In some dinner with friends, it will surely have happened that someone asked you: "But do you like liver alla Veneta?", we can imagine that many have answered yes. But it's all a matter of words. Tell us a little if instead of the guts they said "you like them entrails? "Probably many would have hesitated to answer … But why this? The reason is that many do not know what this particular is made of food category, often also for a choice of tastes.
The name offal, in common parlance, entrails, derives from the Latin past participle of the verb frangere, fractus, that is, all the small and broken parts, i.e. the fresh parts inside the carcass. Another typical name is fifth quarter, i.e. the "food quarter", understood as the set of edible cuts that are obtained from the animal in addition to the classic four quarters into which it is divided. The most common offal are beef, veal and pork, even if, especially in regional kitchens, those are used ovine, caprine, equine, poultry and others e They are divided into white and red. To the former belong: brains, sweetbreads and tripe. The reds are instead liver, spleen, kidney, tongue and heart. Let's not forget the offal also have some advantages at a nutritional level: they have a good one excellent protein content and mineral salts
Uses and cooking
Once these cuts were intended to set the tables of the peasants, therefore a substantially poor cuisine, understood as "recovery kitchen". Today, however, this is back to peep out, even more: it is preferred come on more refined restaurants who have resumed telling it and proposing it on their plates. Robust is an example of this cassoeula (ribs, rind, foot and ears cooked with cabbage and sausage) typical of "low" Lombard, as well as the French cassoulet (with beans), i Tuscan livers, i beans with Lazio pork rinds. All these cuts require a great deal of preparation as well as cooking which is sometimes separate and therefore longer: the foot, for example, must be burnt to remove the bristles, then washed carefully and pre-dredged before stewing. Liver, sweetbreads, heart and kidney instead they should be blanched at a high temperature, so that they remain crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Tripe, tongue, head and cheekshowever, they always require long cooking. Bovine offal they must not be frozen in order not to alter their taste and consistency. As a rule, for preparation, it is enough to get rid of blood vessels and fat. But some cuts, such as liver or kidney, are covered with a membrane that contracts during cooking and must be removed. In one case or another, a good butcher will deliver the part ready for cooking.
Obviously these are all characteristics that cannot be reconciled with the rhythms of modern society, so the progressive abandonment of cuts "minors" it was inexorable. One of these who told his experience is Giovanni Tamburini, owner of the old family sausage factory, the Bolognese temple of processing of the pig and author of the volume with Giovanni Cremonini Pigs are born, salami are made(Pendragon Publisher): Tamburini says that in 70's the butcher's shop gave these pieces to customers. But then over time they no longer wanted them even for free. As often happens, however, those who are spokespersons for the recovery of forgotten foods and their enhancement in an innovative key, are the starred chefs. One of these is the chef Giancarlo Pierbellini which for more than ten years has been offering browned pork ears with diced zucchini and tile of fried feet up mashed potatoes within its very renowned restaurants (Casa Pierbellini – Locanda 4 cooks – Al Capitan della Cittadella – Tapasotto – Du De Cope – Dolce Locanda in Verona, Locanda Perbellini Bistrot Milan e La Pergola by Perbellini in Bahrain). The most sought after cut is the cheek pork which is tastier than beef. Darker than that of veal, the pork liver it is cooked in the same way, as in the typical recipe "Venetian style", with onions.
An ancient Roman tradition
The Roman culinary art was based on one poor kitchen, a kitchen stocked with those items that are usually thrown away. The Romans, however, loved to use everything that was edible, starting with entrails of animals. To prepare the dishes with these particular pieces, only edible ones such as the Tripe, call from him osti cap, the sweetbreads ie the pancreas, the liver and salivary glands and the "kidneys ", namely i kidneys of beasts. The latter were required to drain in water acidulated with lemon for a few hours before being used.
The kitchen of the fifth quarter, fundamental rib of Roman cuisine, was born in the shadow of Testaccio slaughterhouse where, towards the end ofnineteenth century, were the so-called "Vaccinaries" or "scortichini" those who had the task of skinning the cattle. These workers were paid not in money but just with "Fifth quarter", meager compensation for their hard work. The women of the house and the cooks of the inns and taverns used these seemingly unappetizing ingredients to create succulent and tasty recipes. Here then comes to light there mythical coda alla vaccinara, prepared with oil, white wine, onion, carrot, garlic, basil, celery, tomato, pine nuts and a sprinkling of bitter cocoa. To be eaten strictly with your hands, to strip it well and fill your hands with sauce
