Lake Como Dried Shad with Vinegar, Parsley and Polenta | Missoltini con Polenta
Missoltini are the great preserved fish of Lake Como: shad caught in the lake, salted, dried in the sun and pressed in layers with bay leaves until they keep for months. On the shores of the lake they are cooked in the simplest way possible, a few minutes on a hot grill, then dressed with vinegar, olive oil and parsley and served with polenta. The result is intense, salty, smoky and sharp, a dish of strong character that the soft, sweet corn balances perfectly. This recipe follows the lake tradition step by step and refines the timing of the grill, the balance of the dressing and the texture of the polenta.
Yield: 4 servings. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 1 hour. Rest: 20 minutes. Course: main course. Region: Lombardy.
The Story
Lake Como lies in the north of Lombardy, a long, narrow lake in the shape of an upside-down Y, framed by the steep slopes of the Pre-Alps. For centuries the villages along its shores lived on fishing as much as on farming, and the fish they relied on most was the agone, a freshwater form of the shad that lives in the deep lakes of northern Italy. Fresh fish do not keep, and the fishing families needed food for the cold months, so they found a way to preserve the catch. That way became the missoltino.
The method is long and exacting. The shad are gutted, salted for a couple of days, then threaded on lines or laid on racks and dried in the sun and the wind of the lake for several days. Once dry, they are packed tightly in layers, separated by bay leaves, inside a container that is weighted down so that the fish are pressed and their own fat rises to the surface. The traditional container is called the missolta, and the fish take their name from it. Pressed and left to mature, they keep through autumn and winter.
The Missoltino has been recognized as a Slow Food Presidium, which protects the traditional method and the small community of fishermen who still make it on Lake Como. It is a craft product in the fullest sense: the quality depends on the size of the fish, the weather during drying, the balance of salt and the patience of the maker. Good missoltini are silver and gold, firm, with a clean, savory aroma and no trace of rancid fat.
On the lake the classic way to eat them is also the simplest. The fish are grilled for a few minutes over embers, which makes the skin blister and wakes up the fat, then laid in a dish and dressed with vinegar, oil and chopped parsley, sometimes with a little garlic. Polenta, the daily bread of Lombardy for generations, sits beside them, either soft from the pot or in grilled slices. This recipe keeps that structure and refines it: an exact grill time, a dressing balanced to the salt of the fish and a polenta cooked long enough to be silky and sweet.
Ingredients
Missoltini are sold whole, dried and pressed, by specialty Italian importers and some Italian delis. Choose fish that look silver and dry, with firm flesh and a clean smell of the sea and the lake; avoid any that smell rancid or look yellow and oily on the surface. Each fish weighs about 1 1/2 oz (40 g). For the polenta, use a coarse yellow cornmeal labeled for polenta, preferably stone ground, not instant polenta. A good red wine vinegar with about 6 percent acidity is the traditional choice.
For the missoltini
Missoltini, whole, 8, about 12 oz (340 g) total
Bay leaves from the missoltini container or fresh, 4
For the dressing
Red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup (60 ml)
Extra virgin olive oil, mild, 1/3 cup (80 ml)
Flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped, 1/2 cup (20 g)
Garlic, 1 small clove, very finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the polenta
Water, 6 1/2 cups (1.5 L)
Fine sea salt, 2 tsp (10 g)
Coarse yellow cornmeal for polenta, 1 1/2 cups (250 g)
Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp (15 ml)
For the garnish
Flat-leaf parsley, small whole leaves, 12
Red wine vinegar, a few drops
Extra virgin olive oil, a few drops
Preparation
Step 1
Start the polenta. Bring the water and the salt to a boil in a heavy pot of at least 4 qt (3.8 L). Lower the heat to medium and pour the cornmeal in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly, so that no lumps form. When all the meal is in and the mixture starts to thicken, about 3 minutes, switch to a long wooden spoon. A thin stream into moving water lets every grain hydrate separately; poured in all at once, the outside of the clumps gels and seals dry flour inside.
Step 2
Cook the polenta slowly. Reduce the heat to low, so that only a few slow bubbles break the surface, and cook for 50 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes and scraping the bottom and the corners of the pot. Keep a kettle of hot water nearby and add a splash whenever the polenta becomes too stiff to stir easily. It is ready when it comes away from the sides of the pot, has lost every raw, grainy taste and has a deep, sweet corn flavor. Long cooking swells and softens the starch completely, and that is what gives a silky texture instead of a sandy one.
