Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 25

[2] Reference to wine wanting in Tor. We add that the asparagus should be cooked before crushing.

[134] A DISH OF FIELD VEGETABLES _PATINA EX RUSTICIS_ [1]

BY FOLLOWING THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS YOU MAY MAKE [2] A PIE OF FIELD VEGETABLES, OR OF THYME [3] OR OF GREEN PEPPERS [4] OR OF CUc.u.mBERS OR OF SMALL TENDER SPROUTS [5] SAME AS ABOVE, OR, IF YOU LIKE, MAKE ONE UNDERLAID WITH BONELESS PIECES OF FISH OR OF CHICKEN [combined with any of the above vegetables] [6].

[1] Tor. _Patina ex oleribus agrestibus_.

[2] Tor. wanting in other texts.

[3] Sch., G.-V. _tamnis_--wild wine; List. _cymis c.u.minis_; Lan., Tac. _tinis_; Vat. Ms. _tannis_. Thyme is hardly likely to be the chief ingredient of such a dish; the chances are it was used for flavoring and that the above enumerated vegetables were combined in one dish.

[4] List., G.-V., Goll.--mustard; Dann. green mustard.

Tor. _sive pipere viridi_--green peppers, which we accept as correct, gastronomically at least.

[5] Goll., Dann. cabbage, the originals have _coliculis_--small tender sprouts on the order of Brussels sprouts or broccoli, all belonging to the cabbage family.

[6] _Pulpa_--boneless pieces of meat, also fruit puree; _pulpamentum_--dainty bits of meat.

[135] ELDERBERRY CUSTARD OR PIE _PATINA DE SAMBUCO_ [1]

A DISH OF ELDERBERRIES, EITHER HOT OR COLD, IS MADE IN THIS MANNER [2]

TAKE ELDERBERRIES [3] WASH THEM; COOK IN WATER, SKIM AND STRAIN.

PREPARE A DISH IN WHICH TO COOK THE CUSTARD [4] CRUSH 6 SCRUPLES OF PEPPER WITH A LITTLE BROTH; ADD THIS TO THE ELDERBERRY PULP WITH ANOTHER GLa.s.s OF BROTH, A GLa.s.s OF WINE, A GLa.s.s OF RAISIN WINE AND AS MUCH AS 4 OUNCES OF OIL. PUT THE DISH IN THE HOT BATH AND STIR THE CONTENTS. AS SOON AS IT IS GETTING WARM, QUICKLY BREAK 6 EGGS AND WHIPPING THEM, INCORPORATE THEM, IN ORDER TO THICKEN THE FLUID. WHEN THICK ENOUGH SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE UP.

[1] G.-V. _Sabuco_.

[2] Tor. wanting in other texts.

[3] Hum. _s.e.m.e.n de sambuco_--E. seed.

[4] List. Place the berries in a dish; to their juice add pepper, (etc.).

[136] ROSE PIE, ROSE CUSTARD OR PUDDING _PATINA DE ROSIS_

TAKE ROSES FRESH FROM THE FLOWER BED, STRIP OFF THE LEAVES, REMOVE THE WHITE [from the petals and] PUT THEM IN THE MORTAR; POUR OVER SOME BROTH [and] RUB FINE. ADD A GLa.s.s OF BROTH AND STRAIN THE JUICE THROUGH THE COLANDER. [This done] TAKE 4 [cooked calf's] BRAINS, SKIN THEM AND REMOVE THE NERVES; CRUSH 8 SCRUPLES OF PEPPER MOISTENED WITH THE JUICE AND RUB [with the brains]; THEREUPON BREAK 8 EGGS, ADD 1 [1]

GLa.s.s OF WINE, 1 GLa.s.s OF RAISIN WINE AND A LITTLE OIL. MEANWHILE GREASE A PAN, PLACE IT ON THE HOT ASHES [or in the hot bath] IN WHICH POUR THE ABOVE DESCRIBED MATERIAL; WHEN THE MIXTURE IS COOKED IN THE _BAIN MARIS_ [2] SPRINKLE IT WITH PULVERIZED PEPPER AND SERVE [3].

[1] List., G.-V. 1-1/2 gla.s.s.

[2] Hot water bath.

[3] Tor. continues ? No. 135 without interruption or caption, and describes the above recipe. He reads: _De thoris accipies rosas_, but List. insists that _de thoris_ be read _de rosis_; Lan., Tac. _de toris_; V.

_de thoris_ may be read "fresh from the flower bed."

Cf. ? Nos. 167 and 171 in which case the "rose" may stand for rosy apple, or "Roman Beauty" apple. "Rose apple" also is a small pimento, size of a plum.

[137] PUMPKIN PIE _PATINA DE CUCURBITIS_ [1]

AND PUMPKIN PIE IS MADE THUS [2] STEWED AND MASHED PUMPKIN IS PLACED IN THE PAN [or pie dish] SEASONED WITH A LITTLE c.u.mIN ESSENCE. ADD A LITTLE OIL; HEAT [bake] AND SERVE [3].

[1] Dann. Cuc.u.mber Dish.

[2] Tor. Wanting in other texts.

[3] Modern English recipes for stewed pumpkin resemble this Apician precept, but America has made a really palatable dish from pumpkin by the addition of eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger--spices which the insipid pumpkin needs. The ancient original may have omitted the eggs because Apicius probably expected his formula to be carried out in accordance with the preceding formulae.

Perhaps this is proven by the fact that Tor. continues the Rose Pie recipe with _et cucurbita patina sic fiet_.

