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Gruem vel Anatem ex Rapis (Crane or Duck with Turnips)

Gruem vel Anatem ex Rapis (Crane or Duck with Turnips) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of boiled duck or crane that's finished by braising in and stock with turnips before being served with a spiced sauce of the spiced cooking liquid and vinegar thickened with starch. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Crane or Duck with Turnips (Gruem vel Anatem ex Rapis).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

100 minutes

Total Time:

120 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesVegetable RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Gruem vel Anatem ex Rapis (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) VI, ii, 3

Gruem vel anatem ex rapis: lavas, ornas et in olla elixabis cum aqua, sale et anetho dimidia coctura. rapas coque, ut exbromari possint. levabis de olla, et iterum lavabis, et in caccabum mittis anatem cum oleo et liquamine et fasciculo porri et coriandri. rapam lotam et minutatim concisam desuper mittis, facies ut coquatur. modica coctura mittis defritum ut coloret. ius tale parabis: piper, cuminum, coriandrum, laseris radicem, suffundis acetum et ius de suo sibi, reexinanies super anatem ut ferveat. cum ferbuerit, amulo obligabis, et super rapas adicies. piper aspargis et adponis.

Translation

Crane or Duck with Turnips: Wash and prepare the bird then boil with water, salt and aniseed until half done. Boil the turnips until they lose their pungency. Remove the bird from its pot and wash a second time. Put in another pan with oil, stock, and a bouquet of leek and coriander. Finely chop [raw] washed turnips and scatter over the meat and braise. When it has been cooking for a while, add defritum to colour. Make the sauce thus: [pound] pepper, cumin, coriander, laser root, add vinegar and some of the cooking liquor. Pour over the bird and bring to a boil. When [the sauce] boils thicken with starch and add to the cooked turnips. Sprinkle with pepper and serve [to accompany the braised bird].

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1 duck
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp aniseed
3 turnips, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
300ml duck stock
1 bouquet of leek and chopped coriander (cilantro)
4 tbsp defritum

For the Sauce:
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
pinch of asafoetida
1 tbsp wine vinegar
250ml of the duck pan gravy
2 tsp cornflour, to thicken (originally wheat starch (amulum) would have been used

Method:

Bring a large pan of water to boil. Season with the salt and aniseed then add the duck. Bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 40 minutes. After this time remove the bird from the pan and reserve the duck stock.

Set the duck in a roasting tin, and pour over 300ml of the reserved duck stock. Drizzle over the olive oil then add the bouquet of leek and coriander. Sprinkle over the chopped turnips, cover with a lid then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and braise for about 20 minutes. After this time, sprinkle the defritum over the duck to help it colour. Cover the pan, return to the oven and cook for a further 40 minutes, or until the duck is very tender.

Take out the turnip pieces with a slotted spoon from the roasting tin and set aside. Pour 250ml pan juices into a jug and set aside. Now make the sauce. Combine the pepper, cumin, coriander seeds and asafoetida in a mortar. Pound together then work in the vinegar and a little of the pan juices. Whisk together with the remaining pan juices then pour over the duck. Bring to a boil on the hob then whisk the cornflour with a little water to make a smooth slurry. Whisk this into the pan juices and simmer until thickened. Remove the duck and set aside to keep warm. Strain the sauce into a serving dish and mix with the turnips. Serve to accompany the duck.
Find more recipes from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria along with information on Apicius and his cookbook, all part of this site's Ancient Roman recipes collection.