Apicius' Roman Cookbook: Book III: Cepuros (The Gardener)

Ut omne holus smaragdinum fiat: omne holus smaragdinum fit, si cum nitro coquatur.

66 Vegetables, Pot Herbs

All vegetables will remain green if boiled with cooking soda.

How to make all vegetables the colour of emeralds: They should be cooked with soda [Natron, rather than natrum, from the Greek nitron, hydrous sodium carbonate. It is a salt commonly found crystallized with other salts. ].

1. Betas minutas et porros requietos elixabis, in patina compones. teres piper, cuminum, suffundes liquamen, passum, ut quaedam dulcedo sit. facias ut ferveat. cum ferbuerit, inferes.

67 Vegetable Dinner, Easily Digested

All green vegetables are suited for this purpose.2 Very young3 beets and well matured leeks are parboiled; arrange them in a baking dish, grind pepper and cumin, add broth and condensed must, or anything else to sweeten them a little, heat and finish them on a slow fire, and serve.

1 V. Ad ventrem, "for the belly," simple home laxative.

2 V. This sentence in Torinus only. Possibly a contraction of the foregoing formula, No. 66.

3 V. minutas, "small," i.e., young.

1. Boil young beetroot and stored leeks in a stewpan. Grind [together] pepper and cumin. Pour over some stock and add raisin wine until slightly sweet and bring to a boil. When the mixture has boiled, [pour over the vegetables and] serve.

2. Similiter: polypodium in tepidam mittes. ubi mollierit, rades, et minutum cum pipere et cumino trito in patinam ferventem mittes et uteris.

68 A Similar Dish

Parboil polypody1 root so as to soften them, cut them into small pieces, season with ground pepper and cumin, arrange in a baking dish, finish on the fire and serve.2

1 V. Roots of the fern herb.

2 Although these instructions for vegetable dinners are rather vague, they resemble primitive chartreuses — fancy vegetable dishes developed by the Carthusian monks to whom flesh eating was forbidden. Elsewhere in Apicius we shall find the chartreuse developed to a remarkable degree.

2. A Similar Dish: Parboil polypody fern roots and when tender grate it and season with ground pepper and cumin. Arrange in a pan, finish on the fire and serve.

3. Aliter ad ventrem: facies betaciorum fasces detergi, ne laves. in eorum medium nitrum asparges et alligas singulos fasces. mittes in aquam. cum coxeris, condies patinam, cum eadem passum vel caroenum et cuminum et piper asparges et oleum modicum. ubi ferbuerit, polypodium et frustra nucum cum liquamine teres, ferventem patinam fundes, cooperies. statim depones et uteris.

69 Another Laxative

Scrub and wash bundles of beets by rubbing them with a little soda.2 Tie them in individual bundles, put into water to be cooked, when done season with reduced must or raisin wine and cumin, p75sprinkle with pepper, add a little oil, and when hot, crush polypody and nuts with broth, add this to the red-hot pan, incorporating it with the beets, take off the fire quickly and serve.

1 This formula wanting in Tor.

2 V. Ingenious method to skin tender root vegetables, still in vogue today. We remove the skin of tender young root vegetables, carrots, beets, etc., by placing them in a towel, sprinkling them with rock salt and shaking them energetically. The modern power vegetable peeler is really built on the same principle, only instead of salt (which soon melts) carborundum or rough concrete surfaces are used, against which surfaces the vegetables are hurled by the rotary motion; often enough, too much of the skin is removed, however.

3. Another Laxative: Wipe clean a bunch of beetroot (do not wash them). Sprinkle soda over them and tie into separate bundles. Boil them in water then arrange in a stewpan. Add some passum or caroenum and sprinkle with cumin, pepper and a little olive oil. When it has come to a boil, sprinkle over polypody [root] and nuts with stock. Pour this sauce over the beetroot, take off the fire and serve.

4. Aliter betacios Varrones. Varro: betacios, sed nigros, quorum detersas radices et mulso decoctas cum sale modico et oleo vel sale, aqua et oleo in se coctas iusculum facere et potari, melius etiam si in eo pullus sit decoctus.

70 Beets à la Varro1

Varro beets, that is, black ones2 of which the roots must be cleaned well, cook them with mead and a little salt and oil; boil them down in this liquor so that the roots are saturated thereby; the liquid itself is good drinking. It is also nice to cook a chicken in with them.

1 G.‑V. Betacios; their B. Varrones. Probably named for Varro, the writer on agriculture.

2 Roots on the order of parsnips, salsify, oysterplant.

4. Another: Beetroot à la Varro: Varro beetroot: namely black ones, of which the roots must be cleaned well, added to a pan with mead or sweet wine, salt to taste and oil; and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, add chicken pieces and cook until done.

5. Aliter ad ventrem: apios virides cum suis radicibus lavabis et siccabis ad solem. deinde albamen et capita porrorum simul elixabis in caccabo novo, ita ut aqua ad tertias deferveat [id est ut ex tribus eminis aquae una remaneat]. postea teres piper, liquamen et aliquantum mellis humore temperabis, et aquam apiorum decoctorum colabis in mortario, et superfundes porris. cum simul ferbuerit, appones, et, si libitum fuerit, apios adicies.

71 Another Laxative

Another vegetable dish, promoting good health; wash celery, greens and roots, and dry it in the sun: then also cook the tender part and head of leeks in a new1 pot, allowing the water to boil down one third of its volume. Thereupon grind pepper with broth and honey in equal amounts properly measured, mix it in the mortar with the water of the cooked celery, strain, boil again and use it to mask the cooked celery with. If desired, add the sliced root of the celery to it.2

1 1 V. "new," i.e., cook leeks in a separate sauce pan; not together with the celery, which, as the original takes for granted, must be cooked also.

