Roman Spring. Feast 2/20/20


Roman Spring. Feast
Floralia celebrated the goddess Flora, and took place on 27 April during the Republican era, or April 28 on the Julian calendar.
inspired by Apicius: a Roman cookbook circa 400 AD, J. Vehling, (trans.))

Much to my dismay we lost Jonathan a dear friend who had a flair for the dramatic that included stories. It was captivating to hear the crazy shit that happened to him and how he dealt with it. We miss him
This however meant we needed a feast steward. Fintan and I had promised that we would be Jonathan's hands for Crystal Chamfron's Feast., and should he not be able to full-fill his duties we would. In loosing Jonathan before he had recipes, and the fact that Fintan's job must come first this means I am head steward and he is my 1st officer.

Despite being a persona of early Tudor time I love the ancient worlds and Bronze age as well. As such I have decided to go with a Spring Country Celebration Feast.
My idea is that in a vineyard spring is a time to prepare the land you need to keep the weeds down and plant more seedlings and such it is the calm before the flurry of activity.
It is the time to celebrate Floralia.

I intend to serve this feast family style. Folks sit down to bread and Strawberry balsamic spread and dipping oil., then after that all food comes out at once.  then as things empty and there is room the  desert is brought out. I feel this is the best way to enjoy a meal and decide what you want to eat that each person likes so they don't fill up on the first course just because they are hungry.
The whole feast is being cooked at the camp on the smoker and grill and things we have there. I will need to find out ahead of time if the bread ovens are going to be use-able or if I will need to make other plans forewarned is forearmed.
 Here is the menu.

Bread 
Strawberry Balsamic spread (v) (gf)
Flavored dipping oil(v)(gf)

Roman Meat Loaf (smoked)(gf)(df)
or vegan meatloaf(v)
Mushroom sauce (v)(gf)(df)(available w/o Mushrooms(v)(gf)(df)
Honey Chicken (smoked)(df)
or Chickpea Roasted(v)
Roasted Radishes(v)(gf)
Roasted Carrots(v) (gf)
Marinated Baked Mushrooms(v)(gf)
Another vegetable(v)(gf)

Spiced Nut Cake. (vegan/dairy free option available)
Quince syrup (v)(gf)


Yes side by side I will have prepared vegan options for the 3 non vegan dishes. I get the question of why I would do this.
Allergies, as well as vegetarians and vegans. It is much easier to plan these into the budget and cooking schedule if I just run with it ahead of time. I myself an allergic to Whey, a friend is allergic to Casein, then there are gluten allergies etc...
Also my house mate will help me run all the nutrition of these for calories and carbs because of diabetics.
I am a firm believer in inclusion of all whenever possible and that feast can be easily made more accessible to all with minuscule extra effort. Also by making sure all things are listed on a web site and posted at Gate it lets people know right up front what to look out for and what to look forward too.
The thing that is missing from all this menu is fish sauce, I am opting to not use recipes with it. I like it myself however I worry about allergies. I may change my mind though and add it to the main meat loaf because it has a good savory flavor or I may go new school and use amino liquid instead because it does a similar thing for flavor that I use all the time in my home cooking of all red meats. because while authentic is great the truth is people want food that tastes great. I don't have any expectations of being a cooking laurel, I just want to feed people.
I will keep updating this post with the ingredient lists as I get them hammered out
V = Vegan  GF=gluten free  DF= Dairy Free if it is not Vegan

Bread

Strawberry Balsamic spread (v)(gf)
8 cups washed & hulled strawberries (about 1-1/2lbs) halfed if large
1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter or sub olive oil
5 cups sugar
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Flavored dipping oil(v)(gf)
Garlic
Olive oil
Roman Meat Loaf (smoked)(gf)
2 lbs. of ground beef
5 eggs
3 tsp. dried parsley (or 3 Tbsp. fresh)
1 tsp. dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp. fresh)
1 tsp. pepper
Enough broth to moisten the mixture
or
  Vegan meatloaf(v)
2lbs. Lightlife Foods Gimme Lean Beef*

3 tsp. dried parsley 
1 tsp. dried oregano 
1 tsp.  pepper
Enough broth to moisten the mixture

Mushroom sauce (v)(gf)(available w/o Mushrooms(v)(gf)
4 teaspoons *Beef  Flavored Broth Powder  (V) 
2 cups water
8oz mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon allspice
Honey Chicken (smoked) (df)(gf)
1 whole chicken for roasting
olive oil/butter (~1 Tbs)
salt
Sauce:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
Dash of mint, dried or fresh (abt. 1 tsp.)
Small handful of raisins
~1 Tbs. butter or oil
or 
Chickpea roasted(v)
1 large leek
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp Apicius spices, ground
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
2 cups chickpeas, cooked
Salt to taste
¼ cup pekmez* or 3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp vinegar
Roasted Radishes(v)

Roasted Carrots(v)
1/2 pound carrots
8 small mint leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seed
Salt to taste
1 cup water
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Ground pepper
Chopped mint leaves for garnish
Marinated Baked Mushrooms(v)
garlic oil,
mushrooms.
oil,
salt,
pepper
granulated garlic
Another vegetable(v)

Spiced Nut Cake. (vegan option available)
8oz  spelt flour
4oz almonds, ground
½ tsp ground rosemary
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp honey or sugar
8 tbsp grape juice or wine
Allspice & Nutmeg to taste
Milk or almond milk

Quince syrup (v)


*Beef  Flavored Broth Powder - ingredient corn syrup solids, Dehydrated onion, salt, autolyed yeast extract (autolyed yeast extract,sunflower oil), dehydrated garlic, and celery seed. www.CrystalAndSpice.com
*Lightlife Foods Gimme Lean Beef,  https://lightlife.com/product/gimme-lean-beef/ingredients 
WATER, TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN, TAPIOCA STARCH, NATURAL FLAVOR (FROM PLANT SOURCES), SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, SALT, WHEAT), LESS THAN 2% OF: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CELLULOSE GUM, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, BARLEY MALT EXTRACT, DRIED ONIONS, SALT, SOY MILK POWDER, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, TORULA YEAST, YEAST EXTRACT, MOLASSES, SEA SALT, DRIED GARLIC, XANTHAN GUM, SOY FLOUR, WHEAT STARCH.

Sources of recipes 
Bread
Strawberry Balsamic spread (v) - recipe from Camp Cookery by Ldy Carrys of Caer Rhudd
Flavored dipping oil(v)

Roman Meat Loaf (smoked)-  or vegan meatloaf(v)- Variation of recipe from  http://medievalcookery.com Recipe by 
Mushroom sauce (v)(available w/o Mushrooms(v)- variation of recipe from  http://medievalcookery.com Recipe by 

Honey Chicken (smoked) - recipe from http://www.innatthecrossroads.com/honeyed-chicken/
or Chickpea roasted(v) - recipe from https://spicetrekkers.com/recipes/roman-chickpea-braise
Roasted Radishes(v)
Roasted Carrots(v) - recipe from https://slicesofbluesky.com/recipe-roman-style-carrots/
Marinated Baked Mushrooms(v)
Another vegetable(v)

Spiced Nut Cake. (nut free vegan option available) - Variation of  http://www.ancientworldalive.com
Quince syrup (v)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sweet Potato Apple Cider Stew

Sekanjabin- Drink of Antient Persian's, and modern Iranians'

“Cooking with Strawberry” Marinara without tomatoes (EP 6)