How to Cook an Elephant

I picked up a copy of "Cuban Home Cooking" at the thrift shop the other day. Spiral-bound cookbooks tend to be pretty hit-or-miss, but this one has some good recipes and will serve me well if I ever need to put together a Cuban meal. The last recipe in the book is for Elephant Stew, Cuban Style. It's too good not to share.

Elephant Stew, Cuban Style

Caldo de Elefante

1 Elephant, medium size, obtained legally

1 Barrel garlic cloves, finely minced

1 Crate sour oranges, squeezed

1 Barrel salt

2 Chickens (optional)

Cut elephant into bite-size pieces. (It is reported to take about two weeks.) Work garlic into the meat well. Cook over a kerosene stove fo 4 days at 450F. Sprinkle with sour orange juice and salt.

This recipe will serve 3,800 people for lunch. If you run short of food, add the two chickens. If seating is a problem, you may invite 1,000 people for four days (some may want to come twice), but most importantly - be sure to keep everything properly refrigerated!

                                                         -- from Cuban Home Cooking by Jane Cossio