In "Historically yours", Olivier Poels looks back on the history of carpaccio, a dish from Italy, born out of a challenge for a countess' meal and named in homage to a painter.

He also delivers the recipe for a carpaccio of Saint-Jacques.

As its name can guess, the carpaccio comes from Italy, Venice precisely.

It originally designates a meat dish, after a challenge taken up by a cook for a countess, then entered common parlance to designate a finely cut and raw preparation.

In "Historically yours", Olivier Poels reveals the story behind this dish and delivers a refreshing recipe for a classic: the scallop carpaccio.

Carpaccio was born in Italy in 1950. More precisely in the kitchens of Harry's Bar, an upscale establishment in the city of the Doges, whose chef Giuseppe Cipriani is renowned for his cuisine.

The restaurant specializes in grills.

One day, a countess arrives for lunch: Amalia Nani Moncenigo.

His doctor at the time strongly advised him not to eat cooked meat and forced him to eat it raw.

The client therefore asks the waiter for a dish of raw meat.

At the time, tartars were not very widespread, but this specific request will inspire the chef.

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Named after a 17th century painter

He decides to cut slices of beef very finely, while preparing a seasoning, at the time close to mayonnaise.

You then have to find a name when you create it.

So Giuseppe Cipriani remembers an exhibition by Vittore Carpaccio, a 17th century painter, visited a few days before.

The artist is known for his flamboyant reds.

Inspired by the color of raw meat, he calls his dish carpaccio. 

The name then entered common parlance to designate a raw preparation, finely cut and seasoned.

There are now fish or fruit carpaccios.

Be careful not to confuse it with ceviche, a dish from South America, where the products are cut into cubes and seasoned in a different way or with sashimi, slices of fish cut like in Japan. 

Ingredients 

- 12 fresh scallops


- 1 lemon


- 1 vanilla pod


- 20 cl of olive oil


- Fleur de sel


- Sarawak pepper


- A few arugula leaves

The summary of the steps

1. Shell the scallops and wash them

2. Cut them in 4 vertically.

3. Prepare vanilla oil by infusing the seeds in the oil.

4. Brush the bottom of the dish with vanilla oil, place the Saint-Jacques.

5. Gently squeeze the lemon, grate the zest, add the pepper, fleur de sel, a drizzle of vanilla oil and the arugula leaves.