Aldo Martinelli

Recipes

Tomato Balsamic Onion Soup

Red Sicilian Goat Cheese Pesto

Duck confit with caramelized onions in balsamic vinegar, and fresh sautè spinaches

Balsamic onions "frittata" with fried sage

MARJORAM: Can be used fresh or dry. The aroma is similar to Thyme, more intense and slightly sweeter. Used fresh with mushroom to enhance the flavour or to marinate vegetable with olive oil. Excellent to cook “al funghetto” style eggplant or zucchini, or more simply with butter and parsley.	BAY LEAVES: Laurel is a traditional Mediterranean evergreen tree, with very aromatic leaf. Fresh or dried are widely use in the kitchen, fresh leaf have a characteristic bitter flavour, while drying are turning sweeter. We suggest to do not preserve bay leaf for long time, with time flavour fade and when old become tasteless. Normally associate with Mediterranean cuisine, Bay leaf are used worldwide to flavour stew or soup, as marinade for meat or fish, excellent in rice pudding and indispensable for Cajun Gumbo.	BASIL: One of the most aromatic herb, used since immemorial time in Italy. Basil leaf aroma and taste change upon climate and soil, perfect match with tomato and mozzarella or with pecorino, pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil in the world famous Pesto alla Genovese.
TARRAGON: Well known also with French name “estragon”. Light and persistent aroma and taste, indispensable for a perfect Sauce Bérnaise and delicious when combined with butter. When used in recipe best if not mixed with other herbs.	OREGANO: Typical aroma of South Italy for “Salmoriglio” and Pizza. Can be used fresh or dry, if used dry use carefully because the strong aroma. Gives a special touch to every dish no matter if fish or meat, together with Pennyroyal for “alla scapece” preparation.	ROSEMARY: Rosemary is an aromatic bushy plant, with a strong aroma. In many country is grown as ornamental plant because the peculiar smell. In Italy rosemary is widely use for oven roast meat, chicken and potatoes, chopped and sprinkled over bread or focaccia.
SAGE: Mediterranean plant, grows spontaneous in backyard garden with big and hairy leafs. Aroma change upon soil and climate, leaf have the best aroma if picked before blossom. Indispensable for roasted game, get very well together with Lardo or bacon, one of the ingredient of the famous “Saltimbocca alla Romana”, delicious when used combined with butter to cook liver.		THYME: Very delicate Mediterranean aroma, thymian leaves excrete oil with strong preservative strength. Maintain his property even when dried and prefer long cooking time. Excellent together with parsley for marinade, help to enrich the flavour of mushroom or game meat. Great for oil preserve. Infuses or liquor can be made with thyme.

