Middle Class Roman Food Class: Roman Cooking on a Reproduction Brazier/Grill
We were fortunate to have an exact replica of a grill found in Pompeii, made by Jody Alberd, who also tended to the lump charcoal fire all day for us, as well as helping with the cooking.
Menu:
Lucanian sausage (made in advance)
"Cheater's garum"
Mustard sauce
Soft bread (made in advance)
Fish of the day
Fish sauce
Mashed gourd
Leeks cooked in coals
Pea and Barley Soup
Olives with herbs
Goat cheese with herbs and honey wrapped in vine leaves
Dates stuffed with almonds
All recipes are for 10 people.
Lucanicae (Lucanian Sausages) adapted from Apicius
2.2 lbs pork butt, with the fat
200g. salted fatback, washed of excess salt, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp bay berries, soaked in warm water, hulls removed and berries ground fine
1 Tbsp peppercorns, 1 tsp whole and 2 tsp coarsely ground
2 small leaf stalks of fresh rue, finely chopped
1 small bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried winter savoury
2 tsp each of dried oregano, thyme, and lovage
200 g pine nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
6 Tbsp fish sauce
Lamb casings
Hardwood charcoal
Grind the pork butt and the fat back together in a meat grinder with a coarse blade. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients except the pine nuts. Mix thoroughly with the hands to distribute the ingredients evenly. Put this mixture through the meat grinder with a fine blade. Stir in the pine nuts, mixing to distribute. Stuff this mixture into lamb sausage casings, tying off the ends with linen twine. These will be long thin sausages. Make a cold smoker by putting a grill rack 3 feet above a hardwood charcoal fire that has burned down to coals. Surround the rack with boards or metal to form a chimney that directs the smoke up towards the sausages. Smoke for about 20-30 minutes, turn the sausages over, and smoke for another 15-20 minutes. These may be grilled, boiled, or fried before serving.
Cheater's Garum adapted from numerous period sources
2 tubes anchovy paste
white wine vinegar to taste
Assorted available fresh herbs, pounded into a paste (lovage, oregano, mint, cilantro, hyssop, thyme, majoram, etc.)
Mix the anchovy paste and vinegar until a smooth, sauce like consistency is reached. Stir in the herb paste.
Mustard Sauce adapted from Around the Roman Table
3 Tbsp powdered yellow mustard seed (warning--hot)
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
Add salt to the mustard powder, then add vinegar until smooth. Add the olive oil, stirring. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Soft Bread adapted slightly from Roman Cookery
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp malt syrup or honey
2 fl oz (1/4 cup) olive oil
3 fl oz warm milk (goat or cow, full fat)
1/4 tsp salt
Mix the warm water and malt syrup, then sprinkle with the yeast. Allow 5-10 minutes for it to bloom. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix. Form a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture, warm milk, and olive oil. Make a dough then knead in the bowl for 5 minutes. Add more flour as needed if it becomes too sticky, a little bit at a time. Grease and flour either a round casserole dish or a 1 lb bread pan. Press the dough into the bottom, cover, and allow to rest in a warm place for an hour, or until nearly doubled. Bake in a 400˚ F preheated oven for about 40 minutes. It should have a pale crust. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from pan.
Fish of the Day adapted from Around the Roman Table
2 1/2 lbs, tuna filets, or steaks
olive oil
salt and pepper
Brush the tuna with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill, flesh side down until sufficiently done, then turn over. A griddle may be used instead of the grill if your pieces of fish are small. Baste the cooked side with the vinaigrette. Repeat until cooked through with a slightly pink center, brushing with vinaigrette on each turn. Use the remaining vinaigrette as a dipping sauce. The fish may also be cut into 1 inch cubes and skewered before serving.
Vinaigrette and Sauce
6 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 Tbsp garum
1 cup olive oil
6 shallots finely chopped
2 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp celery seed
2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Mix all ingredients together in a large shaker and shake vigorously to blend.
