Mystron (Barley Gruel)

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Mystron (Barley Gruel)

Mystron (Barley Gruel) is a reconstructed traditional Ancient Greco-Roman recipe for a classic gruel or porridge of barley cooked in chicken stock. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Barley Gruel (Mystron).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Serves:

Rating:

Tags : Ancient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Athenaeus Deipnosophists Book III.126b.

Οὐ σὺ μέντοι τὸν Κολοφώνιον Νίκανδρον ἀεὶ τεθαύμακας τὸν ἐποποιὸν ὡς φιλάρχαιον καὶ πολυμαθῆ; Καὶ ὡς τὸ πεπέρι ὀνομάσαντα παρέθου; Οὗτος τοίνυν αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ προτέρῳ τῶν Γεωργικῶν ἐμφανίζων τὴν τοῦ χόνδρου χρῆσιν καὶ μύστρον ὠνόμασε διὰ τούτων·

Ἀλλ´ ὁπότ´ ἢ ἐρίφοιο νεοσφάγος ἠὲ καὶ ἀρνὸς
ἠὲ κλυτοῦ ὄρνιθος ἐφοπλίζεσθαι ἐδωδήν,
[126c] χίδρα μὲν ἐντρίψειας ὑποστρώσας ἐνὶ κοίλοις
ἄγγεσιν, εὐώδει δὲ μιγῇ ἀνάφυρσον ἐλαίῳ.
Ζωμὸν δὲ βρομέοντα καταντλας . . . . .

Πνῖγε δὲ πῶμα
ἀμφιβαλών· φωκτὸν γὰρ ἀνοιδαίνει βαρὺ κρῖμνον.
Ἡρέμα δὲ χλιαρὸν κοίλοις ἐκδαίνυσο μύστροις.

English Translation

"Strange that you should be so forgetful," said Aemilianus. "Are you not the one who have always admired the epic poet, Nicander of Colophon, p85 for his learning and love of the antique? Did you not cite his mention of pepper?106 Well, he is the very one who uses the word mystron when describing the use of the word 'pudding,' in the first of his two books on Farming. His words are these: 'But when you prepare a dish of fresh-killed kid or lamb or capon, sprinkle some groats in a hollow bowl and pound them well, then stir in a fragrant oil, well mixed. When the broth is boiling hard, pour it over the meal, put the lid on the pan, and smother it; for when it is stewed in this way, the heavy meal swells up. Serve it when mildly warm in hollow mystra.'

Modern Redaction

This is a basic barley gruel cooked simply in chicken stock that uses mystra, hollowed out bread instead of a bowl to hold it.

Ingredients:

100g pearl barley
1 litre chicken stock
60ml olive oil
Sea salt

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, or until completely tender, stirring occasionally during this time. The use of the word 'pudding' would seem to indicate that this was cooked until quite thick, but the thickness of the final product would depend on what you are going to serve as.

This dish can be served as breakfast or as an accompaniment to vegetables or stews. It is particularly good spooned into hot pitta bread that has been cut widthways and opened up like a bowl.