Ancient Roman Sausage

This recipe is the modern version of the Lucanian Sausage Recipe. The real recipe: From Apicius in a Taste of Ancient Rome Lucanian sausages... "Pepper is ground with cumin, savory, rue, parsley, condiments, bay berries, and garum. Finely ground meat is mixed in, then ground again together with the other ground ingredients. Mix with garum, peppercorns, and plenty of fat, and pine nuts; fill a casing stretched extremely thin, and thus it is hung in smoke."

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb  pork belly, minced
• 2  tablespoons pine nuts
• 20  black peppercorns
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh  rue, see note
• 2  teaspoons dried savory
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 3  tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 (12 inch)  sausage  casings

• Modern Garum Fish Sauce

• 1  quart  grape juice
• 2  tablespoons anchovy paste
• 1⁄8 teaspoon oregano

Directions

1. Notes: MISSING INGREDIENT 30 bayberries. The zaar computer won't take it.
2. The original recipe read 1 tsp fresh or dried rue. The ratio of herbs is 1:3 [dried:fresh] You may also try 3 tsp of rue to 1 tsp of dried. Add to suit. ALSO NOTE: The fish sauce used is Roman Fish sauce NOT Oriental.
3. Next you need sausage skins or casings. Your butcher can supply you with these.
4. Process all the ingredients except the skins or casings. A food processor works.
5. If you are using fresh skins, wash them and preserve in salt. Again your butcher can explain what you need to do. Ask them.
6. Tie a knot in the end of each one.
7. Put a 1/2 inch plain tube in a piping bag and 1/2 fill with the mixture; do not put too much in at one time or it will be difficult to squeeze. Take the open end of the skin, pull it over the tube and push down repeatedly until the majority of the skin sits like a collar half way down the tube. Grip this with your finger and thumb and slowly release the skin as you squeeze the bag. Stop squeezing well before the skin runs out, leaving 2-3 inches of skin to allow for shrinkage.
8. When finished twist each sausage into 4 lengths or your preferred segments.
9. Optional but authentic:
10. Smoke the sausages. If you do not have a smoker:
11. This can be a fireplace recipe. Simply hand them above the mantle for several hours while burning wood. Use a BBQ also. Use wood chips and suspend 12 inches above the fire for at least an hour.
12. To make cut up and grill over medium heat.
13. When done the sausage should no longer be pink inside. Times may vary. Check a sausage to make sure.
14. Modern Garum Fish Sauce Recipe:
15. Reduce the Grape Juice to 1/10 of original volume.
16. Add 2 tbsp anchovy paste and oregano.
17. Use as directed.
18. Ancient Garum or Fish sauce Recipe.
19. THIS IS NOT SUPPLIED AS A RECIPE BUT AS AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT ROMAN FISH SAUCE IS.
20. Use fatty fish [i.e. sardines] and a well-sealed (pitched) container with a 26-35 quart capacity.
21. Add dried, aromatic herbs possessing a strong flavor, such as dill, coriander, fennel, celery, mint, oregano, and others, making a layer on the bottom of the container.
22. Put down a layer of fish (if small, leave them whole, if large, use pieces) and over this, add a layer of salt two fingers high. Repeat these layers until the container is filled.
23. Let it rest for seven days in the sun. Then mix the sauce daily for 20 days. After that, it becomes a liquid From: Gargilius Martialis, De medicina et de virtute herbarum.