Pesce in Carpione

 “Pesce in Carpione” 

Submitted by: 

Heide Huester-Plogmann,
Abteilung Archaobiologie, Basel, Switzerland

Butchery and Ethnographic Info:

Recipe from Southern Switzerland (Tecino), rooted in Medieval times. This recipe uses whitefish fillets (esp. coregonus) is best. During the winter term of ’98 we concentrated on nourishment in different periods. In December we had the chance to cook in the kitchen of an old museum. It was bitter cold, and took some time to heat the rooms with the old-fashioned hearth. In the end we had a wonderful warm and cozy day, a medieval meal with several dishes included. “Pesce in Carpione” was one of the most welcomed highlights. 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 carrots
  • 2 onions
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Sage leaves
  • Rosemary
  • Parsley
  • Olive oil 
  • 12 whitefish fillets 
  • 1 dl white vinegar 
  • 3 dl white wine 

Instructions: 

Finely chop all vegetables and sauté shortly in a saucepan. Add sage, rosemary, and parsley (also finely chopped) then vinegar and wine. Cook for 3 minutes in covered pan on low heat. Cook fish briefly in olive oil, first on the side with skin and then turn and strip skin off. Place roasted fish side by side on a plate, salt and pepper the fish, cover it with the vegetables, cover the dish and store it overnight in the refrigerator. Serve cold as an appetizer with toast.