Caput Mundi Cibus

Butter poached and seared scallops with mango-tomato terrine, hazelnuts, “salami salt” and balsamic vinegar

Scallops are without doubt some of my favourites when it comes to seafood. You can praise clams, octopus, prawns, periwinkles or flying-fish roe all you want - but a pair of perfectly cooked scallops are irresistible - be it on a restaurant menu or at home.

Their amazingly sweet taste and ever so slight saltiness together with their soft, tender meat structure (if not over-cooked!) makes them seem almost heaven-sent. There must be a thousand good recipes for scallops around, but a good place to start is simple pan-seared ones, in a non-stick skillet on fairly high heat, which gives that nice golden caramelized crust before they, heaven forbid, overcook!
Other ways might be gratinated scallops, grilled or as a ceviche.

I started off by making a mango and tomato terrine, thin slices of ripe, sweet mango and some tomato “confit”. For the tomatoes, peel a couple of tomatoes and cut them into petals. Season with orange peel, thyme, black pepper, cloves, a pinch of salt and a good sprinkle of sugar. Arrange on a baking sheet and pour a couple of drops of olive oil on top. Let dry out in the oven @ 120 degrees C for a good hour and a half. Then find a nice small terrine mold and line it with plastic wrap. Then pass the mango slices and the tomatoes in a lukewarm syrup with gelatine and arrange in the terrine mold. Try not to get any air pockets and the other important thing is to let it cool under pressure. If you have a heavy object that fits perfectly into your terrine mold, GOOD! If not, then just keep building your terrin so that it rises well over the edge of the mold and then fold in the plastic wrap on top and press down with a heavy flat object. Leave in the fridge for minimum a couple of hours to set.

The scallops sit on a pillow of hazelnut puree. Boil hazelnuts in 2 parts milk and 1 part cream, covered, over very low heat for 1 hour. Mix the hazelnuts for about 5 minutes in a blender, adding the cooking liquid as needed to make a nice smooth puree. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar.

“Salami salt” - a flavorful salty powder to be used instead of normal salt. Take a piece of your favourite air dried salami, dice it finely and put it in a non-stick pan over low heat. Leave it frying there, stirring from time to time, until the dices becomes really hard and crispy. Let them cool down before you pass them through the blender to make a fine powder. It might be nessecary to blend them, then return the powder to the pan to let it dry out a bit more, before you let it have a final spin in the blender. This way you should end up with a fine powder packed with taste.

The scallops themselves were first poached in a “beurre monté” at low temperature for around 5 minutes and then quickly seared in a hot skillet and only seasoned with a pinch of salt.

Only thing left to add would be a couple of drops of a good aged balsamic vinegar - a thick black syrup wih a modest acidic punch.

Here´s some tips on cooking great scallops at home:

1. Frozen scallops are cheaper than fresh-caught scallops, but the frozen ones contains more water and will release a lot of liquid as they defrost. Make sure to get rid of this released liquid BEFORE the scallops go in the skillet, otherwise you will end up with steamed ones. If using frozen ones, thaw them slowly in the refrigerator overnight, sitting on plate lined with paper towels.
The fresh ones should have a nice sweet and briny smell, not fishy. If they seem too old, go for the frozen ones.

2. Scallops are not white, ideally they should have a color somewhere between beige cream and pale pink. The frozen ones unfortunately, are usually quite white, which means they contain more water and/or chemicals.

3. Make sure the scallops have a dry surface before cooking them. Do this by patting them dry with paper towels just before searing them.

4. Do not cook to many scallops at a time in the pan. This is even more important when cooking the frozen variety. Also make sure the pan is hot before you put the scallops in there.

5. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SCALLOPS! Too long in the pan and they turn into a horrible rubber ball - worse than overcooked chicken breast. Instead leave them, when cut open, still translucent in the center.

Enjoy!

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Capesante affogati in burro e scottate. Terrina di mango e pomodori, nocciole, “sale salame” ed aceto balsamico

Le capesante sono senza dubbio alcuni dei miei preferiti frutti di mare. Si può lodare le vongole, polpo, scampi, Littorina littorea o uova di pesce volante, però un paio di capesante cotte a perfezione sono irresistibili - sia sul menu del ristorante come a casa.

Il loro sapore dolce e la lieve salinità insieme a la carne tenera (se non troppo cotta!) li fa sembrare una cosa divina. Ci sono sicuramente mille ricette buone per capesante, ma un buon punto di partenza sarebbe - le capesante scottate, in una padella antiaderente a fuoco abbastanza alto, che dà quella bella crosta dorata caramellata prima che, attenzione, si scuoce! Se no, ci sono sempre le capesante gratinate, alla griglia, crude o come un ceviche.

