– The Art of Cookery (1803)
The orange flower water is an interesting touch. I had to look up “collops” and some sources suggest it means a thin slice of meat, usually bacon. Another source stated it is “an escalope, the thick slice of meat off the bone that is cut across the grain. Collops may be of beef, lamb or venison, as well as veal and should always be flattened before use.”
In this recipe, it clearly calls for thin slices of veal. What is most interesting to me is the application of eggs using feathers. More curious, I suppose, is why its called an olive pie when it doesn’t appear to have an olives in the recipe and instead appears to be a very meaty pie.
Possibly called “olive pie” because some of the meat is rolled up tightly and would look olive like. Also, oranges and olives are a traditional North African combination. Probably easier and maybe even less expensive to use cheap cuts of meat rather than olives. They would probably have to be imported. I don’t think olive trees would flourish in Britain.
Love this information, thank you!
Very interesting. Especially the use of all the herbs, spices and orange water, also the option of adding artichokes and chestnuts. I’m quite tempted to try it! And I agree olive refers to the shape of the rolled up meat slices
Let us know if you try it…would love a report on how it tastes!
This sounds to me a very complex mixture of different aromas. Herbs, cooked egg yolks and suet I understand as basis of stuffing, but parboiled oysters and anchovy dissolved in gravy seems to me a bit over the top. Not to mention artichokes and chestnuts…
Fragrant, for sure! I found the oysters and orange flower water to be a overwhelming to my sense of palate, but it might be delightful afterall.