5 Ingredients is an Urban Family series where we sit down with a Shanghai-based chef and ask for a family-friendly meal using 5 Ingredients easily found in Shanghai; let us help you start the week with a simple five-step recipe!
This week we met with Andrea Canciani, head chef at Italian restaurant Favorita. Specializing in Venetian and northeast Italian dishes, Chef Andrea has many years’ experience immersing himself in different cuisines and locations around the world, including Italy, Germany, the UK and China. In 2013, Andrea’s passion for food, cycling and travel inspired him to cycle from his hometown of Trieste, Italy to China. Along the way, he discovered many new cooking flavors and methods, which he incorporates into his delicious dishes at Favorita.
Can you tell me about the dish you are helping us prepare this week?
I am going to teach my Potato and Mackerel Soup, which represents my hometown of Trieste, Italy. This soup uses the ingredients from two different cultures that have long been a part of Trieste: the Venetians and the Austrian-Hungarian empire.
What five ingredients do we need?
Serves 2
1 whole mackerel fish
250 grams potatoes, cut into cubes
1 large tomato, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon sweet ground paprika
Seasoning: olive oil, chopped parsley, chopped garlic
Image via Natalie Foxwell/Urban Family
What is the five-step recipe?
1. Take the mackerel, remove the head and cut into four pieces. If you prefer without bones, you can use the fillet only.
2. Put a large pot on medium heat and add the olive oil and garlic. Then, add the tomato and parsley and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add the potatoes and sweet paprika and stir for an additional 1 minute. Pour half a liter of stock (fish stock preferred) or hot water, and stir.
4. Allow the potatoes to cook (approximately 5 minutes), then gently add the mackerel.
5. On medium heat, allow the soup to simmer until the fish is cooked through (approx 4 minutes). Then, serve into the bowl and sprinkle with parsley.
Image via Natalie Foxwell/Urban Family
What’s your advice on your dish of the week?
I recommend using the fish waste (head and bone) to make the stock, as this will enhance the flavor of your soup. If you like spice, you can also add chili to your preferred taste.
Tell us something that’s happening with Favorita at the moment, that our Urban Family community can enjoy.
While the weather is still mild we offer our Aperitivo, where guests can sit back on our terrace and enjoy a glass of wine with our Italian finger food.
Image via Andrea Canciani
[Cover image via Andrea Canciani. Profile image via Natalie Foxwell/Urban Family]
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