When we spoke with Chef Giancarlo Ferrara of Arcodoro, he recommended an octopus dish called Polipo ai Ferri con Salsa di Peperone. These were skewered cubes of octopus roasted in the wood-burning oven and served with roasted red bell pepper sauce.
He also recommended the Carpaccio di Branzino e Bottarga di Cabra. Branzino is a Mediterranean sea bass native to the waters in Europe. Bottarga is another Mediterranean delicacy of cured fish roe. Cabra is the Italian city from which the dish originates. In this offering, the branzino is thinly sliced and marinated with saffron. It is served with a salad of arugula, teardrop tomatoes, cannelinni beans, and shavings of bottarga. Everything is drizzled with organic extra virgin olive oil.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2010.