Step 3
Prepare the missoltini. While the polenta cooks, take the fish out of their container and brush off any salt and pieces of bay leaf. Wipe them gently with paper towel; do not soak or wash them, or they lose the flavor of their maturing and fall apart on the grill. Trim the fins with scissors. Check that they are firm and smell clean. Missoltini are already preserved and eaten after a short cooking, which only needs to heat them and render a little of their fat.
Step 4
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the very finely chopped garlic and a few turns of black pepper, then whisk in the olive oil and finally the chopped parsley. Do not add salt: the fish carry all the salt the dish needs. Let the dressing stand for 10 minutes while you heat the grill, so the garlic softens in the acid and the parsley releases its aroma.
Step 5
Grill the fish. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are covered with white ash, or heat a ridged cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Lay the missoltini on the grill at an angle and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, turning them once with a thin spatula, until the skin blisters, crackles and turns golden in places and the fish smell toasty. Do not cook them longer: they are thin and dry, and too much heat makes them hard and bitter. The goal is to heat the fish through and melt the fat under the skin.
Step 6
Dress and rest. Lay the hot missoltini side by side in a shallow dish just large enough to hold them in one layer, tuck the bay leaves between them and spoon the dressing over them while they are still sizzling. Let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them once. Hot fish absorb the vinegar faster, and the rest softens the flesh slightly, tames the salt and lets the flavors of fish, acid and herbs come together.
Step 7
Fillet the fish. Lift each missoltino onto a board. With a small knife, cut along the back, open the fish like a book and lift out the backbone in one piece, pulling gently from the tail. Remove any small bones you can see, and leave the skin on. Return the fillets to the dressing for a minute. Filleting at the table is part of the lake tradition, but boned fillets are easier and more elegant to eat, and they take up more of the dressing.
Step 8
Finish the polenta. Off the heat, stir the tablespoon of olive oil into the polenta and taste for salt, remembering that the fish are salty. The polenta should be soft enough to spread slowly on a plate, like a thick cream. If it has stiffened, whisk in a little hot water until it flows again.
Plating
Warm shallow plates in a low oven at 150°F (65°C). Spoon a generous ladle of soft polenta into the center of each plate and tap the plate on the counter so it spreads into a smooth, round bed. The polenta should be steaming and glossy.
Lay four fillets on the polenta, skin side up, slightly overlapping, so the golden, blistered skin shows. Spoon over a little of the dressing with plenty of parsley, letting a few drops of the green oil run onto the yellow polenta. Finish with three small parsley leaves and a final drop each of vinegar and olive oil. The guest takes a little fish and a little polenta in every forkful, so the sweetness of the corn softens the salt and the sharpness.
Professional Technique
The key ratio is the dressing: about one part vinegar to one and a third parts oil. That is more acid than a normal vinaigrette, and it has to be, because missoltini are intensely salty and rich. The vinegar cuts the fat and the salt; the oil carries the parsley and rounds the edges. Taste a piece of dressed fish before plating: the first impression should be savory, the second sharp, the finish clean.
The hidden variable is the grill heat. Missoltini are thin, dry fish, and they cook in seconds rather than minutes. On a grill that is too hot they burn before the fat melts; on one that is too cool they dry out and turn leathery. Medium-high heat, with coals covered in white ash, gives a blistered skin and a moist center in about 3 minutes in all.
The doneness test is the skin and the smell. When the skin puffs and crackles in small bubbles and the kitchen fills with a toasty aroma of fish and bay, the missoltini are ready. The flesh should bend without breaking and feel hot to the touch at the center. Any longer, and they lose their oil and become hard.
Salt and Acidity Control
Salt is the defining feature of missoltini and the main point to control. The fish are cured, dried and pressed, so they contain far more salt than fresh fish. That is why nothing else in the dish is salted except the polenta water, and why the polenta must be seasoned with restraint: it is the soft, sweet counterweight on the plate.
The resting time in the dressing is the second control. Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough to soften the flesh and to draw out part of the salt into the dressing. Lake families sometimes leave missoltini in vinegar and oil for much longer, and some prefer them that way, but for a refined plate a short rest keeps the fish firm and the dressing bright.
The texture of the polenta is the last balance. Soft polenta should flow slowly, like lava, when spooned onto the plate. Too thin, and it turns into porridge that runs under the fish; too firm, and it forms a dry block. Adjust it at the very end with hot water, a tablespoon at a time, until it holds a soft round shape.
Professional Mise en Place
The polenta takes the longest and needs the most attention, so start it first. Everything else can be done while it cooks, and the fish go on the grill only in the last 30 minutes.
