07-10-2015
The protagonists of the last lesson in Chicago: Cristina Bowerman of Glass Hostaria in Rome and Giuseppe Tentori, chef from Milan working in Chicago for over 20 years, and, among other things, chef at GT Fish & Oyster, 4 blocks away from Eataly Chicago
After a previous edition in New York, Cristina Bowerman for the first time gets on the stage in Chicago. She’s beaming: «I found extraordinary ingredients here, and very representative of what I wanted to make». After Beck’s and Zimmermann’s pasta, risotto is under the spotlight and the chef prepares it in two versions, and orthodox and an unorthodox one. The first, Carnaroli creamed with Grana Padano, with Villa Manodori balsamic vinegar and black truffle, is a summary of how this American-Apulian woman working in Rome (Glass Hostaria) conceives this dish. First of all, one needs to point that «Risotto is a technique, not a recipe», a delicate process with tactics you need to follow strictly. So let’s note down that «The broth must be poured slowly: the ideal broth/rice ratio is 1.4 litres per 1 kg». Then: «You should never stir it until half the cooking and even in the second half you shouldn’t stir too much as you could spoil the grains: proceed delicately». «To let it better evaporate, the pan must be as large as possible». Wood or metal spoon? «It makes no difference: risotto is not sensitive to the temperature of the ladle». From theory to tasting, which gets the audience in ecstasy.
Carnaroli risotto creamed with Grana Padano, with Villa Manodori balsamic vinegar and black truffle by Cristina Bowerman
Milanese Giuseppe Tentori, the second speaker in the last lesson of Identità overseas, was charmed by the States when he was only 19, 21 years ago. He was cooking at Rampina when an American colleague found him a job in the pasta station in his restaurant in Illinois. Since then, it’s been a crescendo in stars and stripes: Metropolitan in Salt Lake City, beside the great Charlie Trotter in Chicago for 9 years, executive chef at Boka and in 2011, the opening of GT Fish & Oyster, a very popular establishment serving traditional fish with influences from all around, only 4 blocks from Eataly Chicago.
Bruschetta with avocado and grilled prawns by Giuseppe Tentori
The events you cannot miss and all the news of topical interest from the food planet
by
born in Milan, 1973, freelance journalist, coordinator of Identità Golose World restaurant guidebook since 2007, he is a contributor for several magazines and teaches History of gastronomy and Culinary global trends into universities and institutes. twitter @gabrielezanatt instagram @gabrielezanatt