PAPRIKA: The name indicates red peppers, but in Hungary is used to call the powder ground from them. There are three kinds of paprika, strong, medium and sweet. To be considered good, it must preserve its lively red colour; when it turns brownish, it is considered to be turning bad. It must be kept in a dry place, however it decays rather quickly. It is used in goulash with meat, but also with fish. It takes a lot of onion, some garlic and cumin flavouring.   GINGER: The real ginger originally comes from Bengal. Today it is also grown in the Tropics, for example in Africa. Greeks and Romans used to know it. The part which is used is the grated dry root, fresh, canided and preserved in syrup or in alcohol or strong wine. With a pleasant and spicy taste, it is used to give flavour to sauces, sweets, cookies and drinks. It is best to buy the root dry, and then grate it at the moment you use it. It improves the flavour of some kinds of fish (marlin, hogfish). Also used with meat cooked in sauce, fowl, rabbits and game.   MUSTARD: Mustard is mentioned in the Gospel and in the Old Testament, where the small size of its seed is referred to. Mustard may be black or white. It is ground into flour after processing to enhance its sharp taste and mixed to make various mustards. Moutard anglaise is made using black and white mustard plus turmeric and vinegar. French mustard has black and white mustard, plus various flavours diluted with verjuice. Italian mostarda, historically made with fruit, and which once used to be cooked in grape must, has a sharp touch of mustard essence. It is typically used with boiled meat or even as a dessert, depending on the quantity of mustarded essence. The two distant strongholds of this sauce are in Cremona, where preparation resembles that of the French school, and in the south, where Sicilian mostarda holds loyal to the classic tradition, with an almost exclusive selection of fruit in cooked must.       SAFFRON: We got it from Persia. This spice is so ancient, that it was known to Solomon and to the mythical Queen of Sheba.  It was also held in great esteem by the Greeks and Romans. All the noble cuisine of the Renaissance was yellow with saffron. Saffron, from the dried stems of crocus sativus - a flower especially to be found in Tuscany and Abruzzo - has a very high price, since it takes much work. It is best not to purchase it ground, but in stems. It is an indispensable ingredient in Milanese risotto, in paella and, traditionally, in boulabaisse.   CINNAMON: This comes from the bark of an evergreen tree, the Cinnamomum zeylanicum. In the Middle Ages, cinnamon was used in Europe to give flavour, but pepper was preferred to it, and it was set aside only to give flavour to desserts. It is exquisite with chocolate and coffee, and is often used for cakes and cookies as well. CLOVES: This spice has a very ancient tradition behind it. The Chinese were already using it two centuries before Christ, as were the Greeks, the Romans and the Egyptians. Originally from South-East Asia, around 1700 it also settled down in Madagascar, Zanzibar and the Antilles. The cloves produced by a tree of the Myrtaceae family are actually the budding flowers, dried in the Sun. With an anaesthetic power, they are used with hot drinks, cooked fruit, vin brulè, casserole and pot roast. PEPPER: Black pepper must appear last on food: it stimulates salivation and gastric juices and facilitates digestion. It is present in sauces in general and, of course, in peverade. Green pepper is especially used for so-called peppered meat, whether grilled or sauteed in butter, with the addition of a little milk cream.   NUTMEG AND MACE: Two products of the same large tree, originally from Indonesia but later transplanted to the Maluku Islands by the British and to the Island of Java by the Dutch. It came into European cuisine in the 16th Century. When ripe, the fruit splits into two parts and presents a reddish arillus or covering of the seed (mace). The pulpy covering of the mace has the same flavour as nutmeg, but more delicate. In the kitchen, nutmeg is grated whereas mace is boiled like vanilla sticks. Nutmeg is indispensable for making purea, in fillings for tortellini,  in vegetables sauted  in butter, in bechamel and in creamy and delicate sauces.    ROMAN FLAVOURING: Spicy Flavoured Salt. Whole sea salt, white pepper, black pepper, powdered ginger, yellow mustard, thyme, rosemary, sage, savory, pot marjorum, fennel seeds, aniseed and dill, etc. This is a strong and sharp version of the Roman sal conditus. In a recipe of the Imperial days, it would also have required spikenard and Cretan hyssop, saffron stimmas and other ingredients as well. If you don't want to spend too much time or money in a quest which may turn out to be long, but you absolutely need a touch of exotic tastes, you can just use a few knife's tips of turmeric (which will give the blend a chrome yellow colouring) and a teaspoon of good Indian curry, of the kind with many ingredients.

Q & A

Dear Aldo, why the products menu are so crunchy compared to the competitors can products?
Sarah – USA
The main reason is that Menu produces all his products by the season, so all the products are processed in less than 12 hours after being picked up-. In this way we can avoid to keep them during the year under brine in barils where the raw material gets the flavour of the vinegar and it looses his original texture. Further more by the year when produced the competitors working with preserved raw materials have to be deeply wash them and to process them again damaging completely the texture of the vegetables. This production by the crop and the mild technologies we are using are the main reasons why the texture of our products is so similar to the fresh ones.

Dear Aldo; I have a friend in Germany that tried to caramelize “cipollini” of a competitor and they burned completely, it could happen to your ones too?!?
Antonio – Frankfurt
Unfortunately this problem is quite common with the cipollini that are preserved in a sweet and sour liquid made by vinegar , sugar and oil; these two last ingredients burn when cooked and they make the bitter taste on the cipollini. We marinate the cipollini in real balsamic vinegar that during cooking process doesn’t burn but caramelizes around the onions adding a sweet taste.

