5. Salmí di cervo – Nonna Maria's Cucina Alpina

Wild game, of course, is a specialty of the mountains. The rotisserie van at the local market in Sondrio sells hare along with chicken, and burger choices can include wild boar. Nonna Maria’s husband, the late Alberto senior, was an accomplished hunter of quail and duck, going out with his pointer and setter dogs. 

Salmí is a hearty casserole (like Pizzoccheri, perfect after a day in the snowy mountains). The slow cooking gives a meat-falling-off-the-bone texture to lean venison, and is also suited to rabbit, which has lots of small bones. Pieces of meat are marinated in a savoury mulled wine mixture, then stewed on the stove and/or oven. Traditional soapstone pots and pans made in Valtellina for centuries were ideal for cooking over a fire, giving the same result that baking does today, back when household kitchens did not have ovens. 

Alberto’s family has a holiday house up in the mountains, to escape the oppressive summer heat and humidity that gets trapped in the valley. In return for permission to hunt on the property (the deer break into the vegetable patch), the neighbours bring over some venison—already butchered and neatly vacuum packed. 

Venison is farmed and hunted in Australia, and frozen meat can be used for stews. Other alternatives are kangaroo, goat and lamb. In Japan, the mountainous terrain is home to deer, boar, and bears like in Italy, with controlled harvesting to preserve the ecological balance, but consumption is mainly confined to restaurants. Individual households don’t have outdoor barbecue grills or large ovens, and people consider even lamb too gamey, so they are reluctant to have the house smell like meat. When served at specialty restaurants, ginger is used to temper and neutralise the flavours of wild birds and game meats. 

In Valtellina, juniper berry is one of the herbs and spices that give Bresaola and Braulio Amaro their characteristic flavour. There is a herbed salt product called Pesteda, containing thyme and juniper, which I refer to as “gin salt”.  Sansho pepper, with its lemony tang, may work as an alternative.

In addition to the home kitchen, the local cuisine in Italy is often best enjoyed at a trattoria. The selection is typically focussed and there can be a wait, as the food is not prepped and assembled, but it means that each dish is cooked freshly from scratch. From the dairy products that vary depending on where the herds are grazing, to the berries, mushrooms and wild game, these traditional recipes from Valtellina are about herding, hunting, cultivating and foraging to the rhythm of the seasons. 

Capriolo in Salmí recipe

Serves 4 

• 1 kg venison backstrap (striploin), trimmed and cut into cubes

• 350 ml red wine 

• 1 white onion, chopped 

• 1 carrot, sliced 

• 1/2 celery stalk, chopped

• 3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked 

• 2 juniper berries, crushed 

• 2 whole cloves

• 1 fresh bay leaf 

• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 

• 1 tsp cacao powder  

• 100 g unsalted butter 

• 50 g pancetta, finely chopped  

• Plain flour for dusting 

• Rock salt

• Freshly ground black pepper 

1. Place the meat, wine, onion, carrot, celery, half the spices and all of the herbs in a glass or ceramic container, season with salt and pepper, then cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. 

2. Remove the meat from the marinade, then pat dry. Strain the marinade, reserving the liquid and vegetables separately. Discard the herbs and spices. Set aside for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature. 

3. Melt half the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp. Reduce the heat to low-medium, then add the reserved vegetables, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally. 

4. Meanwhile, dust the meat with flour. Heat a pan over high heat. Add the other half of the butter and fry the meat in batches for 2 minutes on each side, adding each batch to the vegetables once browned. 

5. Once all the meat is added to the vegetables, add the remaining spices and cacao powder, seasoning with salt to taste. Cover with the reserved wine liquid and bring to the boil.

6. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. 

7. Transfer the meat to a warm serving dish. 

8. Discard the cloves and cinnamon stick. Transfer the cooking juices to a blender and process to a purée.

9.  Return the meat to the sauce and stir to coat well. 

10. Serve with polenta and porcini. 

#salmi #valtellina