Oxyporium

This is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a salad dressing made from spiced dates and honey flavoured with fish sauce and white wine vinegar.

Original Recipe

Oxyporium (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria)
Oxyporum: Cumini unc. II, gingiberis unc. I, rutae viridis unc. I, nitri scripulos VI, dactilorum pinguium scripulos XII, piperis unc. I, mellis unc. IX. cuminum vel Aethiopicum aut Syriacum aut Libycum aceto infundes, sicca et sic tundes. postea melle comprehendis. cum necesse fuerit, oxygaro uteris.

Translation

2 ounces of cumin, 1 ounce of ginger 6 scruples of saltpeter, a dozen scruples of plump dates, 1 ounce of pepper and 11 ounces of honey. The cumin may be either Aethiopian, Syrian or Libyan, must be first soaked in vinegar, boiled down dry and pounded. Afterwards add your honey. This compound, as needed, is used as oxyporum.

Redaction from first-century CE poet Martial's Invitation to friends for dinner

This recipe, though not entirely 'authentic' it is derived from period sources. This is a dressing for lettuce or other salad greens. Though based on the work of the Roman fourth-century CE gastronome, Apicius this recipe is derived description given in a poem by the first-century CE poet, Martial.

60 g cumin
30 g ginger, grated
30 g rue (or celery leaves) finely chopped
15 g stoned dates finely chopped
30 g freshly-ground pepper
270 g clear honey
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp liquamen

Pound the cumin to a paste in a pestle and mortar. Add the white wine vinegar and blend then leave aside until the vinegar dries out.

Once the cumin is dry scrape into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Pour the finished sauce over lettuce or other salad greens.