Taking the sting out of cooking

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Nettle Patina from Apicius
This is a Roman recipe, but not my interpretation. Also, no wolves' nibble chips are involved.

"In its simplest manifestation this term refers to a round shallow vessel made of terracotta used to cook and serve food. On occasion patinae were also made from bronze or other metals... A patina was also a particular kind of food cooked in the dish. The vast majority of these patinae are cooked and set with eggs."

Nettle patina served hot or cold: take nettles, wash them, drain through a colander and dry them on a board; chop them up. Pound 10 scruples of pepper, moisten with liquamen, pound again. Next add 2 cyathi of liquamen, 6 oz. of oil, put in a pan and bring it to heat. When it is simmering, take out the cooked nettles and let them cool. Then grease a clean dish and break 8 eggs and beat them. Pour them (over the cooked nettles in the dish). Let it have hot ashes above and below. Sprinkle finely fround pepper over the cooked dish and serve.

250 grams (8.75 oz) nettle greens (The author suggests any spring green leaf will work, such as spinach, dandelion, fat hen... I used nettles.)
5 grams black peppercorns
40 ml fish sauce (I used a light amber Filipino fish sauce - the authors recommend pale over dark and the less salty the better. This may be too salty and they also suggest mixing commercial fish sauce with boiled-down white grape juice.)
80 ml olive oil
4 eggses, beaten
25 grams grated hard sheep's cheese (optional)

Wash and trim the greens, wearing gloves, and drain in a colander. (Any sting in the nettles will be lost upon cooking.) Coarsely chop and put to one side. Grind the pepper to a very fine powder, mix with the fish sauce and olive oil and place in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the leaves. Stir and cover and leave for a few minutes to cook. Strain into a sieve and discard the cooking liquor.

Place the cooked leaves in a nonstick frying-pan and add the beaten eggs; combine to make a uniform color. (Optional: add the grated cheese over the top.) Place the dish in a 375 degree oven and cook until set, about 20 minutes. Cut in wedges and serve with salad and bread.

What worked: It was certainly a distinct flavor.

What didn't: I found it overly nettley, although the wife liked it. Both of us found it overly salty. Also, I should have used a smaller frypan to get a thicker frittata.

Will I make it again? Shrug. I might try variations using orach or other leaves, and probably with less (or diluted as the author suggests) fish sauce.

Patina in pan

Wedge o' Patina

Comments

sometimes I really hate LJ

[gaudete1066.livejournal.com]

Please forgive my multiples. It kept giving me some stupid "Try again later!" message involving a randome LJ user something-or-other. Egad, it looks like I was stuttering. DELETE!!!! DELETE!!!!

Re: sometimes I really hate LJ

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

But what did you want to say?

Re: sometimes I really hate LJ

[gaudete1066.livejournal.com]

I'm almost afraid to try reposting the question: Where did you find the nettles to cook with? (ducks under desk, awaiting the LJ comment apocalypse)

a nettlesome posting

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

The farmers from whom we buy our CSA weekly produce box have a field full of 'em. Since we're longtime customers and good acquaintances, they gave us the professional chef price rather than retail.