OMAR's LUGANO RECIPES
Fondue and Raclette
The Melted Cheese Dishes of the Alps
Fondue has spread its warm fingers all over the world. Many a restaurant, in some of the most unlikely places, advertise themselves as specializing in this treat. Raclette, which means 'to scrape' in French, has more a cult following. Both have their origins within the cold winters of the Alps. Both are centered around melted cheese, and let’s face it, it doesn’t get much better than melted cheese… Fondue is of course actually a sauce for dipping your goodies. Raclette is all about melting the cheese to enjoy with your accompaniments. Both were originally designed to enhance some very simple ingredients. From the ultimate peasant food of bread dipped in your fondue sauce, to the classic trio for Raclette of potatoes, pickled onions and gherkins. In this book I concentrate on Raclette.
Classic Ingredients
The most common expansion of the simple trio of potatoes, onion and gherkins is Cured meats – Prosciutto, French ham, and Soppresetta, all work great. Cornichons are a common substitute for gherkins. The pickled onions of a past era, are often substituted with diced onion. Every family, and each of the few restaurants that serve Raclette, have their traditions and variations. Some like to serve the goodies whole, others dice them up for you. You may encounter diced ham or a slice of prosciutto, or a slice that is rolled-up. Salami is popular in Germany and with its Diaspora.
Cooking potatoes for Raclette.
Some serve whole small potatoes. Others dice and boil—the smaller the potato, the more skin per dice—the more color and flavor. If you happen to be serving some old-world potatoes, heirlooms that have not been hybrid, you can just slice boil and serve. For our modern, high starch potatoes, you need to handle them with more care. Dice, boil and then, when they just start to soften, drain and run cold water over them. This will swish away some of their starch, assist their ability to keep some texture, and help them keep some of their skin color. Test them as they boil, you want the perfect mean-not too hard, not too soft.
Grilling the Raclette Cheese
What makes Raclette Cheese so appropriate is how well it holds together as it softens. French Raclette is from the mountainous Jura region that borders the Alps and includes Franche-Comte, Savoie and Haute Savoie. It's a washed rind cheese. The Swiss cheeses come from any of little towns in the uppermost cantons of the Swiss Alps, and it arrives encased in traditional wax. The modern Raclette grill is double layered. It has a top grill for heating the goodies, as well as an underside with two, three or four small square shaped grills, with handles for grilling/melting a slice of cheese. This way you can spatula the warm food onto a plate, then top with the warm cheese. For the cheese, you want to look for that moment when its natural opaque color starts to turn glossy. It is very common to prepare the goodies beforehand, serving them buffet style at room temperature. Guests are encouraged to plate their own choices and then receive their raclette warm and gooey to order. The bottom line is if you have a Raclette grill, and some Raclette cheese, you could put just about anything on the plate and when you add that slice of gooey cheese, life will instantly be better.
Expanded goodies
Popular additions are colorful peppers and tomatoes. A Mediterranean twist of olives is a fun variation. Roast garlic, grilled eggplant, the possibilities are rather endless. It is quite hard to find something that doesn’t pair well with melted cheese, so have fun with it.
Alternatives to a Raclette grill
I have been served Raclette in a restaurant using a vertical spit like in a Gyro or Taco restaurant where they carve off slices of meat as it turns around the source of heat. With a slab of Raclette cheese this is quite a skilled event. I once did a Raclette serving using only a blow torch and my trusty chef knife. It made for quite a show but honestly, this technique cannot out do the quality of using a Raclette grill. But it was fun😊
Beverages with Raclette
Most common is a dry white wine, though, there are those who believe this dish is a wonderful pair with some of the higher in sugar German wines. Both work for me. I’m sure there are plenty of palettes that would also enjoy this dish with some bubbles such as prosecco. A rosé or a light red wine is also a pleasure with raclette. I also understand that many families have a tradition of serving their Raclette with
herbal or black teas. It is said that tea helps stimulate the digestion.
Aperitivo Recipes
Aperol Spritz
By far the most commonly ordered cocktail during any aperitivo, the Aperol spritz is to Italian summer what Pimm’s is to British summer. It’s incredibly refreshing, low in alcohol (unlike the more boisterous negroni) and easy to make – three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol and a splash of soda water. Some people add a shot of gin, too, but if you’re looking for a light drink to enjoy in the sun, stick with the original. It’s the pinnacle of 1950s Italian chic.
Negroni
Arguably Italy’s most famous cocktail, the negroni oozes sophistication. It’s also incredibly simple to make – equal parts gin, Campari and red vermouth poured over ice with an orange garnish. The origin of the drink (as with most of Italy’s famous cocktails) is hazy, but most generally agree that it emerged in Florence around 1919. It certainly packs a punch – one is plenty for most people before dinner – but the sweet, bitter flavors combine into a wonderfully refreshing drink. Some bartenders have a favorite Vermouth for this classic, have fun with it!
Hugo
Despite the simplicity of this cocktail, it’s only been around since 2005, when South Tyrolean bartender Roland Gruber combined a shot of lemon balm syrup in a wine glass and topped it up with tonic water and Prosecco. The name was picked at random – he originally thought about calling it Otto but thought it sounded too German. By 2011, it had spread not only throughout northern Italy but also Austria and Germany, with elderflower syrup (or cordial) substituting for the lemon balm, soda or sparkling mineral water often replacing the tonic and fresh lime and mint added for garnish. Light, sweet, refreshing.
Americano
The negroni might get all the attention in the world of Italian cocktails, but it would never have existed without the americano, invented in the 1860s. Combining Campari, sweet vermouth and soda water, it was created in Caffé Campari – a bar owned by Gaspare Campari (the creator of the famous liqueur) in honor of Primo Carnera, the first non-American boxer to win the world heavyweight championship in the USA (hence the name). A nice, slight variation of a Negroni.
Peach Bellini
If there’s one thing you simply have to sip on when visiting Venice, it’s a bellini. Created at the legendary Harry’s Bar in the city in 1945, it’s named after the Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini. Supposedly due to its rosy pink color which was common to Bellini’s art. It is still popular in Venice today. Including still at the intimate Harry’s, just off the Grand Canal, which is still known for its Bellini cocktails, carpaccio & celebrity clientele. The peach purée is traditionally made with white peaches, which are only in season in late summer and autumn, but you can find frozen purée year-round (white peaches are sweeter and more delicate than yellow peaches). It is traditionally served in a champagne flute (often chilled). The cocktail is especially popular during brunch and summer events.
As you see, Prosecco can be used in many cocktails including Spritz, Negroni, Veneziano, Mimosas, Sbagliato, and Rossini. It's a versatile sparkling wine that pairs well with a lot of flavors.
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