Cooking with Chef Marco at Enoteca Properzio

Last night Chef Marco Gubiotti taught a class at Enoteca Properzio for a group of bicyclists who were in town on their trek across Italy.  Marco is a gifted chef, and teacher, and I've had the pleasure of being in on these classes to help translate (a bit) and to write out the recipes for the participants. Recently featured in the publication Gambero Rosso, Marco is the chef/owner of CucinaA in the nearby town of Foligno.  It's always a pleasure to watch him, to see the students interest in his work, and their delight in eating the final creation.  While the cooking class is going on, Roberto and his son Luca are pairing the wines that will be the perfect match for the foods that will be served.

First up was a poached egg with herbs wrapped in clingfilm, and poached

Wrapping it up

potatoes for mashing with olive oil 

Nest of mashed potatoes for the egg

Gently unwrapping the eggs after poaching

A dusting of bruschetta crumbs, and that's it

Next up asparagus risotto with organic goat cheese

A bit of green garlic sauteed in oil, then the rice, then stock

Adding thinly chopped asparagus

Add the goat cheese and parmigiano

A little parsley

Finish with salt and pepper

Pronto!

Spettacolare!

The main course was Bacala Perugina, cod in a tomato sauce with zucchini

The cod will cook confit style in herbed olive oil

zucchin for garnish

the skin of the cod is seared, then put into the oil

Tomatoes sauteed with green garlic, raisins, and chick peas

Final plating

An exquisite main course

Dessert was what Marco called Minestrone of fruit, building on pastry cream

Fruit and chocolate crumbles with mango and raspberry puree

edible flower garnish

It's always a pleasure to watch someone as talented as Marco put together an exquisite meal and to hear the diners exclaim in delight with each bite.  I'm grateful to Marco for allowing me to photograph and document his meals when I'm here.  Grazie Marco and Enoteca Properzio.