2 V. We would leave the honey out, make a cream sauce from the stock, or, adding bouillon, tie same with a little flour and butter, and would call the dish Stewed Celery and Leeks. The ancient method is entirely rational because the mineral salts of the vegetables are preserved and utilized (invariably observed p76by Apicius) which today are often wasted by inexperienced cooks who discard these precious elements with the water in which the vegetables are boiled.

5. Another Laxative: Wash green celery stalks, with their roots, and dry in the sun. In a clean saucepan, boil the tender parts and the heads of leeks until the water has reduced to a third of its original volume; that is, of three parts of water only one remains. At this point, grind pepper and blend with stock and runny honey. Strain the boiled celery water into a mortar and pour this over the leeks. When they have cooked together [sufficiently] serve. If desired, add to it the celery.

Asparagos siccabis, rursum in calidam summittas, callosiores reddes.

72 Asparagus

Asparagus [Tor. in order to have it most agreeable to the palate] must be peeled, washed and dried1 and immersed in boiling water backwards.2•3

1 V. Must be dried before boiling because the cold water clinging to the stalks is likely to chill the boiling water too much in which the asparagus is to be cooked. Apicius here reveals himself as the consummate cook who is familiar with the finest detail of physical and chemical changes which food undergoes at varying temperatures. The varying editions all agree: asparagos siccabis; Schuch, however, says: "For the insane siciabis I substitute siciabis, isiciabis, prepare with sicio [?] and cook." He even goes on to interpret it cucabis from the Greek kouki, cocoanut milk, and infers that the asparagus was first cooked in cocoanut milk and then put back into water, a method we are tempted to pronounce insane.

2 V. Backwards! G.‑V. rursum in calidam; Tac. rursus in aquam calidam; Tor. ac rursus. . . This word has caused us some reflection, but the ensuing discovery made it worth while. Rursus has escaped the attention of the other commentators. In this case rursus means backwards, being a contraction from revorsum, h.e. reversum. The word is important enough to be observed. Apicius evidently has the right way of cooking the fine asparagus. The stalks, after being peeled and washed must be bunched together and tied according to sizes, and the bunches must be set into the boiling water "backwards," that is, they must stand upright with the heads protruding from the water. The heads will be made tender above the water line by rising steam and will be done simultaneously with the harder part of the stalks. We admit, we have never seen a modern cook observe this method. They usually boil the tender heads to death while the lower stalks are still hard. Though this formula is incomplete (it fails to state the sauce to be served, also that the asparagus must be peeled and bunched, that the water must contain salt, etc.) it is one of the neatest formulae in Apicius. It is amusing to note how the author herein unconsciously reveals what a poor litérateur but what a fine cook he is. This is characteristic of most good practitioners. One may perfectly master the vast subject of cookery, yet one may not be able to give a definition of even a single term, let alone the ability to exactly describe one of the many processes of cookery. Real poets often are in the same predicament; none of them ever explained the art satisfactorily.

3 G.‑V. add to the formula callosiores reddes — give back [eliminate] the p77harder ones. This sentence blessings to the next article. And Torinus, similar to Humelbergius, renders this sentence ut reddas ad gustum calliores — to render the harder ones palatable — the squash and pumpkin namely — and we are inclined to agree with him.

Dry the asparagus, put them in hard water: you will restore the hard flesh.

1. Gustum de cucurbitis: cucurbitas coctas expressas in patinam compones. adicies in mortarium piperem, cuminum, silfi modice [id est laseris radicem], rutam modicum, liquamine et aceto temperabis, mittes defritum modicum ut coloretur, ius exinanies in patinam. cum ferbuerit iterum ac tertio, depones et piper minutum asparges.

73 Pumpkin, Squash

To have the harder ones palatable, do this:1 Cut the fruit into pieces, boil and squeeze the water out of the boiled fruit and arrange the pieces in a baking dish. Put in the mortar pepper, cumin and silphium, that is, a very little of the laser root and a little rue, season this with stock, measure a little vinegar and mix in a little condensed wine, so that it can be strained2 and pour this liquid over the fruit in the baking dish; let it boil three times, retire from the fire and sprinkle with very little ground pepper.

1 Cf. note 3 to No. 72. 2 List. Ut coloretur — to give it color; Tor. ut ius coletur — from color — to strain, to filter. Cf. also note 2 to No. 55. Thayer's Note: a A reminder that "pumpkin" and "squash", here and thruout, are approximations. Both are New World plants, and some other type of gourd was meant.

1. Gourd Antipasto: Squeeze out the water from the cooked gourds and place in a shallow pan. In a mortar, add pepper, cumin and a little silphium, that is laser root, a little rue, and blend with stock and vinegar then mix in a little defritum for colour and pour this [mixture] into the pan. Let it boil three times, remove [from the fire] and sprinkle over it a very little pepper.

2. Aliter cucurbitas iure colocasorium: cucurbitas coques ex aqua in modum colocasiorum. teres piper, cuminum, rutam, suffundes acetum, liquamen, temperabis in caccabum, cui adicies ‹oleum modicum› et eas cucurbitas incisas, expressas in ius mittes ut ferveant. amulo obligas, piper asparges et inferes.

74 Pumpkin like Dasheens
Aliter cucurbitas iure colocasiorum1
Boil the pumpkin in water like colocasia; grind pepper, cumin and rue, add vinegar and measure out the broth in a saucepan. The pumpkin pieces nicely cut water pressed out are arranged in a saucepan with the broth and are finished on the fire while the juice is being tied with a little roux. Before serving sprinkle with pepper.2

1 1 V. Colocasia Antiquorum belonging to the dasheen or taro family, a valuable tuber, again mentioned in No. 172, 216, 244 and 322. Cf. various notes, principally that to No. 322. Also see U. S. Dept. of Agr. Farmer's Bulletin No. 136, p2. This is a "new" and commercially and gastronomically important root vegetable, the flavor reminding of a combination of chestnuts and potatoes, popularilyº known as "Chinese potatoes" which has been recently introduced by the United States Government from the West Indies where it received the name, Dasheen, derived from de Chine — from China.

