Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 33

[1] Lentils are omitted in this formula; therefore see the following formula.

[2] Thus G.-V.; Tor. Chestnuts.

[3] i.e. peeled and skinned. To do this easily, boil the chestnuts with the skin, whereupon the outer brown sh.e.l.l and the inner membrane are easily removed.

[4] To make a puree of the chestnuts which strain through the colander.

[184a] ANOTHER WAY [1]

_ALITER LENTICULAM_

COOK THE LENTILS, SKIM THEM [strain] ADD LEEKS, GREEN CORIANDER; CRUSH CORIANDER SEED, FLEA-BANE, LASER ROOT, MINT SEED AND RUE SEED MOISTENED WITH VINEGAR; ADD HONEY, BROTH, VINEGAR, REDUCED MUST TO TASTE, THEN OIL, STIRRING [the puree] UNTIL IT IS DONE, BIND WITH ROUX, ADD GREEN OIL, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.

[1] It is evident that ? No. 184 and the above are really one formula, the former dealing with the cooking of the maroons, the latter describing the lentils.

Presumably the two purees are to be mixed, or to be served as integral parts of one dish.

III

[185] PEAS _DE PISIS_

COOK THE PEAS, WHEN SKIMMED, LAY LEEKS, CORIANDER AND c.u.mIN ON TOP.

CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, c.u.mIN, DILL AND GREEN BASILICA, WINE AND BROTH TO TASTE, MAKE IT BOIL; WHEN DONE STIR WELL, PUT IN WHAT PERCHANCE SHOULD BE MISSING AND SERVE [1].

[1] This reminds us of _Pet.i.ts Pois a la Francaise_, namely green peas (often very young ones with the pods) cooked in broth, or _bouillon_, with shredded bacon, lettuce, parsley, onions (or leeks, as above) fresh mint, pepper, salt and other fresh herbs such as chervil. Which is a very delectable way of preparing the tender pea. Some of its refres.h.i.+ng green color is sacrificed by this process, but this loss is amply offset by the savour of the dish.

[186] PEAS [supreme style]

_PISA FARSILIS_ [1]

COOK THE PEAS WITH OIL AND A PIECE OF SOW'S BELLY [2] PUT IN A SAUCE PAN BROTH, LEEK HEADS [the lower white part] GREEN CORIANDER AND PUT ON THE FIRE TO BE COOKED. OF TID-BITS [3] CUT LITTLE DICE. SIMILARLY COOK THRUSHES OR OTHER SMALL [game] BIRDS, OR TAKE SLICED CHICKEN AND DICED BRAIN, PROPERLY COOKED. FURTHER COOK, IN THE AVAILABLE LIQUOR OR BROTH, LUCANIAN SAUSAGE AND BACON; COOK LEEKS IN WATER; CRUSH A PINT OF TOASTED PIGNOLIA NUTS; ALSO CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY AND GINGER, DILUTE WITH THE BROTH OF PORK, TIE [4] TAKE A SQUARE BAKING DISH SUITABLE FOR TURNING OVER WHICH OIL WELL AND LINE WITH CAUL [5]

SPRINKLE [on the bottom] A LAYER OF CRUSHED NUTS UPON WHICH PUT SOME PEAS, FULLY COVERING THE BOTTOM OF THE SQUASH DISH; ON TOP OF THIS ARRANGE SLICES OF THE BACON [6] LEEKS AND SLICED LUCANIAN SAUSAGE; AGAIN COVER WITH A LAYER OF PEAS AND ALTERNATE ALL THE REST OF THE AVAILABLE EDIBLES IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED UNTIL THE DISH IS FILLED, CONCLUDING AT LAST WITH A LAYER OF PEAS, UTILIZING EVERYTHING. BAKE THIS DISH IN THE OVEN, OR PUT IT INTO A SLOW FIRE [covering it with live coal] SO THAT IT MAY BE BAKED THOROUGHLY. [Next make a sauce of the following] PUT YOLKS OF HARD BOILED EGGS IN THE MORTAR WITH WHITE PEPPER, NUTS, HONEY, WHITE WINE AND A LITTLE BROTH; MIX AND PUT IT INTO A SAUCE PAN TO BE COOKED; WHEN [the sauce is] DONE, TURN OUT THE PEAS INTO A LARGE [silver dish] AND MASK THEM WITH THIS SAUCE WHICH IS CALLED WHITE SAUCE [7].

[1] List. _Pisa farsilis_; Tor. _p. farsilia_; Tac., G.-V. _pisam farsilem_--same as _fartilis_, from _farcio_--fattened, stuffed, or crammed, or as full as it can hold, metaphorically perhaps "supreme style,"

"most sumptuous," etc.

[2] This meat being fat enough, the oil seems superfluous.

[3] _isicia_, formerly called Greek _hysitia_--any fine forcemeats, cut into or cooked in tiny dumplings.

[4] _Liaison_ wanting in Tor.

[5] Tor. makes no mention of the square dish and its caul lining. Caul is the abdominal membrane.

