In this installment
Pork Pistachio Pâté
Tempesta ‘Nduja
Pork Pistachio Pâté
Using sustainably, humanely raised pork, the meat masters at Olympia Provisions mix in a bit of milk and bread for body, plus onion, garlic, fresh herbs, spices, a dab of port wine, and pistachios. The texture is wonderful: chunky, meaty, nutty, not quite spreadable on a cracker but really great on crusty bread with mustard.
Tempesta ‘Nduja
Nduja is a specialty of Calabria in Italy, where they love chiles and anything spicy. Traditionally, this spread would have been made from the “poor cuts” of preserved pork. It would have been a peasant food. They couldn’t buy the best cuts of meat, but with the right spices and a little ingenuity they could make something outstanding. Chicago’s Antonio Fiasche is a fifth generation ‘nduja maker whose grandfather still lives in Calabria, Italy, not far from ‘nduja’s hometown Spilinga. Tony uses only pork from sustainably raised old-school Berkshire hogs and a proprietary blend of five different chiles (some of which he grows in his family’s garden). He ages his ‘nduja for months, which concentrates and deepens the flavor of this spreadable meat. Spicy, slightly sweet, buttery, powerfully porky yet as smooth in texture as homemade strawberry jam, ‘nduja is an eating experience you won’t soon forget.