly blameless in their eyes.

  Alexander became increasingly authoritarian and began to see himself more as a god, dispensing global solutions. The empire was formed into Greek-like provinces, and its people were commanded to speak Greek and follow Greek customs. Whole Greek populations were relocated to Asia at his command.

  Historian Diodorus reliably recorded some of Alexander’s plans: “the building of seven great temples to himself, three in Greece, one at Troy, and three in Macedonia, huge population transfers between Europe and Asia, a pyramid dedicated to his father, bigger than anything seen in Egypt, and a fleet of 1,000 triremes to be built for a campaign against Carthage in North Africa,” to be followed by the conquest of Africa itself.

  Like most of the Greeks of the day, Alexander was occasionally bisexual and delighted in outrageous drinking parties and orgies. One of his generals, Medius of Larissa, was particularly fond of extremely wild events and introduced Alexander to banquets in which they dra
nk continuously for days on end. Participants stopped only when they became comatose.

  In 326 B.C. Alexander launched his conquest of India, which was confined mainly to modern-day Pakistan. But in one particularly vicious battle at Hydaspes against King Porus and his elephants he was nearly killed, although he was finally victorious. In 326 B.C. he founded the city of Bucephala in India, named after his favorite warhorse, Bucephalus, who had died in the battle.

  His troops became increasingly depressed by the heavy and continual Indian rains, and not sharing Alexander’s passion for infinite novelty and conquest, they finally mutinied on the River Beas. To appease them, he reluctantly turned back down the Indus River to the Arabian Sea. The march back to Persia saw his exhausted army finally begin to crumble. At Opis just outside Babylon, another argument erupted, and although several of his officers were killed, Alexander, whom they still perceived as a god, was never threatened. Regaining control of his troops with huge theatrical gestures of reconciliation and yet another wild banquet, he decided to spend some time reorganizing his empire while his weary troops relaxed and regained their strength and appetite to follow him east for even more conquests.

  Unknowingly, Alexander had contracted a form of malaria on the Indian campaign, and although he was only 32, his body had been severely ravaged by more than 15 years of warfare, many serious wounds, and the debauched lifestyle he was committed to.

  Although racked by sweats and chills, he allowed his old friend Medius to organize yet another party for him at Babylon in 323 B.C., an event he did not survive. Three days of feasting and drinking took its toll on his weakened frame, and he died in the middle of the night as his loyal troops walked past him in tears, saluting him. His army loved him to the end.

  He had led a small force on an unprecedented conquest of the known world, walking thousands of miles into the unknown, and with brilliance, audacity, and the power of his will alone had created one of the biggest empires the world had ever seen. Within months of his death, however, it was already reverting to its original states because he had left no heirs, and his generals squabbled for power, cutting out pieces of the empire for themselves.

  Alexander’s embalmed corpse was somehow hijacked by his veteran troops while en route to Macedonia. It was displayed in a glass case for almost 550 years in his first city of Alexandria before disappearing from history forever.

  MENUS

  From an early age, Alexander was brought up to be a soldier and never forgot the staples served at his father’s royal court: seafood, lamb, kid, fowl, and fruits. As he grew up, his partying became legendary, with drinking and eating feasts that sometimes went on for days, although throughout his life he maintained a youthful figure. Delicacies from all over the world were available to him, but he still preferred the ancient Greek and Macedonian recipes of his childhood.

  Menu

  Fired Seafood with Mango and Pepper Relish

  Honey-Glazed Lamb

  Braised Goat with Leeks and Mushrooms

  Swordfish with Sweet and Sour Sauce and Crushed Mulberries

  Sardinian Lobster

  Figs with Honey and Wine

  Fired Seafood with Mango and Pepper Relish

  4 oz extra virgin olive oil

  3 tbsp chopped garlic

  24 mussels, cooked covered on the grill for about 8 to 10 minutes

  4 large shelled scallops

  1 large cooked crab with the shell and claws cracked

  4 medium-sized squid, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces

  thin strips of lemon and lime for garnish

  fresh rosemary or basil to garnish

  Cook the squid and scallops on a barbecue grill for about 4 to 5 minutes each side, covered, so the smoke can penetrate the fish.