Equipment and tools
Heavy pot of at least 4 qt (3.8 L) with a long wooden spoon and a whisk
Charcoal grill or ridged cast-iron grill pan, thin fish spatula
Shallow dish for dressing the fish, small knife, tweezers for bones
Kettle of hot water for adjusting the polenta
Prepared ahead
Missoltini cleaned, wiped and trimmed, up to 1 day ahead, kept cool and covered
Parsley picked and chopped, up to 2 hours ahead, covered with a damp towel
Dressing whisked without parsley, up to 1 day ahead
Service setup
Polenta hot and soft, held covered over the lowest heat
Fish grilled, dressed and filleted 20 minutes before service
Plates warmed, small parsley leaves, vinegar and oil on the pass
Chef Tips
Keep the bay leaves that come with the missoltini. They have matured with the fish and carry its aroma, and laid on the grill under the fish for the last seconds, they add a light smoky perfume.
If your missoltini are particularly salty, taste a small piece after grilling. When the salt is very strong, add 1 tbsp (15 ml) more vinegar and 1 tbsp (15 ml) of water to the dressing and let the fish rest the full 20 minutes.
Make extra polenta. On the lake, leftover polenta is spread on a board, cooled, cut into slices and grilled the next day next to the missoltini. The crisp, toasted crust is the classic partner for the fish.
Grill outdoors when you can. Missoltini release a strong smell when they hit the heat, which is part of their charm on a terrace by the lake but less welcome in a closed kitchen. If you must cook inside, turn the hood to maximum.
Common Mistakes
Soaking the fish in water. Missoltini that are washed or soaked lose the flavor of their curing and break apart. Brush and wipe them only.
Grilling too long. Over-cooked missoltini turn hard, dry and bitter. One to two minutes on each side is enough.
Salting the dressing. The fish already contain all the salt the dish needs. Add only pepper, garlic, parsley, vinegar and oil.
Dressing cold fish. Cold missoltini absorb little of the vinegar and stay tough. Dress them the moment they leave the grill.
Using instant polenta. It is quick but flat and pasty, without the depth of long cooked cornmeal. Use coarse cornmeal and give it the full 50 minutes.
Under-cooked polenta. Short cooking leaves a grainy, raw corn taste that clashes with the fish. Cook until it leaves the sides of the pot and tastes sweet.
Leaving the bones in. The fine bones of the shad annoy the guest and distract from the flavor. Lift out the backbone and remove the visible bones before plating.
Wine Pairing
Franciacorta DOCG: The great sparkling wine of Lombardy, made by the traditional method south of Lake Iseo. A Brut or Extra Brut, with its fine bubbles, high acidity and notes of bread crust and citrus, cleans the palate after every salty, oily bite and lifts the sweetness of the polenta. Serve at about 46°F (8°C).
Valtellina Superiore DOCG: Nebbiolo from the terraced slopes of Valtellina, the valley just north of Lake Como. Light in color, with red berries, rose, alpine herbs and fresh acidity, it is a red that can meet a strong fish dish, especially served slightly cool. Serve at about 59°F (15°C).
Pinot Nero dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC: From the hills of southern Lombardy, a delicate red with cherry, raspberry and soft tannins. Its lightness and acidity stand up to the vinegar without overwhelming the fish, and it suits the smoky skin from the grill. Serve at about 57°F (14°C).
Gavi DOCG: From nearby Piedmont, a dry white from the Cortese grape with crisp acidity, green apple, lemon and a mineral finish. It works like a squeeze of lemon on the fish and refreshes the palate between bites. Serve at about 48°F (9°C).
Storage & Reheating
Uncooked missoltini keep for months in their pressed container or in their vacuum pack, in a cool place or in the refrigerator, as the label indicates. Once dressed, the fish keep in their dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and they become softer and more marinated each day. Do not freeze dressed missoltini: the flesh turns mushy on thawing. Cooked polenta keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator.
Leftover polenta sets firm when cold. Cut it into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick, brush them with oil and grill them or brown them in a pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until crisp. Take the dressed fish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving and serve them at room temperature on the hot grilled polenta, which is how many families on the lake eat them the day after.
Nutrition
Per serving, based on 4 servings:
Calories: 610 kcal
Total Fat: 34 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
Cholesterol: 85 mg
Sodium: 1,900 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 50 g
Fiber: 4 g
Total Sugars: 1 g
Added Sugars: 0 g
Protein: 26 g
Principal micronutrients: vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin K, selenium, phosphorus
These figures are estimates, calculated on the quantities listed and rounded to the nearest whole number, assuming that part of the dressing stays in the dish. They vary with the size and the salt content of the missoltini.
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