Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 28

[3] _Oenogarum_, cf. ? No. 147, the Sardine Omelette.

[4] To cook the eggs as described above would be disastrous. The fish, if such was used, was probably first poached in the broth, wine and oil, and when done, removed from the pan. The _fond_, or remaining juice or gravy, was subsequently tied with the egg yolks, and this sauce was strained over the fish dressed on the service platter, the _nogarum_ sparingly sprinkled over the finished dish. This would closely resemble our modern _au vin blanc_ fish dishes; the _nogarum_ taking the place of our meat glace.

Another interpretation of this vexatious formula is that if fish was used, the cooked fish was incorporated with the raw beaten eggs which were then scrambled in the pan. In that event this formula resembles closely the sardine omelette.

[154] A FISH STEW _PATINA ZOMORE_ [1]

THE ZOMORE FISH DISH IS MADE AS FOLLOWS [2] TAKE RAW GANONAS [3] AND OTHER [fish] WHICHEVER YOU LIKE, PLACE THEM IN A SAUCE PAN, ADDING OIL, BROTH, REDUCED WINE, A BUNCH [4] OF LEEKS AND [green] CORIANDER; WHILE THIS COOKS, CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE AND A BUNCH OF ORIGANY WHICH CRUSH BY ITSELF AND DILUTE WITH THE JUICE [5] OF THE FISH. NOW DISSOLVE [break and beat egg yolks for a _liaison_] PREPARE AND TASTE THE DISH, BINDING [the sauce with the yolks] SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.

[1] List. _Zomoteganite_--"a dish of fish boiled in their own liquor"; G.-V. _zomoteganon_; Lan.

_zomoreganonas_; Vat. Ms. _zomonam Ganas_.

[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[3] _ganonas crudas_--an unidentified fish.

[4] "Bouquet garni."

[5] _ius de suo sibi_--old Plautian latinity. Cf. H. C.

Coote, cit. Apiciana; the proof of the antiquity and the genuineness of Apicius.

[155] SOLE IN WHITE WINE _PATINA EX SOLEIS_ [1]

A DISH OF SOLE IS THUS MADE [2] BEAT THE SOLE [3] PREPARE [4] AND PLACE THEM IN A [shallow] SAUCE PAN, ADD OIL, BROTH AND WINE, AND POACH THEM THUS; NOW CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY AND ADD OF THE FISH JUICE; THEN BIND THE SAUCE WITH RAW EGGS [yolks] TO MAKE A GOOD CREAMY SAUCE OF IT; STRAIN THIS OVER THE SOLE, HEAT ALL ON A SLOW FIRE [to fill it with live heat] SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [5].

[1] G.-V. _P. solearum_.

[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[3] Beat, to make tender, to be able to remove the skin.

[4] Tor. _curatos_--trim, skin, remove entrails, wash.

[5] One of the best of Apician accomplishments. Exactly like our modern _sole au vin blanc_, one of the most aristocratic of dishes. Cf. ? No. 487, Excerpta, XIX.

[155a] FISH LIQUOR _PATINA EX PISCIBUS_

A LIQUOR [in which to cook fish] IS MADE BY TAKING [1] ONE OUNCE OF PEPPER, ONE PINT OF REDUCED WINE, ONE PINT OF SPICED WINE AND TWO OUNCES OF OIL.

[1] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[156] A DISH OF LITTLE FISH _PATINA DE PISCICULIS_ [1]

TAKE RAISINS, PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, ONIONS, WINE, BROTH AND OIL, PLACE THIS IN A PAN; AFTER THIS HAS COOKED ADD TO IT THE COOKED SMALL FISH, BIND WITH ROUX AND SERVE.

[1] Smelts, anchovies, whitebait.

