flipFrontonian Chicken with Garum and Defrutum
Frontonian Chicken with Garum and Defrutum
Why this dish? At his command table in Antioch, Cassius entertained officers and notables. This chicken seasoned with garum and reduced wine, from the book of Apicius, embodies the measured splendor of a wealthy general who values decorum.
A chicken braised in a dark, complex sauce: salty garum, sweet defrutum (reduced grape must), wine, dill, leek, and coriander. The sweet-savory contrast, a hallmark of high Roman cuisine, surprises the modern palate.
When I held table at Antioch, I did not serve blandness. You sear the fowl, drown it in garum and cooked must until the sauce darkens and perfumes the whole triclinium. Dill, leek, a tear of wine — that is what distinguishes the cuisine of a man of rank. Taste, and tell me if Rome does not marry salt to sweetness better than any people.
- •Chicken — one, in pieces (meat)
- •Garum (liquamen) — a generous splash (salt and umami)
- •Defrutum (reduced grape must) — a ladleful (sweetness)
- •Wine — a cup (braising liquid)
- •Leek, dill, coriander — equal parts (aromatics)
- •Olive oil — a drizzle (cooking fat)
Frontonian Chicken with Garum and Defrutum
A chicken braised in a dark, complex sauce: salty garum, sweet defrutum (reduced grape must), wine, dill, leek, and coriander. The sweet-savory contrast, a hallmark of high Roman cuisine, surprises the modern palate.
Why this dish? At his command table in Antioch, Cassius entertained officers and notables. This chicken seasoned with garum and reduced wine, from the book of Apicius, embodies the measured splendor of a wealthy general who values decorum.
When I held table at Antioch, I did not serve blandness. You sear the fowl, drown it in garum and cooked must until the sauce darkens and perfumes the whole triclinium. Dill, leek, a tear of wine — that is what distinguishes the cuisine of a man of rank. Taste, and tell me if Rome does not marry salt to sweetness better than any people.
Ingredients (period version)
- Chicken — one, in pieces (meat)
- Garum (liquamen) — a generous splash (salt and umami)
- Defrutum (reduced grape must) — a ladleful (sweetness)
- Wine — a cup (braising liquid)
- Leek, dill, coriander — equal parts (aromatics)
- Olive oil — a drizzle (cooking fat)
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs — 4 (meat)
- Fish sauce (nuoc-mâm, if garum unavailable) — 2 tablespoons (salt and umami)
- Grape juice reduced by half (or reduced sweet wine) — 100 ml (sweetness)
- Dry white wine — 100 ml (braising liquid)
- Leek, white part, sliced — 1 (aromatic)
- Fresh dill and coriander — 1 small bunch (aromatics)
- Olive oil — 2 tablespoons (cooking fat)
Method
- Reduce the grape juice by half to obtain defrutum; set aside.
- Sear the chicken thighs in olive oil until browned.
- Add the sliced leek and sweat.
- Deglaze with white wine, then add the fish sauce and defrutum.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 35 to 40 minutes.
- At the end of cooking, sprinkle with fresh dill and coriander, serve with the sauce.
How it was made : Apicius (*De re coquinaria*) abounds in poultry recipes where garum and defrutum play the sweet-savory opposition. Defrutum, obtained by reducing must for a long time in lead cauldrons (hence a risk of lead poisoning), served as a universal liquid sweetener.
The contemporary twist : Plated on creamy polenta — pardon, on Roman-style wheat porridge (puls) — with a shower of dill, the dish recovers a Mediterranean bistro elegance.
Avidius Cassius · Charactorium