Dear Aldo, I tried your tiramisu powder and it is really great, we would like to know if it is possible to do further recipes with this powder?
Bryan – New Zealand
Ciao Bryan, you can use the tiramisu powder in many ways, further more you can change the texture of the cream serving it like a liquid sauce. In fact you can modify our original recipe doing it only with milk and not with heavy cream and milk. You can use the liquid tiramisu cream for dressing chocolate cake or other pastry products or on top of fresh fruits like strawberries or blueberries. Try it, it is delicious and unique !!

Dear Aldo, why in your 10 kilos bag of pomodorina the product is lighter and the taste is fresher than in the canned pomodorina?
Honda - Japan
The main reason is the way of production. We produce the 10 kilos bag with a special and really new tecnique called “apsetic method” it means that the product is produced and packed in a sterilized area so after closing the bag there are not bacteria inside it and we can avoid the heat treatment (pasteurization or sterilization) that normally we have to do on canned products. All the canned products need an heat treatment after sealing in order to have a long shelf life, even if our heat treatment is really light we still have to do it, so during this treatment the products is a little bit cooked and it becomes a little bit denser and darker.
The “apsetic” tecnology is really expensive and only few companies are able to produce having this special method, further more it can be used and applied only on bags and in large packaging due to the high costs. Menu is able to use this tecnique on tomato and pomodorina bags, further more since few years we are using this special production method also in few canned products: porcini mushrooms, champignons mushrooms and cream cheese. These products are unique and we are still testing them in the European market where we can control better during the transport temperature and humidity.

Dear Aldo, we got into one Cipollini with balsamic vinegar some black and solid things, is it normal?
BRIAN – Canada
The substance you see in the tin of onion in "the mother" used to make the Blasamic vinegar of Modena. The dark part you see in the tin is a part of this "mother" used to make the balsamic vinegar. We know, it's not very nice to see and it seldom happens, but sometimes some pieces of the mother remains in the tin.This is a sign of Quality because it is a proof that the onions are marinated in real balsamic vinegar of Modena and not in a substitute of balsamic vinegar. Only the authentic balsamic vinegar is made with this "dark mother" and not by colouring agents or artificial preservatives.

Dear Aldo, we noted that your Pistachios pesto and genovese pesto in jars are really dense, why ?
Gabriel – Israel
Ciao Gabriel, the pistachos pesto and the genoese pesto are standard recipes really well studied since the long shelf life of these products is done by the recipe itself that permits to control the PH and the water activity of the products in order to avoid the growth of the bacteria even if preserved at room temperature. Having this special recipe we can avoid the heat treatment and we can obtain a product with a perfect colour of basil and pistachos that are into these two products, further more avoiding the cooking process the taste and the the texture of the product is fresher.. The products are obviously more related to the ancient recipe where was not included any cooking process. The products are dense because of the above mentioned recipes and because of our policy is to provide to our customers always a product wiht an high yield.

Dear Aldo, I've been trying several brand of Chestnuts in water, and at the end i choose Menu' one. Beside the quality and consistency of the product is the slightly smokey flavour that i like and is unique to Menu' i noticed, why you smoke the chestnuts?
Albert - Uppsala
Dear Albert, Thank you for choosing Menu' products, the smokey flavour you like in our chestnuts is not due to a chemical flavouring. Our chestnuts comes from Piedmont located on the northwest of Italy.As tradition in that area to better dry the chestnuts they place it over a griddle and they light a fire underneath. Is not direct heat is just to remove the last trace of moisture in order to preserve the product longer. We liked the slight smokey flavour and we did our best to preserve it in our product, i'm glad you liked it.

