Mia Cucina Su Cucina

“If salami is the blog of cured meats, then prosciutto is the great novel.” - Christine Muhlke (NY Times)
 

Wine, cheese, vinegar, meats, fish, vegetables are some examples of foods that are aged.  My original post idea was to write a post on prosciutto and go on and on about its complex, faintly saltiness and how it dissolves into richness on the tongue. But, there are so many other foods that are aged. They each have their own characteristics that make them dance on your palate.  I included a list of some different foods that are aged and some examples………..yes, I know that I just list a few, but did not want a mile long post. 

Beef – Dry age beef, Corned beef, Bresaola

Pork - Prosciutto, Ham, Jamón serrano, Coppa, Lardo,  Bacon, Pancetta, Speck, Guanciale

Sausage - Salami, Pepperoni, Chorizo, Linguiça

Fish - Anchovy, Salt cod, Lox (salmon), Bottarge

Cured vegetables – Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickled cucumbers, Pickled beets, Olives, Tofu, Lemons

Cheese – Asiago, Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Aged Gouda, Pecorino Toscano, Blue, Cheddar, Swiss
 

Wine (popular)
Red - Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Burgundy
White - Chardonnay, Blanc, Riesling, Chablis, Rhine

Vinegar – White Wine, Red Wine, Balsamic, Sherry, Rice, Apple, Malt

This is a recipe that includes aged vinegar, meat and cheese. (I shared this salad recipe before, but it covered the topic so well that I am including a different rendition.)
 

Apple & 3 aged Salad

Serves 4

Salad
4 slices of prosciutto, sliced into bite size
1 Fuji apple, cored & thinly sliced
4 large hand fulls of field greens, any type
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thinly shaved, use veggie peeler

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar (Desoto brand)
1/2 cup olive oil
 2 large pinches of salt (Maldon brand)
1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

The vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
The salad, put ingredients in bowl, top with vinaigrette and toss to combine.

(This is how I make the salad. The salad could be served in a beautiful presentation on individual plates. William Sonoma and Sur La Table sell the salt and vinegar. The food items can only be purchased in the stores.)