Comb (anatomy)

For other uses, see Coxcomb (disambiguation).

A rooster with a large red comb.

Anatomically, a comb is a fleshy growth, caruncle, or crest on the top of the head of gallinaceous birds, most notably turkeys, pheasants, and domestic chickens. Its alternative name cockscomb (spelling variations abound) is because combs are generally larger on males than on females (a male gallinaceous bird is called a cock).

Rooster cockscombs are red, but in other species the color may vary from light grey to deep blue or red;^[1] turkey cockscombs can vary in colour from bright red to blue.

In cookery

Cockscombs are used in cookery, often in combination with wattles or chicken kidneys.

Cockscombs were formerly used in French cuisine as garnishes. They were also used to prepare salpicons served in vol au vents, profiteroles, and so on; in that case, they were often combined with other luxury ingredients such as truffles, sweetbreads, or morels in a cream sauce.

In Italian cuisine, cockscombs are an important ingredient in the famous sauce called Cibreo, which also includes chicken livers, wattles, and unlaid eggs. It is used as a sauce for tagliatelle and in the molded potato-ricotta ring Cimabella con cibreo.^[2]

Cockscombs are prepared by parboiling and skinning, then cooking in court-bouillon. After preparation, they are greyish.

Other

Because of its bright color and distinctive shape, 'cockscomb' also describes various plants, including the florists' plant Celosia cristata, the meadow weed yellow rattle, sainfoin, wild poppy, lousewort, Erythronium and Erythrina crista-galli; the characteristic jester's cap; a shape of pasta (creste di galli); and so on.

See also

• Larousse Gastronomique

References

1. ^ Table of Contents
2. ^ Giuliano Bugialli, The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, 1977, p. 88. ISBN 0-8129-1838-X