Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 14

_ALITER ISICIA OMENTATA_

FINELY CUT PULP [of pork] IS GROUND WITH THE HEARTS [2] OF WINTER WHEAT AND DILUTED WITH WINE. FLAVOR LIGHTLY WITH PEPPER AND BROTH AND IF YOU LIKE ADD A MODERATE QUANt.i.tY OF [myrtle] BERRIES ALSO CRUSHED, AND AFTER YOU HAVE ADDED CRUSHED NUTS AND PEPPER [3] SHAPE THE FORCEMEAT INTO SMALL ROLLS, WRAP THESE IN CAUL, FRY, AND SERVE WITH WINE GRAVY.

[1] Wanting in Lister.

[2] Fine wheat flour, cream of wheat.

[3] Either pepper corns or allspice.

The original leaves us in doubt as to the kind of meat to be used, if any.

II

[48] DUMPLINGS OF PHEASANT _ISICIA PLENA_

[Lightly roast choice] FRESH PHEASANTS [cut them into dice and mix these with a] STIFF FORCEMEAT MADE OF THE FAT AND THE Tr.i.m.m.i.n.gS OF THE PHEASANT, SEASON WITH PEPPER, BROTH AND REDUCED WINE, SHAPE INTO CROQUETTES OR SPOON DUMPLINGS, AND POACH IN HYDROGARUM [water seasoned with garum, or even plain salt water].

[49] DUMPLINGS AND HYDROGARUM _HYDROGARATA ISICIA_

CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE AND JUST A SUSPICION OF PELLITORY, MOISTEN WITH STOCK AND WELL WATER, ALLOW IT TO DRAW, PLACE IT IN A SAUCE PAN, BOIL IT DOWN, AND STRAIN. POACH YOUR LITTLE DUMPLINGS OF FORCEMEAT IN THIS LIQUOR AND WHEN THEY ARE DONE SERVE IN A DISH FOR ISICIA, TO BE SIPPED AT THE TABLE.

[50] CHICKEN FORCEMEAT _ISICIA DE PULLO_

[Raw] CHICKEN MEAT, 1 LB. OF DARNEL [1] MEAL, ONE QUARTER PINT OF STOCK AND ONE HALF OUNCE OF PEPPER.

[1] Tor. _lolae floris_; Hum.-List. and G.-V. _olei floris_--virgin olive oil?--first choice flour? Goll.

olive (violet?) flowers; Dann. Olive oil.

The suggestion of oil is plausible because of the lack of fat in chicken meat, but the quant.i.ty--1 lb.--is out of question. Moreover, the binder would be lacking. This is found in the Torinus rendering.

His _lolae floris_ should read _lolii_--from _lolium_--darnel rye gra.s.s or ray gra.s.s which was supposed to have intoxicating qualities, injurious to the eye sight.--Ovid and Plautus. The seeds of this gra.s.s were supposed to possess narcotic properties but recent researches have cast doubt upon this theory.

A little b.u.t.ter, fresh cream and eggs are the proper ingredients for chicken forcemeat. Any kind of flour for binding the forcemeat would cheapen the dish. Yet some modern forcemeats (sausage) contain as much as fifty percent of some kind of meal. The most effective is that of the soya bean which is not starchy.

[51] CHICKEN BROTH ANOTHER STYLE _ALITER DE PULLO_

CHICKEN MEAT, 31 PEPPERCORNS CRUSHED, 1 CHOENIX [1] FULL OF THE VERY BEST STOCK, A LIKE AMOUNT OF BOILED MUST AND ELEVEN MEASURES [2] OF WATER. [Put this in a sauce pan] PLACE IT UPON THE FIRE TO SEETH AND EVAPORATE SLOWLY.

[1] V. 2 _s.e.xtarii_; Tor. _chnicem, cenlicem_; List.

_calicem_.

[2] _chnices_?--left in doubt.

This seems to be a chicken broth, or essence for a sauce or perhaps a medicine. Torinus mentions the chicken meat, the others do not.

The original without interruption continues to describe the _isicium simplex_ which has nothing to do with the above.