Mashed Gourd adapted from Apicius
2 large acorn squash, cut in half with seeds and skin removed
1 /2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin, or more to taste
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped fine
1 Tbsp garum, thinned slightly with 2 Tbsp water or white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Cut the raw squash into 1 inch cubes. Put into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until soft but not mushy. Pour off all water except about 1/2 cup. Add all the remaining ingredients, and stir over medium heat until liquid is gone and squash in very soft. Remove from heat and mash with a fork to a uniform consistency. Put in serving bowl and grind a little fresh pepper over the top.
Leeks Cooked in Coals adapted from Apicius
5 leeks, washed and trimmed to 4 inch lengths, white and light green parts only
1 small white or green cabbage, leaves removed and washed
olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
aluminum foil
Boil the leeks in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and cool. Blanch as many of the cabbage leaves (the largest ones) in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and cool.
Wrap the leek pieces in the blanched cabbage leaves to form packets. Oil the outside of the cabbage and wrap each packet in a double thickness of aluminum foil. packets in it. Place the packets directly into hot coals in the fire pit for 20-30 minutes, until cabbage and leek are cooked through. Test with a skewer. Remove the packets, unwrap from the foil, and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the salt.
Pea and Barley Soup adapted from Apicius
I cup dried peas, soaked overnight
1 cup pearl barley (whole barley would have been used in period and soaked overnight, and the husks then removed)
6 or more cups water (the peas and barley will both soak up liquid, so watch the pot)
1 fennel root, chopped to 1/4" dice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, stems removed. Reserve 2 Tbsp for garnish.
2 Tbsp fresh dill leaves, chopped fine
1 Tbsp fennel fronds chopped fine
1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
2 Tbsp oregano, chopped fine
1 Tbsp lovage, chopped fine
1/8 tsp ground asaphoetida
Salt to taste, around 1/2-1 tsp
Mix together the olive oil, chopped cilantro (reserving 2 Tbsp), chopped dill, fennel fronds, fennel seed, oregano, lovage, and asafoetida. Pound in a mortar until as smooth as possible. Set aside. Bring the water to a low boil over medium high heat, then add the drained, soaked peas. Cook 10 minutes and add the pearl barley. Return to boil, watching closely as barley will foam up. Then reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 more minutes, then add the herb mixture, salt, and diced fennel bulb. Cover and cook for at least 10 more minutes. Check salt and adjust as necessary. When barley and peas are cooked through, but not mushy, remove from heat and serve, sprinkling the top with the reserved chopped cilantro.
Olives with Herbs adapted from Roman Cookery
8 oz by weight of mixed unpitted black and green olives
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 cup cilantro leaves, washed and picked from the stems
8 large mint leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
6 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Finely chop all the fresh herbs. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, tossing to mix. Add more vinegar as needed. This could also be done as a paste, with all the ingredients mashed together, removing the olive pits first.
Goat Cheese with Herbs and Honey in Vine Leaves adapted from Roman Cookery
10 oz. chevre style goat cheese
3 Tbsp assorted fresh herbs
2 Tbsp honey
Salt to taste
20 or so grape leaves, drained and patted dry
Mix the cheese, herbs, honey, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Put a Tablespoon in the center of each grape leaf and roll it up. Put on a serving platter.
Dates stuffed with Almonds (serves 10) adapted from Apicius and Around the Roman Table
1 box pitted dried dates
1/4 pound blanched whole almonds
1 cup raw honey
course salt
Blanch the almonds by dropping them into boiling water for about 10-20 seconds. Drain. The almonds should come out easily by squeezing at one end. Put them in the dates where the pit would have been. Heat the honey in a skillet until it thickens. Add the dates to coat them, then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the salt.
Bibliography
Around the Roman Table: Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome, Patrick Faas, 1994, ISBN 0-312-23958-0
Apicius, Christopher Grocock and Sally Grainger, 2006, ISBN 1-903018-13-7
Roman Cookery, Mark Grant, 1999, ISBN 1-897959-39-7
We were fortunate to have an exact replica of a grill found in Pompeii, made by Jody Alberd, who also tended to the lump charcoal fire all day for us, as well as helping with the cooking.
