Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 70

XVI

[484] MURENA [1], EEL [2] OR MULLET MAKE THUS: _MURENAM AUT ANGUILLAS VEL MULLOS SIC FACIES_

CLEAN THE FISH AND CAREFULLY PLACE IN A SAUCE PAN. IN THE MORTAR PUT PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, MINT, DRY ONIONS, CRUSH, MOISTEN WITH A SMALL GLa.s.s OF WINE, HALF OF THAT OF BROTH, AND OF HONEY ONE THIRD PART, AND A MODERATE AMOUNT OF REDUCED MUST, SAY A SPOONFUL. IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE FISH BE ENTIRELY COVERED BY THIS LIQUOR SO THAT THERE MAY BE SUFFICIENT JUICE DURING THE COOKING.

[1] The ancients considered the murena one of the finest of fish; the best were brought from the straits of Sicily. Rich Romans kept them alive in their fish ponds, often large and elaborate marble basins called, _piscina_, fattened the fish, kept it ready for use.

Pollio fattened murenas on human flesh, killing a slave on the slightest provocation and throwing the body into the fish pond; he would eat only the liver of such murenas. This is the only case of such cruelty on record, and it has often been cited and exaggerated.

[2] Perhaps the sea-eel, or conger, according to Dann.

Also very much esteemed. The witty Plautus names a cook in one of his comedies "Congrio," because the fellow was "slippery."

XVII

[485] [Dressing for] SPINY LOBSTER (AND SQUILL) _LOCUSTAM (ET SCILLAM)_ [1]

CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, CELERY SEED, POUR IN VINEGAR, BROTH, YOLKS OF [hard boiled] EGGS, MIX WELL TOGETHER [2] AND DRESS [the boiled sh.e.l.lfish meat with it] AND SERVE.

[1] Cf. Summary of Dishes.

[2] Another of Apicii hasty and laconic formulae. No indication as to how to use the ingredients named.

According to our notion of eating, there is only one way: The sh.e.l.lfish is boiled in aromatic water, allowed to cool off; the meat is then taken out of the sh.e.l.ls; the above named ingredients are combined in a manner of a mayonnaise or a vinaigrette, although the necessary oil is not mentioned here. The dressing is poured over the sh.e.l.lfish meat, and the result is a sort of salad or "c.o.c.ktail" as we have today.

XVIII

[486] [Sauce] FOR BOILED FISH _IN PISCIBUS ELIXIS_

CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, CELERY SEED, ORIGANY WHICH MOISTEN WITH VINEGAR; ADD PINE NUTS, FIGDATES [1] IN SUFFICIENT QUANt.i.tY, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, MUSTARD, MIX AND COMBINE PROPERLY AND BRING FORTH.

[1] Dann. is undecided as to whether this is dates or date wine; Goll. thinks it is mustard seed, which is not so bad gastronomically; but the original leaves no room for any doubt.

XIX

[487] A DISH OF SOLE WITH EGGS _PATINA SOLEARUM EX OVIS_

SCALE [skin] CLEAN [the soles], PLACE IN A [shallow] SAUCE PAN, ADD BROTH, OIL [white] WINE, A BUNCH OF LEEKS AND CORIANDER SEED, PLACE ON FIRE TO COOK, GRIND A LITTLE PEPPER, ORIGANY, MOISTEN WITH THE FISH LIQUOR [from the sauce pan]. TAKE 10 RAW EGGS, BEAT THEM AND MIX WITH THE REMAINING LIQUOR; PUT IT ALL BACK OVER THE FISH, AND ON A SLOW FIRE ALLOW TO HEAT [without boiling] AND THICKEN TO THE RIGHT CONSISTENCY; SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER [1].

[1] Very similar to _Sole au vin blanc_. Cf. ? No.

155.

XX

[488] SUCKLING PIG, CORIANDER SAUCE _PORCELLUM CORIANDRATUM_

ROAST THE PIG CAREFULLY; MAKE THUS A MORTAR MIXTURE: POUND PEPPER, DILL, ORIGANY, GREEN CORIANDER, MOISTEN WITH HONEY, WINE, BROTH, OIL, VINEGAR, REDUCED MUST. ALL OF THIS WHEN HOT POUR OVER [the roast]

SPRINKLE RAISINS, PINE NUTS AND CHOPPED ONIONS OVER AND SO SERVE.

XXI

[489] SUCKLING PIG, WINE SAUCE _PORCELLUM aeNOCOCTUM_ [1]

TAKE THE PIG, GARNISH [with a marinade of herbs, etc.] COOK [roast] IT WITH OIL AND BROTH. WHEN DONE, PUT IN THE MORTAR PEPPER, RUE, LAUREL BERRIES, BROTH, RAISIN WINE OR REDUCED WINE, OLD WINE, CRUSH ALL, MIX AND PREPARE TO A POINT; DRESS THE PIG ON A SHOWY SERVICE [2] PLATTER AND SERVE.

[1] i.e. _nococtum_, cooked or prepared in wine sauce.

[2] Dann. is of the opinion that the pig is cooked in a copper vessel, because the instructions are to serve it _in patinam aheneam_.

XXII

[490] PIG, PAN GRAVY _PORCELLUM EO IURE_

ROAST THE PIG IN ITS OWN JUICE; [when done] RETIRE; BIND THE GRAVY WITH ROUX; [strain] PUT IN A SAUCE BOAT AND SERVE.

XXIII

[491] PIG SPRINKLED WITH THYME _PORCELLUM THYMO SPARSUM_

MILK-FED PIG, KILLED ON THE PREVIOUS DAY, BOIL WITH SALT AND DILL; TRANSFER IT INTO COLD WATER, CAREFULLY KEEPING IT SUBMERGED, TO PRESERVE ITS WHITENESS. THEREUPON [make a cold dressing of the following] GREEN SAVORY HERBS, [fresh] THYME, A LITTLE FLEABANE, HARD BOILED EGGS, ONIONS, [everything] CHOPPED FINE, SPRINKLE EVERYTHING [over the pig which has been taken out of the water and allowed to drip off] AND SEASON WITH A PINT OF BROTH, ONE MEASURE OF OIL, ONE OF RAISIN WINE, AND SO PRESENT IT [1].

[1] We would first mix the liquid components of this dressing with the chopped ingredients and then spread the finished dressing over the pig. Our author, no doubt, had this very process in mind.

XXIV