[Sca-cooks] a sampling of ancient Roma

[Aurelia Coritana]

Greetings everyone!
 
These are the recipes I am planning for an upcoming meal with ancient Roman reenactors in my area.  I hope you enjoy them!
 
(Gustatio)
 

BOILED EGGS WITH PINE NUT SAUCE

4 medium-boiled eggs
2 ounces pine nuts
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch each of pepper and lovage (or celery leaf)

 

Soak the pine nuts 3-4 hours beforehand in the vinegar.  Medium boil the eggs and remove the shell.  Mix all the sauce ingredients thoroughly in a blender. This exquisite sauce should be presented in a sauce boat so that each person can serve himself or herself, since the eggs cannot be sliced and placed on a dish in advance. 
OLIVES WITH HERBS         
100g/3 oz whole green olives

100g/3 oz whole black olives

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp fennel seeds

A bunch of fresh coriander leaves

A sprig of rue

2 or 3 mint leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp white wine vinegar          

 

Grind the cumin and fennel seeds. Finely chop the coriander, rue and mint. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve.


 

(Primae Mensae)

PORK IN A FIG SAUCE       
1 kg/2 lb pork

120 ml/4 fl oz olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

¼ litre/½ pint sweet white wine

5 dried figs

2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp dried oregano

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

A handful of fresh parsley

Sea salt            

 

Cut the pork into 2½cm/1" cubes, place them in a casserole and fry in a little olive oil until brown.

Grind the coriander seeds and mix with salt and lemon juice in a bowl. Roll the pork in the spice mixture.

Chop the figs and boil them in a saucepan for 5 minutes in a few tablespoons of water. Puree figs and water then add the wine, oregano, vinegar and fig stock to the pork.

Cook the casserole for an hour and a half in an oven pre-heated to 180°c/350°f/Gas mark 4. Just before serving, sprinkle the finely chopped parsley over the pork.

 

(Accompaniments to the main course)
BEETS WITH LEEKS IN WINE     
Whole beets

3 thinly sliced leeks

Ground pepper

Cumin

Beet stock

Sweet raisin wine          

 

Cook beets, drain and keep the liquid. Slice the beets. Put them in a saucepan with leeks.

Grind pepper and cumin. Add to the leeks and beets. Then add stock and sweet wine.

Pour this sauce over the vegetables, bring to a boil, then simmer till leeks are cooked.
MUSHROOMS IN HONEY  
25 g/1 oz dried mushrooms

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp clear honey

Sea salt (optional)         

 

Cover the mushrooms with boiling water and soak for half an hour. Add the vinegar and honey and simmer, covered, for half an hour.

Season with salt if desired and serve hot.
CHICK PEAS WITH CHEESE      
200g/6 oz chick peas

100g/3 oz parmesan cheese

A pinch of saffron

Sea salt

 

Soak the peas overnight. Drain them and put them in a saucepan with 2 pints of water, the saffron, and the salt.  Boil them for 40 minutes or until tender and then drain of the water. Finely grate the cheese and stir it in with the peas. Serve while still warm.


 

(Secundae Mensae)

FETA CHEESECAKE
 

1 1/2 pounds feta, well drained
3 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons honey
4 egg yolks
rind of 1/2 orange
rind of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon good wine
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons raisins
4 tablespoons toasted pistachios or walnuts

Beat together the cheese, flour, honey, yolks, rinds, and wine for 8 minutes -
until fluffy and well mixed. Add the raisins and nuts. Beat the whites stiff
and fold gently in. 

Butter and flour a spring form pan. Spoon batter into the
pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - until the crust is golden brown.
Let it cool in the oven another 40 minutes without opening the door. Remove
from the oven. Cool in the pan and then remove the rim. Decorate as desired.

 

Enjoy!

~Aurelia

 

 


Aurelia Coritana
qui et Aurelia filia Volisii 





		
---------------------------------
Yahoo! for Good
 Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.