In the 3rd book of De Re Coquinaria, dedicated to vegetable dishes, we find a few recipes with chard, usually paired with sweet ingredients or mustard. Mustard and chard are a typical combination among the Romans and Greeks, as we read not only in this cookbook but also in Pliny’s Naturalis Historia and Galen’s De Alimentorum Facultatibus.
Chard, considered bland by Pliny and Martial, needs seasoning to be tasty; in the case of Martial, the recommended dressing is a mixture of wine and pepper. Some of the sweet ingredients combined with chard in De Re Coquinaria are honey, raisins (as in the recipe we are preparing today), or raisin wine, but also leeks and polypody, a fern with a sweet flavor.
Today we are preparing chard stuffed with an aromatic and sweet filling characterized by a distinctive Mediterranean flavor given by the presence of cumin and coriander. The text does not specify whether we have to use fresh coriander or coriander seeds, so it is up to our taste.
The cooking method is also unclear: the author only describes the preparation of the filling, which must be placed into the internal part of the chard.
We can interpret this information essentially in two ways: that we have to fill the leaves, placing the stuffing in the middle, or that we have to fill the stalks. We chose the second option, which gave an excellent outcome. If you use young leaves, the cooking time will be shorter; if you use, instead, thick stalks, it will take longer. In the second case, it may be useful to parboil the stalks briefly for a better result. The methods that we suggest are baking the chard in the oven or cooking it in a pan with a little olive oil and water to prevent it from sticking, but the author writes nothing about this.
As is often the case in De Re Coquinaria, there are no instructions on the proportions. To obtain a firm paste suitable as a filling, we used one leek, 10 grams of raisins, 30 grams of flour, and a pinch each of cumin and coriander to stuff eight chard stalks, dressed with two tablespoons each of garum, olive oil, and vinegar, but feel free to experiment with the ingredients according to your taste.
The flour can be replaced with wheat starch or ground nuts, for instance almonds or pine nuts, which serve as thickeners and are very common in ancient Roman cuisine. Instead of garum, you can use a South-East Asian fish sauce, prepared in the same way as some types of garum, muria, or colatura di alici, as well as salt.
This dish makes a good appetizer with other typical Roman dishes such as olives, eggs, cheese, or frittatas, for example lettuce patina or conchicla Commodiana, as well as a side dish to a meat course, such as pork chops or pork stew with red wine.
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
chard
leek
spices (cumin, coriander)
raisins
white wheat flour
garum
olive oil
vinegar
Method
Mince the leek. Grind the cumin and coriander in the mortar, then add the raisins and leek, pounding them with the spices. Add the flour and mix with the other ingredients, obtaining a thick filling.
Cut the leaves from the chard and put a bit of filling between two stalks, then tie them together. Cook the stuffed chard in a pan with olive oil and a little water for about 20 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the size and type of chard.
Serve it hot or cold, dressed with two tablespoons of garum, olive oil, and vinegar.
Original text
Concides porrum, coriandrum, cuminum, uvam passam, farinam, et omnia in medullam mittes. Ligabis et ita inferes ex liquamine, oleo et aceto.
Translation
Mince leeks, cilantro, cumin, raisins, flour and put all the ingredients in the internal part of the chard. Tie and serve with garum, oil, and vinegar.
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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 