[157] A DISH OF TOOTH FISH, DORY OR SEA MULLET AND OYSTERS _PATINA DE PISCIBUS DENTICE, AURATA ET MUGILE_ [1]

TAKE THE FISH, PREPARE [clean, trim, wash] AND HALF BROIL OR FRY THEM; THEREUPON SHRED THEM [in good-sized] PIECES: NEXT PREPARE OYSTERS; PUT IN A MORTAR 6 SCRUPLES OF PEPPER, MOISTEN WITH BROTH AND CRUSH. ADD A SMALL GLa.s.s OF BROTH, ONE OF WINE TO IT; PUT IN A SAUCE PAN 3 OUNCES OF OIL AND THE [sh.e.l.led] OYSTERS AND LET THEM POACH WITH WINE SAUCE.

WHEN THEY ARE DONE, OIL A DISH ON WHICH PLACE THE ABOVE MENTIONED FISH PIECES AND STEWED OYSTERS, HEAT AGAIN, AND WHEN HOT, BREAK 40 [2] EGGS [whip them] AND POUR THEM OVER THE OYSTERS, SO THAT THEY CONGEAL.

SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE. [3].

[1] _dentex_--"tooth-fish"; _aurata_--"gilt"--dory, red snapper; _mugilis_--Sea Mullet, according to some.

[2] G.-V. _ova XI_--11 eggs. Tac. _ova Xl_, which may be read XL--forty.

[3] This dish may be allowed to congeal slowly; if done quickly it may become a dish of scrambled eggs with fish and oysters.

[158] SEA Ba.s.s, OR BARRACUDA _PATINA DE LUPO_ [1]

GRIND PEPPER, c.u.mIN, PARSLEY, RUE, ONIONS, HONEY, BROTH, RAISIN WINE AND DROPS OF OIL [2].

[1] G.-V. _p. de pisce lupo_--wolf, because of its voracity; a sea fish, sea pike, or sea ba.s.s; perhaps akin to our barracuda, wolfish both in appearance and character. Sch. _Perca labrax_ Lin.

[2] The cleaned fish is cut into convenient portions or fillets, placed in an oiled pan, the ingredients spread over; it is either poached in the oven or cooked under the open fire.

Schuch here inserts his ? Nos. 153 to 166 which more properly belong among the Excerpta of Vinidarius and which are found at the end Book X by Apicius.

[159] A DISH OF SORB-APPLE, HOT OR COLD _PATINA DE SORBIS CALIDA ET FRIGIDA_

TAKE MEDLARS, CLEAN THEM; CRUSH THEM IN THE MORTAR AND STRAIN THROUGH COLANDER. 4 COOKED [calf's or pork] BRAINS, SKINNED AND FREED FROM STRINGY PARTS, PUT IN THE MORTAR WITH 8 SCRUPLES OF PEPPER, DILUTE WITH STOCK AND CRUSH, ADDING THE MEDLAR PULP AND COMBINE ALL; NOW BREAK 8 EGGS AND ADD A SMALL GLa.s.s OF BROTH. OIL A CLEAN PAN AND PLACE IT IN THE HOT BATH OR IN THE HOT ASHES; AFTER YOU HAVE FILLED IT WITH THE PREPARATION, MAKE SURE THAT THE PAN GETS ENOUGH HEAT FROM BELOW; LET IT CONGEAL, AND WHEN DONE SPRINKLE WITH A LITTLE FINE PEPPER AND SERVE.

Sch. ? No. 166.

[160] A DISH OF PEACHES [1]

_PATINA DE PERSICIS_

CLEAN HARD-SKINNED PEACHES AND SLICE, STEW THEM; ARRANGE IN A DISH, SPRINKLE WITH A LITTLE OIL AND SERVE WITH c.u.mIN-FLAVORED WINE [2].

[1] Tor. is not sure whether this is a Persian fish or peaches--_persica_.

[2] Dann. Pepper, for which there is no authority.

Sch. ? No. 167.

[161] A DISH OF PEARS _PATINA DE PIRIS_

A DISH OF PEARS IS MADE THIS WAY: [1] STEW THE PEARS, CLEAN OUT THE CENTER [remove core and seeds] CRUSH THEM WITH PEPPER, c.u.mIN, HONEY, RAISIN WINE, BROTH AND A LITTLE OIL; MIX WITH EGGS, MAKE A PIE [custard] OF THIS, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.