Another Ostrich Stew

Apicius recipe number 211

Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome

Redacted by Jules Hojnowski

[ A stock in which to cook Ostrich ]

Pepper, Lovage, Thyme, also Satury, Honey, Mustard, Vinegar, Broth and Oil.

Take meat, parboil it. Strain this and use for broth.

Then take the cooked meat, spices with broth and oil and put in a stew pot.

½ lb. ostrich

½ t. ground pepper

½ t. lovage or celery seed

½ t. thyme

1 T. honey

2 T. mustard seed

1 T. cider vinegar

1 C. broth

1 T. olive oil


Fish Fillets with Turnips in Saffron Sauce

To make this dish, peel turnips, and cook until soft. Mash them, and spread the paste on a serving platter. Take fish fillets and poach them lightly in stock and a little olive oil. Place the cooked fillets on top of the mashed turnips, season with the saffron sauce below, and serve with a sprinkling of pepper. zZZ

For the sauce, grind together cumin and laurel berries or pepper. Combine with white wine, honey, stock, and olive oil or butter. Bring to a boil, simmer for 25 minutes, and thicken with flour. Add saffron for color. Pour the sauce over the cooked fillets and serve with a sprinkling of vinegar.

(Although this sauce is excellent, fish fillets coated in turnip paste and deep fried are satisfying in themselves).

2 lbs. Fish fillets

1 c. fish stock

1 T. Olive oil

6 medium turnips

sauce:

½ t. cumin

a few crushed laurel berries or ¼ t. ground pepper

¼ c. white wine

1 t. honey

¾ c. fish stock

1 T. olive oil or butter

1 T. flour

pinch of saffron

white wine vinegar or cider vinegar



Shellfish Forcemeats or Sausage

In a mortar, grind together pepper and celery seed (or lovage). Mix with the shellfish meat and nuts. Bind with well beaten egg and dread crumbs. Then stuff into sausage casings, and saute gently in olive oil in a covered pan for 20 minutes.

When cooked and lightly browned, season with wine sauce, and serve.

¼ lb. minced shellfish meats

½ t. ground pepper

1 t. celery seed (or lovage)

¼ c. grated almonds or pine nuts

1 raw egg

1 c. bread crumbs

casings

2 T. olive oil

wine sauce

Combine equal parts of wine and an appropriate stock, with olive oil or butter added, to taste.


Plain Chicken

skin chicken, coat pan with olive oil, bake for 45 minutes.


Spiced Roast Meat

Take cooked meat and slice into thin 1 inch squares.

In a mortar, grind together ginger, cardamon, and fennel.

Moisten each slice with stock, and season with the spices.

Saute briefly in olive oil in a very hot frying pan.

½ lb. choice beef

Sauce:

¼ t. ginger

pinch of cardamon

pinch of fennel

¼ c. beef stock

2 T. olive oil Medieval Page Roman Page