[138] SPRATS OR SMELTS AU VIN BLANC _PATINA DE APUA_ [1]

CLEAN THE SMELTS [or other small fish, filets of sole, etc. of white meat] MARINATE [i.e. impregnate with] IN OIL, PLACE IN A SHALLOW PAN, ADD OIL, BROTH [2] AND WINE. BUNCH [3] [fresh] RUE AND MARJORAM AND COOK WITH THE FISH. WHEN DONE REMOVE THE HERBS, SEASON THE FISH WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [4].

[1] Ex List. and G.-V. wanting in Tor.

[2] _Liquamen_, which in this case corresponds to _court bouillon_, a broth prepared from the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs of the fish, herbs, and wine, well-seasoned and reduced.

[3] Our very own _bouquet garni_, a bunch of various aromatic herbs, inserted during coction and retired before serving.

[4] Excellent formula for fish in white wine, resembling our ways of making this fine dish.

This again ill.u.s.trates the laconic style of the ancient author. He omitted to say that the fish, when cooked, was placed on the service platter and that the juices remaining in the sauce pan were tied with one or two egg yolks, diluted with cream, or wine, or _court bouillon_, strained and poured over the fish at the moment of serving. This is perhaps the best method of preparing fish with white meat of a fine texture. Pink or darker fish do not lend themselves to this method of preparation.

[139] SMELT PIE, OR, SPRAT CUSTARD _PATINA DE ABUA SIVE APUA_ [1]

BONELESS PIECES OF ANCHOVIES OR [other small] FISH, EITHER ROAST [fried] BOILED, CHOP VERY FINE. FILL A Ca.s.sEROLE GENEROUSLY WITH THE SAME [season with] CRUSHED PEPPER AND A LITTLE RUE, ADD SUFFICIENT BROTH AND SOME OIL, AND MIX IN, ALSO ADD ENOUGH RAW EGGS SO THAT THE WHOLE FORMS ONE SOLID Ma.s.s. NOW CAREFULLY ADD SOME SEA-NETTLES BUT TAKE PAIN THAT THEY ARE NOT MIXED WITH THE EGGS. NOW PUT THE DISH INTO THE STEAM SO THAT IT MAY CONGEAL [but avoid boiling] [2]. WHEN DONE SPRINKLE WITH GROUND PEPPER AND CARRY INTO THE DINING ROOM. n.o.bODY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT HE IS ENJOYING [3].

[1] Tac., Tor. _sic_. List., G.-V. _p. de apua sine apua_--a dish of anchovies (or smelts) without anchovies. Tor. formula bears the t.i.tle _patina de apua_, and his article opens with the following sentence: _patin de abua sive apua sic facies_. He is therefore quite emphatic that the dish is to be made with the _abua_ or _apua_ (an anchovy) and not without _apua_, as List. has it. Lan. calls the dish: P. _de apabadiade_, not identified.

[2] Tor. _impones ad uaporem ut c.u.m ouis meare possint_--warning, get along with the eggs, i.e. beware of boiling them for they will curdle, and the experiment is hopelessly lost. List. however, reads _meare possint_ thus: _bullire p._--boil (!) It is quite plain that Tor.

has the correct formula.

[3] _et ex esu nemo agnoscet quid manducet._ Dann.

renders this sentence thus: "n.o.body can value this dish unless he has partaken of it himself." He is too lenient. We would rather translate it literally as we did above, or say broadly, "And n.o.body will be any the wiser." List. dwells at length upon this sentence; his erudite commentary upon the _cena dubia_, the doubtful meal, will be found under the heading of _cena_ in our vocabulary. List. pp. 126-7. List. undoubtedly made the mistake of reading _sine_ for _sive_. He therefore omitted the _apua_ from his formula. The above boastful sentence may have induced him to do so.

The above is a fish forcemeat, now seldom used as an integral dish, but still popular as a dressing for fish or as quenelles. The modern fish forcemeat is usually made of raw fish, cream and eggs, with the necessary seasoning. The material is poached or cooked much in the same manner as prescribed by the ancient recipe.

[140] A RICH ENTReE OF FISH, POULTRY AND SAUSAGE IN CREAM _PATINA EX LACTE_

SOAK [pignolia] NUTS, DRY THEM, AND ALSO HAVE FRESH SEA-URCHINS [1]

READY. TAKE A DEEP DISH [ca.s.serole] IN WHICH ARRANGE THE FOLLOWING THINGS [in layers]: MEDIUM-SIZED MALLOWS AND BEETS, MATURE LEEKS, CELERY, STEWED TENDER GREEN CABBAGE, AND OTHER BOILED GREEN VEGETABLES [2], A DISJOINTED [3] CHICKEN STEWED IN ITS OWN GRAVY, COOKED [calf's or pig's] BRAINS, LUCANIAN SAUSAGE, HARD BOILED EGGS CUT INTO HALVES, BIG TARENTINIAN SAUSAGE [4] SLICED AND BROILED IN THE ASHES, CHICKEN GIBLETS OR PIECES OF CHICKEN MEAT. BITS OF FRIED FISH, SEA NETTLES, PIECES OF [stewed] OYSTERS AND FRESH CHEESE ARE ALTERNATELY PUT TOGETHER; SPRINKLE IN BETWEEN THE NUTS AND WHOLE PEPPER, AND THE JUICE AS IS COOKED FROM PEPPER, LOVAGE, CELERY SEED AND SILPHIUM. THIS ESSENCE, WHEN DONE, MIX WITH MILK TO WHICH RAW EGGS HAVE BEEN ADDED [pour this over the pieces of food in the dish] SO THAT THE WHOLE IS THOROUGHLY COMBINED, STIFFEN IT [in the hot water bath] AND WHEN DONE [garnish with] FRESH MUSSELS [sea-urchins, poached and chopped fine]

SPRINKLE PEPPER OVER AND SERVE.