flipPhakê — Lentil Purée with Vinegar and Garum
Phakê — Lentil Purée with Vinegar and Garum
Why this dish? A dish for great days as well as ordinary evenings, the phakê gathered the whole household around a single cauldron. For a solitary creature relegated to the margins of the world, it is the dish of the lost hearth — what Medusa, once mortal and beautiful, would have known before the curse.
A thick purée of lentils simmered with aromatics, sharpened with a dash of vinegar and garum. The Greeks loved it so much they made it a comforting festive dish, contrasted by its lively acidity.
Once, mortal — before the snakes, before that gaze that would turn you to stone — I was from a house where the cauldron was made to sing. Lentils, leek, a bay leaf were thrown in, and we waited. Only at the end, never before, the dash of vinegar and the drop of garum: that is the whole secret, and he who salts too early spoils the pot. Lean over the bowl rather than my face, and you will know what my table was like long ago.
- •Brown lentils — a good measure (base)
- •Leek and onion — as desired (aromatics)
- •Bay leaf — one (flavor)
- •Wine vinegar — a dash (acidity)
- •Garum (fish sauce) — a few drops (umami / salt)
- •Olive oil — generous (finishing fat)
Phakê — Lentil Purée with Vinegar and Garum
A thick purée of lentils simmered with aromatics, sharpened with a dash of vinegar and garum. The Greeks loved it so much they made it a comforting festive dish, contrasted by its lively acidity.
Why this dish? A dish for great days as well as ordinary evenings, the phakê gathered the whole household around a single cauldron. For a solitary creature relegated to the margins of the world, it is the dish of the lost hearth — what Medusa, once mortal and beautiful, would have known before the curse.
Once, mortal — before the snakes, before that gaze that would turn you to stone — I was from a house where the cauldron was made to sing. Lentils, leek, a bay leaf were thrown in, and we waited. Only at the end, never before, the dash of vinegar and the drop of garum: that is the whole secret, and he who salts too early spoils the pot. Lean over the bowl rather than my face, and you will know what my table was like long ago.
Ingredients (period version)
- Brown lentils — a good measure (base)
- Leek and onion — as desired (aromatics)
- Bay leaf — one (flavor)
- Wine vinegar — a dash (acidity)
- Garum (fish sauce) — a few drops (umami / salt)
- Olive oil — generous (finishing fat)
Ingredients
- Brown or green lentils — 250 g (base)
- Leek, sliced — 1 (aromatic)
- Onion — 1 (aromatic)
- Bay leaf — 1 (flavor)
- Red wine vinegar — 2 tbsp (acidity)
- Garum / fish sauce (or mashed anchovy) — 1 to 2 tsp (umami / salt)
- Extra virgin olive oil — 4 tbsp (finishing fat)
Method
- Rinse the lentils and cover them generously with cold water, add the bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then add the sliced leek and onion; simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the lentils fall apart.
- Coarsely mash to obtain a textured purée, adding hot water if needed.
- Off the heat, stir in the garum, vinegar, and olive oil; taste and adjust acidity.
- Serve very hot, drizzled with a final thread of oil, with maza for dipping.
How it was made : The phakê (lentil soup) was so popular that it is mocked in Greek comedy. It was seasoned at the last moment with vinegar and garum, never with New World products of course: no tomato or chili, but herbs, leek, and sometimes a touch of honey to soften.
The contemporary twist : Serve as a smooth velouté, topped with thin fried leek rings and a drizzle of bay-infused olive oil.
Sources : Aristophanes, comedies (humorous mentions of phakê) · Andrew Dalby, Food in the Ancient World from A to Z
Medusa · Charactorium
