Recipe for
Aliter haedinam sive
agninam excaldatam
(Another Recipe for Lamb Stew)
by Apicius, VII, VI, 356
Apicius had several recipes for lamb stew and they are very similar to Alexandre Dumas’ recipes, which leave a great deal of discretion to the cook. You can understand why a local diner could keep a pot of this stew going for a long time to serve patrons who happened in for something to eat. For a Roman experience, don’t forget to season your bowl of stew with a bit of garum. Why not give it a try? Certainly there's nothing wild or "out there" among the ingredients.
Original recipe: Aliter haedinam sive agninam excaldatam: mittes in caccabum copadia. cepam, coriandrum minutum succides, teres piper, ligusticum, cuminum, liquamen, oleum, vinum. coques, exinanies in patina, amulo obligas.
Translation: Put pieces of kid or lamb in the stew pot with chopped onion and coriander. Crush pepper, lovage, cumin, and cook with broth oil and wine. Put in a dish and tie with roux.
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs. choice cuts of lamb or kid (leg, loin, rack)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ t. Ground coriander
- ¼ t. Liebstoeckl (Lovage) (or sub celery seed)
- ¼ t. Ground cumin
For the sauce:
Ingredients:
- ½ t. coriander
- ¼ t. Liebstoeckl (Lovage) (or sub celery seed)
- ¼ t. Ground cumin
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 t. liquamen
- 2 c. vegetable or beef stock
- 2 t. butter
- ½ c. red wine
- flour
Preparation
- Season the meat with onion, coriander, Liebstoekl (or celery seed), and cumin.
- Roast uncovered, on a 300ºF oven for 2 hours. (After 1½ hours, add more spices ot taste, i fyou wish>)
For the sauce:
- In a mortar, grind together coriander, Liebstoekl (or celery seed), and cumin.
- Add to onion and combine with stock, liquamen, butter, and wine.
- Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for 25 minutes.
- Thicken with flour and serve over the slices of meat.
