Sargos (Cuttlefish) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a dish of sea bream that are baked with a cheese topping. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Cuttlefish (Sargos).
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This is a classic Greek and Greco-Roman for a simple way of preparing baby cuttlefish that really hasn't changed much in the past 2000-odd years. The same recipe can also be used for preparing baby squid. This recipe struck me on reading Athenaeus and I don't think it's been made available anywhere else.
Original Recipe
Sargos (Archestratus of Gela in Athenaeus Deipnosophists VII.117.c)
The wise Archestratus says: “Now when the bright Orion’s star doth set, And the fair mother of the vinous grape Doth shed her hair, then take a roasted sargus, Well sprinkled o’er with cheese, of mighty size, Smoking, and soften’d with sharp vinegar. For he is hard by nature. And remember This is the way all hard fish should be cook’d. But those whose meat is good and soft by nature, It is enough to sprinkle well with salt, And lightly to anoint with oil. For they Have virtue and delights within themselves.”
Ingredients:
2 sea bream (each weighing about 900g)
4 tsp salt
340g Grated cheese
plenty of extra-virgin olive Oil
vinegar, for drizzling
Method:
Clean, gut and scale the fish (whether to leave the head on is up to you). Cut three deep incisions in both sides of the fish then rub all over with then rub all over with the oil and then the salt.
Arrange in a baking dish and sit the cheese on top.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200C (180C fan/gas mark 6) and bake for about 18 minutes. When cooked the cheese will be melted and browned and the fish will flake easily with a fork.
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