Name: Sauce for Poached Fish III (Ius in Pisce Elixo III)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Roman
Ingredients: 1kg fish fillets, poached; 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper; 1 tsp lovage (or celery) seeds; 4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled; 2 shallots, finely chopped; 2 tsp honey; 2 tsp white wine vinegar; 250ml fish stock; 1 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce); 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp defrutum

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Ius in Pisce Elixo III (Sauce for Poached Fish III)

Ius in Pisce Elixo (Sauce for Poached Fish) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic sauce of pepper, lovage, parsley, oregano and onion in a honey, vinegar, liquamen, 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 Elixo (Sauce for Poached Fish).

prep time

15 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Serves:

Rating:

Tags : Spice Recipes Herb Recipes Vegetable Recipes Ancient Roman Recipes

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Original Recipe

Ius in Pisce Elixo (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) X, ii, 8

Ius in pisce elixo: piper, ligusticum, petroselinum, origanum, cepam aridam, mel, acetum, liquamen, vinum, oleum modice. cum bullierit, amulo obligas, et in lance inferes.

Translation

Sauce for Poached Fish: [Combine] pepper, lovage, parsley, oregano, dried onion, honey, vinegar, liquamen, oil and defrutum. When it has been brought to a boil, thicken with starch and serve [over the fish] on a platter.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1kg fish fillets, poached

1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp lovage (or celery) seeds
4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp honey
2 tsp white wine vinegar
250ml fish stock
1 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp defrutum

Method:

Combine the black pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds, parsley and oregano in a mortar. Pound to grind then add the shallots 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, or until thickened.

Serve to accompany the poached fish.

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.