Ho fatto una terrina di mango e pomodoro, fette sottili di mango maturo e di pomodori “confit”. Per i pomodori, spellare un paio di pomodori e tagliarli a petali. Condire con buccia d’arancia, timo, pepe nero, chiodi di garofano, un pizzico di sale e una bella spolverata di zucchero. Sistemare su una teglia da forno e aggiungere un filo d´olio di oliva. Lasciare asciugare in forno a 120 ° C per un´ora e mezza. Poi tocca trovare uno stampo piccolo da terrina. Foderare lo stampo con pellicola. Passare le fette di mango e pomodoro in uno sciroppo tiepido con gelatina e disporre nello stampo. Cercare di evitare bolle d’aria. L’altra cosa importante è farlo raffreddare sotto pressione. Se disponete di un oggetto pesante che si inserisce perfettamente nel vostro stampo da terrina, bene! Se no, continuare a aggiungere i strati della terrina oltre il bordo dello stampo e poi piegare la pellicola sulla parte superiore. Mettere sotto pressione di un oggetto pesante. Lasciare in frigo per almeno un paio d’ore.

Le capesante sono appoggiati su un cuscino di purea di nocciole. Lessare le nocciole in una pentola con 2 parti di latte e 1 parte di panna, coperti, a fuoco molto basso per 1 ora. Frullare le nocciole per circa 5 minuti in un frullatore, aggiungere il liquido di cottura mano a mano, quanto basta per fare una purea liscia. Aggiungere un pizzico di sale e un pizzico di zucchero.

“Sale di salame” - una polvere saporito, utilizzato al posto del sale normale. Prendere un pezzo del vostro salame preferito, tagliare a dadi piccoli e metterli in una padella antiaderente a fuoco basso. Lasciarli friggere, mescolando di tanto in tanto, finchè i dadi non diventano duri e croccanti. Lasciarli raffreddare prima di passarli nel frullatore per fare una polvere finissima. Può darsi che tocca ripassare la polvere in padella per farla asciugare ancora. Il risultato sarà una polvere fina piena di sapore.

Le capesante sono stati affogati in un “beurre monté” a bassa temperatura per circa 5 minuti e poi velocemente scottate in una padella calda e condite soltanto con un pizzico di sale.

Finalmente manca solo qualche goccia di un buon aceto balsamico.

Ecco alcuni suggerimenti su come cucinare perfette capesante a casa:

1. Le capesante surgelate costano di meno rispetto a capesante fresche, ma quelli congelati contiene più acqua e tira fuori un sacco di liquido quando si scongela. Assicurarsi di avere tolto questo liquido prima che le capesante vanno in padella, altrimenti finirà con capesante cotte al vapore. Se si usano quelli surgelati, scongelare lentamente in frigorifero per una notte, messi su un piatto con carta di cucina.
Le capesante freschi dovrebbero avere un buon profumo dolce e salmastro, non di pesce. Se sembrano troppo vecchi, scegliere quelli congelati.

2. Capesante non sono di colore bianco, piuttosto tra il beige o crema e rosa pallido. Quelli congelati, purtroppo, sono di solito abbastanza bianchi, significa che contengono un bel po di acqua e / o prodotti chimici.

3. Assicurarsi che le capesante hanno una superficie asciutta prima di cuocerli. Asciugarli sempre con un po di carta di cucina appena prima di metterli in padella.

4. Non mettere troppe capesante nella padella allo stesso tempo. Questo è ancora più importante quando si cucina quelli congelati. Controllare inoltre che la padella è calda prima di mettere le capesante.

5. NON stracuocere le capesante! Troppo tempo nella padella e si trasformano in delle palle di gomma orribile. Anzi, lasciarli ancora leggermente traslucidi nel centro.

Buon appetito!

 

Baby squid stuffed with pumpernickel and porcini mushrooms, served with bitter lemon and black pepper purée, caramelized salicornia.

 
 


Calamaretti ripieni di funghi porcini e pane nero, servito con purea amara di limone e pepe nero, salicornia (asparagi di mare) caramellata.

 

Salicornia is known by many names: beach asparagus, glasswort, samphire, sea beans. They are a succulent halophyte, (meaning it tolerates salt water) a plant which grows along beaches, marshes, and mangroves around the world. You will for example find salicornia near the high tide mark along sandy or pebbly beaches, usually between May and August.
The succulent knotted stems can be eaten fresh, they make a salty crunchy snack, and retain that pleasing crunch even after cooking. The flavor is subtle, a salty taste of the sea with a hint of wild green. You can steam them, boil them, sautee them, deep-fry them or blanch them and then serve with lemon and oil.
Its marine flavor makes it a perfect companion for fish and seafood.
Salicornia also make an excellent pickled garnish. Pickling means you can have it whenever inspiration strikes.

