Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 52

[1] Wanting in G.-V.

[347b] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR WILD GOAT _ALITER IUS IN CAPREA_

PEPPER, SPICES, PARSLEY, A LITTLE ORIGANY, RUE, BROTH, HONEY, RAISIN WINE, AND A LITTLE OIL; BIND WITH ROUX [1].

[1] Wanting in Tor.

IV

WILD SHEEP _IN OVIFERO (HOC EST OVIS SILVATICA)_ [1]

[348] SAUCE FOR MOUNTAIN SHEEP _IUS IN OVIFERO FERVENS_

[THAT IS, (ROAST) THE MEAT, PREPARE A SAUCE OF] [2] PEPPER, LOVAGE, c.u.mIN, DRY MINT [3], THYME, SILPHIUM, MOISTEN WITH WINE, ADD STEWED DAMASCUS PRUNES, HONEY, WINE, BROTH, VINEGAR, RAISIN WINE,--ENOUGH TO COLOR--AND STIR WITH A WHIP OF ORIGANY AND DRY MINT [3].

[1] G.-V., List. _in ovi fero_; Dann. "wild eggs," i.e., the eggs of game birds, and he comes to the conclusion that game birds themselves are meant to be used in this formula, as no reference to "eggs" is made.

There can be no doubt but what this formula deals with the preparation of sheep; Torinus says expressly: _oviferum, hoc est, carnem ovis sylvestris_--the meat of sheep from the woods, mountain sheep. _Ferum_ is "wild,"

"game," but it also means "pregnant." For this double sense the formula may be interpreted as dealing with either wild sheep, or with pregnant sheep, or, more probably, with unborn baby lamb, which in antiquity as today is often killed princ.i.p.ally for its skin.

[2] Tor.

[3] Mint is still a.s.sociated with lamb; the above sauce appears to be merely an elaborate Roman ancestor of our modern mint sauce, served with lamb, the chief ingredients of which are mint, vinegar and sugar, served both hot and cold.

[349] SAUCE FOR ALL KINDS OF GAME, BOILED OR ROAST _IUS IN VENATIONIBUS OMNIBUS ELIXIS ET a.s.sIS_ [1]

8 SCRUPLES OF PEPPER, RUE, LOVAGE, CELERY SEED, JUNIPER, THYME, DRY MINT, 6 SCRUPLES IN WEIGHT [each] 3 SCRUPLES OF FLEA-BANE; REDUCE ALL THIS TO THE FINEST POWDER, PUT IT TOGETHER IN A VESSEL WITH SUFFICIENT HONEY AND USE IT WITH VINEGAR AND GARUM.

[1] Tor. _Jusculum omni venationi competens_.

[350] COLD SAUCE FOR WILD SHEEP _IUS FRIGIDUM IN OVIFERO_ [1]

PEPPER, LOVAGE, THYME, c.u.mIN, CRUSHED TOASTED NUTS, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, AND OIL; SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER.

[1] List. _omni fero_; which Dann. interprets, "All kind of game." Cf. note 1 to ? No. 348.

V

BEEF OR VEAL _BUBULA SIVE VITELLINA_

[351] VEAL STEAK _VITELLINA FRICTA_ [1]

[FOR A SAUCE WITH FRIED BEEF OR VEAL TAKE] [2] PEPPER, LOVAGE, CELERY SEED, c.u.mIN, ORIGANY, DRY ONION, RAISINS, HONEY, VINEGAR, WINE, BROTH, OIL, AND REDUCED MUST.

[1] Evidently a beef or veal steak _saute_. Beef did not figure very heavily on the dietary of the ancients in contrasts to present modes which make beef the most important meat, culinarily speaking. The above sauce, save for the raisins and the honey, resembles the modern _Bordelaise_, often served with beef steaks _saute_, in contrast to the grilled steaks which are served with _maitre d'hotel_ b.u.t.ter.

[352] VEAL OR BEEF WITH LEEKS _VITULINAM [1] SIVE BULULAM c.u.m PORRIS_

[or] WITH QUINCES [2] OR WITH ONIONS, OR WITH DASHEENS [3] [use]

BROTH, PEPPER, LASER AND A LITTLE OIL.

[1] G.-V. same as _vitellinam_.

[2] Tor. _cydoniis_; List. _succidaneis_.

[3] Cf. ? No. 332 _et al._

[353] FRICa.s.seE OF VEAL _IN VITULINAM ELIXAM_

CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, CARRAWAY, CELERY SEED, MOISTEN WITH HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH AND OIL; HEAT, BIND WITH ROUX AND COVER THE MEAT.

[354] ANOTHER VEAL FRICa.s.seE _ALITER IN VITULINA EXLIXA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, FENNEL SEED, ORIGANY, NUTS, FIGDATES, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, MUSTARD AND OIL.

VI

KID OR LAMB _IN HaeDO VEL AGNO_

[355] DAINTY DISHES OF KID OR OF LAMB _COPADIA HaeDINA SIVE AGNINA_

COOK WITH PEPPER AND BROTH, ALSO WITH VARIOUS ORDINARY BEANS [1]

BROTH, PEPPER AND LASER, c.u.mIN, DUMPLINGS [2] AND A LITTLE OIL [3].

[1] _c.u.m faseolis_, green string beans.

[2] Tor. _imbrato_; G.-V. _inbracto_, broken bread, regular dumplings.

[3] Lamb and beans is a favorite combination, as in the French _haricot_, made with white beans, or boiled lamb with fresh string beans, quite a modern dish. Torinus omits the c.u.min, which is quite characteristic.

[356] ANOTHER LAMB STEW _ALITER HaeDINAM SIVE AGNINAM EXCALDATAM_

PUT [pieces of] KID OR LAMB IN THE STEW POT WITH CHOPPED ONION AND CORIANDER. CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, c.u.mIN, AND COOK WITH BROTH OIL AND WINE. PUT IN A DISH AND TIE WITH ROUX [1].