Roman "Christmas Pudding"

Origin: Roman      Period: Traditional

Though not an ancient Roman recipe, it is based on a Roman boiled pudding, uses Roman ingredients but puts these together in the manner of a classic 'Christmas Pudding'. If you fancy something a little different from the classical Christmas Pud why not give this recipe a go? This pudding is full of fruit and uses more eggs than would normally be used in such a pudding as a binding agent. The recipe itself originated from a request made by my brother who wanted a Roman-themed meal as an alternative to a more traditional Christmas meal but didn't entirely want to do away with the Christmas Pudding.

Ingredients:

70g dried sour cherries
70g dried cranberries (The Romans would have used elderberries but a mix of blueberries and cranberries provides the same basic flavour)
70g dried blueberries
100g chopped dried figs (roughly chop into cubes)
70g chopped dried dates
70g chopped semi-dried prunes
70g chopped dried papaya (the Romans would have used something similar to candied oranges but papaya provides a nice flavour and a chewy texture)
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
120g dried currants
60g self-raising flour
70g dried almonds
100g roughly-chopped nuts (the choice of nuts is up to you but a mix of almonds, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecan nuts and walnuts works well)
140g fresh breadcrumbs
100g shredded suet (beef gives a better flavour but vegetarian works just as well)
120g dark brown sugar (demarara preferably)
1 small cooking apple, grated
Juice and rind of 1 orange, 1 lemon and 1 lime
Juice of 1 further lime
50ml oatmeal stout
5 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Defritum
2 tbsp liquamen
3 tbsp Passum (use this to be 'authentic' I would normally use 2 tbsp Madeira and 1-2 tbsp brandy or cognac)
3 eggs
1 piece (about 2cm cube) stem ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp ground pepper
1 level tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ freshly-grated nutmeg

Method:

The evening before prepare all the dried fruit and add to a large mixing bowl along with the citrus juice and peel, the pomegranate seeds, the honey, defritum, liquamen and passum (if used). Cover with a towel and leave to stand over night so the fruit absorbs the liquid and plumps up.

The following morning, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Allow to stand for an hour or so and mix again. Meanwhile prepare your steamer and grease some pudding bowls (there should be enough mixture here to make 3 600ml puddings) and spoon in the pudding mixture. Cover the pudding bowls with foil and steam for five hours each (Remember to keep checking the water level in your steamer). Once done allow to cool and store until needed (each pudding should keep for at least six weeks in a cool place).

When you are ready to serve the pudding steam for four hours in a steamer until thoroughly cooked through. Once done turn out onto a serving plate (the pudding should slip out of its bowl quite easily). Serve with a white sauce (a classical cornflour-based white sauce could be used, but if you want a more 'authentic' Roman sauce use the flour-based one described below).

To prepare a flour-based white sauce heat 40g of butter in a sauce pan. Once the butter has melted add 2 heaped tablespoons of finely-milled flour to the butter. Turn down the heat and mix the flour into the butter until it forms a smooth, lumpless paste. Keep stirring for a minute or so to begin cooking-out the flour flavour. Now take cold milk and add about 20ml to the roux. Mix until this is a smooth paste. Then add another 100ml of milk and again mix to a smooth paste. Add another 50-80ml of milk, again mixing to a smooth paste. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. If needed turn down the heat until the mixture is quite thick. Take off the heat, add some 2-3 tbsp of brandy or cognac to thin. Grate a little nutmeg on the top and serve with the pudding.

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