CHIANTI TUNA
This is a delicious appetizer or summer main course. Chianti Tuna is made from pork and does not contain fish. Very easy, but long, to prepare
By Donatella Cinelli Colombini #winedestination
Chianti Tuna Fattoria del Colle Toscana
In Tuscany many recipes have confusing names: the “mice” are stuffed courgette flowers, the “mock thrushes” are veal rolls, the Sienese Schiacciata is a very sophisticated dessert… Chianti tuna resembles the flavour of fish but actually contains pork and was actually born from the need to preserve meat in an era when there were no refrigerators so putting it “in oil” was a good way to prevent it from going bad.
It is thanks to the poet- butcher Dario Cecchini of Panzano that Chianti Tuna became famous , he brought it back from the ancient popular tradition.
It is served cold on toasted bread (preferably Tuscan, without salt) with a salad of tomatoes and capers or with boiled and seasoned cannellini beans. In popular tradition it is also accompanied by pickles and red onion but I prefer homemade mayonnaise.
I know well that the cooking wine should be the same that that accompanies the dish but, in this case, I recommend drinking a well-structured rosé such as the IGT Rosa di Tetto from Fattoria del Colle.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHIANTI TUNA FOR 4 PEOPLE
Pork (loin, or leg or shoulder) 600 g, Extra virgin olive oil, 1 l dry white wine, 250 g water, a few cloves of garlic, 6 bay leaves, 3 juniper berries, 4 sprigs of rosemary, black peppercorns, two or three handfuls of coarse salt
PREPARATION OF CHIANTI TUNA
Cut the pork into slices and then into large pieces, removing any fatty parts. Sprinkle the meat with coarse salt and let it rest in a bowl for three days in the refrigerator. This period is used to purge the meat. Then wash the pork under cold running water.
Place water and wine in a saucepan on the heat and boil, then add bay leaves, juniper and pepper. Add the meat and continue cooking for 5 hours over low heat.
As soon as the meat has cooled, remove it from the cooking liquid and shred it with your hands into smaller pieces. Fill a jar with the meat alternating with sprigs of rosemary, peppercorns and bay leaves. Finally, pour in extra virgin olive oil to completely cover the meat.
Closed jars can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks, with vacuum packing the preservation can last months.