Varolo Grosso

Grilled Fish

Source: Libro de arte coquinaria by Maestro Martino de Como, 15th century

Original Recipe:

Uno Varolo Grosso

Fallo allessare similemente como e ditto; quando è minore di Quattro o cinque libre frigilo in bono olio, overo lo arrosstirai sopra la graticola, ricordandoti como già è detto che non vole essere rascato né aperto, et gli vole essere fatta una salimora con l’aceto et oglio et molto sale; et con un ramicello di làvoro in mano o de rosmarino bagnirai il ditto pesce con quella salimora spesse volte, rivoltandolo ancora spesso sopre la dita graticola, facendolo cocere molto bene ad ascio, tanto che sia ben cotto. E nota che ogni pesce sopra tutto vole essere ben cotto, perché de sua natura è humido, e non essendo ben cotto è male sano.

Translation: (from The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy)

Grilled Fish

Boil it, as explained in the previous recipe; when less than four or five pounds fry it in good oil, or roast it on the grill, remembering what has already been said, that it need not be scaled and cleaned, and prepare a marinade of vinegar and oil and plenty of salt; and using a sprig of bay leaves or rosemary brush the fish often with this marinade, turing it over on the grill, and cook it well, gradually, until it is well done. And note that all fish should be well cooked, because fish are by nature moist, and if not well cooked are unhealthy.

My Interpretation:

Grill or bake fish, frequently brushing marinade of salt, oil and vinegar on the fish with rosemary sprig. If baking fish, bake fish at 350ºF. Garnish with rosemary leaves.

Works Referenced:

The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy; Odile Redon, Françoise Sabban, & Silvano Serventi, translated to the English by Edward Schneider; The University of Chicago Press, 1998

Libro de arte coquinaria, Maestro Martino de Como, Digital version: Valeria Romanelli, 7/2004. http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/martino2.htm

The Art of Cooking: The First Modern Cookery Book, Translated by Luigi Ballerini, Jeremy Parzen, Stefania Barzini, University of California Press, 2005

- A translation of the work of Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century