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Ius in Murena Assa (Sauce for Grilled Moray Eel)

Ius in Murena Assa (Sauce for Grilled Moray Eel) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic sauce of pepper, lovage, savory, saffron, onions and damson plums in a wine, vinegar, stock and olive oil base that's intended to be served with moray eel. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Sauce for Grilled Moray Eel (Ius in Murena Assa).

prep time

15 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Spice RecipesAncient Roman Recipes


Original Recipe


Ius in Murena Assa (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) X, ii, 1


Ius in murena assa: piper, ligusticum, satureiam, crocomagma, cepa, pruna damascena enucleata, vinum, mulsum, acetum, liquamen, defritum, oleum, et coques.

Translation


Sauce for Grilled Moray Eel: [Mix] pepper, lovage, savory, saffron, onions, pitted damsons, wine, mulsum, vinegar, liquamen, defritium and olive oil then cook.

Modern Redaction

Though the romans loved it, moray eel is not much consumed these days. However, this sauce works well with other types of eels and fish such as ling.

Ingredients:

1kg eel steaks, grilled

1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp lovage (or celery) seed
1/2 tsp dried savory
pinch of saffron
1 tbsp finely chopped onions
4 damson plums, pitted and finely chopped
60ml white wine
1 tbsp mulsum
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp defritum
250ml fish stock
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Combine the black pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds, saffron and savory in a mortar. Pound to grind then add the onion and damson plums then pound again. Mix in the white wine, mulsum, white wine vinegar, defritum, olive oil and fish stock then turn into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve to accompany the grilled eel.

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.