2 Tor. continues without interruption into the next formula.

2. Gourds Cooked as Broad Beans: Boil the gourd in water, that was used for broad beans. Mix pepper, cumin and rue and sprinkle with vinegar and stock. Simmer on the fire and add a little olive oil. Add to the pan the chopped and drained gourds. Heat. Thicken with starch, sprinkle with pepper, and serve.

3. Cucurbitas more Alexandrino: elixatas cucurbitas exprimis, sale asparges, in patina compones. teres piper, cuminum, coriandri semen, mentam viridem, laseris radicem. suffundes acetum. adicies caryotam, nucleum, teres. melle, aceto, liquamine, defrito et oleo temperabis, et cucurbitas perfundes. cum ferbuerint, piper asparges et inferes.

75 Pumpkin, Alexandrine Style
Aliter cucurbitas more Alexandrino
Press the water out of the boiled pumpkin, place in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, ground pepper, cumin, coriander seed, green mint and a little laser root; season with vinegar. Now add date winea and pignolia nuts ground with honey, vinegar and broth, measure out condensed wine and oil, pour this over the pumpkin and finish in this liquor and serve, sprinkle with pepper before serving.

Thayer's Note:
a The text is usually made to read cariotam, not date wine but just plain date: which to me makes more sense in the context: dates and nuts ground together, with liquids to moisten them.

3. Alexandrine Squash: Boil the gourds and squeeze them [dry]. Sprinkle with salt, ground pepper, cumin, coriander seed, green mint and a little laser root. Pour vinegar over [them] then add some nuts and dates and grind. Blend with honey, vinegar and stock, defritum, and olive oil. Pour over the gourds and when brought to the boil sprinkle with pepper and serve.

4. Aliter cucurbitas elixatas: ex liquamine, oleo, mero.

76 Boiled Pumpkin

Boiled Pumpkin stewed in broth with pure oil.

4. Another: Stewed Gourds: Stew in stock, oil and unmixed wine.

5. Aliter cucurbitas frictas: oenogaro simplici et pipere.

77 Fried Pumpkin

Fried pumpkin served with simple wine sauce and pepper.

5. Another: Fried Gourds: [Serve] in a plain wine sauce with pepper.

6. Aliter cucurbitas elixatas et frictas: in patina compones, cuminatum superfundes, modico oleo super adiecto. fervere facies et inferes.

78 Another Way, Boiled and Fried

Boiled pumpkin fried is placed in a baking pan. Season with cumin wine, add a little oil; finish on the fire and serve.

6. Another: Gourds, Stewed and Fried: Put [boiled gourds] in a pan. Sprinkle cumin [over them] with a little olive oil poured on top. Cook and serve.

7. Aliter cucurbitas frictas tritas: piperem, ligusticum, cuminum, origanum, cepam, vinum, liquamen et oleum. amulo obligabis in patina, et inferes.

79 Another Way, Mashed

Fried1 pumpkin, seasoned with pepper, lovage, cumin, origany, onion, wine broth and oil: stew the pumpkin in this in a baking dish, tie the liquid with roux mash and serve in the dish.

1 V. Baking the fruit reduces the water contents, renders the purée more substantial. G.‑V. Tritas — mashed. Tor. connects tritas up with pepper, hence it is doubtful whether this dish of pumpkin is mashed pumpkin.

7. Another: Gourds, Fried and Sliced: [Season with] pepper, lovage, cumin, oregano, onion, wine, stock and olive oil. Add starch to the pan to thicken and serve.

8. Aliter cucurbitas cum gallina: duracina, tubera, piper, careum, cuminum, silfi, condimenta viridia, mentam, apium, coriandrum, puleium, caryotam, mel, vinum, liquamen, oleum et acetum.

80 Pumpkin and Chicken

Stew the pumpkin with a hen, garnish with hard-skinned peaches, truffles; pepper, caraway, and cumin, silphium and green herbs, such as mint, celery, coriander, pennyroyal, cress, wine1 oil and vinegar.

1 Tor. Vinum vel oleum; List. vinum, mel, oleum.

8. Another: Gourds with Chicken: [Place the gourds and chicken in a pan then add] apricots, truffles, pepper, caraway, cumin, silphium, fresh herbs, mint, celery, coriander, pennyroyal, dates, honey, wine, olive oil and vinegar.

Sil montanum, silfi, mentam siccam, acetum, liquamen.

81 Citron

Citrium1
For the preparation of citron fruit we take siler2 from the mountains, silphium, dry mint, vinegar and broth.

1 List. Citrini — a lemon or cucumber squash.

2 Tor. Silerem; List. sil, which is hartwort, a kind of cumin or mountain fennel.

Citron: [Dress with] mountain saxifrage, silphium, dried mint, vinegar and liquamen.
For the modern Redaction see: Citron.

1. Cucumeres rasos, sive ex liquamine, sive ex oenogaro: sine ructu et gravitudine teneriores senties.

82 Cucumbers
Cucumeres
Stew the peeled cucumbers either in broth1 or in a wine sauce; and you will find them to be tender and not causing indigestion.

1 Usually cucumbers are parboiled in water and then finished in broth; most often after being parboiled they are stuffed with forcemeat and then finished in broth.

1. Peeled Cubumbers: [Cook peeled cucumbers] in stock or wine sauce. The cucumbers will be tender and not cause flatulence or heaviness.

2. Aliter cucumeres rasos: elixabis cum cerebellis elixis, cumino et melle modico, apii semen, liquamine et oleo. ovis obligabis, piper asparges et inferes.

83 Cucumbers Another Way
Aliter cucumeres rasos
Peeled cucumbers are stewed with boiled brains, cumin and a little honey. Add some celery seed, stock and oil, bind the gravy with eggs1 sprinkle with pepper and serve.

