A Sauce of Apples to serve with Pork

Sauce a la matius ( adapted from Minutal matianum - Velling trans, {167}

• 2 large cooking apples, pared, peeled and chopped *

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon chopped mint

• ½ teaspoon of Roman Three Spice Mix ( see below)

• Pinch of salt.

Cook apples in oven or saucepan till done

Add in remaining ingredients and cook a little more to meld flavors. Makes about 1-1 /2 cups sauce, serve over roast pork.

Roman Three Spice- equal amounts of

• Cumin seed ( toasted)

• Coriander seed (toasted)

• Black pepper corns

Grind all together (This has become a basic seasoning mix at my house.  I use it on all sorts of meat, sweet potatoes and other root vegetables, and other items as the mood strikes me.)

The Sauce a la Matius was adapted from Minutal Matianum a stew of small pork dumplings and apples. If possible use two different kinds of apples, one variety such as Granny Smith which will keep its shape during cooking and another such as Galas or Golden Delicious that will cook down into mush for a nice variety in texture. Remember tart apples may require more honey to maintain the balance of sweet and sour.

For more on our Roman Feast see Candlemas Cena

Other Roman Recipes

• Carrots Apician 
• Hazelnut Saffron Sauce
• Herbed Barley
• Melon Salad 
• Minted Cucumber Salad
• Mushroom Patina
• Parsnips Apician
• Roman Sausages with spelt and pine nuts.