Zeroing in on waste and multiplying the ingredient's nuances of expression: this is the goal of Salvatore Morello, who brings together as many cultures in his dish as he does flashes of inventiveness. Inkiostro's chef reveals the recipe for his Pecora Cornigliese, morchelle, teriyaki.
The chef and the philosophy
Few chefs, like Salvatore Morello, know how to unite in marriage the gastronomic promises of France, Italy and Asia, bridging the geographic distance with cross-cultural tastings. At Inkiostro's, it is now a practice that dictates the menu, between Japanese techniques applied to first fruits and sensitivity to the “flagship products” of Emilia-Romagna.
Not surprisingly, the Calabrian-born chef-awarded a Michelin star at Fine Dining in Parma-wanted to split the menu into two opposing and specular tastings, one titled after the sign and the other summed up by the Japanese expression Ikygai. A term, the latter, that takes a philosophical turn to recall “the meaning of life” in each of its concrete gestures, weaving a dense web of meaning from thought to bite. Thus, for Morello the dish becomes a vector of novelty as well in recipes linked to characteristic ingredients; this is the case of Pecora Cornigliese, whose total use gives rise to a 100% no-waste course.
The dish: Cornigliese sheep, morchelle, teriyaki
“I chose a marinade in teriyaki sauce so that the meat loses the strong hints typical of the animal; thus, a full, but softer and gentler taste remains, enriched in part by references to the Orient,” the chef explains. This is followed by a double cooking process, baked and barbecued; senonché, in addition to the special treatment of the lamb backs, Morello makes a praline based on raw sweetbreads and braised thighs, properly enhancing each individual element: “In fact, the processed belly confit goes to form a paste reminiscent of fried meatballs, so as to vary the texture and minimize the excess.”
Not only that, “The same rule applies to the vegetable. For example, from the cabbage we obtain the heart, subjecting it to a slow 'Japanese-style' braising process that leaves the juices all inside. The blanched leaves will then go into making rolls with morchelle (assimilated to morels, ed.).” The mushrooms return, in turn, in a compote with culatello, the main salume of the Parma region. Because, Inkiostro's chef adds, “ours is meant to be both an identifiable and immediate proposal, where nothing is experimental but good food”. The pairing by sommelier Luciano Palmieri ranges from a 2000 Bordeaux to an Aglianico del Vulture or a Taurasi, depending on the pairing orientation. “Basically, we opt for somewhat mature reds, with medium structure character."
A scenic second course that we recommend you try directly at Inkiostro in Parma, where it features on the spring menu. Wanting to try your hand at Salvatore Morello's recipe, here are doses and key steps to try replicating it at home.
RECIPE
Ingredients for 4 people
LAMB JUS
- 1.5 l lamb stock
- 300 g paratura
- 200 g shallots
- 200 g champignons
- 200 ml truffle juice
- 180 g teriyaki sauce
- 50 g celeriac
- 50 g carrots
- 50 g butter
- 50 g foie gras terrine
- 8 peppercorns
- 3 allspice berries
Roast the parings for about 20 minutes at 160°C. Meanwhile, slice the shallots, slice the champignon mushrooms, and dice the celeriac and carrots. Toast them along with the foie gras terrine, peppercorns, and allspice berries. Drizzle with the truffle juice and teriyaki sauce, and aggregate the parings.
Add the lamb stock and let it cook for about an hour. Strain the resulting sauce and finish the process by blending in the butter.
CABBAGE PUREE AND ROLL
- 200 g of cabbage
- 80 g of morchelle
- 40 g Japanese Negi spring onion oil
- 20 g lemon oil
Remove the outer leaves, blanch them in water and freeze them in ice. Meanwhile, bake the heart of the salted cabbage in the oven at 210° C for 6 hours. Blend it to a smooth cream. Keep 35 g of it for later preparation of the morchelle and culatello compote. With the remaining part, shape rolls with the sautéed morchelle and, later, pare them down.
Complete the preparation by wrapping the rolls with previously blanched cabbage leaves seasoned with lemon and Japanese Negi spring onion oil.
MORCHELLE AND CULATELLO COMPOTE
- 150 g of morchelle
- 100 g of cabbage leaves
- 35 g cabbage puree
- 30 g of culatello
- 30 g shallots
- 20 g balsamic vinegar 16 years old
- 20 g walnut oil
- 2 lemons (zest)
- 2 oranges (zest)
Brown the shallots and culatello in a pan before adding the morchelle. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and add the previously blanched kale leaves, walnut oil, and grated lemon and orange zest. Complete by adding and blending the previously made kale puree.
LAMB PRALINE
- 200 g braised legs of lamb
- 100 g raw lamb sweetbreads
- 75 g of morchelle and culatello compote
- 75 g of cabbage
- 50 g lamb stock
- 20 g shallot vinegar
- Parsley and spinach powder to taste.
Blend the ingredients to make a paste with which to fill molds, and blast chill. Fry the pralines by dipping them first in egg and then in parsley and spinach powder.
MORCHELLE MOUSSE
- 150 g of salted cooked potatoes
- 105 g of morchelle
- 50 g truffle juice
- 75 g of cream
- 15 g dark butter
Cook the ingredients in the Thermomix for 6 minutes at 80°C. Sift the resulting mixture and strain it into the siphon.
CABBAGE JELLY
- 400 g cabbage juice
- 10 g agar agar
- Apple juice to taste
- Apple vinegar to taste
- Salt to taste.
Clarify the base of cabbage juice, salt, juice and apple cider vinegar before gelling by adding the agar agar. Cup into desired shape.
MARINATING AND COOKING THE LAMB
- 6 lamb backs
- 350 g chicken base
- 350 g teriyaki sauce
- 150 g kombu vinegar
- 50 g acacia honey
- Spices to taste
After maturing the meat for three weeks, de-bone the lamb and marinate 8 to 15 minutes--depending on the seasoning of the meat--in a solution with chicken base, teriyaki sauce, kombu vinegar, acacia honey and spices previously left to steep for 45 minutes. Cook the lamb in a pan to seal the meat before completing cooking in a 200°C oven for a few minutes.
Allow the lamb to rest in a maintainer at 58° C for 45 minutes. Before serving, complete the cooking of the meat with a quick barbecue pass.
FINISHING
On the compote of morchelle and culatello lay the lamb, on which place the cabbage jelly decorated with the puree of the same vegetable, sautéed morchelle and microgreens. Arrange alongside the praline
of lamb, the cabbage roll and the morchelle mousse. Complete at the table with the lamb jus.
Address
Inkiostro
Via S. Leonardo, 124, 43123 Parma PR
Phone: 0521 776047