1 1 Tor. bis obligabis — tie twice — for which there is no reason, except in case the sauce should curdle. List. oleo elixabis — fry in oil — obviously wrong, as the materials for this stew are already cooked. Sch. ovis obligabis — bind with eggs — which is the thing to do in this case.

2. Peeled Cucumbers, Another Way: Peel the cucumbers and boil them with a small quantity of [cooked] brains, cumin, a little honey, celery seed, stock, and olive oil. Thicken with eggs, sprinkle with pepper and serve.

3. Aliter cucumeres: piper, puleium, mel vel passum, liquamen et acetum. interdum et silfi accedit.

3. Cucumbers, Another Way: [Cook with] pepper, pennyroyal, honey or passum, stock and vinegar. Occasionally silphium is added.

Piper, puleium, mel vel passum, liquamen, acetum. interdum et silfi accedit.

85 Melon-Gourd and Melons

Pepper, pennyroyal, honey or condensed must, broth and vinegar; once in a while one adds silphium.

Same as 84; which confirms above theory. It is quite possible that melons were eaten raw with this fancy dressing. Many people enjoy melons with pepper and salt, or, in salad form with oil and vinegar. Gourds, however, to be palatable, must be boiled and served either hot or cold with this dressing.

[Cook with] pepper, pennyroyal, honey or passum, stock and vinegar. Occasionally silphium is added.

Malvas minores +degrano+ ex liquamine, oleo, aceto. malvas maiores in oenogaro, piper, liquamine, caroeno vel passo.

86 Mallows

The smaller mallows are prepared with garum,1 stock,2 oil and vinegar; the larger mallows prepare with a wine sauce, pepper and stock, adding condensed wine or raisin wine.

1 Tor. Garum; List. Oenogarum.

2 Liquamen — depending upon the mode of serving the mallows, hot or cold.

Serve smaller mallows with liquamen, olive oil and vinegar. Larger mallow [leaves] are cooked in wine sauce, pepper, liquamen, and caroenum or passum.

1. Cymas: cuminum, salem, vinum vetus, oleum. si voles, addes piper et ligusticum, mentam, rutam, coriandrum, folia coliculorum, liquamen, vinum, oleum.

87 Young Cabbage, Sprouts1
Cymas et cauliculos2
Boil the sprouts;1 season with cumin,3 salt, wine and oil; if you like add pepper, lovage, mint, rue, coriander; the tender leaves of the stalks stew in broth; wine and oil be the seasoning.

1a 1b Including, perhaps, cauliflower and broccoli.

2 List. Cimae & Coliculi. Nunc crudi cum condimentis nunc elixati inferentur. Served sometimes raw with dressing, sometimes boiled.

3 Cumin or carraway seed is still used today in the preparation of the delicious "Bavarian" cabbage which also includes wine and other spices.

1. Cabbages: [Prepared with] cumin, salt, aged wine and olive oil. If you prefer, add pepper, lovage, mint, rue, coriander, and the leaves of young stalks , and [cook in] stock, wine and oil

2. Aliter: coliculos elixatos mediabis, summa foliarum teres cum coriandro, cepa, cumino, piper, passo vel caroeno et oleo modico.

88 Another Way
Aliter
Cut the stalks in half and boil them. The leaves are mashed and seasoned with coriander, onion, cumin, pepper, raisin wine, or condensed wine and a little oil.

Very sensible way of using cabbage stalks that are usually thrown away. Note the almost scientific procedure: the stalks are separated from the leaves, split to p81facilitate cooking; they are cooked separately because they require more time than the tender greens. Our present method appears barbarous in comparison. We quarter the cabbage head, and either boil it or steam it. As a result either the tender leaves are cooked to death or the stems are still hard. The overcooked parts are not palatable, the underdone ones indigestible. Such being the case, our boiled cabbage is a complete loss, unless prepared the Apician way.

2. Another Way: Cut boiled stalks in half and mix the most tender leaves with coriander, onion, cumin, pepper, passum or caroenum, and a little olive oil.

3. Aliter: coliculi elixati in patina compositi condiuntur liquamine, oleo, mero, cumino. piper asparges, porrum, cuminum, coriandrum viridem super concides.

89 Another Way
Aliter
The cooked1 stalks are placed in a baking dish; moisten with stock and pure oil, season with cumin, sprinkle2 with pepper, leeks, cumin, and green coriander all chopped up.

1 Tor. Coliculi assati — sauté, fried; (Remember: Choux de Bruxelles sauté) List. elixati — boiled. G.‑V. Cauliculi elixati.

2 Tor. Superasperges; G.‑V. piper asperges.

Sounds like a salad of cooked cabbage. The original leaves us in doubt as to the temperature of the dish.

3. Another Way: Boiled stalks are placed in a pan, [and moistened] with stock, oil, unmixed wine, and cumin. Sprinkle with pepper and chop chives, cumin, coriander leaves over it.

4. Aliter: coliculi conditi, ut supra, cum elixis porris coquantur.

4. Another Way: Prepare the stalks as above and cook with boiled leeks.

5. Aliter: coliculos condies ut supra, admisces olivas virides et simul ferveant.

5. Another Way: [Prepare and] season as above, but mix with green olives and heat together.

6. Aliter: coliculis conditis ut supra superfundes alicam elixam cum nucleis et uva passa. piper asparges.

92 Another Way
Aliter
Prepare the sprouts in the above way, cover them with boiled spelt and pine nuts1 and sprinkle2 with raisins.

1 The nuts should not astonish us. The French today have a delicious dish, Choux de Bruxelles aux Marrons — Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts. Sprouts and chestnuts are, of course, cooked separately; the lightly boiled sprouts are sauté in butter; the chestnuts parboiled, peeled, and finished in stock with a little sugar or syrup, tossed in butter and served in the center of the sprouts.

The Apician formula with cereal and raisins added is too exotic to suit our modern taste, but without a question is a nutritious dish and complete from a dietetic point of view.

