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Minutal ex Iecineribus et Pulmonibus Leporis (Hare's Liver and Lights Ragout)

Minutal ex Iecineribus et Pulmonibus Leporis (Hare's Liver and Lights Ragout) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic stew of cooked pork and meatballs in a stock, wine, liquamen, olive oil and leek sauce that's finished with a spicy sauce and the liver and lungs of a hare. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Hare's Liver and Lights Ragout (Minutal ex Iecineribus et Pulmonibus Leporis).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

70 minutes

Total Time:

90 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Spice RecipesHerb RecipesPork RecipesGame RecipesVegetable RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Minutal ex Iecineribus et Pulmonibus Leporis (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) IV, iii, 7

Minutal ex iecineribus et pulmonibus leporis: [invenies inter lepores quemadmodum facies.] adicies caccabum liquamen, vinum, oleum, cocturam, porrum et coriandrum concisum, isicia minuta, spatulam porcinam coctam tessellatim concisam, et in eundem caccabum inmittes. dum coquitur, teres piper, ligusticum, origanum, ius de suo sibi, vino et passo temperabis. facies ut ferveat. cum ferbuerit, tractam confringes et ex ea obligas. piper aspargis et inferes.

Translation

Hare's Liver and Lights Ragout: You will find this recipe amongst those for Hare [VIII, viii, 5]. Into the cooking pot, place liquamen, wine, olive oil, stock, chopped leek and coriander, tiny meatballs, and a diced shoulder of pork, previously cooked [along with the liver and lights of the hare]. While the mixture is cooking pound pepper, lovage, oregano, some of the cooking stock then blend with wine and passum. Bring to a boil [then add to the ragout]. When it has boiled crumble in pieces of pastry [to thicken]. Season with pepper and serve.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

500g cooked pork or ham, cubed
3 tbsp liquamen or Thai fish sauce
60ml white wine
2 tbsp olive oil
300ml pork or chicken stock
2 leeks, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of coriander, chopped
200g small pork meatballs, fried to colour
lungs and livers of 2 hares, finely chopped

For the Sauce:
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp lovage seeds (or celery seeds)
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
100ml of the ragout cooking stock
100ml white wine
60ml passum
crumbled pastry (or plain flour), to thicken

Method:

Combine the pork (or ham), olive oil, liquamen, stock, white wine and leeks in a casserole dish. Add the meatballs and the chopped liver and lungs of the hares. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for 60 minutes, adding stock as needed.

In the meantime prepare the sauce. Pound together the black pepper, lovage seeds and oregano in a mortar then work in the ragout cooking stock, white wine and passum. Pour into a pan and bring to a boil. Add to the casserole and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in crumbled pastry or flour to thicken and serve hot, sprinkled with freshly-ground black pepper.
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.