Menu:
Lucanian sausage (made in advance)
"Cheater's garum"
Mustard sauce
Soft bread (made in advance)
Fish of the day
Fish sauce
Mashed gourd
Leeks cooked in coals
Pea and Barley Soup
Olives with herbs
Goat cheese with herbs and honey wrapped in vine leaves
Dates stuffed with almonds
All recipes are for 10 people.
Lucanicae (Lucanian Sausages) adapted from Apicius
2.2 lbs pork butt, with the fat
200g. salted fatback, washed of excess salt, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp bay berries, soaked in warm water, hulls removed and berries ground fine
1 Tbsp peppercorns, 1 tsp whole and 2 tsp coarsely ground
2 small leaf stalks of fresh rue, finely chopped
1 small bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried winter savoury
2 tsp each of dried oregano, thyme, and lovage
200 g pine nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
6 Tbsp fish sauce
Lamb casings
Hardwood charcoal
Grind the pork butt and the fat back together in a meat grinder with a coarse blade. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients except the pine nuts. Mix thoroughly with the hands to distribute the ingredients evenly. Put this mixture through the meat grinder with a fine blade. Stir in the pine nuts, mixing to distribute. Stuff this mixture into lamb sausage casings, tying off the ends with linen twine. These will be long thin sausages. Make a cold smoker by putting a grill rack 3 feet above a hardwood charcoal fire that has burned down to coals. Surround the rack with boards or metal to form a chimney that directs the smoke up towards the sausages. Smoke for about 20-30 minutes, turn the sausages over, and smoke for another 15-20 minutes. These may be grilled, boiled, or fried before serving.
Cheater's Garum adapted from numerous period sources
2 tubes anchovy paste
white wine vinegar to taste
Assorted available fresh herbs, pounded into a paste (lovage, oregano, mint, cilantro, hyssop, thyme, majoram, etc.)
Mix the anchovy paste and vinegar until a smooth, sauce like consistency is reached. Stir in the herb paste.
Mustard Sauce adapted from Around the Roman Table
3 Tbsp powdered yellow mustard seed (warning--hot)
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
Add salt to the mustard powder, then add vinegar until smooth. Add the olive oil, stirring. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Soft Bread adapted slightly from Roman Cookery
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp malt syrup or honey
2 fl oz (1/4 cup) olive oil
3 fl oz warm milk (goat or cow, full fat)
1/4 tsp salt
Mix the warm water and malt syrup, then sprinkle with the yeast. Allow 5-10 minutes for it to bloom. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix. Form a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture, warm milk, and olive oil. Make a dough then knead in the bowl for 5 minutes. Add more flour as needed if it becomes too sticky, a little bit at a time. Grease and flour either a round casserole dish or a 1 lb bread pan. Press the dough into the bottom, cover, and allow to rest in a warm place for an hour, or until nearly doubled. Bake in a 400˚ F preheated oven for about 40 minutes. It should have a pale crust. Allow to cool slightly, then remove from pan.
Fish of the Day adapted from Around the Roman Table
2 1/2 lbs, tuna filets, or steaks
olive oil
salt and pepper
Brush the tuna with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill, flesh side down until sufficiently done, then turn over. A griddle may be used instead of the grill if your pieces of fish are small. Baste the cooked side with the vinaigrette. Repeat until cooked through with a slightly pink center, brushing with vinaigrette on each turn. Use the remaining vinaigrette as a dipping sauce. The fish may also be cut into 1 inch cubes and skewered before serving.
Vinaigrette and Sauce
6 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 Tbsp garum
1 cup olive oil
6 shallots finely chopped
2 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp celery seed
2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Mix all ingredients together in a large shaker and shake vigorously to blend.
