Davide Oldani: blood explorations

Davide Oldani is a veteran and coeval of Identità Milano: this year the congress reaches its 13th edition, his D’O turns 14. Yet since last June he’s moved 50 metres to the back: «It took us a few years but finally we’ve managed to build the more ambitious vehicle that Paolo Marchi had been invoking for a long time». Not without difficulties: «I thought we’d adapt sooner, but now we’re up to speed».

The new location in Cornaredo follows the home concept, explains Oldani on stage with the trusted Alessandro Procopio and Costantino: «There’s the kitchen and the dinette – don’t call it a chef’s table – a lounge and a veranda and even a studio for experiments, for which we invest 5% of revenues». The dishes presented in this morning lesson come from that very test kitchen. «They’re 3 new touches of Lombard cuisine», following Riso e zafferano, the emblematic dish from Expo 2015.

The first of the 3 dishes presented explores a great classic from Milan/Brianza/Lombardy, namely Cassoeula, «We wondered: can we keep the original flavour while making this recipe more elegant, light and modern?» The basic ingredients are the classic ones: «Jowl bacon and pork rind, salamino verzino and veal blood». The blood is processed in the laboratory centrifuge: «By using a speed of 7500 km/second, we separated whey from platelets and white and red blood cells». Unexpectedly, the whey is albuminous, «Something that made me immediately think of eggs. So I thought of whisking it and make a meringue». With the other residual half he created a very classic civet, a very velvety and tasty sauce. Tradition and future.

The other important component of this cassoeula is the way it’s presented: «I was inspired by my daughter who’s not yet 3. She always enjoys licking the plate at the end. This is why I designed a long and narrow plate, with two potholders so you can lift it». On top of it, he draws a thin layer of civet sauce, cabbage and onion, which you must lick from the top to the bottom. On the side there are two fragments of china, each piece is a dish by itself. On top of one piece, there’s rib and jowl bacon, on top of the other a syphoned verzino and the pork rind. Next to them, a dehydrated and then fried cabbage wafer. «I’ve always hated blood. This way I’ve broken a taboo».

In the second tasting, the albuminous whey is whisked with sugar so as to make a meringue which is then spread and dehydrated. On top of this, Oldani places a ganache of 74% chocolate made with two crus. «At the new D’O we also use a little caviar – it’s a first for us». The dish, beautiful and delicious in its harmonic contrasts, is called Sanguinaccio “Masapan”.

The third dish is the result of the same attempt to give a new shape to a classic from Lombardy that risks extinction: cartilage. The damp gelatine is reduced, making a thick juice that is then poured into a non-stick pan. This results in a crispy and very versatile wafer: «By adding salt, it’s a great aperitif; with sugar it’s perfect for petit fours». He completes it with a white coffee mousse. Even in this case, served on fragments of porcelain. Unrepeatable shapes.