Damon Binder

Recipes › Apicius

Celery Soup

Apicius 3.2.4 · 4th century AD

Latin

aliter ad uentrem: apios uirides cum suis radicibus lauabis et siccabis ad solem. deinde albamen et capita porrorum simul elixabis in caccabo nouo ita ut aqua ad tertias deferuerit, id est ut ex III eminis aquae una remaneat. postea teres piper, liquamen et aliquantum mellis humore temperabis, et aquam apiorum decoctorum colabis in mortario et superfundes apio. cum simul feruerit appones et si libitum fuerit apios adicies.

English

Another way, good for the stomach: wash green celery with its roots and dry it in the sun. Then boil the white part together with leek heads in a new pot, so that the water boils down to a third — that is, from three heminae of water only one remains. Afterwards grind pepper, blend with fish sauce and a little honey in the liquid, strain the water of the boiled celery into the mortar, and pour it over the celery. When it has boiled together, serve it, and if you like you may add [more] celery.

Ingredients

  • A head of celery
  • 1 leek
  • 2 Tb fish sauce
  • 1 Tb honey
  • Pepper

Method

  1. Place the celery and leek in a saucepan (cutting if needed). Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hrs, or until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds.
  2. Add fish sauce, honey, and pepper. Taste and adjust if needed then discard the celery and leek, serving the cooking liquor as a clear broth.