Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 26

[1] Sea-urchins, wanting in Tor.

[2] Sentence wanting in G.-V.

[3] _Pullum raptum_, in most texts; G.-V. _p.

carptum_--plucked. Of course! Should _raptum_ be translated literally? A most atrocious way of killing fowl, to be sure, but anyone familiar with the habits of the ancients, particularly with those of the less educated element, should not wonder at this most b.e.s.t.i.a.l fashion, which was supposed to improve the flavor of the meat, a fashion which, as a matter of fact still survives in the Orient, particularly in China.

[4] Vat. Ms. _Tarentino farsos_; Tor. cooks the sausage in the ashes--_coctos in cinere_; List. _in cinere legendum jecinora_--chicken giblets. Lister's explanation of the Tarentinian sausage is found in the vocabulary, _v. Longano_.

[141] APICIAN DISH _PATINA APICIANA_ [1]

THE APICIAN DISH IS MADE THUS: TAKE SMALL PIECES OF COOKED SOW'S BELLY [with the paps on it] PIECES OF FISH, PIECES OF CHICKEN, THE b.r.e.a.s.t.s OF FIGp.e.c.k.e.rS OR OF THRUSHES [slightly] COOKED, [and] WHICHEVER IS BEST. MINCE ALL THIS VERY CAREFULLY, PARTICULARLY THE FIGp.e.c.k.e.rS [the meat of which is very tender]. DISSOLVE IN OIL STRICTLY FRESH EGGS; CRUSH PEPPER AND LOVAGE, POUR OVER SOME BROTH AND RAISIN WINE, PUT IT IN A SAUCEPAN TO HEAT AND BIND WITH ROUX. AFTER YOU HAVE CUT ALL IN REGULAR PIECES, LET IT COME TO THE BOILING POINT. WHEN DONE, RETIRE [from the fire] WITH ITS JUICE OF WHICH YOU PUT SOME IN ANOTHER DEEP PAN WITH WHOLE PEPPER AND PIGNOLIA NUTS. SPREAD [the ragout] OUT IN SINGLE LAYERS WITH THIN PANCAKES IN BETWEEN; PUT IN AS MANY PANCAKES AND LAYERS OF MEAT AS IS REQUIRED TO FILL THE DISH; PUT A FINAL COVER OF PANCAKE ON TOP AND SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AFTER THOSE EGGS HAVE BEEN ADDED [which serve] TO TIE THE DISH. NOW PUT THIS [mould or dish] IN A BOILER [steamer, hot water bath, allow to congeal] AND DISH IT OUT [by unmoulding it]. AN EXPENSIVE SILVER PLATTER WOULD ENHANCE THE APPEARANCE OF THIS DISH MATERIALLY.

[1] Cf. ? No. 126.

[142] AN EVERY-DAY DISH _PATINA QUOTIDIANA_ [1]

PIECES OF COOKED SOW'S UDDER, PIECES OF COOKED FISH, CHICKEN MEAT AND SIMILAR BITS, MINCE UNIFORMLY, SEASON WELL AND CAREFULLY [2]. TAKE A METAL DISH [for a mould]. BREAK EGGS [in another bowl] AND BEAT THEM.

IN A MORTAR PUT PEPPER, LOVAGE AND ORIGANY [3], WHICH CRUSH; MOISTEN [this] WITH BROTH, WINE, RAISIN WINE AND A LITTLE OIL; EMPTY IT INTO THE BOWL [with the beaten eggs, mix] AND HEAT IT [in the hot water bath]. THEREUPON WHEN [this is] THICKENED MIX IT WITH THE PIECES OF MEAT. NOW PREPARE [alternately] LAYERS OF STEW AND PANCAKES, INTERSPERSED WITH OIL [in the metal mould reserved for this purpose]

UNTIL FULL, COVER WITH ONE REAL GOOD PANCAKE [4], CUT INTO IT A VENT HOLE FOR CHIMNEY ON THE SURFACE [bake in hot water bath and when done]

TURN OUT UPSIDE DOWN INTO ANOTHER DISH. SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.

[1] List. _cottidiana_; G.-V. _cotidiana_. Everyday Dish, in contrast to the foregoing Apician dish which is more sumptuous on account of the figp.e.c.k.e.rs or thrushes.

In the originals these two formulae are rolled into one.

Cf. ? No. 128.

[2] G.-V. _Haec omnia concides_; Tor. _condies_; List.

_condies lege concides_ which we dispute.

_Condies_--season, flavor--is more correct in this place; _concides_--mince--is a repet.i.tion of what has been said already.

[3] Origany wanting in G.-V.

[4] List. _superficie versas in disc.u.m insuper in superficium pones_; Sch. _a superficie versas indusium super foc.u.m pones_; G.-V. _in disc.u.m_; Tor. _unum uer laganum fistula percuties a superficie uersas in disc.u.m in superficiem praeterea pones_--which we have translated literally above, as we believe Tor. to be correct in this important matter of having a chimney on top of such a pie.

[143] NUT CUSTARD TURN-OVER [1]

_PATINA VERSATILIS VICE DULCIS_

PIGNOLIA NUTS, CHOPPED OR BROKEN NUTS [other varieties] ARE CLEANED AND ROASTED AND CRUSHED WITH HONEY. MIX IN [beat well] PEPPER, BROTH, MILK, EGGS, A LITTLE HONEY [2] AND OIL. [Thicken slowly on fire without boiling, fill in moulds, taking care that the nuts do not sink to the bottom, bake in hot water bath, when cold unmould].

[1] Practically the only recipe in Apicius fairly resembling a modern "dessert." This is practically a repet.i.tion of ? No. 129, which see.

