Numidian Chicken

Pullum numidicum: pullum curas, elixas, leuas, laser ac piper et assas. teres piper cuminum coriandri semen laseris radicem rutam careotam nucleos; suffundis acetum mel liquamen et oleum; temperabis. cum ferbuerit, amulo obligas, pullum perfundis, piper aspergis et inferes.
Christopher Grocock and Sally Grainger, Apicius, 230

Numidian chicken: prepare the chicken, parboil it and lift it out, asafoetida (lasere) and pepper and roast it. Pound pepper, cumin, coriander seed, root of asafoetida, rue, dates, pine nuts; pour in vinegar, honey, liquamen and oil; balance the flavours. When it comes to heat, thicken with starch, pour over the chicken, sprinkle pepper and serve.
Christopher Grocock and Sally Grainger, Apicius, 231

Modern Recipe

1kg chicken pieces
Asafoetida powder
Pepper

Sauce:
½ cup dates
2 tsp coriander seed
1 tbs honey
3 tbs pine nuts
pinch asafoetida
2 tbs fish sauce
¼ tsp pepper
2 tbs rue (see notes)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp cumin
3 tbs wine vinegar
1 tbs cornstarch

Over a medium heat, gently dry-fry the spices (pepper, cumin, coriander seed) until they are fragrant. Don't let them colour, or they will burn. Grind to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle as the Romans would have done, or use an electric spice grinder.

Gently toast the pine nuts until they are golden.

To make the sauce in the Roman fashion, pound all the ingredients except the cornstarch to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle.

To make the sauce in a painless, modern fashion, process all ingredients except the cornstarch in a food processor until reduced to a smooth paste.

Whether using the mortar and pestle or the food processor, use water or chicken stock to add extra liquid if necessary, and balance the other ingredients as you see fit (for example add more vinegar for a sharper sauce, more honey for a sweeter sauce). Leave aside for the flavours to develop.

In a saucepan on the stove top, gently boil the chicken until the flesh has gone white and opaque then leave to dry completely. Sprinkle the chicken liberally with asafoetida and pepper, then roast in a 180° oven until the juices are clear when a knife is inserted into a thick part of the flesh.

Heat the sauce, and add the cornstarch when the sauce is bubbling slightly, and mix well. Then pour over the chicken

To serve, sprinkle chicken pieces with pepper. Can be eaten hot or cold.

Notes:

Rue (Ruta graveolens) is an extremely bitter herb that contains some nasty toxins; it provokes allergic reactions in many people, and can also be an abortifacent. I suspect it was included to balance the extreme sweetness from the dates and honey. If concerned, substitute rocket or feverfew, which have a similar flavour profile (rocket is not nearly as nasty) and have less chance of provoking allergic reactions or miscarriages.

Asafoetida, when raw, has a powerful, unpleasant smell, and the flavour can overpower dishes. However, do not be afraid of the asafoetida sprinkled over the chicken when roasting. Most of the smell will cook out, and the sauce is strong enough to not be dominated by the asafoetida.

Parboiling the chicken before roasting adds extra moisture to the chicken flesh. It also helps to render excess fat from the chicken, resulting in a less greasy dish.