In Struthione Elixo (Of Boiled Ostrich) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of boiled ostrich meat served in a date, fish sauce and stock sauce flavoured with herbs and spices. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Of Boiled Ostrich (In Struthione Elixo).
In struthione elixo: piper, mentam, cuminum assum, apii semen, dactilos vel caryotas, mel, acetum, passum, liquamen et oleum modice. et in caccabo facies ut bulliat. amulo obligas, et sic partes struthionis in lance perfundis, et desuper piper aspargis. si autem in condituram coquere volueris, alicam addis.
Translation
Of Boiled Ostrich: [Take] pepper, mint, roasted cumin, celery seeds, dates or Jericho dates, honey, vinegar, passum, stock and a little oil. Blend in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Thicken with starch then pour over the [boiled] ostrich pieces, arranged on a serving dish, and sprinkle with pepper. If, however, you wish to cook the ostrich in the sauce add spelt.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
4 ostrich leg steaks (about 150g each)
For the Sauce:
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1/2 tsp dried mint, crumbled
1/4 tsp ground celery seeds
100g pitted dates
1 tbsp honey
30ml vinegar
60ml passum
1 tbsp olive oil
120ml chicken stock
2 tbsp liquamen (or Nam Pla)
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch); originally wheat starch (amulum) would have been used
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Place the ostrich steaks in a pan, cover with water or chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook gently for about 80 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.
In the meantime, grind together the pepper, cumin seeds, mint and celery seeds in a mortar. Add the dates and pound to a paste then work in the honey, vinegar, passum and liquamen. Turn into a pan and mix with the olive oil and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then mix the cornflour with water to a slurry, whisk into the sauce and cook until thickened.
When done, arrange the ostrich pieces on a serving plate. Pour over the thickened sauce, sprinkle over freshly-ground pepper and serve.
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