Truss a young peacock and brown it in a very hot oven (450º F.) for about 20 minutes, turning it frequently. Put 4 slices of larding pork in a deep casserole and cover it with a layer of grape leaves. Lay the bird on the grape leaves and add 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 carrots, a faggot composed of 2 stalks of celery, 3 sprigs of parsley, and 1 bay leaf, and a pinch of rosemary. Cover the bird with more grape leaves, cover the casserole, and braise the bird in a moderately hot oven (375º F.) for 1 1/2 hours, or until the flesh is very tender and the legs fall away from the body. Discard the faggot and reserve the juices in the casserole.
Carve the bird and arrange it on a bed of water cress. Sauté in butter 6 croutons of bread and put them in the casserole to absorb the juices. Garnish the bird with the croutons and with orange sections.
This exclusive recipe is pulled directly from Gourmet's archive. It has not been re-tested by our food editors since it was published in the magazine, but it's a pretty good indication of the kinds of things we once cooked—and ate—with great pleasure.
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