Roman Mustard
“‘There’s cold beef in the kitchens. And mustard in a big stone jar, from Oldtown.’ The thought of that mustard made the old woman smile.” -Feast for Crows
Modern Mustard
Our Thoughts:
I have a confession to make.
I don’t actually like mustard.
I’ve tried to cultivate an appreciation for it over the years, but without any great success. Thankfully, the Inn is filled with mustard fiends, all of whom were more than happy to be tastetesters for this particular post.
Because it is hand ground, the Roman mustard is very coarse, with a bit of a crunch lent it by the larger pieces of mustard seed. The ground nuts combined with the vinegar and honey to make a sort of binder for the seeds, tying the whole condiment together. The resulting spread has a notable bite to it, and is deliciously rustic. Even I could learn to love it.
The modern mustard also has a bite, but like any good mustard, the bite is not cumulative. Not as coarse as many imported French mustards, it has just enough graininess to give it a pleasant old world feel. Rich and profoundly mustardy, it i Is particularly delicious with a sharp cheddar, and would pair brilliantly with ham. It tastes like an expensive blend from a rural farmer’s market, one that you would have no regrets about purchasing.
Roman Mustard Recipe
[204] MUSTARD BEANSALITER: FABACIÆ EX SINAPI[The beans previously cooked are seasoned with] CRUSHED MUSTARD SEED, HONEY, NUTS, RUE, CUMIN, AND SERVED WITH VINEGAR. – Apicius
Ingredients:
- 1 cup black or brown mustard seeds
- 1/2 cup almonds, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, chopped fine
- 2-3 teaspoons salt
- a pinch of cumin
- honey to taste (I used about 2 Tbs.)
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Grind the whole mustard seeds for a few seconds in a spice or coffee grinder, or by hand with a mortar and pestle. You want them mostly whole. Add the chopped nuts and grind into a paste. Move everything to a bowl and add the salt, cumin, honey, and cold water. Mix well and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and stir well. When the vinegar is incorporated, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge. Wait at least 24 hours before using. Mustard made this way will last several months in the fridge.
Modern Mustard Recipe
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
- 3 Tablespoons dry mustard
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup tarragon vinegar (or any other herb vinegar)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or any mixture of fresh herbs that you enjoy)
Put the seeds, dry mustard, and water in a bowl. Let this mixture stand 2 hours or until the seeds become soft. Stir mixture every 15 minutes or so. When the seeds are soft, put the mixture in the food processor and run until the mixture is smooth. This took about 5 minutes. I wanted some texture to remain in my mustard so I left some seed pieces. Add the vinegar, honey, salt and herbs. Place in a lidded jar and allow to stand at room temperature to mellow. This mixture will be very hot. Once the mustard is to your taste (mine took about 1.5 hours) keep it in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for several months, but could be stored if you choose to use the proper canning technique.
Both sound amazing, but what do you do with the honey in the Roman version? It’s listed in the ingredients, though not how much (I assumed to taste) but it’s not in the instructions. I might possibly not mind leaving it out, as I don’t really like honey mustard, but I also have a feeling this might not taste much like modern honey mustard from a squeeze bottle… Either way, this might finally give me an excuse to acquire a mortar and pestle, which I’ve been coveting for some time now.
Aha! Fixed. :) If I recall correctly, I added about 2 Tbs. honey, mostly to cut a bit of the bite of both mustard seeds and the vinegar. It’s really not much at all like our modern honey mustard, especially because the nuts give it that little something extra.
Now i can make my own mustard. I bake my own bread, make own mustard.But since i know how to make butter, i’ll be still going to shop to get it, because I don’t own a cow. I’m all set to survive apocalypse. Whiteout butter, I mean. Thanks!
how much does the recipe make?
If memory serves, under two cups, but it’s been a while!
thank you for answering. I made the roman version and even my mom who hates mustard liked it. when I made it I think it came out to about 2 1/2 cups. I used mortar and pestle, it took forever but was well worth it.
one more question. does the roman mustard have to be stored in the fridge or will it be fine in the pantry?
Fridge!
ok. thank you
you stole the recipe from Apicius 4th century roman cookbook, green beans with roman mustard and then you butchered the technique because its mistranslated …. if you are going to steal stuff word for word, give proper credit.
I think “stole” might be a bit extreme, and Apicius is certainly too old to object to anyone using his recipes, I’d wager.
What would you suggest for translation and technique?