[2] Tor. _modico melle_; List. _m. mero_--pure wine and also pure honey, i.e. thick honey for sweetening. Wine would be out of place here. This is an excellent example of nut custard, if the "pepper" and the "broth"

(_liquamen_), of the original, in other words spices and brine, or salt, be used very sparingly. For "pepper"

nutmeg or allspice may be subst.i.tuted, as is used today in such preparations. The oil seems superfluous, but it is taking the place of our b.u.t.ter. This very incomplete formula is characteristic because of the absence of weights and measures and other vital information as to the manipulation of the materials. None but an experienced pract.i.tioner could make use of this formula in its original state.

Goll. adds toasted raisins, for which there is no authority.

The text now proceeds without interruption to the next formula.

[144] TYROTARICA [1]

_PATELLA THIROTARICA_ [2]

TAKE ANY KIND OF SALT FISH [3] COOK [fry or broil it] IN OIL, TAKE THE BONES OUT, SHRED IT [and add] PIECES OF COOKED BRAINS, PIECES OF [other, fresh (?)] FISH, MINCED CHICKEN LIVERS [4] AND [cover with]

HOT SOFT [i.e. liquefied] CHEESE. HEAT ALL THIS IN A DISH; [meanwhile]

GRIND PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, SEEDS OF RUE WITH WINE, HONEY WINE AND OIL; COOK ALL ON A SLOW FIRE; BIND [this sauce] WITH RAW EGGS; ARRANGE [the fish, etc.]. PROPERLY [incorporate with the sauce] SPRINKLE WITH CRUSHED c.u.mIN AND SERVE [5].

[1] G.-V., List., Vat. Ms. _Thyrotarnica_; cf. notes to ? Nos. 427, 428.

[2] Tor.

[3] Tor. Wanting in other texts.

[4] List., G.-V. here add hard boiled eggs, which is permissible, gastronomically.

[5] Modern fish _au gratin_ is made in a similar way.

Instead of this wine sauce a spiced cream sauce and grated cheese are mixed with the bits of cooked fish, which is then baked in the dish.

Brains, chicken, etc., too, are served _au gratin_, but a combination of the three in one dish is no longer practiced. However, the Italian method of baking fish, etc., _au gratin a l'Italienne_ contains even more herbs and wine reduction than the above formula.

[145] SALT FISH b.a.l.l.s IN WINE SAUCE [1]

_PATELLA ARIDA_ [2]

DRY PIECES OF SALT TURSIO [3] ARE BONED, CLEANED [soaked in water, cooked] SHREDDED FINE AND SEASONED WITH GROUND PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, PARSLEY, CORIANDER, c.u.mIN, RUE SEEDS AND DRY MINT. MAKE FISH b.a.l.l.s OUT OF THIS MATERIAL AND POACH THE SAME IN WINE, BROTH AND OIL; AND WHEN COOKED, ARRANGE THEM IN A DISH. THEN MAKE A SAUCE [utilizing the broth, the _court bouillon_ in which the b.a.l.l.s were cooked] SEASON WITH PEPPER, LOVAGE, SATURY, ONIONS AND WINE AND VINEGAR, ALSO ADD BROTH AND OIL AS NEEDED, BIND WITH ROUX [4] [pour over the b.a.l.l.s]

SPRINKLE WITH THYME AND GROUND PEPPER [5].

[1] Reminding us of the Norwegian _fiske boller_ in wine sauce, a popular commercial article found canned in delicatessen stores.

[2] List. _patella sicca_--dry, perhaps because made of dried fish.

[3] List. _isicia de Tursione_; G.-V. _Thursione_.

Probably a common sturgeon, or porpoise, or dolphin.

List. describes it as "a kind of salt fish from the Black Sea; a malicious fish with a mouth similar to a rabbit"; Dann. thinks it is a sturgeon, but in Goll. it appears as tunny. The ancients called the sturgeon _acipenser_; but this name was gradually changed into _styrio_, _stirio_ and _sturio_, which is similar to _tursio_ (cf. _styrio_ in the vocabulary). The fish in question therefore may have been sturgeon for which the Black Sea is famous.

[4] List., G.-V. _ovis obligabis_--tie with eggs--certainly preferable to the Tor. version.

[5] Tor. thyme.

The above is an excellent way of making fish b.a.l.l.s, it being taken for granted, of course, that the salt fish be thoroughly soaked and cooked in milk before shaping into b.a.l.l.s. The many spices should be used very moderately, some to be omitted entirely. We read between the lines of the old formula that the _Tursio_ had a long journey from Pontus to Rome; fish however dry acquires a notorious flavor upon such journeys which must be offset by herbs and spices.

It is quite possible that the ancients made a _reduction_ of the herbs and spices mentioned in this formula; in fact, the presence of vinegar leads us to believe this, in which case this formula would be nothing but a very modern sauce. The herbs and spices in a _reduction_ are crushed and boiled down in vinegar and wine, and strained off, they leave their finest flavor in the sauce.

[146] VEGETABLE DINNER _PATELLA EX OLISATRO_ [1]

[Any kind of vegetables or herbs] BLANCHED OFF IN WATER WITH [a little] SODA; SQUEEZE [out the water] ARRANGE IN A SAUCEPAN. GRIND PEPPER, LOVAGE, CORIANDER, SATURY, ONION WITH WINE, BROTH, VINEGAR AND OIL; ADD [this] TO THE VEGETABLES, STEW [all until nearly done] AND TIE WITH ROUX. SPRINKLE WITH THYME, FINELY GROUND PEPPER AND SERVE.