Despite 3-4ft snow drifts, unplowed roads, and a treacherous walk across my neighborhood to find a ride in a 4×4 Jeep to the event, I successfully cooked and fed my version of Minutal Ex Praecoquis from Apicius! The dish won best meat at Feast of the Gaunt Days, and my prize was a dried pig’s ear. LOL.
Here’s some pics of the process. The recipe is at this post here.
Pork roast, after being roasted.
Cubed. Gods, I love my new kitchen knives. It’s nice not flying at Christmastime.
Passum: A white wine and honey reduction sauce. The honey surprisingly mellowed the flavor of the moscato.
Cooking the pork with the broth ingredients that included scallions, wine, oil, and the Roman staple: fish sauce. When this started cooking, the aroma reminded me of Asian cooking, like a Wonton soup.
The sauce contents: aromatic spices, more fish sauce, the passum, vinegar, and honey. When this boiled, the house went from aromatic to, “What IS that vile smell?!” Oy, too much fish sauce! But it mellowed!
The finished product with the sauce, fruit, and panko added to the casserole. I used A LOT of panko to bind it together, but that could be adjusted depending on how soupy one would want it.
The flavor at first was very salty. I thought I had borked it for good, but, the half hour drive to the site and some time on the chafing dish helped the flavors meld, resulting in quite a tasty meal! I got many compliments, including some from some well seasoned medieval cooks who asked for the recipe. They were quite surprised to find out this was my first attempt!
I’ll be trying this again when I have access to fresh fruits come the summer. It will provide a completely different experience, I’m sure.
Anna's New Rome 