Coinciding with the Easter holidays, Spring produces new shades of green on the Euganean Hills that are visible from Hotel Tritone and are a few steps from Abano Terme. The new colours on the slopes are not only due to the flowers but also to the herbs that sprout in the woods, fields, and ditches. Of these, many are edible and have been used for centuries in Venetian cuisine for their flavour and properties.

Three herbs for the Easter timbale, the appetizer created by the Hotel Tritone Chef.

The timbale of wild herbs with salmon, raspberries and celery is a gourmet recipe from the Laura’s Restaurant Easter 2022 menu. 

As a preview for readers and guests, we share the recipe so that everyone can replicate the flavours of the party enjoyed at our hotel at home. First, however, let’s consider some valuable information about the Euganean Hills herbs that our Chef has selected specifically for this dish.

Rosole: these are young poppy plants that grow in uncontaminated soils where there are no herbicides. They have purifying properties and excellent flavour, which means they can be consumed alone, as a side dish.

Carletti: this is the silene grass that grows spontaneously and in abundance on the Hills. As with all plants, it is plucked taking care to leave the roots so that it can grow back. It is mainly used in risottos and omelettes.

Wild hops: the spontaneous shoots that are harvested in spring are called “ bruscandoli.” They have a mild flavour and are usually used in soups and omelettes.

Timballino of wild herbs, Norwegian salmon marinated with beetroot, raspberry sauce, and green celery air.

Ingredients

500 gr fresh salmon

500 gr brown sugar

400 gr salt (for the marinade)

250 grams of bechamel

200 gr of herbs (carletti, wild hops and rosole)

4 eggs

50 gr parmesan

nutmeg and salt to taste

a shallot

vegetable broth to taste

2 stalks of celery

a teaspoon of soy lecithin

250 gr raspberries for the sauce 

12 raspberries for the garnish

a few drops of raspberry vinegar

Preparation

The salmon marinade should be prepared about 4 days before the recipe is made. The salmon should be filleted and marinated with the beetroot (precooked) and a mixture of brown sugar and salt. After the necessary time, remove the salmon from the solution and brush it with smoked oil.

Cooking 

Cook the herbs with a shallot and vegetable broth.

Pour the béchamel, eggs, parmesan, cooked herbs, a pinch of salt and a little nutmeg into a bowl. Blend it all in a mixer. Use buttered cups to pour the mixture. Bake in a bain-marie oven (ie with a pan and a little water) for 20 minutes at 150 ° / 160 °.

Prepare the celery air: extract the celery juice with an extractor and emulsify with the soy lecithin until a foam is formed. 

Prepare the raspberry sauce by blending the fruit with a few drops of raspberry vinegar and passing everything through a sieve. 

Compose the dish by forming a rose with the salmon, adding the timbale, the raspberry sauce on the side, and decorating everything with fresh whole raspberries. Before serving, lay the celery air on top of the timbale.