MINUTAL MARINUM (Seafood Fricassee)
This Minutal Marinum is a delightful nod to ancient Roman cuisine, reimagined for the modern home kitchen. It features tender chunks of fresh fish fillet simmered slowly in a robust broth of white wine and beef stock, creating a deeply savory base. The dish is brightened by the sweet, mild flavor of leeks and finished with a fragrant blend of coriander, lovage, and oregano. The result is a comforting, hearty fricassee with a delicate yet complex flavor profile. It’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or an impressive yet simple meal to share with friends who appreciate historical culinary twists.
Description
This Minutal Marinum is a delightful nod to ancient Roman cuisine, reimagined for the modern home kitchen. It features tender chunks of fresh fish fillet simmered slowly in a robust broth of white wine and beef stock, creating a deeply savory base. The dish is brightened by the sweet, mild flavor of leeks and finished with a fragrant blend of coriander, lovage, and oregano. The result is a comforting, hearty fricassee with a delicate yet complex flavor profile. It’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or an impressive yet simple meal to share with friends who appreciate historical culinary twists.
Ingredients
- 500 fish fillet (e.g. salmon)
- 250 white wine
- 500 beef broth
- 3 leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 100 oil
- to taste Liquamen (fish sauce) or salt
- to taste ground coriander
- to taste pepper
- to taste lovage (Liebstoeckl)
- to taste oregano
- as needed starch or flour mixed with water, to thicken
Directions
- 1 Cut the fish fillet into bite-sized chunks, similar in size to a goulash.
- 2
Clean the leeks thoroughly, removing any dirt trapped in the layers, and slice them thinly.- 3
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.- 4
Add the sliced leeks to the pan and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.- 5
Add the fish chunks to the pan and gently stir to coat with oil.- 6
Pour in the white wine and beef broth, ensuring the fish is mostly submerged.- 7
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.- 8
Cook uncovered for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the fish is tender and opaque.- 9
Stir in the remaining ground coriander, lovage, and oregano.- 10
Simmer for another 2-3 minutes to allow the fresh herbs to infuse the sauce.- 11
If the sauce is too thin, mix starch or flour with a little cold water and stir into the pan.- 12
Boil gently for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking.- 13
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional pepper or salt if needed.- 14
Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.NoteLovage (Liebstoeckl) has a strong, celery-like flavor with a hint of anise. If unavailable, you can substitute with extra fresh parsley and a pinch of fennel seeds.
Liquamen is an ancient Roman fermented fish sauce. Modern substitutes include fish sauce (like nuoc mam) or a combination of soy sauce and anchovy paste for a similar umami depth.
Salmon is recommended in the original recipe for its ability to hold up well in stewing, but firm white fish like cod or sea bass also work beautifully.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove to prevent the fish from breaking apart.
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