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Pisum Indicum (Indigo Peas)
Pisum Indicum (Indigo Peas) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of cooked peas and cuttlefish (or squid) that are cooked in squid ink with leeks, coriander, olive oil, liquamen and wine so that the peas turn an indigo colour. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Indigo Peas (Pisum Indicum).
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
60 minutes
Total Time:
80 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesVegetable RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Pisum Indicum: pisum coques. cum despumaverit, porrum et coriandrum concidis et mittis in caccabum ut ferveat. et accipies sepias minutas, sic quomodo sunt cum atramento suo, ut simul coquantur. adicies oleum, liquamen et vinum, fasciculum porri et coriandri. facies ut coquantur. cum coctum fuerit, teres piper, ligusticum, origanum, carei modicum, suffundis ius de suo sibi, vino et passo temperabis. sepias minutatim concidis et in pisum mittis. piper asparges et inferes.
Translation
Indigo Peas: Boil the peas and skim off the scum. Then chop leeks and coriander. Add [these] to the pan and simmer. Take little cuttlefish and cook them together with their own ink, adding olive oil, liquamen, wine, and a bouquet of chives and coriander. When cooked, grind pepper, lovage, oregano, a little caraway, and a little stock from the cuttlefish. Blend with wine and passum. Chop the cuttlefish finely and add to the peas. Pour the sauce over everything. Sprinkle with pepper [and serve].
There seems to be a lot of confusion of what exactly the term Indicum means. In Roman usage it's typically no to mean from India or Indian. Rather the term Indicum refers to the colour indigo. Indeed, the word indigo in English is ultimately derived from the Roman Indicum for dark blue. Indeed, Roman peas cane in three colours: white, red and black. Thus the term Indicum refers to the blue colour provided by the squid ink. So, I think the English title of 'Indigo Peas' that I give this dish is the most sensible translation.
Also, as the recipe mentions skimming the scum off the peas, the original recipe would have used dried peas.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
250g dried garden peas (black peas to be authentic)
2 leeks, chopped
1/2 tsp ground
coriander seeds
200g small squid or small cuttlefish
reserved ink from the squid or cuttlefish
olive oil
4 tbsp liquamen
100ml
fish stock
60ml white wine
1 bouquet of
chives tied with fresh coriander
For the Sauce:
1/2 tsp freshly-ground
black pepper
1/2 tsp
lovage seeds (or celery seeds)
1/2 tsp dried
oregano, crumbled
pinch of
caraway seeds
60ml white wine
2 tbsp passum
Method:
Cook the peas in fresh water for about 30 minutes, or until just done. Drain all but 120ml of the liquid, add the leeks and coriander, bring back to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes more then take off the heat and set aside.
Clean the cuttlefish or squid (reserve the ink sacs and drain the ink). Add to a pan along with a little olive oil, liquamen, stock white wine, the reserved ink and enough water to almost cover them. Add the bouquet garni to the pan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, or until tender.
Drain and chop the squid or cuttlefish (reserve 120ml of the stock). Pound together the black pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds, oregano and caraway seeds for the stock. Blend in the white wine, passum and reserved cuttlefish stock. Bring to a boil then take off the heat and pour over the peas (drain these first). Stir in the chopped cuttlefish (or squid), bring to a boil and cook until heated through.
Serve hot, sprinkled with 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.
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