2 Tor. Superasperges; G.‑V. piper asperges.

6. Another Way: Prepare and season the stalks as above, cover them with boiled spelt mixed with pine nuts and raisins. Sprinkle with pepper [and serve].

1. Porros maturos fieri: pugnum salis, aquam et oleum: mixtum facies et ibi coques et eximes. cum oleo, liquamine, mero et inferes.

93 Leeks
Porros
Well matured leeks1 are boiled with a pinch of salt2 in combined water and oil.3 They are then stewed in oil and in the best kind of broth, and served.

1 Tor. Poros bene maturos; G.‑V. maturos fieri.

2 One of the rare instances where Apicius mentions salt in cookery, i.e., salt in a dry form. Pugnum salis — a fist of salt — he prescribes here. Usually it is liquamen — broth, brine — he uses.

3 Tor. is correct in finishing the sentence here. G.‑V. continue et eximes., which is the opening of the next sentence, and it makes a difference in the formula.

1. Well Matured Leeks: [Cook with] a fistful of salt in water and olive oil. Remove and serve with olive oil, liquamen, and unmixed wine.

2. Aliter porros: opertos foliis coliculorum, et in prunis coques, ut supra, et inferes.

94 Another Way to Cook Leeks
Aliter porros
Wrap the leeks well in cabbage leaves, having first cooked them as directed above1 and then finish them in the above way.

1 Tor. in primis — first; List., G.‑V. in prunis — hot embers.

2. Leeks, Another Way: Wrap the leeks with young cabbage leaves and stem over hot coals. [Season] as above, and serve.

3. Aliter porros: in aqua coctos, ut supra, et inferes.

95 Another Way
Aliter porros
Cook the leeks with laurel berries,1 and otherwise treat them and serve as above.

1 Tor. Porros in bacca coctos; List. in cacabo — cooked in a casserole; Sch. bafa embama — steeped, marinated (in oil); G.‑V. in baca coctos. Another way to read this: baca et faba — with beans — is quite within reason. The following formula, 96, is perhaps only a variant of the above.

Brandt: with olives, referring to No. 91 as a precedent.

3. Leeks, Another Way: Cook in water, as above, and serve.

4. Aliter porros: ‹si› in aqua elixati erunt, fabae nondum conditae plurimum admisce conditurae, in qua eos manducaturus es.

96 Leeks and Beans
Aliter porros
After having boiled the leeks in water, green string beans which have not yet been prepared otherwise, may be boiled in the leek water1 principally on account of the good taste they will acquire; and may then be served with the leeks.

1 Apicius needed no modern science of nutrition to remind him of the value of the mineral salts in vegetables.

4. Leeks, Another Way: If the leeks have been boiled in water, add a large quantity of unseasoned beans to the liquid [and cook them]. Serve with the sauce.

1. Concides porrum, coriandrum, cuminum . . . uvam passam, farinam, et omnia in medullam mittes. ligabis et ita inferes ex liquamine, oleo et aceto.

97 Beets
Betas
To make a dish of beets that will appeal to your taste1 slice the beets2 with leeks and crush coriander and cumin; add raisin wine,3 boil all down to perfection: bind it, serve the beets separate from the broth, with oil and vinegar.

1 Sentence in Tor.; wanting in List. et al.

2 List. No mention of beets is made in this formula; therefore, it may belong to the foregoing leek recipes. V. This is not so. Here the noun is made subject to the first verb, as is practiced frequently. Moreover, the mode of preparation fits beets nicely, except for the flour to which we object in note 3, below. To cook beets with leeks, spices and wine and serve them (cold) with oil and vinegar is indeed a method that cannot be improved upon.

3 Tac., Tor., List., G.‑V. uvam passam, Farinam — raisins and flour — for which there is no reason. Sch. varianam — raisin wine of the Varianian variety; Bas. Phariam V. inclined to agree with Sch. and Bas.

1. [In a pot, place] sliced leeks, coriander, cumin, raisins and flour. Cook down to perfection and thicken [the sauce]. Serve [the beets] separately from the sauce, with olive oil and vinegar.

2. Aliter betas elixas: ex sinapi, oleo modico et aceto bene inferuntur.

98 Another Way
Aliter betas elixas
Cook the beets with mustard seed and serve them well pickled in a little oil and vinegar.

V. Add bay leaves, cloves, pepper grains, sliced onion and a little sugar, and you have our modern pickled beets.

2. Another: Stewed Beets: They are good served with mustard, a little olive oil and vinegar.

Holisera in fasciculum redacta ‹a› manu ex liquamine, oleo et mero bene inferuntur, vel cum piscibus assis.

99 Green Vegetables, Pot Herbs
Olisera1
The greens tied in handy bundles, cooked and served with pure oil; also proper with fried fish.

1 Tac. Olisera; Tor. Olifera (sev mauis olyra) Tor. is mistaken. Hum., List. Olisatra; (old MS. note in our Hum. copy: "Alessandrina uulgò") from olusatrum — olus — pot herbs, cabbage, turnips. G.‑V. Holisera, from holus, i.e. olus and from olitor one who raises pot herbs.

Horse Parsley. Collect and tie the alexanders (horse parsley) into small bunches. They are good served raw with stock, oil and unmixed wine, or with grilled fish.

1. Rapas sive napos elixatos exprimes, deinde teres cuminum plurimum, rutam minus, laser Parthicum, mel, acetum, liquamen, defritum et oleum modice. fervere facies et inferes.

100 Turnips or Navews
Rapas sive napos
Turnips are cooked soft, the water is squeezed out; then crush a good amount of cumin and a little rue, add Parthian1 laser or2 vinegar, stock, condensed wine and oil3 heat moderately and serve.

1 i.e. Persian laser; List. laser, Parthicum; (the comma makes a difference!) Sch. particum — a part.

