Sparacino’s Cibreo

The series of recipes that got to the finals of Premio Birra Moretti Grand Cru 2014 also continues in 2015. On this occasion we return to Tuscany, not only because Alberto Sparacino works near Siena, but most of all because he has opened his mini-menu for the finals with a new interpretation of a regional classic. Here is how he describes his dish.

My mini-menu opens with Veal Cibreo. The classic version included entrails (rooster liver, gizzard, crests and wattle) in a stew together with agretti. My version, instead, keeps the liver (the bitter note) cooked as in a Royale, in addition to the heart and kidney included as a meat sauce which add the umami flavour and give the tenaciousness that the dish requires. The brain, which has a creamy texture, is glazed with veal jus. All this is united with the Birra Moretti Radler zabaglione which, because of its acidity, puts the ingredients together and becomes a trait d’union together with the garlic (the sweet note) and the parsley.

Alberto Sparacino, chef at restaurant Il Colombaio (Casole d’Elsa, Siena)

Cibreo – the veal that wanted to be a chicken


Recipe for 8 people

INGREDIENTS
For the veal liver Royale
300 g veal liver
Salt and pepper
3 eggs
4 egg yolks
70 cl cream
Juice of half a lemon
15 cl chicken stock
½ garlic clove

For the veal brain
500 g veal brain
Salt and pepper
water

For the heart and kidneys
200 g heart
200 g kidneys
Milk
2 white onions
1 bunch of rosemary and sage
Salt and pepper
Chicken stock
White wine

For the Birra Moretti Radler zabaglione
1 egg yolk
1 bottle of Birra Moretti Radler
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice

For the garlic cream
4 heads of garlic
Milk
Cream
Salt and pepper

For the parsley cream
1 bunch of parsley
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

For the lemons candied in salt
8 lemons
Cooking salt
Bay leaves

As a pairing, the chef chose Birra Moretti La Rossa

METHOD
For the veal liver Royale
Clean the veal liver by soaking it in milk overnight. Blend all the ingredients with a hand blender, strain with a colander and move the mixture into the moulds. Cook in a bain-Marie for 20 minutes at around 90°C. Chill so it will be easier to remove from the moulds

For the veal brain
Spread the brain in acid, salted water for around 6-7 minutes. Cool and then remove the external peel.

For the heart and kidneys
Clean the kidneys by soaking them in milk overnight. Sauté the onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil and once the onion has sweat add herbs, kidneys and heart. Brown on a high heat, then reduce the heat, add the chicken stock and continue to cook for around 2 hours until tender.

For the Birra Moretti Radler zabaglione
Put the egg yolk, the salt and the beer into a bowl. Start to whisk and then place on a bain-Marie. Continue to whisk energetically until you obtain a homogenous and smooth cream.

Fro the garlic cream
Blanch the garlic cloves (deprived of their heart) in milk for at least six times. Move the cloves into a glass and blend them adding cream and salt to the mixture.

For the parsley cream
Blanch the parsley leaves in lots of salted water. Cool in water and ice then drain and dry the leaves carefully. Move to a glass and emulsify with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.

For the lemon candied in salt
You will need a hermetic container
Put the scored lemons in a large tin covering them with cooking salt and bay leaves. Place in a fresh place, away from the sun, for around six months.

To finish
Brown the brain on a high heat so as to create an external crust. Place the beer zabaglione and the various creams on the dish, in a circle. On top of that, following the drawing, place the brain, the Royale with the heart and kidneys meat sauce. Finish by covering with some veal jus, some bread croutons, and sprouts and the lemon candied in salt.