 

 

As the plane comes in for landing in Zanzibar town the most magnificent view comes into sight.
The amazing waters off the Zanzibar coast - from the deepest blue to the clearest turquoise sea one can imagine - dotted with small wooden boats. Palm-fringed white sandy beaches, and inland whole forests of coconut and banana trees. Along the water´s edge the typical african style beach huts - in contrast to the ornate colonial palaces and grand stone structures of Zanzibar town.

Zanzibar. Just the name by itself evokes exotic images and sensations.
A tropical top destination for honeymooners, beach-seekers and backpackers, this island is a jewel thrown into the Indian ocean just off the east coast of Tanzania. With a romantic calm and laid back atmosphere it´s the perfect place to forget about work, stress and problems of everyday life at home.
Known for having been an important trade center for spices and slaves, its paradise beaches and coral reefs, its interesting blend of different cultures and architecture styles, and for being the birthplace of Queen´s Freddy Mercury.
 

In the Empire game, the Portuguese and British took turns at leaving a mark on Zanzibar, but it was traders from Arabia, and in particular Oman, who had the most enduring influence on the island - not least by introducing Islam, now practised by 95 percent of the people. The population of Zanzibar today is an interesting mix of people from Africa, the Arab states, indians and europeans among others. All living side by side - most of them sharing the same religion.

In the 19th century Zanzibar rose as the center of a vast and rich empire, based on trade in spices and slaves. For the Omanis Zanzibar had an excellent position for trade in the Indian ocean. One can imagine the traffic of ships loaded with ivory tusks, spices and slaves in the Zanzibar ports in its heyday.
 

The single most important export was cloves. The demand for cloves, was during a short but intense period extremely high and allowed for making huge profits.
The clove industry on Zanzibar was largely wiped out by a hurricane in 1872. Today the plantations on Zanzibar are mainly for the tourist trade, but on nearby Pemba island the clove crop is still of great export value.
 

An island being composed by that many different cultures will of course have a very interesting cuisine. And it´s clear that the Zanzibar cuisine has had a lot of different influences over the years. A melting pot of african produce, asian love for potent spice mixtures and arab techniques.
 

Everywhere you go, the subtle perfumes lingering in the alleyways and backyards will reach you and hypnotize you. You just finished eating lunch, but funnily you feel hungry again… Garlic, ginger, chili, cardamom, curry, cinnamon, cloves. From kitchens and restaurants, a pot of boiling soup or an outside barbecue, so familiar but yet so exotic - there´s no escape from the magic scents that fills the air.

 
Pepper (Piper nigrum)
As for green, red and white and black pepper, all come from the same pepper berry. Green pepper is the freshly picked berry. For red pepper, the berry is left on the vine for one or two more months, where they turn red. The berries stay red when dried.
And for white pepper? The red berries are picked, soaked in water and the outer husk is removed. As the berries dry, they turn white.
Black pepper is the still unripe green pepper berry, picked and given a quick boil in water, then dried. The outer green layer, shrinks and darkens.
Which pepper is the hottest? That would be the green pepper, according to our guide, followed by white, then black. Red is the mildest.

 
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
This spice, named after the French word “clou” for nail, comes from the flowering nail-shaped buds.
The tree matures after about 8 years, and after that it can be harvested twice a year for about 50 years.
Harvesting is done by hand by pickers climbing the trees, gathering the small buds in baskets made of coconut leaves.
The cloves are dried for three to four days on mats in the sun, the buds turn a dark brown color and the spice is ready for use or sale.
 

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
This very common spice widely used around the world is actually the bark of the cinnamon tree. It has a incredibly long history used as perfume, medicine and spice. This tree is indigenous to Sri Lanka and that´s also where the biggest cultivation of cinnamon is to be found these days.
After the rainy season the smaller shoots of the tree are stripped of their bark. These sheets of bark are then put overlapping to dry in the sun. As the bark dries it will automatically curl up in the form of a cinnamon stick. The sticks are then cut to the right size. The small pieces and flakes that falls of during the process is then ground into cinnamon powder.
The people of Zanzibar does not only use the bark though, the whole plant can be used for different purposes. The leaves can be used fresh or dried in cooking and tea. The stems can be burnt as incense to give the house a nice perfume and keep mosquitoes away.
 

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
- is the seed of an evergreen tree native to the Molucca Islands. The tree produces 2 spices, both Nutmeg and mace, and grows up to 60 feet tall. Although the tree takes seven years to bear fruit, it may produce until the 90th year. Both spices come from the tree’s small yellow apple-like fruit(can be used to make jams), which splits into a red outer membrane, mace, and an inner brown seed, Nutmeg.
The spice has a wide variety of uses, apart from being used in sweet and savory cuisine around the world, the nutmeg oil also has some therapeutic uses.
 

Other spices present on Zanzibar are among others - ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, vanilla, annatto, cardamom, tamarind, menthol and ylang-ylang.