[52] PLAIN DUMPLING WITH BROTH _ISICIUM SIMPLEX_

TO 1 ACETABULUM [1] OF STOCK [2] ADD 7 OF WATER, A LITTLE GREEN CELERY, A LITTLE SPOONFUL OF GROUND PEPPER, AND BOIL THIS WITH THE SAUSAGE MEAT OR DUMPLINGS. IF YOU INTEND TAKING THIS TO MOVE THE BOWELS THE SEDIMENT SALTS [3] OF HYDROGARUM HAVE TO BE ADDED [4].

[1] A measure, 15 Attic drachms.

[2] _liquamen_.

[3] Tor. _pectines, alias peces hydrogaro conditi_; List. _sales_; G.-V. _faeces_.

[4] V. The formula is unintelligible, like No. 52 and others, perhaps just another example of medicinal cookery, dishes not only intended to nourish the body but to cure also certain ills. Authors like Hannah Wolley (The Queen-like Closet, London, 1675) and as late as the middle of the 18th century pride themselves in giving such quasi-Apician formulae.

[53] [Rank of] DISHES _ISICIA_

[Entrees of] PEAc.o.c.k OCCUPY THE FIRST RANK, PROVIDED THEY BE DRESSED IN SUCH MANNER THAT THE HARD AND TOUGH PARTS BE TENDER. THE SECOND PLACE [in the estimation of the Gourmets] HAVE DISHES MADE OF RABBIT [1] THIRD SPINY LOBSTER [2] FOURTH COMES CHICKEN AND FIFTH YOUNG PIG.

[1] List. and G.-V. Pheasant.

[2] Wanting in the above. Dann. Crane fourth.

_Isicia_, like in the foregoing formula, commences to become a generic term for "dishes."

[54] POTTED ENTReES _ISICIA AMULATA AB AHENO_ [1]

GROUND PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, VERY LITTLE SILPHIUM, A PINCH OF GINGER AND A TRIFLE OF HONEY AND A LITTLE STOCK. [Put on the fire, and when boiling] ADD THE ISICIA [sausage, meat b.a.l.l.s and so forth] TO THIS BROTH AND COOK THOROUGHLY. FINALLY THICKEN THE GRAVY WITH ROUX [2] BY SOWING IT IN SLOWLY AND STIRRING FROM THE BOTTOM UP [3].

[1] Tor. _multa ab alieno_; Brandt _[a]mul[a]ta ab aheno_; List. _amylata_--French: _lies_. _Ab aheno_--out of the pot.

[2] French, for a mixture of wheat or rice flour with fats or liquids to thicken fluids. _Amylum_, or _amulum_ which hereafter will occur frequently in the original does not cover the ground as well as the French term _roux_. The quality of the "binder" depends upon the material in hand. Sometimes the fat and flour are parched, sometimes they are used raw. Sometimes the flour is diluted with water and used in that form.

[3] List. and G.-V. _sorbendum_; Tor. _subruendum_.

[55] ANOTHER [THICK ENTReE GRAVY]

_ALITER_

GRIND PEPPER WHICH HAS BEEN SOAKED OVERNIGHT, ADD SOME MORE STOCK AND WORK IT INTO A SMOOTH PASTE; THEREUPON ADD QUINCE-APPLE CIDER, BOILED DOWN ONE HALF, THAT IS WHICH HAS EVAPORATED IN THE HEAT OF THE SUN TO THE CONSISTENCY OF HONEY. IF THIS IS NOT AT HAND, ADD FIG WINE [1]

CONCENTRATE WHICH THE ROMANS CALL "COLOR" [2]. NOW THICKEN THE GRAVY WITH ROUX OR WITH SOAKED RICE FLOUR AND FINISH IT ON A GENTLE FIRE.

[1] Tor. _cammarum_, which should read _caricarum_--wine of Carica figs.

[2] V. the Roman equivalent for "_singe_," "monkey,"

"_Affe_,"--(the _vulgo_ French is literally translated into and in actual use in other languages) caramel color made of burnt sugar to give gravies a palatable appearance. Cf. No. 73.