[6] _petasonis pulpas_; Dann. ham, which is not quite correct. The _petaso_ is the shoulder part of pork, either cured or fresh, generally fresh. The cooked pork shoulder here is cut into small pieces. Nothing is said about the utilization of the sow's belly mentioned at the opening of the formula. We a.s.sume that the _petaso_ can take its place in the dish.

[7] There is nothing just like this dish in the history of gastronomy, considering both the comparatively cheap materials and the refinement of the gastronomic idea which it embodies. The _chartreuses_ of Careme are the nearest thing to it. Lister waxes enthusiastic about it.

[187] INDIAN PEAS _PISAM INDICAM_ [1]

COOK PEAS; WHEN SKIMMED, PUT IN THE SAUCE PAN FINELY CHOPPED LEEKS AND CORIANDER TO BE COOKED [with the peas]. TAKE SMALL CUTTLE FISH, MOST DESIRABLE BECAUSE OF THE BLACK LIQUOR AND COOK THEM ALSO. ADD OIL, BROTH AND WINE, A BUNCH OF LEEK AND [green] CORIANDER AND MAKE IT BOIL. WHEN DONE, CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, A LITTLE WILD c.u.mIN [2] MOISTEN WITH THE JUICE [of the peas] ADD WINE AND RAISIN WINE TO TASTE; MINCE THE FISH VERY FINE, INCORPORATE IT WITH THE PEAS, AND SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER [3].

[1] Tor. _pisum Indic.u.m_.

[2] Tor., Tac. _casei modic.u.m_; other texts, _carei_.

[3] The texts continues without interruption to the next formula.

[188] ANOTHER WAY _ALITER_

COOK THE PEAS, WORK WELL [to make a puree] PLACE IN THE COLD, STIRRING UNTIL THEY HAVE COOLED OFF. FINELY CHOP ONIONS AND THE WHITES OF HARD BOILED EGGS, SEASON WITH SALT AND A LITTLE VINEGAR; THE YOLKS PRESS THROUGH A COLANDER INTO AN ENTReE DISH, SEASON WITH FRESH OIL AND SERVE [1].

[1] The texts fail to state that the whites, yolks, onions, vinegar and oil must eventually be combined into a dressing very similar to our own modern _vinaigrette_; for decorative and other gastronomic reasons the separate treatment of the whites and the yolks is both ingenious and excellent, and is very often practised in good kitchens today.

[189] PEAS OR BEANS a LA VITELLIUS _PISAM VITELLIANAM SIVE FABAM_ [1]

PEAS OR BEANS WITH YOLKS ARE MADE THUS: [2] COOK THE PEAS, SMOOTHEN [3] THEM; CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, GINGER, AND ON THE CONDIMENTS PUT HARD BOILED YOLKS, 3 OUNCES OF HONEY, ALSO BROTH, WINE AND VINEGAR; [mix and] PLACE ALL IN A SAUCE PAN; THE FINELY CHOPPED CONDIMENTS WITH OIL ADDED, PUT ON THE STOVE TO BE COOKED; WITH THIS FLAVOR THE PEAS WHICH MUST BE SMOOTH; AND IF THEY BE TOO HARSH [in taste] ADD HONEY AND SERVE [4].

[1] List. _Pisa Vitelliana_--named for Vitellius, ninth Roman emperor, notorious glutton, according to Hum. who says that V. invented this dish: _ab auctore Vitellio Imperatore luxui deditissimo_. But Tor. differs; his _pisum uitellinum_ stands for peas with yolks--_vitellum_--yolk, (also calf) dim. _vitellinum_; Tac. _v----am_. Cf. ? No. 193.

[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[3] _lias_--to make a puree by crus.h.i.+ng and straining.

Tor. _laevigabis_, from _levigo_--meaning the same.

[4] If Vitellius never invented any other dish than this one, his gluttony was overrated. As a gastronomer he may be safely relegated to the vast mult.i.tude of ill-advised people whose craving for carbohydrates (which is perhaps pathological) causes them to acc.u.mulate a surplus of fat. This was fatal to Vitellius and his faithful court baker who is said to have stuck to his master to the last. The poor emperor's _embonpoint_ proved c.u.mbersome when he fled the infuriated mob. Had he been leaner he might have effected a "getaway." He was dragged through the streets and murdered, Dec. 21 or 22, A.D. 69.

[190] ANOTHER WAY _ALITER PISAM SIVE FABAM_

WHEN [the peas or beans are] SKIMMED MIX BROTH, HONEY, MUST, c.u.mIN, RUE, CELERY SEED, OIL AND WINE, STIR [1]. SERVE WITH CRUSHED PEPPER AND SAUSAGE [2].

[1] G.-V. _tudiclabis_; Tor. _misceas_.

[2] _c.u.m isiciis_--bits of forcemeat.

[191] ANOTHER WAY _ALITER PISAM SIVE FABAM_

WHEN [the peas or beans are] SKIMMED FLAVOR THEM WITH CRUSHED PERSIAN [1] LASER, BROTH AND MUST; POUR A LITTLE OIL OVER AND SERVE.

[1] Parthian, from _Parthia_, a country of Asia.