flipRoasted Kid with Honey, Wine, and Silphium
Roasted Kid with Honey, Wine, and Silphium
Why this dish? Alexander's banquets, after Persepolis and Babylon, blended Macedonian carnivorous roughness with Persian refinements. Roasted meat basted with wine and honey reigned supreme, served in abundance at the conqueror's court.
A slow-roasted kid shoulder, glazed with honey and wine, seasoned with herbs and a hint of resinous flavor reminiscent of ancient silphium. The lavish dish of great Macedonian banquets.
Come closer, and do not fear abundance. When we took Babylon, I wanted a table worthy of a king of Asia: they turned the whole kid over the coals, bathed it in wine and honey until the skin shone like bronze. My Companions drank the wine undiluted — the Southern Greeks reproached us for it, but we are Macedonians, and we hold table until dawn. Eat, and may your cup never be empty.
- •Kid shoulder — one piece (festive meat)
- •Honey — generously (sweet glaze)
- •Wine — a cup (marinade and deglazing)
- •Silphium (or asafoetida as substitute) — a pinch (aromatic signature)
- •Oregano and coriander — to taste (herbs)
- •Olive oil — a drizzle (roasting)
Roasted Kid with Honey, Wine, and Silphium
A slow-roasted kid shoulder, glazed with honey and wine, seasoned with herbs and a hint of resinous flavor reminiscent of ancient silphium. The lavish dish of great Macedonian banquets.
Why this dish? Alexander's banquets, after Persepolis and Babylon, blended Macedonian carnivorous roughness with Persian refinements. Roasted meat basted with wine and honey reigned supreme, served in abundance at the conqueror's court.
Come closer, and do not fear abundance. When we took Babylon, I wanted a table worthy of a king of Asia: they turned the whole kid over the coals, bathed it in wine and honey until the skin shone like bronze. My Companions drank the wine undiluted — the Southern Greeks reproached us for it, but we are Macedonians, and we hold table until dawn. Eat, and may your cup never be empty.
Ingredients (period version)
- Kid shoulder — one piece (festive meat)
- Honey — generously (sweet glaze)
- Wine — a cup (marinade and deglazing)
- Silphium (or asafoetida as substitute) — a pinch (aromatic signature)
- Oregano and coriander — to taste (herbs)
- Olive oil — a drizzle (roasting)
Ingredients
- Kid shoulder (or lamb) — 1.2 kg (festive meat)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (sweet glaze)
- Dry red wine — 200 ml (marinade and deglazing)
- Asafoetida powder — 1 pinch (very little) (silphium substitute)
- Dried oregano — 1 tbsp (herb)
- Ground coriander seeds — 1 tsp (herb)
- Olive oil — 3 tbsp (roasting)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Rub the shoulder with olive oil, salt, oregano, coriander, and a tiny pinch of asafoetida.
- Marinate for 2 hours with half the wine.
- Roast in the oven at 160 °C, covered, for 2 hours 30 minutes, basting regularly with the juices.
- Mix the honey and remaining wine; brush over the meat.
- Uncover and increase to 200 °C for 15 minutes to caramelize the glaze, until the skin is shiny and golden.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving, drizzled with the pan juices.
How it was made : Silphium, a plant from Cyrene prized throughout antiquity, was consumed until its extinction in the 1st century; today asafoetida, with a similar flavor, is used as a substitute. The Macedonians were known for their appetite for meat and their consumption of undiluted wine (*akratos*), whereas the Greeks mixed it with water. Honey served as a glaze and the only sweetener.
The contemporary twist : Present the shoulder on a large copper platter, sprinkled with edible flower petals and pomegranate seeds: the gold and purple of an oriental feast.
Alexander the Great · Charactorium
