One of the biggest highlights of my recent trip to Cortona was enjoying all that incredible Tuscan cuisine.
Few chefs bring authentic Tuscan flavors to life the way Chef Silvia Baracchi does, and being a guest at her table is as good as it gets.
Prior to staying in the heart of Tuscany at Il Falconiere, I had the opportunity to meet Chef Baracchi at Eataly here in New York where she led an incredible cooking demonstration and served a lunch that was out of this world.
She shared the recipe for her outstanding Chianina in crosta di olive nere (Chianina beef with a black olive crust), and I’m happy to share it with you now.
Buon appetito!
CHEF SILVIA BARACCHI’S CHIANINA IN CROSTA DI OLIVE NERE
Ingredients
3 beef chops, approx. 1” thick
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
500g black olives
For the onions:
2 red onions
1 cup white vinegar
3 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon of salt
For the tomatoes:
Extra virgin olive oil
3 large green tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
Mix of fresh aromatic herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, bay leaves, etc.)
Salt & pepper to taste
- Dry the black olives in the oven at a low temperature of around 160°F for about 8 hours. Once dried, use a food processor to obtain a coarse mixture.
- Cut the onions into 1” wedges, separating the layers. In a large pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, one bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Add sliced onion wedges and cook for five minutes. Remove the onion slices and allow them to cool.
- Season your beef chops on both sides with salt and pepper and then coat each chop with the lightly beaten egg whites using a brush. Place the beef chops in the dried olives, creating a crust on all sides.
- Heat a large pan on high. Once hot, add some olive oil to the pan. When your oil is hot, sear the beef quickly on both sides. For medium rare, cook the beef for a total of four minutes.
- Slice your green tomatoes into 1” wedges, removing the seeds. In a separate skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and add the sliced tomatoes, garlic, and aromatic herbs. Cook for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice and plate the beef, top with the aromatic tomatoes and red onions. Enjoy!
