Act IV: Chestnut-Lentil Stew with Bulgur Pilaf
And now back to filling my front page with Latin…
Lenticulam de castaneis. Accipies caccabum novum, et castaneas purgatas diligenter mittis. Adicies aquam et nitrum modice, facies ut coquatur. Cum coquitur, mittis in mortario piper, cuminum, semen coriandri, mentam, rutam, laseris radicem, puleium, fricabis. suffundis acetum, mel, liquamen, aceto temperabis, et super castaneas coctas refundis. adicies oleum, facies ut ferveat. cum bene ferbuerit, tudiclabis [ut in mortario teres]. gustas, si quid deest, addes. cum in boletar miseris, addes oleum viridem.
– Apicius, De Re Coquinaria V.ii.2
Translation: Take a new saucepan, put carefully peeled chestnuts in it, add water and a little soda and set it to cooking. While it is cooking, crush in the mortar pepper, cumin, coriander seed, mint, rue, laser root and pennyroyal. Moisten with vinegar, honey, and fish sauce; add vinegar to taste and pour over the cooked chestnuts. Add oil and bring to a boil. When it is simmering, crush the nuts as you would in the mortar. Taste to see if something is missing and if so, put it in. When you have put it in a serving dish, add green virgin oil.
