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Cucurbitas mode Alexandrino (Alexandrine Melon)
Cucurbitas mode Alexandrino (Alexandrine Melon) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a squash-based stew served in a date, almond, vinegar and honey sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Cucurbitas mode Alexandrino.
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
25 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Vegetarian RecipesSpice RecipesVegetable RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Cucurbitas mode Alexandrino: elixatas cucurbitas exprimis, sale asparges, in patina compones. teres piper, cuminum, coriandri semen, mentam viridem, laseris radicem. suffundes acetum. adicies caryotam, nucleum, teres. melle, aceto, liquamine, defrito et oleo temperabis, et cucurbitas perfundes. cum ferbuerint, piper asparges et inferes.
Translation
Press the water out of the boiled squash, place in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, ground pepper, cumin, coriander seed, green mint and a little laser root; season with vinegar. Now add date wine and pine nuts ground with honey, vinegar and broth, measure out condensed wine and oil, pour this over the pumpkin and finish in this liquor and serve, sprinkle with pepper before serving.
Ingredients:
1 gourd, or melon (eg
Cucumis melo) [originally this would have been green Chinese squash, the only squash native to the Old World]
pinch each of peppercorns, cumin and coriander
½, tsp grated
ginger
3–4 mint leaves, shredded
50g dates, finely chopped
50g
blanched almonds, finely chopped
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp clear
honey
60ml
vegetable stock
4 tbsp
caroenum
20ml olive oil (or 25g butter)
sea salt to taste
Method:
Cut the gourd, courgette or squash into chunks (use green Chinese squash if you want to be truly authentic). Place these into a steamer and cook until done. Place the cooked flesh into a muslin bag or a dishcloth and squeeze out the excess water. Transfer the remaining pulp to a saucepan.
Whilst the squash is cooking, put the dried spices in a pestle and mortar and grind. Next add the mint and ginger, grinding to a smooth paste. Spoon this from the mortar and add to the cooked squash. Next add the dates, almonds and all the liquid ingredients, including the honey.
Finally add the oil or butter and mix with the squash. Place the resulting mixture back on the heat and simmer gently for a few minutes for the flavours to combine. Serve immediately sprinkled with salt and black pepper.
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.
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