Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 63

BOOK X. THE FISHERMAN [1]

_Lib. X. Halieus_

CHAP. I. DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH.

CHAP. II. MURENAS.

CHAP. III. EEL.

The numbers of the chapters differ in the various texts.

I

[432] A SAUCE FINES HERBES FOR FRIED FISH _IUS DIABOTANON _[2]_ PRO _[3]_ PISCE FRIXO_

USE ANY KIND OF FISH. PREPARE [clean, salt, turn in flour] SALT [4]

AND FRY IT. CRUSH PEPPER, c.u.mIN, CORIANDER SEED, LASER ROOT, ORIGANY, AND RUE, ALL CRUSHED FINE, MOISTENED WITH VINEGAR, DATE WINE, HONEY, REDUCED MUST, OIL AND BROTH. POUR IN A SAUCE PAN, PLACE ON FIRE, WHEN SIMMERING POUR OVER THE FRIED FISH, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.

[1] This chapter princ.i.p.ally deals with fish sauces.

Apparently it is by a different author than Books I-VIII, which have many formulae for fish. While we have no direct proof, we are inclined to believe that Book X is a Roman version of a Greek treatise on fish sauces, a monograph, of which there existed many, according to Athenaeus, which specialized on the various departments of cookery.

[2] Tor. _Diabotom_ (in Greek characters); Greek, relating to herbs.

[3] Tor. G.-V. _in_.

[4] G.-V. _salsas_.

[433] SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH _IUS IN PISCE ELIXO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, c.u.mIN, SMALL ONIONS, ORIGANY, NUTS, FIGDATES, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, MUSTARD, A LITTLE OIL; HEAT THIS SAUCE, AND IF YOU WISH [it to be richer, add] RAISINS.

[434] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH _ALITER IN PISCE ELIXO_ [1]

CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, SATURY, ONION, [hard] BOILED YOLKS, RAISIN WINE, VINEGAR, OIL AND BROTH.

[1] Tor. _frixo_--fried fish, although his heading reads _elixo_.

[435] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH _ALITER IUS IN PISCE ELIXO_

PREPARE THE FISH CAREFULLY; IN THE MORTAR PUT SALT, CORIANDER SEED, CRUSH AND MIX WELL; TURN THE FISH THEREIN, PUT IT IN A PAN, COVER IT AND SEAL IT WITH PLASTER [1] COOK IT IN THE OVEN. WHEN DONE RETIRE [the fish from the pan] SPRINKLE WITH STRONG VINEGAR AND SERVE.

[1] Remarkable culinary ingenuity, resembling in principle the North American Indian method of cooking whitefish wrapped in clay. Today we use flour and water made into a stiff paste to seal a pan hermetically if no "pressure cooker" is available.

This formula cannot be cla.s.sified under "Sauce for Boiled Fish."

[436] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH _ALITER IUS IN PISCE ELIXO_

WHEN THE FISH IS PREPARED, PUT THE SAME IN A FLAT PAN WITH CORIANDER SEED, WATER AND GREEN DILL; WHEN COOKED SPRINKLE WITH VINEGAR AND SERVE [1].

[1] Another fair example of the incompleteness, on the one hand, of the directions, and of the superfluity, on the other hand, of words such as the initial and the closing words, which characterizes so many of the formulae. This is characteristic of ever so many culinary authors of all ages, who, lacking literary training, a.s.sume that the reader is thoroughly versed with the methods indicated. A versatile modern author would have said: "Poach the filleted fish in small water seasoned with coriander seed and green dill; sprinkle with vinegar before serving." He mentioned neither the salt nor the oil which he undoubtedly used.

[437] ALEXANDRINE [1] SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _IUS ALEXANDRINUM IN PISCE a.s.sO_

PEPPER, DRY ONIONS [shallots] LOVAGE, c.u.mIN, ORIGANY, CELERY SEED, STONED DAMASCUS PRUNES [pounded in the mortar] FILLED UP [2] WITH VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST, AND OIL, AND COOK IT.

[1] Alexandria, Egyptian city, at the mouth of the river Nile, third of the three great cities of antiquity excepting Carthage during Apicius' time a rival of Rome and Athens in splendor and commerce. Most important as a Mediterranean port, where fishing and fish eating was (and still is) good.

[2] G.-V. _mulsum_, mead.

[438] ANOTHER ALEXANDRINE SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _ALITER IUS ALEXANDRINUM IN PISCE a.s.sO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, SEEDLESS RAISINS, WINE, RAISIN WINE, BROTH, OIL, COOKED TOGETHER.

[439] ANOTHER ALEXANDRINE SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _ALITER IUS ALEXANDRINUM IN PISCE a.s.sO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, ONIONS, STONED DAMASCUS PRUNES, RAISIN WINE, BROTH, OIL AND VINEGAR, AND COOK.

[440] SAUCE FOR BROILED CONGER _IUS IN CONGRO a.s.sO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CRUSHED c.u.mIN, ORIGANY, DRY ONIONS, HARD YOLKS, WINE, MEAD, VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST, AND COOK.

G.-V. _Gongo_.

[441] SAUCE FOR HORNED FISH [1]

_IUS IN CORNUTAM_ [1]

PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, ONIONS, SEEDLESS RAISINS, WINE, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL; AND COOK IT [2]

[1] _Cornuta_, _cornutus_--"horned," "having horns"--an unidentified sea fish.

[2] Goll. collects all succeeding formulae for sauces into one.

[442] SAUCE FOR BROILED MULLET _IUS IN MULLOS a.s.sOS_