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Isicia de Pavo (Peacock Forcemeats)
Isicia de Pavo (Peacock Forcemeats) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic stock of fish sauce, water, celery and black pepper in which to cook plain forcemeat dumplings. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Peacock Forcemeats (Isicia de Pavo).
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
50 minutes
Total Time:
70 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Spice RecipesGame RecipesFowl RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Isicia de pavo primum locum habent ita si fricta fuerint ut callum vincant. item secundum locum habent de fasianis, item tertium locum habent de cuniculis, item quartum locum habent de pullis, item quintum locum habent de porcello tenero.
Translation
[Forcemeats of Peacock]: Forcemeats for peacock are best if the hard skin is first fried to soften.
Pheasants are the second choice, rabbits third, chickens fourth and the flesh of tender piglets, fifth.
Modern Redaction
The original recipe called for peacock breasts to make this recipe, but I have substituted
guineafowl in this modern redaction, as being easier to obtain, whilst retaining the taste and textural properties of the original.
Ingredients:
For the Forcemeat:
300g
guineafowl breasts
3/4 tsp freshly-ground
black pepper
2 tsp stock
1 tbsp
caroenum
1 small egg, beaten
For the Cooking Liquid:
1 tbsp freshly-ground
black pepper
2 tbsp fish sauce
60ml olive oil
300ml water
Method:
Add oil to a pan and when hot use to fry the guineafowl breasts (with skin) for about 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan then cut the flesh into small dice. Combine in a mortar with the black pepper and pound to a paste. Work in the caroenum and stock then add just enough egg to bind. Shape the forcemeat into balls and set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm.
When the forcemeat balls have cooled, prepare the cooking sauce. Combine the fish sauce, water, celery, black pepper and wine sediments in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes then carefully add the guineafowl forcemeat balls.
Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until done through then ladle into a bowl and serve.
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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