Mashed Gourd adapted from Apicius
2 large acorn squash, cut in half with seeds and skin removed
1 /2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin, or more to taste
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped fine
1 Tbsp garum, thinned slightly with 2 Tbsp water or white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Cut the raw squash into 1 inch cubes. Put into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until soft but not mushy. Pour off all water except about 1/2 cup. Add all the remaining ingredients, and stir over medium heat until liquid is gone and squash in very soft. Remove from heat and mash with a fork to a uniform consistency. Put in serving bowl and grind a little fresh pepper over the top.
Leeks Cooked in Coals adapted from Apicius
5 leeks, washed and trimmed to 4 inch lengths, white and light green parts only
1 small white or green cabbage, leaves removed and washed
olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
aluminum foil
Boil the leeks in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and cool. Blanch as many of the cabbage leaves (the largest ones) in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and cool.
Wrap the leek pieces in the blanched cabbage leaves to form packets. Oil the outside of the cabbage and wrap each packet in a double thickness of aluminum foil. packets in it. Place the packets directly into hot coals in the fire pit for 20-30 minutes, until cabbage and leek are cooked through. Test with a skewer. Remove the packets, unwrap from the foil, and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the salt.
Pea and Barley Soup adapted from Apicius
I cup dried peas, soaked overnight
1 cup pearl barley (whole barley would have been used in period and soaked overnight, and the husks then removed)
6 or more cups water (the peas and barley will both soak up liquid, so watch the pot)
1 fennel root, chopped to 1/4" dice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, stems removed. Reserve 2 Tbsp for garnish.
2 Tbsp fresh dill leaves, chopped fine
1 Tbsp fennel fronds chopped fine
1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
2 Tbsp oregano, chopped fine
1 Tbsp lovage, chopped fine
1/8 tsp ground asaphoetida
Salt to taste, around 1/2-1 tsp
Mix together the olive oil, chopped cilantro (reserving 2 Tbsp), chopped dill, fennel fronds, fennel seed, oregano, lovage, and asafoetida. Pound in a mortar until as smooth as possible. Set aside. Bring the water to a low boil over medium high heat, then add the drained, soaked peas. Cook 10 minutes and add the pearl barley. Return to boil, watching closely as barley will foam up. Then reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 more minutes, then add the herb mixture, salt, and diced fennel bulb. Cover and cook for at least 10 more minutes. Check salt and adjust as necessary. When barley and peas are cooked through, but not mushy, remove from heat and serve, sprinkling the top with the reserved chopped cilantro.
Olives with Herbs adapted from Roman Cookery
8 oz by weight of mixed unpitted black and green olives
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 cup cilantro leaves, washed and picked from the stems
8 large mint leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
6 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Finely chop all the fresh herbs. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, tossing to mix. Add more vinegar as needed. This could also be done as a paste, with all the ingredients mashed together, removing the olive pits first.
Goat Cheese with Herbs and Honey in Vine Leaves adapted from Roman Cookery
10 oz. chevre style goat cheese
3 Tbsp assorted fresh herbs
2 Tbsp honey
Salt to taste
20 or so grape leaves, drained and patted dry
Mix the cheese, herbs, honey, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Put a Tablespoon in the center of each grape leaf and roll it up. Put on a serving platter.
Dates stuffed with Almonds (serves 10) adapted from Apicius and Around the Roman Table
1 box pitted dried dates
1/4 pound blanched whole almonds
1 cup raw honey
course salt
Blanch the almonds by dropping them into boiling water for about 10-20 seconds. Drain. The almonds should come out easily by squeezing at one end. Put them in the dates where the pit would have been. Heat the honey in a skillet until it thickens. Add the dates to coat them, then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the salt.
Bibliography
Around the Roman Table: Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome, Patrick Faas, 1994, ISBN 0-312-23958-0
Apicius, Christopher Grocock and Sally Grainger, 2006, ISBN 1-903018-13-7
Roman Cookery, Mark Grant, 1999, ISBN 1-897959-39-7
