Ius in Caprea Assa (Sauce for Roast Roebuck) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic pepper, herb, rue, onion, honey, stock and passum sauce thickened with starch that works well with roast roebuck (or venison). The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Sauce for Roast Roebuck (Ius in Caprea Assa).
Ius in caprea assa: piper, condimentum, rutam, cepam, mel, liquamen, passum, oleum modice. amulum iam bulliet.
Translation
Sauce for Roast Roebuck: [Mix] pepper, green herbs, rue, onion, honey, stock, passum and a little olive oil. Bring to a boil and [thicken with] starch.
For the Sauce:
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves minced
1 tbsp basil, shredded
1 tbsp coriander leaves, shredded
1 tbsp parsley, shredded
pinch of dried rue, crumbled
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp honey
250ml game or beef stock
120ml passum
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp cornflour blended to a slurry with 4 tbsp water (originally wheat starch would have been used)
Method:
Combine the black pepper, herbs, rue and onion in a mortar. Pound to a paste then work in the honey, passum and olive oil.
Scrape into a pan and whisk in the meat stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes for the flavours to meld. Now whisk in the cornflour slurry, bring back to a simmer and cook until thickened.
When the venison is done, arrange on a serving dish, pour over the herb sauce and bring to the table.
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