Roman Centurion Stew
A hearty ancient Roman stew with tender lamb, lentils and chickpeas simmered in garum and warming spices - a soldier's meal that built an empire.
Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
lamb shoulder (cubed)
800 g
brown lentils (dry)
200 g
chickpeas (dry)
200 g
garum fish sauce
45 ml
cumin seeds (ground)
5 g
long pepper (ground)
3 g
onion (diced)
2 pcs
garlic (minced)
4 pcs
olive oil
30 ml
salt
5 g
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
Cube the lamb, dice the onions, mince the garlic, and measure out all spices and legumes.
Brown the lamb
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the lamb cubes in batches until golden on all sides.
Sauté aromatics
Add diced onions and minced garlic to the pot with the browned lamb and cook until softened.
Add legumes and spices
Stir in the rinsed lentils, soaked chickpeas, cumin, long pepper, and garum fish sauce.
Simmer the stew
Add enough water to cover all ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2 hours until lamb is tender and legumes are cooked.
Final seasoning and serve
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or garum if needed. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Original recipe
Storage
Flavors improve after a day in the refrigerator. Add a little water when reheating as it thickens.
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