Ius in Pisce Asso (Sauce for Baked Fish) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic sauce of pepper, lovage, thyme and coriander in a honey, vinegar, stock, olive oil and defrutum base that's served with poached fish. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Ius in Pisce Asso (Sauce for Baked Fish).
Ius in pisce asso: piper, ligusticum, thymnum, coriandrum viridem, mel, acetum, liquamen, vinum, oleum, defritum. calefacies et agitabis rutae surculo et obligabis amulo.
Translation
Sauce for Baked Fish: [Combine] pepper, lovage, thyme, fresh coriander, honey, vinegar, liquamen, olive oil and defrutum. Simmer [together] and stir with a sprig of rue. Thicken with starch [and pour over the baked fish].
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1kg fish fillets, baked
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp lovage (or celery) seeds
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
4 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
pinch of dried rue (or rosemary)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
200ml fish stock
60ml defrutum
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cornflour mixed to a slurry in 1 tbsp water (originally wheat starch, amulum, would have been used)
Method:
Combine the black pepper and lovage (or celery) seeds in a mortar. Pound to grind then add the thyme, coriander and rue (or rosemary) and pound again. Mix in the honey, white wine vinegar, liquamen, fish stock, defrutum and olive oil then turn into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes. At this point, whisk in the cornflour slurry and cook for a further 5 minutes.
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