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Aliter cucumeres (Cucumber with Fennel Seed)
Aliter cucumeres (Cucumber with Fennel Seed) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for cucumbers boiled in vinegar and honey flavoured stock and served with fennel seeds and black pepper. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Aliter cucumeres.
prep time
10 minutes
cook time
15 minutes
Total Time:
25 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Vegetable RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Aliter cucumeres: piper, puleium, mel vel passum, liquamen et acetum. interdum et silfi accedit.
Translation
Cucumbers, pepper, pennyroyal, honey or condensed must, broth and vinegar; once in a while one adds silphium.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
4 cucumbers sliced diagonally
2 sprigs of mint (or
pennyroyal (but substitute
lesser calamint to be safe)) finely chopped
2 tbsp
honey or sweet raisin wine
150ml veal or chicken stock (
vegetable stock could be used but won't be as tasty)
100 ml white wine vinegar
fennel seeds
black pepper to taste
Method:
Slice the cucumbers into a pot. Season with a twist of black pepper and the mint and add the honey along with the stock and the vinegar. Bring this to the boil, cover and simmer gently for a few minutes.
Spoon the coked cucumbers onto a plate, sprinkle with fennel seed and a twist of black pepper before serving.
This recipe departs from Apicius' original recipe somewhat in using fennel seeds. If you want to get closer to the original omit the fennel seed and add a tiny drop of asafoetida.
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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