Meander Fish with Garum and Oil
Fresh fish gently cooked in olive oil, enhanced with a few drops of garum and herbs. The *opson* par excellence, the accompaniment to bread that brings prestige to the banquet.
Fresh fish gently cooked in olive oil, enhanced with a few drops of garum and herbs. The *opson* par excellence, the accompaniment to bread that brings prestige to the banquet.
When I host under my roof, it is the fish that speaks for me. They bring it to me alive from the waters of the Meander, and I want its flesh to stay pale — no brutal fire, but a gentle and patient oil. A few drops of my *garon* suffice: too much and you crush the fish; just enough, and you awaken the entire sea. My guests, reclining on the *klinai*, know from this single dish that the house of Pythodoros honors its guests.
- •Fresh river or sea fish — one fine specimen (centerpiece)
- •Garon (garum) — a few drops (umami seasoning)
- •Olive oil — generously (cooking)
- •Fresh coriander and oregano — one bunch (aromatics)
- •White wine — a splash (deglazing)
Meander Fish with Garum and Oil
Fresh fish gently cooked in olive oil, enhanced with a few drops of garum and herbs. The *opson* par excellence, the accompaniment to bread that brings prestige to the banquet.
Why this dish? The Meander valley teems with fish, a choice fare on elite tables. For entertaining, Antonia has fresh fish served with garum, the luxury condiment that distinguishes wealthy households in Tralles and Ephesus.
When I host under my roof, it is the fish that speaks for me. They bring it to me alive from the waters of the Meander, and I want its flesh to stay pale — no brutal fire, but a gentle and patient oil. A few drops of my *garon* suffice: too much and you crush the fish; just enough, and you awaken the entire sea. My guests, reclining on the *klinai*, know from this single dish that the house of Pythodoros honors its guests.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh river or sea fish — one fine specimen (centerpiece)
- Garon (garum) — a few drops (umami seasoning)
- Olive oil — generously (cooking)
- Fresh coriander and oregano — one bunch (aromatics)
- White wine — a splash (deglazing)
Ingredients
- Sea bream or sea bass fillets/steaks — 600 g (centerpiece)
- Fish sauce (garum, or quality nuoc-mam) — 1-2 tsp (umami seasoning)
- Extra virgin olive oil — 4 tbsp (cooking)
- Fresh coriander and oregano — 1 small bunch (aromatics)
- Dry white wine — 50 ml (deglazing)
Method
- Heat the olive oil over low heat in a wide pan.
- Place the fish skin-side down, cook gently without excessive browning for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip, deglaze with a splash of white wine, and add the garum.
- Sprinkle with coriander and oregano, basting the fish with its juices for 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, drizzled with the oil and herb pan juices, alongside *maza*.
How it was made : Garum, a fermented fish brine sun-dried, was produced in large quantities around the Mediterranean and was the central condiment of ancient cuisine. Cooking fish in oil with diluted garum is a recurring technique in the culinary collection attributed to Apicius.
The contemporary twist : Plate the fish on a streak of oregano-infused oil and a shower of lemon zest — a sour note that ancients sometimes achieved with verjuice.
Antonia · Charactorium
