17-10-2014
Davide Oldani of D'O in Cornaredo (Milan) and Lee Wolen, chef and partner at Boka in Chicago, the authors of the last of the two lessons scheduled for the first edition of Identità Chicago. The theme: olives (photos Brambilla/Serrani)
After truffle – the theme of the morning workshop with Ugo Alciati and Tony Mantuano – the ingredient chosen to discuss made in Italy on the banks of Lake Michigan is olives. Indeed they are one of the most crucial gastronomic elements in Italian cuisine, however – as rightly pointed out by Paolo Marchi, who introduced the final session of the first edition of Identità Chicago – they are normally considered as a condiment and rarely as a central element of the dish.
Black olives and soused turbot by Davide Oldani
The cauliflower is simply cooked in a pan until it gets brown on each side and is paired with a mayonnaise (prepared in a mixer with 3 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of mustard, one coffee cup of dehydrated olives and three coffee cups of vine seed oil), bread crumbs with oregano to give a crispy component, chopped olives, toasted almonds and figs cut into small slices and previously dipped in a vinaigrette with Sherry vinegar. A surprising dish, very light and with very clean flavours.
Lee Wolen’s cauliflower, roasted and served with olives, oregano and figs
READY FOR EXPO. Davide Oldani with Eataly's Dino Borri
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Born in Rome, wine and food writer for Il Sole 24Ore, La Repubblica and L’Uomo Vogue. He's a lecturer at Iulm and Food Media for several American colleges. Twitter @fdecesareviola