How to make Flavio Costa’s “Cappon magro”

2017-07-24 A traditional Ligurian appetiser, “Cappon magro” was created in past centuries as a meatless version of capon for days of penitence when the Catholic church required a meatless diet. It has evolved over time from a simple dish for ordinary people into an elaborate, refined presentation served on special occasions.
There are many different versions of “Cappon magro”, differing in ingredients and presentation. The recipe we present here is by Flavio Costa, an award-winning chef of Ligurian origin from “21.9” restaurant at Tenuta Carretta in Piobesi d’Alba (Cuneo), a magnificent location in one of the most beautiful wineries in the Cuneo area.
We listed the ingredients in the recipe in the post published two days ago; here are the instructions for how to make the dish.
To make the sauce:
• Put parsley, capers, anchovies, one hard-boiled egg, olive oil and vinegar in the blender.
?• Blend. ?
• Add salt if necessary.
Next, prepare the vegetables.
• Dice all the vegetables, keeping them separate.
• Cook them separately in salted boiling water.
• Combine all the vegetables except the beets in a bowl and dress them with olive oil.
?To prepare the seafood:
• Fillet the fish.
• Steam the fish, shellfish and oysters.
?And, to prepare the accompaniment:
• Soak sailor’s biscuits in water and vinegar.
• Cut the hard-boiled eggs into wedges.
?And lastly, how to present and garnish the dish.
• Place sailor’s biscuits in the bottom of a large serving dish.?
• Cover with a layer of beets. ?
• Arrange seafood and vegetables over them. ?
• Pour sauce over seafood and vegetables.
• Arrange artichoke hearts and mushrooms around the preparation, alternating them. ?
• Garnish with shellfish, oysters and hard-boiled eggs cut into wedges. ?
• Serve “Cappon magro” lukewarm.

Mariagrazia Villa

Recipe: chef Flavio Costa (“21.9” at Tenuta Carretta, Piobesi d’Alba, Cuneo) Source: Luciano Tona, Arturo Delle Donne, Andrea Sinigaglia (ed.), Gusto Italiano. Cucina contemporanea dei maestri Alma, Edizioni Plan, Milan, 2012
Photograph: Arturo Delle Donne