Bounties from the Land and Sea

Passport & Plate - Giardiniera

Italy | Thursday, March 5, 2015 | 3 photos

Ingredients
1 Kg Carrots
1 Kg Fennel
1.5 Kg Peppers
1.5 Kg Onions
1 Kg Cabbage
0.5 Kg Celery
1L Olive Oil
1 L Vinegar
0.5 Kg Sugar
Salt

 

How to prepare this recipe
The recipe as it was translated and given to me by Daniella's son...

Put in a pot: Olive oil, vinegar, salt and carrots and cook for 10 minutes.
Add onions, celery and fennel and cook for 5 minutes.
Add peppers and cabbage and cook for 15 minutes.
Turn off the stove and add the sugar.
Mix and cool down.

 

The story behind this recipe
My love for Giardiniera

In a tiny village in Northern Italy lies a very special Osteria run by the Fratti family. To locals it’s simply known as The Club House. The Club House is an extension of Daniella and Mon’s family kitchen and their children eat more meals in The Club House than they do in their family home. The Club House offers endless plates of delicious fare handcrafted each and every day depending on what’s in season or what the villagers have requested.

Whilst living in Noceto where my now husband played rugby, The Club House became like my second home. Every time I walked in there, my belly and heart filled with such anticipated glee of what was to come. I couldn’t wait to ask what was on the menu, taste the dishes or ask Daniella where the day’s ingredients came from. One of my favourite moments was walking in and seeing the Nonnas preparing the vegetables for the Giardiniera. Giardiniera is a special dish that often accompanied the Antipasto course at The Club House. Small bowls of delicately pickled vegetables would be placed on tables with ciabatta or freshly made focaccia and wafer thin slices of local Prosciutto. Over glasses of red wine, my husband would pile spoonfuls of the Giardiniera onto his focaccia whilst I would bundle them up within sheets of fresh prosciutto. These little pickles are one of my most vivid food memories of our time in Noceto and they will forever ignite visions of smiling Nonnas taking pleasure working in the family Osteria and hours spent lingering over honest food around a dinner table.

The Club House is as warm as its gracious hosts. Its sun filled walls are lined with images of local rugby heroes and their children and tables are adorned with crisp red and white tablecloths. While every single meal we ate at The Club House still ignites a yearning to re-create, it is the little bowls of Giardiniera that I will never forget and the dish that I would fly half way around the world to simply taste once again.