Ancient Roman Recipes

Sauce for all Kinds of Game, Boiled or Roast -

Ius in venationibus omnibus elixis et assis

DDV CULINARY

A scruple is equivalent to a twenty-fourth part of an ounce, 1.3 grams, or 20 grains.

Rue is a genus of strongly scented evergreen subshrubs 20-60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. It was used extensively in Middle Eastern cuisine in olden days, as well as in many ancient Roman recipes (according to Apicius), but because it is very bitter, it is usually not suitable for most modern tastes. However, it is still used in certain parts of the world, particularly in northern Africa. Try arrugula or radish leaf as a substitute for rue.

Lovage is a plant, the leaves and seeds or fruit of which are used to flavor food, especially in South European cuisine. It is a tall (3 to 9 ft) perennial that vaguely resembles its cousin celery in appearance and in flavor. Celery leaves can be used as a substitute for lovage.

Fleabane aka Flea-bane, Common Fleabane, Middle Fleabane, Rarajeub (Job's Tears), and Pulicaria dysenterica (Inula dysenterica). This herb is from a perennial plant native to most parts of Europe and found growing in masses in moist meadows. It has a soft, hoary foliage with flat heads of one, two, or three bright yellow flowers about an inch across. The size of the flowers is large in proportion to the size of the plant. Fleabane is astringent with a slightly soapy smell and an extremely bitter taste. Its young leaves were also one of the basic ingredients of the Roman summer salads. Modern cooks frequently substitute rosemary when trying to reproduce or mimic ancient recipes without offending modern taste.