[Sca-cooks] Roman recipes (pre-period? On topic :-p)

[Susan Laing]

Hi Everyone!

A few weeks back I held a dinner where the main aim was for me to test out
some Nummy looking Roman recipes on some good-natured friends.

I'm gradually getting them typed up and will send them on to the list as I
go.

The first few recipes are ones that *Definately* worked and that I will try
again...  the ones I had trouble with will be posted later and I'll be
asking for help & suggestions on how to get them right...

You'll notice that I've included a vegetarian Garum/Liquimen recipe - This
is from Mark Grant's "Roman Cookery" book and I'd really like the original
latin version of it if anyone has it (or if any has contact details for Mark
Grant - cause his book most definately reads like he's "one of us" (or
should be!!) :-)   [oh and yes - I did make a proper Fish Garum as well but
used the pear one for the chicken dish this time around]

Mari

Chick-peas in Saffron (Erebinthoi Knakosymmigeis)
(from: Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens by Mark Grant
Interlink Pub Group  ISBN:1897959397 (July 2000)

'And then chick-peas marinated in saffron, plump in their tender youth'
[Piloxenus "The Dinner" quoted in Anthenaeus (circa AD170-239) "The Partying
Professors"]

200 grams dried chick-peas
Generous pinch of saffron
Sea salt

Soak the chick peas overnight. Drain them and put them in a heavy pan with 1
litre of water and salt. Bring to the boil, add the saffron, stir and
simmer, covered, very gently for at least one hour.  Taste to check on
saltiness. Serve Warm.

Braised Cucumbers (Cucumeres)
(from: Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens by Mark Grant
Interlink Pub Group  ISBN:1897959397 (July 2000)

'When scraped and cooked in olive oil, vinegar and honey, cucumbers are
without doubt more delicious'  [Pliny's "Natural History" (circa AD 23-79)]

1 large cucumber
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp clear honey
Sea salt (optional)

Peel and cut the cucumber into thick slices.  Pour the white wine vinegar,
olive oil and honey into a heavy pan and cook the slices of cucumber gently
in the sauce until they are tender, shaking the pan occasionally to
redistribute the cucumber slices and ensure even cooking.  Serve hot as a
side dish

Chicken a la Elagabalus (Apicius #247)
 A Taste of Ancient Rome by Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa, Anna Herklotz
(Translator)   University of Chicago Press (Trd); ISBN: 0226290328; Reprint
edition (March 1994)

The Emperor Elgabalus (original name Varius Avitus Bassianus) reigned AD
218- AD222

Pullus Varianus: Pullum coques iure hoc: liquamine, oleo, vino, [cuit
mittis] fasciculum porri, coriandri, satureiae, Cum coctus fuerit, teres
piper, nucleos ciatos duos et ius de suo sibi suffundis (et fasciculos
proicies), lac temperas. Et reexinanies mortarium supra pullum, ut ferveat.
Obligas eundem albametis ovorum tritis, ponies in lance et iure supra
scripto perfundis.  Hoc ius
candidum appellatur.

Chicken a la Varius: Cook the chicken in this sauce: garum, oil, wine (to
which you add] a bouquet of leek, coriander, savory. When it is cooked,
grind pepper, two cyanthi of pine nuts, moisten with cooking juice (and
remove bouquet of herbs), and mix with milk. Empty the mortar over the
chicken, bring to the boil. Thicken with the minced (boiled) egg white.
Place on a serving dish and pour over it the sauce described above. This is
called white sauce.

1 medium cleaned and gutted chicken (approx 1 kg) cut into pieces
4 small tender leaks
1 bunch each fresh coriander (or sub Lemon balm if not available), and
savory (sub. Thyme if not available)
2 cups white wine
1 tbs. Olive oil
1 tsp garum* (see below for recipe)

For the sauce:
Ample white pepper
100 grams pine nuts
1 cup milk (I used goats milk)
3 hard-boiled egg whites, minced finely
(the Author - Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa also suggests 1 tsp cornstarch for
thickening if necessary)

Gather the leeks, coriander and savory into a bouquet, tying so that it does
not come apart when cooked; place it in a pot with the olive oil, wine, and
garum. Heat and add the chicken pieces to cook. When they are around
three-quarters done, prepare the white sauce: Grind the pepper and pine nuts
in a mortar, moistening with a bit of cooking juice from the chicken.  Blend
thoroughly with milk. Remove the herb bundle from the pot and cover the
chicken with the white sauce.  Cook a further 10 minutes to reduce the
sauce, then add the minced boiled egg whites.  If necessary, add cornstarch
(dissolved in cold water) to thicken the sauce sufficiently.

*to make Liquamen ex Piris (Piquant pear Sauce)
(from: Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens by Mark Grant
Interlink Pub Group; ISBN: 1897959397; (July 2000)