RecipesApicius

Prawn rissoles with sauce for after bathing

Apicius 2.1.3 and 2.2.7 · 4th century AD

Latin

[2.1.3] esicia de iscillis uel de cammaris amplis: cammari uel iscille de testa sua eximuntur et in mortario teruntur cum pipere et liquamine optimo. pulpe esicia plassantur.
[2.2.7] esicia amulata a balineo sic facies: teres piper ligusticum origanum modicum silfi gingber minimum mellis modicum; liquamine temperabis; misces adicies super esicia; facies ut ferueat. cum bene bulliuerit amulo obligas ispis so et soruendum inferes.

English

[2.1.3] Isicia of prawns or of large crayfish: the crayfish or prawns are taken out of their shells and pounded in a mortar with pepper and the best fish sauce. Rissoles (isicia) are shaped from the flesh.
[2.2.7] Starch-thickened rissoles for after the bath: make them thus. Grind pepper, lovage, a little oregano, silphium, a very little ginger, and a little honey; temper with fish sauce; mix it and pour it over the rissoles; bring it to a boil. When it has boiled well, bind it with starch and serve it immediately.

Ingredients

For meatballs

  • 500 g prawns, minced
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • Pinch ground white pepper

For sauce

  • Generous ground pepper
  • ½ tsp lovage
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • Pinch of asafoetida
  • 2 Tb honey
  • 1 Tb fish sauce
  • 300 ml water
  • 1½ Tb starch, made into a slurry

Method

  1. Make the prawn rissoles by mixing the minced prawns with the fish sauce and white pepper, and roll them into small balls.
  2. Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan, except for the starch. Mix together and bring to a simmer. Add the prawn rissole, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the rissoles are fully cooked.
  3. Add the starch slurry to the sauce. Cook until thickened, then serve.