2 Tac., Tor., vel acetum; List. G.‑V. mel, acetum. Another comma; and "honey" instead of "or". V. We doubt this: the vinegar is an alternative, for it takes the place of the more expensive Persian laser (which was an essence of the laser root, often diluted with vinegar).

3 List., G.‑V., oleum modice: fervere; Tor. & oleum, quae modice fervere facias. Again note Lister's punctuation here and in the foregoing notes. The misplaced commas and colons raise havoc with the formulae everywhere. Torinus, who in his preface complains that his authority has no punctuation whatsoever and thereby indicates that it must have been a very ancient copy, (at least prior to the 1503 Tac. ed.) is generally not far from the mark. It is also doubtful that the variants are by him, as is claimed by List. In this instance, indeed, Tor. is again correct.

1. Squeeze out the water from cooked turnips. [Place in a pan] then grind a generous quantity of cumin, less of rue, [add] Parthian laser, honey, vinegar, stock, defritum, and a little olive oil. Heat and serve.

2. Aliter rapas sive napos: elixas, inferes. oleum superstillabis. si voles, acetum adde.

101 Another Way1
Aliter rapas sive napos
The turnips are boiled, served dressed with oil, to which, if desired, you may add vinegar.2

p84 1 Tor. ad delitias — delightful.

2 V. Presumably served cold, as a salad; cf. No. 122.

2. Turnips, Another Way: Boil and serve sprinkled with a few drops of olive oil. If desired, add vinegar.

Raphanos cum piperato, ita ut piper cum liquamine teras.

102 Radishes
Raphanos
Pepper the radishes well; or, equally well: grate it with pepper and brine.

Sch., G.‑V. Rafanos; Raphanos agria, — a kind of horseradish; Plinius [XXVI.72]: h.e. raphanus sylvestris.

Radishes with Pepper Sauce, grind [over] pepper and [mix with] liquamen.

1. Holus molle ex holisatro: coctum ex aqua nitrata expressum concides minutum, et teres piper, ligusticum, satureiam siccam cum cepa sicca, liquamen, oleum et vinum.

1. Vegetable Purée with Alexanders: Cook them in water with soda. Press out any [excess] water and chop very finely. [Dress with a] mix of pepper, lovage, dried savory, dried onions, stock, oil and wine.

2. Aliter holus molle: apium coques ex aqua nitrata, exprimes et concides minutatim. in mortario teres piper, ligusticum, origanum, cepam, vinum, liquamen et oleum. coques in pultario, et sic apium commisces.

104 Another Mashed Green Vegetable
Alter olus molle ex apio
Cook celery in soda water, squeeze water out, chop fine. In the mortar crush pepper, lovage, origany, onion and mix with wine and stock, adding some oil. p85Cook this in the boiler1 and mix the celery with this preparation.

1 in pultario. The pultarius is a pot in which cereals were boiled; from puls — porridge, pap.

2. Vegetable Purée, Another Way: Boil celery in water with soda. Press and chop very finely. In a mortar, mix pepper, lovage, oregano, wine, stock and olive oil. Cook [the sauce] in a pan then mix with the celery [and serve].

3. Aliter holus molle ex foliis lactucarum cum cepis: coques ex aqua nitrata, expressa concides minutatim. in mortario teres piper, ligusticum, apii semen, mentam siccam, cepam, liquamen, oleum et vinum.

3. Another: Vegetable Purée with Lettuce Leaves and Onions: Boil [the lettuce and onion] in water with soda. Press them and chop finely. In mortar mix pepper, lovage, celery seed, dried mint, onion, stock, olive oil and vinegar. [Use the sauce to dress the vegetables.]

4. [Aliter:] Holus molle ne arescat, summa quaeque amputantur, et purgamenta et caules madefactos in aqua absinthi contegito.

106 To Prevent Mashed Vegetables from Turning
Olus molle ne arescat1
It will be required above all to clean the vegetables well, to cut off all decayed parts and to cover the cooked vegetables with wormwood water.

1 Tor. ne . . . exarescat, the difference in the meaning is immaterial.

4. [Another:] So that vegetable puree will keep. Cut off the top leaves, rinse the remaining leaves in water and moisten the stalks in wormwood water.

Liquamine, oleo, aceto a manu vel in patina piper, cumino, bacis lentisci.

107 Field Herbs
Herbae rusticae
Field and forest1 herbs are prepared2 either raw with stock,3 oil and vinegar as a salad,4 or as a cooked dish5 by adding pepper, cumin and mastich berries.

1 Tor. ac sylvestres; V. German, Feldsalat.

2 Tor. parantur; wanting in other editions.

3 Liquamine, here interpreted as brine.

4 Tac., Sch., et al. a manu; Tor. vel manu — because eaten with the hand.

5 Tor. vel in patina.

Country Herbs [are prepared raw] as a salad with liquamen, olive oil and vinegar, or stewed with pepper, cumin, and mastic berries.

Urticum feminam, sole in ariete posito, adversus aegritudinem sumes, si voles.

108 Nettles
Urticae
The female nettles, when the sun is in the position of Aries,a is supposed to render valuable services against ailments of various kinds.1

1 Tac., List., Sch., et al. adversus aegritudinem.

Barthius: Quam aegritudinem? etc., etc.

Tor. plurifarias!

Reinsenius: ad arcendum morbum, etc., etc.

p86 Hum. scilicet quamcunque hoc est . . . etc., etc., etc.

G.‑V. si voles.

V. This innocent little superstition about the curative qualities of the female nettle causes the savants to engage in various speculations.

Nettles are occasionally eaten as vegetables on the Continent.

Thayer's Note:
a There's nothing astrological about this: the sun is in Aries in early spring; nettles are young and tender then.

When the sun is in the sign of Aries, female nettles may be taken against illness.

1. Intuba ex liquamine et oleo modico +medere+ cepa concisa. pro lactucis vero hieme intuba ex embammate vel melle et aceto acri.

