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APR. MAY. 2019 XII “Creativity requires courage. That’s what the French artist said,” continues the chef, “and I too follow this nice quote in my cuisine. I like to change the menu, I follow the seasons and I never put instructions on ingredients, this is because here, at Matisse, everyday life takes its course, from the catch of the day, to the products from the garden. I change, I transform, I modify... the menu changes at least four times a year, sometimes even more, I always want to create some different dish, just like painters do.” From the large glass doors comes the warm light of Puglia which, with the passing of the hours, creates different effects reflecting on the floor; with the same charm, the chandeliers give a special atmosphere in the evening and, in the beauty of the whole place, the enthusiasm of the staff who work in the kitchen and in the dining area is tangible. “People who work with me are always stimulated, I want to involve them in everything, I talk to them and I like to listen to their opinion, I think it is fundamental. Usually there are seven of us, but in the summer high season, between the kitchen and the dining room, there are eleven or twelve of us. A good teamwork that finds real expression in the dishes and in a menu that is 70% based on fish dishes, which are also complemented by proposals for meat and even for vegetarians and for those with celiac disease disorders. “I value every single ingredient that I select, even in cooking,” explains Mario, “that’s why I use the confit method a lot and at low temperature, in my menus I use many vegetables and many fruits, giving colour, taste and health. The menu is varied, there are about 8-9 proposals for each section, from appetizers to desserts, all made with care, all with an amazing balance of taste and a mise en place worthy of an artist. A cuisine that looks at the produce of the territory and follows the tradition with a touch of modernity that gives added value to even the simplest ingredients. Faithful to his region also in the choice of wines, since the list includes many Apulian labels with some coming from neighbouring wineries and some bubbly from beyond the Alps. In the same way, suppliers are also the “loyal” ones who deliver products even from other parts of Italy; a special attention is paid to local suppliers, first of all for fish and local cheeses. “I like to amaze and leave a special memory to all customers of the Matisse ... I’m inspired by the art of the painter but, in the end, I put mine on the plate. ______________________________ BOX RAVIOLI OF BURRATA, TARTARE OF SHRIMPS AND PRAWNS WITH GINGER SAUCE Ingredients for 4 people For the dough: 500 g flour, 12 egg yolks. For the filling: 300 g of drained burrata. For the seasoning: 900 g of shrimps and prawns, ½ litre of milk, a little starch, 1 ginger root, 1 onion, cherry tomatoes. Prepare the Fontana cheese with the flour on a chopping board, put the egg yolks and work until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Drain the burrata well and chop it; in the meantime, roll out the dough thinly, cut the ravioli into the shape you want and put the burrata as a filling. Take the shrimps and prawns (they must be frozen for 48 hours or chilled for 12 hours) and make a bisque adding finely chopped onion and tomatoes, add ½ litre of water and let the liquid set for about an hour. Grate the ginger and put it in the milk for 30 minutes to simmer and thicken everything with a little starch or rice flour. Cook the ravioli and sauté them with the bisque, serve, add the ginger sauce and then the raw shrimps and prawns. In combination with the Masserei Negromaro Rosato of the winery Schola Sarmenti of Nardò. ______________________________ AT PAGE 28 AT THE KITCHEN Don’t call them vegetables anymore Avocados, salmon, blueberries... superfood. These are the essential ingredients for modern consumers. And even in Italy, the fashion of Poke, from Hawaii, has gone crazy By Maria Elena Dipace Food? A term that is now ‘obsolete’. Today we’re only talking about SUPERFOOD. A concept so acclaimed, that it’s almost frightening. But what are these miraculous foods that we must necessarily introduce into our diet, and in the restaurants, on penalty of being condemned to deal with high triglyceride and cholesterol without limits? These are simply foods already widely present in our menus, but today they seem to have taken on almost magical powers. And if last year it was “gluten- free” that dominated, according to research conducted by Doxa and TheFork, 2019 will be the year of superfood and functional ingredients in dishes, i.e. ingredients that prove to have positive effects on one or more functions of the organism. “Superfoods are vegetable foods such as broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, chia seeds, goji berries, cocoa, blueberry, pomegranate, beetroot or avocados that are characterized by being super rich in nutrients, with specific beneficial effects for health and physical and mental well-being. Thanks to the high content of vitamins, minerals, fibres, antioxidants and phytonutrients, these foods are able to prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases such as overweight, obesity, dyslipidaemia and diabetes, to counteract the growth of cancer cells, prevent the development of free radicals and the onset of neurodegenerative diseases” - explains Alessia Angione, dietician specializing in food science - “Taking these ingredients daily helps to maintain a balanced, healthy and complete diet. MAGAZINE