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Murenam aut Anguillas vel Mulos (Moray Eels and Eels or Mullets)

Murenam aut Anguillas vel Mulos (Moray Eels and Eels or Mullets) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of moray eels, eels or red mullet steaks that are cooked in a herbed sauce with onion, wine, liquamen, honey and defritum. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Moray Eels and Eels or Mullets (Murenam aut Anguillas vel Mulos).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

30 minutes

Total Time:

50 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesHerb RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Murenam aut Anguillas vel Mulos (from Vinidarius' Apici Excerpta) xvi

Murenam aut Anguillas vel Mulos: sic facies: Purgabis, componis in patinam diligenter. adicies in mortario piper, ligusticum, origanum, mentam, cepam aridam, effundes vinum, acetabuli liquaminis dimidium, mellis tertiam partem, modice defritum ad cochleare. debent autem hoc iure cooperiri, ut super cocturam supersit aliquid iuris.

Translation

Moray Eels and Eels or Mullets: Clean [the fish] and carefully arrange in a stewing pan. Grind pepper, lovage, oregano, mint, dried onion, wine, a half measure of liquamen, a third part of honey, and a spoonful of defritum [in a mortar]. [Ensure the eels] are wholly covered in this sauce, so that there is some sauce left on them when they are cooked.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1 kg eels, cleaned, skinned and sliced into 5cm lengths
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp lovage (or celery) seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano crumbled
1 tsp mint, finely chopped
2 tbsp dried onion
300ml white wine
100ml fish stock
3 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
100ml runny honey
3 tbsp defritum

Method:

Arrange the fish pieces in a flame-proof casserole. Pound together the black pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds, dried oregano, mint and onion in a mortar until you have a smooth paste. Work in the white wine, fish stock, liquamen, honey and defritum then pour over the fish. If the sauce is insufficient to cover the fish pieces entirely add just enough water to cover them.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then cover and cook gently for about 25 minutes, or until the fish pieces are tender. Serve hot in the sauce.

Find more recipes from Vinidarius' Apici Excerpta on this site's page dedicated to the Vinidarius Excerpts from Apicius with Translations.