Roman Mustard
makes about 2 cups
1 cup black or brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, chopped
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2–3 tsp. salt
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.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the salt and cold water. Stir 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.
While many recipes exist for Ancient Roman mustard, including those attributed to historically accurate books in Italy, I couldn’t call myself Italian if I didn’t attempt some variation. This one is adapted from Hunt, Gather, Cook and incorporates the spicy black seeds.
Annette is a writer, teacher, and author of two memoirs, I’ll Be in the Car and I’ll Have Some of Yours. She is a second-generation Italian-American with roots in Calabria and Abruzzo. As a resident of Over-the-Rhine, she’s lucky enough to walk to Findlay Market twice in a day whenever she forgets an ingredient. Visit annettejwick.com to learn more.