Dear Aldo, Thank you for choosing Menu' products, the smokey flavour you like in our chestnuts is not due to a chemical flavouring. Our chestnuts comes from Piedmont located on the northwest of Italy.As tradition in that area to better dry the chestnuts they place it over a griddle and they light a fire underneath. Is not direct heat is just to remove the last trace of moisture in order to preserve the product longer. We liked the slight smokey flavour and we did our best to preserve it in our product, i'm glad you liked it.
Samantha - Boston
Dear Samantha, Thank you for thinking at us for your special request, the indication you find on the back of the package of panna cotta are indicative. For us is the best recipe for the original panna cotta, this does not mean that you cannot change the percentage and the ingerdients to have a completely different product.I personally already made the panna cotta by using Goats Milk which is lactose free and suitable for lactose intollerant people, the taste is extremely good slightly acidic compared to the regoular recipe. Because the Goats Milk is less fatty than heavy crean is better to add to the milk some vegetable margarine in order to regain the fat part that will be missing from the absence of heavy cream. Try you will be surprised, also can work with Soy and Rice milk if you like to try.

Dear Aldo, I'm using your Giudia Artichoke with great success, the other day while talking to my kitchen crew we came up with this question for you. Why Menu's Giudia Artichoke have no choke? Are they GMO or what? We tried several other even other artichoke from Italy and all the others have the choke but not Menu's, why?
Far Niente Kitchen Crew - Toronto
Dear Far Niente Kitchen Crew, Thank you for the question, very simple and intriguing at the same time. First and foremost i want to say NO GMO!Menu' is not a certified organic company but we do not use any GMO products. Seems simplistic but the answer is natural selection. With the year our producer in southern italy, to be more precise in the Apuglia region selected the best crop of artichoke saving the seeds to be planted again the following years, and selection after selection they reach the quality that Menu' is using. Is not a secret that among the best italian artichoke you have Apulian artichoke, for sure there is cheaper artichoke on the market but the quality is not comparable to southern italian ones, and at Menu' quality comes always first.

Dear Aldo, I'm using your "Peperoni alla Griglia" (roasted Red & Yellow Pepper). The skin is so thin and the texture so cruncy. Why when i was used to do my own from fresh peppers, i had always to peel it first because the skin was so thick and chewy?
Wendy from Jacksonville (FL) U.S.A.
Ciao Wendy, First and Foremost Thank you for using Menu Roasted Red & Yellow Pepper. Honestly we do not undergo our peppers to any "strange" process, to have such a thin skin, the answer is in the nature. In Menu' we just wait till the harvest come, then we pick the peppers. Within 24 hours they go from the field to the can, who will preserve the freshness for long time. Nature and natural ingredients that's the only secret.

Dear Aldo, I have a friend in Germany that tried to caramelize “cipollini” of a competitor and they burned completly, it could happen to your ones too?!?
Mikael from Riga. Latvia
Hi Mikael, Being familiar with the Menu' line of product one of the characteristic is versatility. We have different product for cold or hot application, with or without vinegar, we choose to make the Walnut Sauce with raw walnut so you can personalize it. If we toast the Walnut you could not use it anymore as crust/glaze and broil it or use it as base for differnt variation of Tapenade or Pesto's. Sorry to give you little more prep work,but i'm sure you'll soon find raw application for the Walnut Sauce.

Dear Aldo, I've been using Menu' and other competitor brand product since i noticed that the content of Menu' products is always constant compared to other brands. How do you keep this constant quality?
Brett from Denver (Colorado) U.S.A.
Hi Brett, The answer is quite simple, manpower. In the food industry tecnology have a big role in improving quality and consistency, but because we also deal with mother nature, there are job that no machine will do as good as a man can do. All our product are gauged by size and weight but when we go to can vegetable we still use the human touch, more delicate for the artichoke or quick and simple for the less fragile Cipollini Onions. Thank you for being a loyal Menu' cusrtomer.

