THE MOZARTIAN GOURMET: APRIL 2018

Mozart lived in Milan for a certain period between 1770 and 1773, producing there 3 important operas, Mitridate Re di Ponto (1770), Ascanio in Alba (1771), Lucio Silla (1772).

During that period, Mozart and his father must have certainly eaten the typical Milan Rice dish, already very famous there: Risotto alla Milanese, but in a version rather different from the modern one, with a typical Bacon Sausage called Cervellato di Milano and Capon, instead of modern Beef Bone Marrow.

Enjoy these original Mozartian recipes!

The English modern version of these recipes is an exclusive property of MozartCircle.

	Mozart & the Art of Rice, Parmigiano and Saffron!	The Rice Series No. 1 1. Rice Milanese (1773) 2. Rice Parmegiana (1773)	A series of famous rice recipes which were already very popular, when Mozart & his father Leopold visited Italy for the first time in 1770!
DIFFICULTY: Do not overcook Risotto!... Do not burn Risotto!		1. RICE MILANESE (1773) This is the most famous Rice recipe from the city of Milan, where Mozart, young, worked for a while as opera composer for the local Opera Theatre (Teatro Regio Ducal), before the new Theatre La Scala was inaugurated in 1778 with an opera by Salieri. INGREDIENTS: This recipe is still very popular today, but in a rather different version, which requires Midollo di Bue (Beef Bone Marrow), instead of that ancient Milan Bacon Sausage, called Cervellato di Milano, which is a rarity today or rather a totally lost treasure of the Italian Cuisine: in fact the last type of Milan Cervellato was produced a few years ago by a famous butcher's shop in Milan, then, when the butcher's shop closed its activity, the Cervellato disappeared defenitively. Serving 4 people... Meat Stock (1l./2l.; it must be made with Capon meat, the Cervellato Bacon Sausage, and, at least, 50gr. onions, 80gr. butter, 1dl. white wine, 1 small finely minced clove of garlic, salt and crushed pepper; since the Cervellato Sausage does not exist any more, just prepare a similar sausage by yourself by using 200gr. mid-fine minced pork belly bacon meat, without pieces from the skin of the pig, and by adding finely crushed cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, 100gr. grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese and a pinch of saffron: this way you have prepared your home-made Milan Cervellato. REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST SERVE, IN EACH DISH, SMALL PIECES OF CAPON AND SLICES OF CERVELLATO SAUSAGE WITH THE RICE.) Rice (320gr., i.e. 80gr. per person; it must be a Superfino Rice type, ie. Carnaroli or, according to someone, a Semifino type, ie. Vialone Nano) Saffron (0,1/0,2gr. if powder; 5gr. if saffron threads. REMEMBER THAT THE SAFFRON, IN ANY CASE, MUST BE NEVER ADDED TO THE RICE DIRECTLY... NEVER. FIRST YOU HAVE TO ADD THE SAFFRON TO THE MEAT STOCK UNTIL IT HAS COMPLETELY COLOURED THE MEAT STOCK. WHEN THE MEAT STOCK IS READY ADD THE MEAT STOCK TO THE RICE.) METHOD: 1. Prepare the meat stock and when it is ready, do not add the saffron, but prepare a pan where to cook the Rice (Risotto). 2. Since the modern Italian style of cooking the Rice (Risotto) was invented just a few years before 1773, you can use the usual method of preparing the Risotto, but in this case, instead of preparing a soffritto, use 2-3 tablespoons of meat stock. 3. Let the Rice cook in the 2-3 tablespoons of meat stock. Always stir the Rice with a wooden spoon. When the Rice has absorbed all the stock, you can add the saffron to the meat stock, until the whole meat stock has received a wonderful yellow-reddish colour. 4. Now you can pour a good ladle of meat stock in the pan with the Rice. Let the Rice cook and always stir with the wooden spoon. 