#saltcuring

The narrative of this dish began in Italy.

I was inspired by the small jars of oil-cured anchovies swimming in parsley and garlic I had at Osteria Murrivechia in Bra. This Northern-Italian style cafe was archetypal: a multi-dining room converted farmhouse with antique wood tables and servers in linen aprons spooning chestnut risotto out of steaming hot crocks. Quite romantic.

The prep for this dish began more out of necessity than desire: I was leaving for the holidays and had a few bunches of fresh herbs and loose egg yolks to use up. I minced and mixed the cilantro and parsley with olive oil, and froze them in an ice cube tray, and cured the egg yolks with salt and sugar (see earlier post).

To make the marinated anchovies/gremolata: 

Mix two generous handfuls of fresh, lemony herbs (I like cilantro and parsley) with a bit of salt and olive oil and a big clove of garlic. Mince finally with a mortar and pestle. I didn’t have one, so I just used a chef’s knife and a little repetition. You’ll want the mixture to mimic the texture of pesto. 

Place into a clean jar and add in the anchovies. You could use fresh for this, but I took a short cut and just added a tin of oil-packed anchovies instead. Simple. Top the whole mess off with a generous pour of olive oil – you’ll want the mixture to be fully covered. Feel free to use your good olive oil here, since it will eventually turn into your sauce. Let sit at room temperature for a few days to infuse before storing in the fridge.

Salt curing– the oldest known preservation technique known to man– involves using salt to gently pull the moisture delicately out of the yolk while retaining it’s shape and color. I wasn’t so delicate, as exhibited by the fourth picture’s mutated third yolk... However, I wasn’t going to let a broken yolk go to waste! 

The taste is both salts and creamy, not unlike the hard cheeses you’d use for grating, and as such, I’ll start there with how I use it: topping pasta, salads, and the like.

To cure the yolks:

I referenced Hapa Nom Nom’s guide, but I’ll sum it for you.

Mix equal parts salt in sugar in a sealable container. You’ll want enough to provide a nice bed for the yolks to rest on, and then some more to ensure they’re completely covered (about a cup and a half total per four yolks). Seal, and let sit in the fridge for a few days. 3-5 is recommended, but I was out of town for ten, so ten it was.

Once properly cured, the yolks should be firm to the touch. Rinse off any residual sugar/salt and any lingering white – the albumen and chalazae doesn’t take to the curing as well as the yolk, and will remain soft.