Dear Aldo, Recently i ordered the Desser from Menu' precisely the Panna and Zabaglione. I really like the flavour and texture of it but the fact that i have to thaw them before serving it limit my usage of the product, there's any solution to this problem?
Pierre from Hanoi Vietnam
Ciao Pierre, What you're asking is a very common question, with a very simple solution, just add a little liquor The dessert from Menu' are very versatile and can be flavoured with everything you like, by adding a little liquor in the proportion of 1oz each recipe indication you will be able to remove the dessert from the freezer and by the time you garnish the dish the dessert will be ready to be eaten. Don't worry about the alchool content, will be suitable to children too since the ammount of alchool is so low, just enough to break down fat cells and do not allow to become hard and stay creamy, so no thawing required. Thank yor the interesting question.

Dear Aldo, Recently I tried your Artichoke Heart Sauce "Primi Piatti" I really like it in flavour and texture but I noticed that oxididize quite quickly if not used right away. Do you have any suggestion how to stop or slow down the oxidation process if I do not use the whole can right away?
Louis from Buenos Aires
Hi Louis, I'm glad you like the Artichoke Heart Sauce "Primi Piatti" it is a very versatile product. What you noticed is the natural oxidation of the artichoke due to the high content in iron, at Menu' we do not use any chemical preservative and that's why keep oxidating even after the canning process. The best way to stop oxidation is to empty the can into a air tight container, flat the sauce with a spatula and cover it with little oil. By sealing the sauce from the contact with the air you will avoid any oxidation.

Dear Aldo, I have a jar of Salsafichi that I was given as a sample from our distributor. I am curious about uses for this condiment. It's a little strong for spreading on toast or a bagel for breakfast. The lable says to serve with "matured" and "fresh" cheeses. Are there any other uses you suggest? And as a "side dish," do you mean as a sauce for meat? (much like mint jelly is served with lamb)? Your help is appreciated.
James from Longmont (Colorado)
Dear James, Menu' Salsafichi is a well rounded product. I agree with you that spread on a toast or bagel the way it is can be a little too strong but try blend it with some cream cheese and you'll be surprised by the result, the cream cheese which is lightly acidic will cut the sweetness of the sauce, or if you prefer also mascarpone cheese can be used. Can also be used as ingredient for sauces to serve with meats such as a fig demi glace for a nice pork or veal chop or as a "glaze" for a pan seared duck breast. like jam can be served as side for game meats such as venison or wild boar, last but not least a traditional Italian Cheese Cake with ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. Hope my suggestion can be useful to better appreciate Menu' Salsafichi.

Hi Aldo, I recently used some Menù Products containing Black Olives such as Black Olives Cream and Armonia di Verdure and I noticed that in both product is present Ferrous Gluconate (as residue) what is it and why is added to olives?
Randy from Hailfax Canada
Hi Randy, Ferrous Gluconate is a Iron Salt used when processing Black Olives, helps to fix the color in black olives in order to prevent from fading and maybe stain other vegetables like in the Armonia di Verdure or when added to a cream sauce for the Black Olive Cream. Thank You for using Menù Products

Hi Aldo, How was the tomato season this year? I heard unfavorable things about it, can you please address me?
Hans from Hamburgh
Hallo Hans, This 2008 was a very good year in terms of quality of tomato, due to the nice weather in southern Italy where Menu’ harvest his tomatoes they were rich and plump, although the quantity was not as expected. Being Menù is always moving forward with technology we have changed all our tomato processing line with newer machine that "stress" less the tomato during peeling operation and optimize production, to give you the best product to create your recipes.

Hi Aldo, One of my purveyor gave me a sample bag of Panna Cotta telling me that I can flavor it with everything I want from pineapple juice to coffee or green tea. How is possible that the recipe is so versatile?
Peter from Jakarta
Ciao Peter, yes is true, Menù Panna Cotta Powder Mix is very versatile, due to the fact that not contains gelatin. Gelatin can be prohibitive and put lots of limits in its application. So we use carrageen which is a thickening agent made from an old natural source sea weed so absolutely natural. Also carrageen is less sensible to acidity or alcohol and will allow you to flavor it the way you like. Among the list of flavor that I’ve tried my favourites are, Green Tea, Jasmine Flower, Rose Water and Jalapeno Pepper. Some recipe can also be found at www.menu.it/eng