5. When you see that the meat stock has been absorbed by the Rice, add another good ladle of meat stock. Always stir the Rice with the wooden spoon. Go on in this way for ca. 16-18 min. (both for Carnaroli and for Vialone Nano), when your Rice will be ready. REMEMBER NEVER TO OVERCOOK OR TO BURN THE RICE... OTHERWISE YOU'LL HAVE TO RESTART FROM THE BEGINNING. While working the Rice in this way, check and adjust salt and pepper to taste. 6. In the case of the RICE MILANESE the Rice (Risotto) must be never too dry nor too liquid, but must maintain some sort of good viscous fluidity, when you are ready to serve it. THIS IS AN ART. 7. When you serve the Rice, put, in each dish, the rice and some small pieces of Capon and slices of Cervellato Bacon Sausage (but, obviously now absolutely without their meat stock), and, if you think necessary, another 15gr. of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese per person.	RISO ALLA MILANESE Nel brodo di Cappone, e Cervellato di Milano, tinto di zafferano si faccia cuocere il Riso,che si servirà brodoso,e non troppo cotto. CERVELLATO DI MILANO Per due libre di panzetta di Porco ben tritulata fuor della cotica vi si mettono oncie due e mezza tra cannella, noce moscata, e garofani, libra una di cacio Parmegiano grattato, oncie quattro acqua garofanata, con varie gocciole d’oglio di garofani, ed alcuni vi mettono ancora della passerina. Tutto mescolato se n’empino le budella, prima tinte in acqua di zafferano, e si conservano ad uso.
		2. RICE PARMEGIANA (1773) This recipe, unfortunately, is a wonderful but lost recipe, since it does not exist in the Italian cuisine any more... It survives only in the old 18th century books. Serving 4 people... INGREDIENTS: Meat Stock (1l./2l.; Capon meat, 1 onion, 2 crushed cloves, pepper, salt, crushed parsley, 1 carot, a few slices of celery, 1 bay laurel leaf) Rice (320gr., i.e. 80gr. per person; it must be a Superfino Rice type, ie. Carnaroli or, according to someone, a Semifino type, ie. Vialone Nano) Egg yolks (fresh; 2 egg yolks per person, so 8 egg yolks. Check the type of eggs you are using, because to obtain the best result, the yolks must be fresh and the colour of the yolks must be rather an intense red/orange instead of yellow) Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano Cheese (100gr.; grated) Butter (100gr.) Salt Pepper (crushed) METHOD: 1. Since the modern Italian style of cooking the Rice (Risotto) was invented just a few years before 1773, you can use the usual method of preparing the Risotto, but in this case, instead of preparing a soffritto, use 2-3 tablespoons of meat stock. Moreover, follow the instructions for the previous recipe about the method of cooking the Rice (Risotto) and the time necessary for a good result (ca. 16-18 min.). 2. Let the Rice cook in the 2-3 tablespoons of meat stock, instead of the soffritto. Always stir the Rice with a wooden spoon. When the Rice has absorbed all the stock, pour a good ladle of Capon Stock in the pan. Let the Rice cook and always stir with the wooden spoon. 3. When you see that the Capon Stock has been absorbed by the Rice, add another good ladle of Capon Stock. Always stir the Rice with the wooden spoon. Go on in this way for ca. 16-18 min. (both for Carnaroli and for Vialone Nano), when your Rice will be ready. REMEMBER NEVER TO OVERCOOK OR TO BURN THE RICE... OTHERWISE YOU'LL HAVE TO RESTART FROM THE BEGINNING. While working the Rice in this way, check and adjust salt and pepper to taste. 4. When the Rice (Risotto) is almost ready, add the butter, the grated Parmigiano Reggiano/Grana Padano cheese, the 8 yolks. 5. Now stir the Rice (Risotto), until you get a wonderful red/orange cream of Rice and cheese. 6. The Rice (Risotto) must maintain some typical sort of good viscous fluidity (like a wonderful cream), when you are ready to serve it.	RISO ALLA PARMEGIANA Cotto il Riso nel brodo di Cappone, si condirà di butirro, e si servirà legato con parmegiano, e gialli d’uova.