A Passion for Piedmont

Moving towards food, I recently came across a copy of Matt Kramer's A Passion for Piedmont, which is subtitled Italy's most Glorious Regional Table. While one could argue the word "most," Piemontese cooking is extraordinarily refined, and Mr. Kramer does a fine job of exploring its ins and outs. Very fine; though he was already familiar with the region (he's also a wine writer, and one must know Piemonte if one writes about Italian wine), and indeed says it's his favorite part of Italy, he and his wife rented a house just outside Bra and spent a year getting to know it very well. While this led them to discovering some of the less savory aspects of the region, for example the summer heat and the size of the mosquitoes (in a house without screens), it also resulted in their discovering things others simply have not, and he does include interesting asides dedicated to travel, Piemontese cheeses (among the great marvels of the world), truffles, wines, and so on.

But of course the main focus of the book is on food, and it's extremely entertaining; there are two kinds of recipes, those that set down the ingredients and then tell one what to do with them in as dry a manner as possible, and those that give the background necessary to make a dish come alive. Mr. Kramer belongs to the second school:

Duck Braised in White Wine -- Anatra al Vino Bianco (page 236)

The Piedmontese love the taste of braised foods. Partly this is a reflection of their still-sedate sense of time: Time just moves more slowly in Piedmont and they have no intention of rushing it. The other, more practical, reason is that Piedmont overflows with wine. There's no lack of flavorful liquid in which to slowly cook almost anything.

Traditionally, duck braised in white wine would surely have been prepared with wild duck, rather than the fatter, more tender domesticated variety. Yet today, few Piedmontese have access to the tougher, gamier wild birds. They, like us, use domesticated duck almost exclusively. But that hasn't stopped them from continuing to braise the bird. And there's no reason why it should: It tastes great.

What is unusual (for them) is using a white wine, as Piedmontese instinct is always to reach for a red. (One winegrower told me that the only good use for white wine was for taking out red wine stains!) Piedmont does, in fact, produce a lot of white wine, the best known of these being Asti Spumante. But there are other, drier white wines from indigenous grape varieties such as Arneis and Favorita, as well as the Cortese variety that creates the wine called Gavi.

On restaurant menus you will see this dish called Anatra alla Favorita or Anatra almandine Arneis. But any good dry white wine will do, such as Chardonnay, dry Reisling, or Sauvignon Blanc.

Makes six servings

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

One 4- to 5-pound duck, cut into serving pieces

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

10 oil-cured black olives, pits removed and coarsely chopped

2 bay leaves, crumbled

Leaves from one large sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

2 cups dry white wine, plus more if needed

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

To brown the duck, put 1 tablespoon of the olive oil il a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the duck pieces. (This may best be done in two pans, or in batches, to prevent crowding the pieces; use an additional tablespoon of oil if necessary). Brown them lightly on all sides. Remove the duck pieces to a large colander set in a mixing bowl to allow any excess fat to drain.

Put the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole large enough to hold all of the duck pieces over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, olives, bay leaves, and rosemary. Reduce the heat to low and stir vigorously to combine. Let cook for a minute or two; take care not to let the garlic color. Add 1 cup of the wine and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Let the wine reduce by about one third.

Season the duck pieces with salt and pepper, then place them in the casserole. Add the remaining 1 cup wine. The wine should come roughly halfway up the meat; add a little more if necessary. Adjust the heat so the wine is simmering lightly. Partially cover the casserole and let braise until the duck is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure that the wine does not evaporate too quickly; if that happens, lower the heat slightly, and add more wine as needed. The duck can be kept warm in its braising liquid, covered, for several hours.

To serve, place the duck pieces on very warm plates. Spoon a bit of the braising liquid over them and serve immediately.

Mr. Kramer doesn't suggest a side dish, but mashed potatoes would be nice, I think.

His book is divided into sections covering the various parts of the Piemontese meal, with a lengthy discussion of antipasti, followed by Soups, Risotto (Piemonte is home to Carnaroli, the great rice from the flatlands around Novara), Bagna Caoda, Pasta, Polenta, Vegetables, Main Vourses, and Desserts. All concisely written, interesting, and with much sound advice.

It will make a fine gift, but don't leaf through it if you do buy a copy for a friend, lest you decide to keep it.

Practical things:: Mat Kramer; A Passion for Piedmont; ISBN 0688115942; 336 pages, and about 150 recipes; William Morrow & Company, Inc; New York, 1997

Looks Good! I'd like to see the Order Form.