MY NAME IS CECCHINI ......DARIO CECCHINI
For the last 35 years I have been a butcher, seeking to better myself in my art, and to discover the best cutting and cooking methods for each piece of meat.
| Antica Macelleria Cecchini - Panzano in Chianti, Florence, Italy - Tel +39 055 852020 - fax +39 055 852700 - macelleriacecchini@tin.it | IT | ENG |FR | GE |
Among the headiest fragrances of a Tuscan summer is the scent of the wild fennel flower.
Intense, almost unbearably so, it evokes the image of sun-bleached fields and the locust's song.
Through kitchen magic, Summer's fennel can be paired with its opposite, scamerite (pork neck cuts); a traditional sign of winter.
Cold weather, the ritual of pork, hearty foods.
The best way to prepare fennel scamerite, is to brown them in a pan with a small amount of olive oil. (I refuse to call it "extra virgin olive oil". What other kind is worth using?)
They will take about ten minutes per side over low heat to become well browned. After that, season the meat with a touch of "Profumo del Chianti" then turn the heat up to color the cuts just a bit more.
In the meantime, if you like, you can blanch some cavolo nero (black cabbage or Tuscan kale) or rape (broccoli rabe) in boiling water with coarse sea salt. Remove meat from the pan, and sautÈ the blanched greens in the pan juices for a few minutes.
Serve together and revel in this blend of bounty from different seasons!
 IL PROFUMO DEL CHIANTI  TONNO DEL CHIANTI  BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA  COSIMINO  SUSHI DEL CHIANTI  RAGNO  AGNELLO AL PECORINO |
 LA MOSTARDA MEDITERRANEA  ARROSTO FIORENTINO  BRASATO AL MIDOLLO  LA MIA ARISTA  PASTICCIO TOSCANO  LINGUA SALMISTRATA  SCAMERITE AL FINOCCHIO |
 FIORE DI FINOCCHIO  BISTECCA PANZANESE  FINOCCHIONA  LA SALSICCIA ALL'AGLIO  PEPOSO NOTTURNO  SOPRASSATA DEI MEDICI  BURRO DEL CHIANTI |