In De Re Coquinaria, we occasionally find recipes attributed to various authors, although it is difficult to determine whether they are the authors of the recipes or the mentioned preparations are among the favorites of these people. The adjectives Frontinianus and Frontonianus (which could be a mistake by the copyist) appear in two instances in recipes for pork and chicken. The two methods have some elements in common.
To prepare porcellus Frontinianus, which is the recipe we are presenting today, pork is parboiled and stewed in a mixture of garum, wine, and defritum, which is concentrated grape juice, with the addition of a bundle of leeks and dill. The pork is then removed from the cooking liquid, dried, and served with pepper. For the preparation of pullus Frontonianus, on the other hand, the chicken is parboiled and cooked with garum, oil, a bundle of leeks, dill, savory, and cilantro, then served with defritum and sprinkled with pepper. As we can see, the ingredients are very similar, as is the cooking method.
It is unclear who the Fronto and Frontinus mentioned in the recipes are. In any case, a famous Frontinus was a general and consul, born in Gallia Narbonensis in the 1st century. He was also a civil engineer and the author of treatises on military subjects and aqueducts. Fronto, instead, was a Libyan rhetorician, grammarian, and consul who was the tutor of two emperors and lived in the 2nd century.
Neither of them has anything to do with the art of cooking, but this is irrelevant if we consider that these could simply be recipes that Fronto and Frontinus appreciated and were served at their table.
The recipe for porcellus Frontinianus, like most recipes for pork in De Re Coquinaria, is for the whole, deboned pig. In our preparation, we have used only a piece of pork collar, but choose the cut you prefer, keeping in mind that for this type of recipe, a fatty cut gives the best result. We did not parboil the meat as required in the recipe, but feel free to follow the author’s instructions if you wish. When preparing pork collar, this step is unnecessary, since the meat is fatty enough to remain very tender through long cooking.
The Romans used three types of leeks: porri capitati, which were grown to produce a large head; porri maturi, which were similar to the leeks we cultivate today; and porri sectivi, which were harvested very young. The kind of leeks used in this recipe are the latter, since the author specifies that they must be tied in a bundle with the dill. However, our smallest leek was not thin enough, so we tied the dill and added the leek aside.
The recipe calls for defritum, which is concentrated grape juice. To make it, crush a few grapes in the mortar and strain the juice through a sieve, then boil it down over a low heat until it is reduced by half. Let it cool and use it for this recipe. Suitable substitutes are a few raisins, honey, raisin wine, or mead, called by the Romans aqua mulsa.
Garum can be substituted with a South-East Asian fish sauce, prepared in the same way as some types of garum, as well as with muria or colatura di alici. The simplest alternative, however, is salt.
This stew is best served with puls or barley polenta, accompanied by a vegetable dish, such as gourds, cabbage wraps, or chard with mustard.
For more information about ancient cuisine, we suggest reading our book Ancient Roman Cooking. Ingredients, Recipes, Sources. Moreover, the full translation of De Re Coquinaria is available on Patreon, with further translations and articles on ancient and medieval cooking.
To know more about the transition between ancient and medieval cooking, check out our translation, commentary, and glossary of a beautiful 6th-century source, De Observatione Ciborum, written by the physician Anthimus to the king of the Franks Theuderic; if you are interested in late-medieval cuisine, we recommend Libro de la Cocina. Medieval Tuscan Recipes and Registrum Coquine. A medieval cookbook. If you are interested in recipes for vegetables from the Antiquity to the beginning of the Modern Era in Early Italian Recipes. Vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers available in English and Italian.
If you are interested in recipes with aromatic herbs from the Antiquity to the beginning of the Modern Era in Early Italian Recipes. Vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers available in English and Italian.
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Ingredients
800 gr pork collar
leeks
dill
red wine
garum
defritum
black pepper
Method
Tie the leeks and dill into a bundle and pound the black pepper in the mortar. Cook the pork with two cups of wine and two tablespoons of garum, adding the leeks and dill. After about an hour, add a cup of defritum. Cook for another hour, then remove from the cooking liquid and serve sprinkled with pepper.
Original text
Exossas, praeduras, ornas. Adicies in caccabum liquamen, vinum, obligas fasciculum porri, anethi, media coctura mittes defritum. Coctum lavas et siccum mittes. Piper asperges et inferes.
