The 9th book of De Re Coquinaria is titled Thalassa, a Greek word meaning sea, and includes several recipes for mollusks, crustaceans, and fish. Other recipes can be found in the last book and in the second, among a series of fish cakes called isicia marina, in addition to a few scattered in other books of the most comprehensive source on ancient Roman cuisine. The recipes for seafood and fish are generally simple, with well-chosen ingredients, and give extraordinary results thanks to a skillful combination of flavors, which is the best feature of De Re Coquinaria.
Today’s recipe is for locusta, a term that translates as lobster, but the first recipe in the chapter dedicated to locusta is for either lobster or shrimp, cammari in Latin, also used to make cakes as well as lobster and other seafood. As is typical of the preparations in this part of the cookbook, the recipe is only for the sauce and does not specify the cooking method. Other recipes, instead, call for simmering or roasting the lobster on the grill, so you have a few options for preparing the shrimp or other crustaceans of your choice.
The combination of black pepper, cumin, and lovage makes for an intense and spicy sauce, and paired with rue and mint gives this dish a distinctive Mediterranean flavor. According to Pliny and Dioscorides, substituted for lovage were fennel, cumin, or anise seeds. Rue can be difficult to substitute for its peculiar flavor, slightly bitter, but you can omit this ingredient or use another aromatic herb, for example parsley. Thyme or oregano would also give a great result. In general, we recommend balance, which is necessary to obtain a great dish. Spices should be used in moderation not to overpower the sauce: a pinch each is enough.
Honey must be added sparingly, just a little to balance the saltiness of garum and the acidity of vinegar and wine. For a perfect balance, we recommend using the liquid ingredients in equal parts, for example two tablespoons each of garum, wine, and vinegar. In this case, we have replaced the pine nuts with almonds, which have exactly the same function: they thicken the sauce. A few almonds or pine nuts are enough for this purpose, in addition to giving a round, rich, and nutty flavor to the dish, with a wonderful texture. As always, garum can be substituted with a South-East Asian fish sauce, muria or colatura di alici, or even two pinches of salt.
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
shrimp
almonds
spices (black pepper, cumin, lovage)
aromatic herbs (mint, rue)
honey
wine
vinegar
garum
Method
To make the sauce, grind the pepper, lovage, and cumin in the mortar, then add the almonds. Mince the herbs and add them to the sauce with a little honey and two tablespoons each of wine, vinegar, and garum. Cook the shrimp in an oiled pan for a few minutes and serve them hot with the sauce.
Original recipe
Piper, ligusticum, cuminum, mentam, rutam, nucleos, mel, acetum, liquamen et vinum.
Translation
Pepper, lovage, cumin, mint, rue, pine nuts, honey, vinegar, garum, and wine.
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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 – first part (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
Moustakia Sesamata – Bread Rolls with Must and Sesame
Plebeian’s Mushrooms
Beef Skewers
Stuffed Chard
Shrimp
Frittata with Peas – Conchicla Commodiana
Tuna
Pork Stew with Red Wine
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 