  Add the mussels and crab, then combine all the seafood on a large platter. Sprinkle with olive oil and chopped garlic.

  Serve with a mango and pepper relish, and garnish with lemon and lime strips.

  Mango and Pepper Relish

  3 oz butter

  3 finely chopped garlic cloves

  1 medium chopped onion

  1 tbsp thinly sliced ginger

  ½ tbsp green chili

  ½ red pepper, roasted, peeled, and finely chopped

  1 tsp olive oil

  1 large mango or pawpaw, peeled, stoned, and diced juice of one lime

  2 tbsp shredded fresh mint

  Mix the onion, green chili, and garlic, then add the red pepper, olive oil, diced mango, and lime juice.

  Melt the butter and stir in ginger and garlic.

  Combine all the ingredients, chill, and serve.

  Honey-Glazed Lamb

  1 large leg of lamb

  2 tbsp clear honey

  juice of one lemon

  2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

  1 tbsp sesame seeds

  sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste

  Rub the lamb thoroughly with all other ingredients, then cover with foil and leave for 2 to 3 hours.

  Roast at 400°F for about 2 hours, basting with honey every 30 minutes.

  Let rest for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

  Braised Goat with Leeks and Mushrooms

  Kid or goat is a low-fat item. Goat should be about 1 year old. Look for bright pink meat.

  3 lb loin of goat, boned

  1 tsp salt

  black pepper

  2 leeks, sliced

  4 oz sliced mushrooms

  8 oz dry white wine

  lemon rind

  1 tbsp plain flour

  2 tbsp sour cream

  Season the inside of the meat with half the salt and pepper. Shape into a roll and secure with string.

  Brown in a heavy metal saucepan, then add the leeks and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes.

  Add the rest of the salt and pepper, wine, and lemon rind. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the meat is tender. Remove the lemon and thicken the sauce with a simple flour and water paste. Add sour cream just before serving.

  Swordfish with Sweet and Sour Sauce and Crushed Mulberries

  6 large swordfish steaks

  2 cups fresh crushed mulberries

  2 oz extra virgin olive oil

  fresh rosemary

  2 cups brown sugar

  4 tsp cornstarch, mixed with a little cold water

  1 cup white wine vinegar

  ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

  ½ cup orange juice

  2 tbsp finely chopped capsicum pepper limes and watercress to garnish

  Lightly oil the swordfish steaks, sprinkle with a little fresh rosemary, and place on a medium grill; cook for about 3 minutes each side.

  In a small pan combine the sugar, vinegar, juices, and pepper, simmer for about 4 minutes, then stir in the corn flour and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.

  Plate up swordfish on a bed of sauce, and spoon 2 cups fresh chilled mulberries on top of the fish. Garnish with limes and watercress.

  Sardinian Lobster

  2 lobsters, prepared and split

  4-6 tbsp dry breadcrumbs

  1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  6 oz olive oil

  juice of 2 lemons

  ½-1 tbsp herbes de Provence

  salt and pepper

  Combine all the ingredients except for the lobsters and breadcrumbs in a bowl to make a marinade.

  Loosen the meat in the lobsters and put half the marinade over each one, then pat down with the breadcrumbs.

  Using medium heat in an oven, or on a grill, cook until lightly browned.

  Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

  Leaving the claws intact, serve on a bed of lettuce with limes.

  Figs with Honey and Wine (4)

  2 cups dry white wine

  cup clear honey

  ¼ cup castor sugar

  1 small orange

  3 whole cloves

  1 lb fresh figs, plump and firm

>   1 cinnamon stick

  mint sprigs or bay leaves to garnish

  ½ pint double cream

  1 vanilla pod

  Put the wine, honey, and sugar into a heavy pan and heat gently.

  Stud the orange with the cloves and add to the syrup along with the figs and cinnamon. Cover and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.