109 Endives and Lettuce
Intuba et lactucae
Endives are dressed with brine, a little oil and chopped onion, instead of the real lettuce.1 In winter time the endives are taken out of the pickle2 and are dressed with honey or vinegar.

1 Hum. pro lactucis uere Tor. p. l. accipiunt; G.‑V. p. l. vero (separated by period) — all indicating that endives are a substitute for lettuce when this is not available.

2 Cf. ℞ No. 27, also Nos. 22 and 23.

1. Endive is served with liquamen, a little olive oil, and chopped onion. Endive may be substituted for lettuce in winter in a dressing or [with] honey and sharp vinegar.

2. Lactucas cum oxyporio et aceto et modico liquamine.

110 Lettuce Salad, Field Salad
Agrestes lactucae1
Dress it with vinegar dressing and a little brine stock; which helps digestion and is taken to counteract inflation.2

1 Tor. sic; Hum. agri l.; Tac. id.; Sch. and G.‑V. have acri as an adjective to vinegar, the last word in the preceding formula.

2 List. and Hum. continuing: "And this salad will not hurt you"; but Tor., Sch. and G.‑V. use this as a heading for the following formula.

2. Serve lettuce with oxyporum, vinegar and a little liquamen.

3. Ad digestionem et inflationem et ne lactucae laedant: cuminum unc. II, gingiber unc. I, rutae viridis unc. I, dactilorum pinguium scripulos XII, piperis unc. I, mellis unc. IX, cuminum aut Aethiopicum aut Syriacum aut Libycum. tundes cuminum et postea infundes in aceto. cum siccaverit, postea melle omnia comprehendes. cum necesse fuerit, dimidium cochlearum aceto et liquamine modico misces aut post cenam dimidium cochlearem accipies.

111 A Harmless Salad
Ne lactucae laedant
And in order that the lettuce may not hurt you take (with it or after it) the following preparation)1 2 ounces of ginger, 1 ounce of green rue, 1 ounce of meaty dates, 12 scruples of ground pepper, 1 ounce of good honey, and 8 ounces of either Aethiopian or Syrian cumin. Make an infusion of this in vinegar, the cumin crushed, and strain. Of this liquor use a small spoonful; mix it with stock and a little vinegar: you may take a small spoonful after the meal.2

1 Tac. and Tor. Ne lactucae laedant [take it] cum zingiberis uncijs duabus, etc. Hum., List., G.‑V. cumini unc. II. They and Sch. read the cum of Tac. and Tor. for cumini, overlooking the fact that the recipe later calls for Aethiopian or p87Syrian cumin as well. This shifts the weights of the various ingredients from the one to the other, completely upsetting the sense of the formula.

2 Goll. ignores this passage completely. V. This is another of the medical formulae that have suffered much by experimentation and interpretation through the ages. It seems to be an aromatic vinegar for a salad dressing, and, as such, a very interesting article, reminding of our present tarragon, etc., vinegars. To be used judiciously in salads. Again, as might be expected, the medicinal character of the formula inspires the medieval doctors to profound meditation and lively debate. Cf. ℞ Nos. 34 and 108.

3. An aid to digestion and a preventative against flatulence so that lettuce will not harm you. 60g of cumin, 30g of ginger, 30g of green rue, 16g of plump dates, 30g of pepper, 270g of honey. The cumin should either be Ethiopian, or Syrian or Lybian. Crush the cumin then mix with vinegar. [Drain] and when it has dried, blend all the ingredients with the honey. When required, mix half a spoonful with vinegar and liquamen and take half a spoonful after dinner.

1. Carduos: liquamen, oleo et ovis concisis.

112 Cardoons
Cardui
Cardoons are eaten with a dressing of briny broth, oil, and chopped hard eggs.

V. Precisely as we do today: French dressing and hard boiled eggs. We do not forget pepper, of course. Perhaps the ancient "briny broth" contained enough of this and of other ingredients, such as fine condiments and spices to make the dressing perfect.

1. Cardoons: [Dress with] liquamen, olive oil and chopped egg.

2. Lactucas cum oxyporio et aceto et modico liquamine.

113 Another Dressing for Cardoons
Aliter carduos
Rue, mint, coriander, fennel — all green — finely crushed; add pepper, lovage, and1 brine and oil.2

1 Tac. and Tor. vel; List., Sch., G.‑V. mel — honey — which would spoil this fine vinaigrette or cold fines herbes dressing. However, even nowadays, sugar is quite frequently added to salad dressings.

2 Gollmer claims that this dressing is served with cooked cardoons, the recipe for which follows below. This is wanting in Tor.

2. Cardoons, Another Way: Grind rue, mint, coriander and fennel — all fresh. Add pepper, lovage, honey, stock and oil.

3. Aliter carduos elixos: piper, cuminum, liquamen et oleum.

3. Another: Boiled Cardoons: [Dress with] pepper, cumin, stock and olive oil.

1. Sphondyli fricti ex oenogaro simplici.

115 (Cow-)Parsnips [?]
Spondyli vel fonduli1
Cow-parsnips are fried and eaten with a simple wine sauce.

1 Tac. Spondili uel fonduli and Sphon. . .; Tor. as above; Hum. Spongioli p88uel funguli; List., id.; Sch. Sfondili uel funguli; G.‑V. Sphondyli uel funduli.

Cf. note to Nos. 46, 121, 122.

1. Parsnips, fried [and served] in a plain wine sauce.

2. Aliter: sphondyli elixi ex sale, oleo, mero, coriandro viridi conciso et piper integro.

116 Another Way
Aliter
Boil the parsnips in salt water and season them with pure oil,1 chopped green coriander and whole pepper.

1 Tac. Oleo mero; Other editors: Oleo, mero. V. The comma is misplaced.

2. Another Way: Boil parsnips with salt, oil, unmixed wine, chopped coriander leaves and whole peppercorns.

3. Aliter: sphondylos elixos perfundes amulato infra scripto: apii semen, rutam, mel, piper teres, passum, liquamen et oleum modice. amulo obligas, piper asparges et inferes.

