Mostarda di Cremona

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large glass or ceramic bowl for maceration
• •Heavy 3-quart saucepan
• •Candy thermometer
• •Slotted spoon
• •Clean glass jars with tight-fitting lids (about 2 quarts total capacity)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the fruits

   Select fruits that are ripe but still firm. Soft fruit will disintegrate. Peel and core pears and quinces, cutting them into quarters or thick wedges. Halve and pit apricots. Leave cherries whole with stems attached if possible. Quarter figs. Cut citron peel into strips. The pieces should be substantial, recognizable as what they are.

   The selection of fruits matters. Use what is traditional to Cremona: quinces for their perfume, pears for sweetness, apricots for color, cherries for jewel-like beauty, figs for richness, citron for brightness. You need not use all of them, but variety is the point.
2. 2

   Begin the maceration

   In a large, wide bowl or pot, layer the prepared fruits with the sugar, distributing it evenly. Add the water and lemon juice. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. The sugar will draw moisture from the fruits and begin to dissolve into a syrup.

3. 3

   First syrup concentration

   After 24 hours, carefully drain the syrup into a heavy saucepan, leaving the fruits behind. Bring the syrup to a boil and cook until it reaches 230°F on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Pour the hot syrup back over the fruits. Cover and let stand another 24 hours.

   Handle the fruits gently throughout this process. They should remain whole and intact. Use a slotted spoon or your hands. Metal spoons and rough treatment break the pieces.
4. 4

   Second concentration

   Repeat the process: drain the syrup, boil it to 230°F, pour it back over the fruits. The syrup will be thicker now, more golden. The fruits will appear slightly more translucent. Cover and rest another 24 hours.

5. 5

   Third concentration

   Drain, boil, and return the syrup once more. By now the fruits should be visibly candied, their colors intensified, their texture firm but yielding. The syrup should coat a spoon and drip slowly. Cover and rest a final 24 hours.

6. 6

   Final concentration and adding mustard

   On the fifth day, drain the syrup one final time. Bring it to 235°F, the soft-ball stage. Remove from heat and let it cool until just warm to the touch, no hotter than 110°F. Only then add the mustard oil, stirring thoroughly to distribute it evenly. If you add it while the syrup is hot, the heat destroys the volatile compounds that give mustard its fire.

   Mustard oil is potent. Start with two tablespoons and taste. The syrup should make your eyes water slightly and clear your sinuses. Add more if needed. The heat mellows over time, so err toward stronger.
7. 7

   Jar the mostarda

   Arrange the candied fruits in clean glass jars, distributing the varieties evenly. Pour the mustard-infused syrup over them, ensuring the fruits are completely submerged. Seal and store in a cool, dark place. The mostarda improves for at least two weeks before serving and keeps for months.

8. 8

   Serve properly

   Lift pieces of fruit from the syrup with a small fork or spoon, allowing excess syrup to drip back into the jar. Arrange beside slices of bollito misto, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, or other rich foods. The mostarda is a condiment, not a dessert. A little goes far.

Chef Tips

• •Mustard oil, called olio di senape in Italian, is essential. Do not substitute prepared mustard, mustard powder, or mustard seeds. The oil is available from Italian specialty shops and some pharmacies. Without it, you have candied fruit, not mostarda.
• •The fruits must be firm. Overripe fruit dissolves into the syrup. Quinces are ideal because they hold their shape through anything. Underripe pears work better than ripe ones.
• •Mostarda is traditionally served at room temperature, never chilled. Cold dulls both the sweetness and the heat. Remove it from the refrigerator an hour before serving.
• •The syrup that remains in the jar after the fruits are eaten is precious. Use it to glaze roasted pork or add a spoonful to pan sauces for game.

Advance Preparation

• •Mostarda must be made at least two weeks before serving. The flavors need time to marry and the mustard heat to permeate the fruit.
• •Properly sealed and stored in a cool, dark place, mostarda keeps for up to one year. Refrigerate after opening.
• •The process spans five days but requires only brief attention each day. Plan accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 40g)