Calabrian recipes: what’s there other than chili?

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«Strong flavors that reflect the identity of an incredible land: these are the typical products from Calabria, a perfect combination of taste and quality, perfect for many Calabrian recipes»

After the typical products of Campania, we move further south, at the tip of the boot, to discover the typical Calabrian recipes and products. Miles of splendid coasts, suggestive landscapes, charming villages and a cuisine elected in 2017 as the best in Italy by the New York Times: all of this is Calabria, a land with a strong identity that offers us a range of varied products with a strong flavor. Although the chili is the absolute emblem, the typical Calabrian products – that everyone who’s not in the region misses dearly – are quite different. Here I introduce you to some of them!

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‘Nduja. Let’s start with the ‘nduja, the quintessence of Calabria. Together with chili – a fundamental ingredient of this salami – it is one of the most famous and appreciated of the typical Calabrian recipes and products. The ‘nduja is a soft, spreadable and very spicy salami made with pork, fat and chili scraps which, besides making it spicy to taste, gives it a typical bright red color. Produced mainly in Spilinga – municipality in the province of Vibo Valentia – it is consumed spread on bread, but it is also used to season very hot pizzas and pasta dishes!

Soppressata. The sopressata calabrese is a fine sausage, DOP brand, made with the noblest cuts of pork (shoulder and thigh) and flavored with the addition of wild fennel, salt, pepper and chili. Before the curing phase of the cured meat – which goes from 5 to 6 months – the dough is covered with linen sheets and “pressed” for several days, in order to give the sausage the typical cylindrical shape flattened on the sides. The recipe of the soppressata has its roots in ancient times, but even today in many Calabrian families it is a tradition to prepare large quantities of it at home. On the market there are different types: sweet, spicy, white or black pig.

Tropea red onion. How not to mention the red onion of Tropea PGI among the typical Calabrian products? Sweet, crunchy and also aphrodisiac, the red onion of Tropea is a real excellence of the agro-food Calabrian territory, so as to have earned the nickname of ” red gold of Calabria “. Its typical red color is due to the rich presence of anthocyanins in it and its organoleptic characteristics are the result of the peculiar environmental conditions of the production area, whose proximity to the sea guarantees the right temperature and humidity to the soil. Indispensable in fried foods, soups and salads, the use of this precious vegetable in the kitchen knows no limits and the recipes that see it as a protagonist are really numerous: sweet and sour, with cod, stuffed with tasty calzone, with beans, stuffed and even turned into delicious jams!

Cedro liscio di diamante. This variety of cedar is the most famous in the world as well as the most sought after in the agro-food industry. Cultivated in the so-called Riviera dei Cedri – where there is also a museum that celebrates it – Diamante’s smooth cedar is a spherical green fruit with a sour taste and intense aroma. With a thousand beneficial properties, this particular citrus is not edible in its fresh state, but needs to be transformed; in fact it is mostly used in the preparation of sweets or – through the infusion of the peel in alcohol – for the preparation of the cedar liqueur. A curiosity: Diamante’s smooth cedar is particularly linked to Jewish culture. Being considered “the best fruit of the most beautiful tree”, it is in fact widely used by rabbis around the world for the celebration of Sukkoth, one of the main Jewish festivals.

Calabrian chili. Here we are the Calabrian product par excellence: the chili. The Soverato, the Poinsettia, the Naso di cane picante and the Ciliegione are some of the varieties that belong to the Calabrian pepper category, known in the world as the “king of chillies” and honored every year in the month of September in Diamante with a Festival full of gastronomic events. Whether green or red, round or croissant-shapped, fresh or powdered, its taste is unmistakable: spicy and aromatic at the same time. An essential ingredient of the typical Calabrian recipes and cuisine, chili pepper has always been used not only as a simple spice, but also as a food preservation method.

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Licorice.  About 80% of the national licorice production is concentrated in Calabria. This perennial herb grows spontaneously on the whole regional territory, constituting a real good fortune for the local economy. Unlike that produced in other countries, the Calabria DOP licorice stands out for its more balanced taste, less bitter, which allows it to be consumed without the addition of additives. These unique characteristics make licorice one of the typical Calabrian products that the whole world envies us! In addition to being consumed in its natural form – namely in sticks to nibble – the licorice of Calabria is transformed into essence to be used for the preparation of cakes, ice cream, liqueurs and candies. If you are curious to find out everything about the history of this extraordinary product, in Rossano Calabro you can visit the only Italian museum dedicated to licorice, where the tools and manuscripts of the Amarelli family, always involved in the production of this Calabrian excellency, are kept.

Bergamotto. Although it looks like a lemon, this citrus is actually much more valuable! Rounded and slightly flattened at the poles, the Reggio Calabria PDO bergamot is a rare fruit that is characterized by its intense aroma, so much so that the precious essential oil is widely used not only in the kitchen, but also in cosmetics. Thanks to its inebriating perfume, the bergamot has even conquered the noses of well-known perfumery industries like Chanel, Dior and Guerlain. And what about in the kitchen? Juices and jams are the best ways to consume this special citrus with a thousand benefits! Perfect for a lot of calabrian recipes…

 

Brasilena. A truly original drink, all from Calabria. An exquisite coffee flavoured gazzosa with an unmistakable taste, produced by the company Acqua Calabria, which for over half a century quenches with Calabrian and non-Calabrian panache. The fame of the Brasilena has in fact crossed the regional boundaries, arriving in Basilicata, Puglia and Sicily, as well as being exported to countries such as Canada, the United States, Australia and Albania. It’s excellent to taste “in its pure form”, but also great to mix in alcoholic cocktails, to give them an extra twist. An example? The Black Italian, a drink based on vodka, Brasilena and cream. Among the typical Calabrian recipes, this drink really is a gem for which any Calabrian who leaves his land, for study or work, always finds a place in the suitcase.

Marcella Scialla

 

 

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