flipMostarda di frutta (mustard fruit preserve)
Mostarda di frutta (mustard fruit preserve)
Why this dish? In Lombard homes of Volta's time, late-summer fruits were preserved in jars to last through winter. Mostarda, syrupy and pungent with mustard, accompanied boiled meats at festive meals and adorned the conversation table, within reach during long evenings of exchange.
Fruits candied in a syrup spiked with mustard essence: a sweet-and-sour, pungent preserve, shiny as glass, that keeps all winter and enlivens meats and cheeses.
Nothing must be wasted of the autumn fruits — that is what my household taught me. We candied them in syrup, then added a few drops of mustard essence — beware, it stings the nose as sharp as a spark! We kept them in jars until the heart of winter, and it was a marvel to see them gleam on the table while conversation rolled on about the things of nature. On boiled meat, I assure you, it delights the palate.
- •Firm quinces, pears, and apples — a basket (fruits to candy)
- •Honey or sugar — in generous parts (preserving syrup)
- •Mustard essence (or seeds) — a few drops / a pinch (pungency (signature))
- •White wine — a glass (maceration)
Mostarda di frutta (mustard fruit preserve)
Fruits candied in a syrup spiked with mustard essence: a sweet-and-sour, pungent preserve, shiny as glass, that keeps all winter and enlivens meats and cheeses.
Why this dish? In Lombard homes of Volta's time, late-summer fruits were preserved in jars to last through winter. Mostarda, syrupy and pungent with mustard, accompanied boiled meats at festive meals and adorned the conversation table, within reach during long evenings of exchange.
Nothing must be wasted of the autumn fruits — that is what my household taught me. We candied them in syrup, then added a few drops of mustard essence — beware, it stings the nose as sharp as a spark! We kept them in jars until the heart of winter, and it was a marvel to see them gleam on the table while conversation rolled on about the things of nature. On boiled meat, I assure you, it delights the palate.
Ingredients (period version)
- Firm quinces, pears, and apples — a basket (fruits to candy)
- Honey or sugar — in generous parts (preserving syrup)
- Mustard essence (or seeds) — a few drops / a pinch (pungency (signature))
- White wine — a glass (maceration)
Ingredients
- Firm quinces, pears, and apples — 800 g (mixed), in wedges (fruits to candy)
- Sugar — 500 g (preserving syrup)
- Food-grade mustard essence — 8 to 12 drops (adjust) (pungency (signature))
- Dry white wine — 100 ml (maceration)
- Water — 150 ml (syrup)
Method
- The day before, cut fruits into wedges, mix with sugar and white wine, and let macerate overnight.
- The next day, drain the fruits; bring the syrup to a boil with the water and reduce for 10 minutes.
- Add the fruits and poach gently for 10 to 15 minutes: they should remain firm and translucent.
- Let cool slightly, then stir in the mustard essence drop by drop off the heat (taste — it gets pungent fast!).
- Pack into sterilized jars with the syrup, seal, and store in a cool place. Serve with boiled meats and cheeses.
How it was made : Lombard mostarda (mostarda di Cremona, Mantua, Voghera) descends from medieval fruit-and-mustard preserves. In the 18th century, without refrigeration, candying in sugar/honey and wine was a key method of preserving fruit; mustard added pungency and preservative qualities.
The contemporary twist : Serve the mostarda in small shiny cubes like gems on a board of mountain cheeses — the sweet-pungent contrast always has a little electrifying effect.
Alessandro Volta · Charactorium
