September 21, 2017
The hottest food trend this summer
Uncover the rich culinary world of the Mediterranean island of Corsica
By Nicolas Stromboni, author of Corsica: The Recipes
Corsica is an island, a mountain, a plain, and a succession of partitioned valleys. Situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, it is a land of refuge that has given and received with the passage of time. It possesses an incomparable, unequalled treasure: a gastronomic heritage as rich as that of France.
I wanted to share with you the real Corsica – genuine, rich and filled with immense natural wealth. This is my everyday Corsica, with its endearing characters and excellent and unique produce. And, of course, to prove the value of our old and more modern recipes.
I hope that these recipes will make you want to visit Corsica and be part of its long tradition of sharing, refinement and serenity.
AJACCIO-STYLE LOBSTERS
Serves 4
Equipment: a bowl, a whisk, a sauté pan, an ovenproof dish
- 4 small lobsters
- 1 egg, separated
- olive oil
- pinch of saffron
- ½ bunch parsley, chopped
- a little orange zest
- small handful arba barona (wild caraway thyme) or thyme, leaves picked
- salt and black pepper
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) aged eau de vie or cognac
Place the lobsters in the freezer to send them to sleep.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
Split the lobsters lengthways and remove the tomalley, setting it aside.
Make a simple mayonnaise by whisking the egg yolk in a bowl and very slowly pouring in enough olive oil to obtain a smooth emulsion. Beat the egg white to soft peaks and gently fold it into the mayonnaise, along with the tomalley. Add some saffron threads.
Mix the parsley, orange zest with a little arba barona in a small bowl.
Brown the lobsters in some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and flambé them with the eau de vie.
Gently detach the flesh from the shell and slide a spoonful of the chopped herbs under each lobster.
Cover them with the saffron mayonnaise and give them 5 minutes in the oven. Eat straight away.
To drink: A two-year-old Chiesa Nera white from Clos Venturi.
Note: I had the opportunity to flambé this dish with a 1943 eau de vie, and I retain a very precise gastronomic memory of it. I don’t know if on that day it was the eau de vie or the scampi that struck me most … If you can’t find a slightly old eau de vie, don’t hesitate to use a good cognac – the scampi will repay you for it. You can serve this good-looking dish with a few jacket potatoes with saffron butter.
MURTOLI TART
Recipe by Jean Neel
Serves 4
Equipment: an electric mixer, an ovenproof dish, a tart ring base
- 50 g (1¾ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 50 g (1¾ oz) ground hazelnuts
- 100 g (3½ oz) butter
- 100 g (3½ oz) smoked Sartène cheese or parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 2 eggplants (aubergines)
- 2 zucchini (courgettes)
- 3 onions
- 8 tomatoes
- 190 ml (6½ fl oz/¾ cup) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- salt and pepper
- 350 g (12½ oz) fresh brocciu cheese or firm ricotta
- 10 g (¼ oz) marjoram and mint
The day before
In an electric mixer, combine the flour, ground hazelnuts, butter, cheese, egg and 2 teaspoons water. Form into a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
On the day
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Cut the eggplants, zucchini, onions and tomatoes into 5 mm (¼ in) slices and lay them, overlapping, in an ovenproof dish. Moisten with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F).
Roll out the dough to a 5 mm (¼ in) thick circle and line the base of a tart tin. Prick with a fork and bake until light brown.
Return the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). Mash the brocciu with a fork, then incorporate the olive oil and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Carefully arrange the roasted vegetables on the pastry, alternating the layers with brocciu. Scatter over a few pieces of brocciu to finish and bake for 20 minutes.
To drink: A rosé from Clos Canarelli.
Notes: I owe this recipe to Jean Neel, when he was the chef at Domaine de Murtoli, in Sartène. My friends and I were truly addicted to his cheese and hazelnut sable pastry in particular.
Of course, this recipe is seasonal, but I admit that when in winter I have the desire to recreate the ambiance of that vineyard on my plate, I crack and use vegetables that aren’t quite from the right season … But the pastry, that’s always there. This dish can be served warm or cold.
CHESTNUT FLOUR CAKES
Serves 8–10
Equipment: a bowl, a large saucepan, a skimmer
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) roasted chestnut flour
- pinch of salt, plus extra for dusting (optional)
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) warm water
- oil, for deep-frying
- sugar for dusting (optional)
In a bowl, mix the chestnut flour, salt and water.
Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a large saucepan to 190ºC (380ºF). Carefully lower tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil, turning them over after 1 minute. Remove them using a skimmer and drain on paper towel. Dust with sugar or salt as you wish and serve.
To drink: A syrupy Dulcinu red from Domaine d’Alzipratu.
Notes: This version could resemble fritelle castagnine, but they’re not at all the same. Farinati are often used instead of bread, to accompany a tomato salad or charcuterie. In a more modern version, raw tuna and olive oil would go well.
Corsica: The Recipes by Nicolas Stromboni (Smith Street Books, $59.99) features over 80 incredible Corsican recipes designed to be prepared in the home kitchen. On sale October 2017.