flipMostarda di frutta — candied fruits in mustard syrup
Mostarda di frutta — candied fruits in mustard syrup
Why this dish? The cities of Emilia and Lombardy, including Bologna where Gregory XIII studied, produced these candied fruits spiced with mustard, which could be stored for months. On papal tables, *mostarda* accompanied the meats of fat days and aged cheeses.
Seasonal fruits (pears, quinces, apples) candied in a spicy syrup with mustard essence. Sweet, tangy, and pungent, it keeps for a long time and enlivens dishes.
Here is a clever thing that the good houses of Lombardy know how to prepare: fruits kept all year in a syrup where mustard bites. It goes very well with the meats of Our fat days and aged cheeses. Taste it sparingly, for the mustard stings the nose as much as it awakens the palate — but this is how one triumphs over winter without letting anything rot.
- •Firm fruits (pears, quinces, apples) — according to season (base)
- •Sugar or honey — in abundance (candying and preservation)
- •Mustard essence / mustard seeds — to taste (signature pungency)
- •White wine or verjuice — a little (acidity)
Mostarda di frutta — candied fruits in mustard syrup
Seasonal fruits (pears, quinces, apples) candied in a spicy syrup with mustard essence. Sweet, tangy, and pungent, it keeps for a long time and enlivens dishes.
Why this dish? The cities of Emilia and Lombardy, including Bologna where Gregory XIII studied, produced these candied fruits spiced with mustard, which could be stored for months. On papal tables, *mostarda* accompanied the meats of fat days and aged cheeses.
Here is a clever thing that the good houses of Lombardy know how to prepare: fruits kept all year in a syrup where mustard bites. It goes very well with the meats of Our fat days and aged cheeses. Taste it sparingly, for the mustard stings the nose as much as it awakens the palate — but this is how one triumphs over winter without letting anything rot.
Ingredients (period version)
- Firm fruits (pears, quinces, apples) — according to season (base)
- Sugar or honey — in abundance (candying and preservation)
- Mustard essence / mustard seeds — to taste (signature pungency)
- White wine or verjuice — a little (acidity)
Ingredients
- Firm pears (or quinces, apples) — 1 kg (base)
- Sugar — 600 g (syrup and preservation)
- Yellow mustard seeds — 2 tsp (pungency)
- Hot mustard — 1 tsp (extra pungency)
- Lemon juice — 1 (acidity)
- Water — 20 cl (syrup)
Method
- Peel and cut the fruits into quarters or large chunks.
- Prepare a syrup with water, sugar, and lemon juice; bring to a simmer.
- Add the fruits and gently candy for 15 to 20 minutes without breaking them.
- Off the heat, stir in the mustard seeds and hot mustard (the pungency should be noticeable but not burning).
- Let macerate for 24 hours in the fridge, then transfer to sterilized jars; keeps several weeks refrigerated.
How it was made : *Mostarda* (from Italian *mostarda*, from must and mustard) is attested since the Middle Ages in northern Italy as a way to preserve fruits. Cremona and Mantua made it a specialty. Sugar and mustard, combined with cooking, ensured long preservation before refrigeration.
The contemporary twist : Place a spoonful of *mostarda* next to an aged Italian cheese and a slice of grilled bread for a very contemporary 'tagliere' appetizer.
Sources : Bartolomeo Scappi, Opera dell'arte del cucinare (1570)
Gregory XIII · Charactorium