3. Another Way: Coat boiled parsnips with a thick sauce made from: celery seed, rue, honey, pepper, passum, stock and a little olive oil. Thicken with starch, season with pepper and serve.

4. Aliter sphondylos: teres cuminum, rutam, liquamen, caroenum modice, oleum, coriandrum viridem et porrum. et sphondylos inferes pro salso.

118 Another Way [Purée of Parsnips]1
Aliter
Mash the parsnips, add cumin, rue, stock, a little condensed wine, oil, green coriander and leeks and serve; goes well with salt pork.2

1 Again faulty punctuation obscures the text. Carefully compare the following: Tac. and Tor. Spondylos teres, cuminum, etc. Hum., List. and G.‑V. S. teres cuminum, i.e. crush the cumin. Sch. S. tores — dry, parch!

2 Inferes pro salso — serve with salt pork or bacon. or, instead of —. Salsum — salt pork. Dann. Well seasoned with salt! Sch. infares pro salsa. For further confirmation of salsum cf. ℞ Nos. 148‑152.

4. Parsnips Another Way: Grind cumin and rue with liquamen, a little coroenum, olive oil, fresh coriander and chives. Serve in place of salt fish.

5. Aliter: sphondylos elixatos praedurabis, mittes in caccabum oleum, liquamen, piper. passum colorabis et obligas.

119 Another Way
Aliter
Boil the parsnips sufficiently, if hard1 then put them in a sauce pan and stew them with oil, stock, pepper, raisin wine, strain2 and bind with roux.

1 Tor. praeduratos; List. praedurabis. How can they be hardened? It may perhaps stand for "parboil." We agree with Tor. that the hard ones (praeduratos) must be cooked soft.

2 Tor. and Tac. Colabis — strain; List. and G.‑V. Colorabis — color. No necessity for coloring the gravy, but straining after the binding with roux is important which proves Tor. correct again. Cf. note 1 to ℞ No. 73 and note 2 to ℞ No. 55.

5. Another Way: Take parboiled parsnips and stew in olive oil, stock and pepper. Colour them [with a little coroenum], thicken [with starch and serve].

6. Aliter: sphondylos oleum liquamen complebis, vel oleo et sale assabis. piper asparges et inferes.

p89 120 Another Way
Aliter1
Finish [marinate] the parsnips in oil and broth, or fry them in oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.

1 Ex G.‑V. wanting in Tor., and List. Found in Sch. also. V. Procedure quite in accordance with modern practice. We envelope the p. in flour or frying batter.

6. Another Way: Finish the parsnips with olive oil and stock, or fry with olive oil and salt. Season with pepper and serve.

7. [Aliter: sphondylos elixatos conteres et nervos eorum eximes. deinde cum eis alicam elixatam et ova conteres, liquamen, piper. isicia ex his facies cum nucleis et piper. in omento assabis, oenogaro continges et pro isiciis inferes.]

121 Another Way
Aliter1
Bruise the boiled parsnips, scallops, muscular part of shellfish, eliminate the hard strings; add boiled spelt and chopped hard eggs, stock and pepper. Make croquettes or sausage from this, adding pignolia nut and pepper, wrap in caul or fill in casings fry and serve them as an entrée dish in a wine sauce.

1 V. This formula is virtually a repetition of ℞ No. 46, all the more bewildering because of the divergence of the term (Cf. ℞ No. 114), which stands for "scallops" or the muscular part of any bivalve, at least in the above formula.

The Graeco-Latin word for cow-parsnip is spondylium, sphondylium, spondylion. It is almost certain that the preceding parsnips formulae are in the right place here. They are in direct line with the other vegetables here treated — the shellfish — spondylus — would be out of place in this chapter, Book III, The Gardener. All the recipes, with the exception of the above, fit a vegetable like parsnips. Even Lister's and Humelberg's interpretation of the term, who read spongioli — mushrooms — could be questioned under this heading, Book III.

It is barely possible that this entire series of formulae, Spondyli uel fonduli (℞ Nos. 114‑121) does belong to Book II among the scallop hysitia, though we are little inclined to accept this theory.

Cf. ℞ No. 122 which appears to be a confirmation of the view expressed above.

7. Another Way: Take boiled parsnips and remove any hard fibres from them. Pound them and mix the pulp with boiled spelt, eggs, pepper and liquamen. Make this mixture into a stuffing by adding nuts and pepper. Wrap in caul [or stuff in casings], fry and serve as forcemeats with wine sauce.

1. Caroetae frictae oenogaro inferuntur.

122 Carrots and Parsnips
Carotae et pastinacae
Carrots or parsnips are fried and served with a wine sauce.

V. Exactly like ℞ No. 115, which maybe a confirmation that spondyli stands for cow-parsnips.

1. Fry the carrots and serve in wine sauce.

2. Aliter caroetas: sale, oleo puro et aceto.

p90 123 Another Way
Aliter
The carrots are cooked salted and served with pure oil and vinegar.

V. As a salad. "Italian Salad" consists of a variety of such cooked vegetables, nicely dressed with oil and vinegar, or with mayonnaise. Cf. ℞ No. 102.

2. Carrots, Another Way: Serve with salt, pure olive oil and vinegar.

3. Aliter: caroetas elixatas concisas in cuminato oleo modico coques et inferes. cuminatum coliculorum facies.

124 Another Way
Aliter
The carrots are boiled and sliced, stewed with cumin and a little oil and are served. At the same time1 here is your opportunity make a cumin sauce from the carrot juice for those who have the colic.2

1 Ex Tor. wanting elsewhere.

2 Tac. coliorum; Tor. cuminatum colicorum; List. c. coloratum — colored; G.‑V. c. colorium.

3. Another Way: Boil the carrots, chop them and simmer in a little olive oil with cumin. Make the cumin sauce as for young green stalks.