Bollito Misto


Babbo Cookbook
by Mario Batali, 2002, Clarkson Potter

“There is probably no more satisfying dish during cold weather than this bollito misto (“mixed boil”). This is exactly the kind of dish I love to order at a good restaurant. Many restaurants in Italy serve this from an elaborate rolling cart equipped with a perforated plate that lifts the meats out of the simmering broth
for carving. Do not be daunted; this is really a one-pot dish that ‘cooks easy’ if
you have the time to watch it.”

A word about the ingredients: It is my hope that you will attempt this marvelous recipe anyway – even with you cannot obtain (or do not want) a calf’s tongue.
The same goes for capon and cotechino sausage. Any appropriate substitutions
you might choose to make will still produce a delicious meal, although some-
what less authentic. We checked Marcella Hazan’s ‘Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking’ to see what she offers. It came as no surprise that she calls for a beef tongue as well. Her recipe is quite similar to Mario’s, except that she specifies a
3 1/2-pound chicken rather than a capon, omits the sweet Italian sausages and
adds 3 pounds veal breast with the short ribs in. Marcella also offers quite an education on the subject of cotechino:
”A specialty of Emilia-Romagna, and particularly of the town of Modena,
cotechino is a fresh pork sausage about 3 inches in diameter and 8 to 9
inches long. The name comes from ‘cotica’, pork rind, a major component…
A properly cooked and skillfully made cotechino is exquisitely tender, with
a succulent consistency that is almost creamy, and a sweeter taste than you
might expect from any pork sausage. Butchers and delicatessens specializing
in Italian food sell cotechino, but what sausage-makers outside Italy produce
is leaner, drier, and saltier than the Modenese archetype, closer is style to a
French saucisson…”

Serves 6

1 calf’s tongue
2 quarts brown chicken stock (recipe follows)
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped, plus
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 6 pieces
1 onion, coarsely chopped, plus 1 onion,
peeled and cut into 6 pieces
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1-pound piece of beef brisket
1 whole capon, cut into 6 serving pieces
1-pound piece of cotechino sausage
6 sweet Italian sausages
6 small new potatoes

Condiments
1/2 Salsa Rossa (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Cranberry Mostarda (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Chianti Mustard (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Salsa Verde (recipe follows)
1/4 cup coarse sea salt

1. Place the tongue in a large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil,
then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and, when cool,
peel off the membrane.
2. In a large stockpot, combine all but 1 cup of the chicken stock and
the chopped carrot, onion, and celery and bring to a boil. Add the
tongue and brisket, cover, and cook until very tender, about 1 1/2
hours. Remove the meat from the cooking liquid and set aside. Add
the capon pieces and cook for 15 minutes, then add the cotechino,
Italian sausages, the remaining cup of chicken stock, the carrot and
onion chunks, and the potatoes. Cook for an additional 25 minutes.
3. Return the tongue and brisket to the pot to simmer for 20 minutes
and warm through. Divide the meats and vegetables into portions
and distribute them evenly among six warmed, shallow bowls.
Strain the cooking liquid and pour a cupful over each portion of
meat. Serve with all of the condiments.
 

Brown Chicken Stock

Makes 2 1/2 quarts

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Bones, wings, and scraps of 3 whole chickens,
excess fat removed
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Stems of 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil until smoking. Add the chicken bones and scraps and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken parts and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken bones to the pot and
add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley, stirring
to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetable bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook at a low simmer for
2 hours, until reduced by half, occasionally skimming excess fat. After
cooking, remove from heat and strain out all solids, pressing them with
the bottom of a ladle to extract all liquids. This can be frozen for up to
1 month.

Salsa Rossa

Makes 1 1/2 cups

4 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cored
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the peppers in the bowl of a food processor. Purée while slowly drizzling in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Cranberry Mostarda

Makes 3 cups

2 cups granulated sugar
1 pound cranberries
3 tablespoons Colman’s dry mustard
1 teaspoon mustard oil (available at specialty stores)
2 tablespoons black mustard seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and cook over high heat for 10 minutes,
or until the cranberries are just beginning to burst.
While the cranberries are cooking, place the mustard in a small bowl and
add water to form a thin paste. Add the mustard oil, black mustard seeds,
and salt and pepper. Stir this mixture into the berries and cook over high
heat until the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Remove from
the heat and allow to cool. The mostarda can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Chianti Mustard

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup coarse-grained mustard
1/2 cup chianti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, chianti, and olive oil
and whisk well to combine.

Salsa Verde

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
1 bunch of fresh mint, leaves only
1 bunch of fresh basil, leaves only
1/2 cup capers, rinsed and drained
2 salt-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the herbs, capers, anchovies, mustard, salt, sugar, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic, and pulse to
form a coarse purée. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive
oil to form a relatively smooth purée that still has some personality.
Season with salt and pepper. The salsa can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 week.
 

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