Their Last Suppers: Legends of History and Their Final Meals Read Online Free PDF Page A

fire from every gun at Wellington’s disposal, the Old Guard broke and retreated. With Blücher arriving on the field and urging his troops to show no mercy, the battle was quickly over and a massacre ensued, ending Napoleon’s 100-day reign. Fleeing the battlefield, he tried to go to the United States on July 3 before abdicating once again, this time being imprisoned for life on the distant Isle of St. Helena on August 8.
    A brilliant general and tactician in his prime and conqueror of Europe and Egypt, Napoleon Bonaparte died a broken man before his time, of suspected lead poisoning, in his island prison on May 5, 1821, at the age of only 52.
    MENUS
     
    Even in Le Caillou farmhouse before the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon enjoyed a grand breakfast, served on imperial silver, with his generals.

Menu
     
    Liver and Bacon Chops
     
    Sautéed Kidneys in Sherry
     
    Shirred Eggs with Cream
     
    Garlic Toast with Roast Tomatoes
     

Favorite Foods
     
    Chicken Marengo
     
    Chestnut Soup
     
    After being introduced to it in Egypt, Napoleon swore that chestnut soup could cure anything.
     

Chestnut Soup (8)
     
    2 lb fresh chestnuts or 4 ½ cups canned chestnuts
2 tbsp butter
3 ribs celery, strings removed
2 onions, peeled and cut in half
2 leeks, white part only
1 crushed garlic clove
7 cups chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
     
To shell and peel fresh chestnuts, make a cross in the head of the chestnut with a sharp knife, place in a pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Allow chestnuts to cool, then peel. If using canned chestnuts, omit this step.
Thinly slice the celery, onions, and leeks. Melt the butter in a large pan and slowly add celery, onions, leeks, and garlic. Cook them until they become translucent.
Add the peeled chestnuts to the dish and cook gently for another 5 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, the cream, and the salt and pepper to taste, and cover, cooking over low heat for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve hot or cold.

Chicken Marengo
     
    The battle of Marengo over the Austrians, in June 1800, set the stage for this dish. His chef, Dunond, scoured the battlefield after the victory and came up with a few meager local ingredients that he gallantly threw together for his emperor, and it later became Napoleon’s favorite dish; he ate it after every battle.
    1 chicken cut into 8 pieces
1 tsp salt
1 dash pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1 chopped onion
½ clove minced garlic
½ cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup sliced white truffle, optional
cup cognac or sherry
2 tbsp flour
6 eggs for garnishing
     
Cut the chicken into pieces, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour, then brown in hot oil. Set aside.
Sauté the onions and garlic in the same pan. Then add the chicken and the rest of the ingredients except eggs. Cover and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Fry the eggs and place one on each dish as a garnish.
Dunond also added a fried crayfish on each plate—great battlefield scavenging.

Calves’ Liver (2)
     
    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