Translation
Debone it, simmer briefly, and arrange it. Add garum and wine to a pot. Tie a bundle of leeks and dill [and add it to the sauce]. When the meat is half cooked, add defritum. Wash the cooked meat and plate it dried. Dust with pepper and serve.
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Books
Libro de la Cocina by Anonimo Toscano. Medieval Tuscan Recipes
Early Italian Recipes. Vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers
De Observatione Ciborum by Anthimus. Early-medieval recipes at the court of the Franks.
Registrum Coquine by Johannes Bockenheim. A medieval cookbook
Ancient Roman Cooking. Ingredients, Sources, Recipes
Translations of Historical Sources
De Agri Cultura by Cato (2nd century BCE)
De Re Coquinaria by Apicius (Ancient Rome)
Apicii Excerpta by Vinidarius (5th or 6th century)
De Observatione Ciborum by Anthimus (6th century)
Appendicula de Condituris Variis by Johannes Damascenus (8th or 9th century)
De Flore Dietarum (11th century)
Tractatus de Modo Preparandi et Condiendi Omnia Cibaria (13th or 14th century)
Liber de Coquina – first part (14th century)
Enseignemenz (14th century)
Opusculum de Saporibus by Mainus de Maineris (14th century)
Libro de la Cocina by Anonimo Toscano (14th century)
Anonimo Veneziano (14th century)
Registrum Coquine by Johannes von Bockenheim (15th century)
Libro de Arte Coquinaria by Maestro Martino – parts 1-4 (15th century)
Recipes
Chicken with Green Sauce
Pork Chops – Ofellae
Chicken with Dill – Pullus Anethatus
Religious Offering to Mars Silvanus
Rabbit
Gourds – Gustum de Cucurbitis
Roast Pheasant
Tyropatina – Honey Pudding
Pork Shank with Apician Sauce
The Diet of the Legionaries – Soup with Mutton and Beans
Chicken with Dill
Beef Roast with Quinces
Chard with Mustard
Religious Offering to Carna – Puls Fabacia
Pork Stuffed with Pasta – Porcellus Tractomelinus
Gilt-Head Sea Bream
Moretum – A Religious Offering to Cybele
Patina Versatilis
Aristophanes’ Roasted Birds
Pork Roast with Myrtle Berries
Cabbage Rolls
Pork Collar
Chicken with Taro
Honey and Millet Libum
Ham in Crust
Encytum
The diet of the ancient Germans
The diet of the Franks
Kandaulos
Wild Boar
Hypotrimma
Oysters and Clams
Peas
Ancient Sicilian Sea Bass
Pork Roast and Lentils with Sumac
Scampi
Cuttlefish and Eggs
Gustum de Praecoquis – Appetizer with Apricots
Octopus and Cucumber Salad
Copadia Agnina – Lamb Stew
Apothermum – Spelt Cakes
Pullus Parthicus – Roast Chicken
Tisana Barrica – Barley Soup
Beef Roast and Shallots
Staitites – Ancient Greek Sweet
Chicken Meatballs and Mashed Peas
Sweet Fritters – Dulcia Domestica
Columella’s Moretum and Hapalos Artos
Ancient Roman Frittata
A Saturnalia Recipe – Roast with Saffron Sauce
Muria – Ancestor of Colatura di Alici
Globi – Ancient Roman Sweet
The Diet of the Roman Legionaries – Buccellatum, Lardum, and Posca
How to make garum
Fig Sweet
Ancient Roman Gourd and Eggs
Ofella – Ancient Roman Steak
Fruit salads – Melon and Peaches
Isicia Marina – Shrimp Cakes and Cucumber Salad
Sala Cattabia – Snow and Posca
Copadia – Beef Stew
Puls Punica – Phoenician Dessert
Farcimina – Spelt and Meat Sausages
Ova Spongia ex Lacte – Sweet Omelettes
Flatbread and Chickpea Soup
Chicken stew
Salted Fish with Arugula Sauce
Savillum – Cheesecake
Pasta and Meatballs – Minutal Terentinum
Venison Stew with Spelt Puls
Veal with Allec Sauce – Ius in Elixam Allecatum
Isicia Omentata – Meatballs Wrapped in Caul Fat
Placenta – Honey Cheesecake
Pork Laureate – Porcellum Laureatum
Mashed Chestnuts
Poppy Seed Bread with Ancient Dry Yeast
Cured Olives and Epityrum
Historical Italian Cooking 