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s u m m e r 2 0 1 8 | 4 1 In the United States, food products labeled "Biodynamic," "free range," and "non-GMO" have become increasingly common as Americans gravitate toward more transparent food production and practices. Italy and its European neighbors, on the other hand, have embraced origin-based accountability for years. The Euro- pean Union utilizes labels called DOP, short for Denominazi- one di Origine Protetta (in English, Protected Designation of Origin or PDO), to signify the specific locale each product comes from. PDO labels can be found on a range of food and beverages, including tomatoes, olive oil, prosciutto, and, of course, wine. Another popular product that carries the PDO label is Italian cheese, particularly Pecorino. Named after pecora, the Italian word for sheep, all Pecorino—of which there are eight main varieties—is made from sheep's milk and follows stringent production practices. The Italian island of Sardinia's reputa- tion for cheesemaking stems from its 2,000-year-old history of shepherding. Sardinia produces more than 68 percent of Italy's sheep's milk, and the majority of Pecorino is made there as well. The island is home to three of the varieties bestowed with PDOs by the E.U. in 1996: Pecorino Romano*, Pecorino Sardo, and Fiore Sardo. *The production of Pecorino Romano is limited to the regions of Sardinia, Lazio, and the Grosseto province in Tuscany. Charred Broccolini with Yuzu, Chicken Skin, and Pecorino Romano Mornay Created by Chef Logan Kendall Pecorino Romano Mor- nay 3 tbsp. butter 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1½ cups warm milk 1 shallot, julienned 4 garlic cloves 3 cinnamon leaves 1 tbsp. bacon fat 1 egg yolk ½ tsp. grated nutmeg 10 oz. Pecorino Romano, grated Salt and pepper to taste Melt your butter in a sauce pot until browned. Add flour, then whisk to form a roux. Cook your white roux for about three minutes. Add milk and whisk well to evenly incor- porate. Add cloves, cinnamon leaves, and the shallot and bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce to a simmer, allowing it about 3 minutes to thicken. Whisk in bacon fat and egg yolk, then incorporate the Pecorino into your sauce and allow it to melt. Season with nutmeg then to taste with the salt and pepper. Charred Broccolini 6 pieces broccolini 1 shallot, julienned 2 tbsp. leeks, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. yuzu juice 1 tbsp. walnut oil Heat a sauté pan on high and add walnut oil. Let heat and add broccolini, shallot, and leeks. Let sauté until onion starts to become translucent. Incorpo- rate garlic and let cook for just a few seconds. Add the butter and allow it to coat the veg- etables. Remove the broccolini from the pan and let char on a grill or open heat source, just long enough to get some dark coloration. Chicken Skin ¾ lb. chicken skin 2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. black pepper 2 tbsp. bacon fat 2 tsp. yuzu zest Spread out the chicken skin in a flat single layer on the pre- pared baking sheets and season lightly with salt and pepper. Top the chicken skin with another sheet of parchment paper and another baking sheet to weigh it down. Bake for 40–50 minutes in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, until the skins are golden and crisp; rotate the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Transfer the crispy chicken skins to paper towels to drain. Lightly brush with bacon fat and transfer to a serving bowl. Cover with yuzu zest and pulse in a blender or food processor until the texture is that of a crumble, but not as fine as a powder. To Assemble Charred broccolini Pecorino Romano Mornay Chicken skin crumble Yuzu juice Grated Pecorino Romano Broccoli flowers In a bowl, place ¼ cup of Mornay sauce in the bottom. Cover with a full portion of charred broccolini and place 3 tablespoons of chicken skin over the broccolini. Squeeze half of a yuzu fruit over dish and place two broccoli florets over the top, offset from each other. Grate a generous amount of Pecorino Romano over the top. long enough to get some Spread out the chicken skin the texture is that of a crumble, but not as fine as a powder. Pecorino Romano P DO The production of Pecorino Romano boasts ancient origins: Even though the region around Rome has been considered the birthplace of the first prototypes of Pecorino Romano since the end of 19th century, it's also produced in Lazio and Grosseto province in Tuscany. Today, Sardinia serves as the main production hub. After whole sheep's milk is heated and mixed with lamb rennet, it's reheated, pressed, and salted before aging at least five months for the table cheese category and eight months for the grating cheese, result- ing in a sharper flavor. All PDO Pecorino Romano is marked with the designation and logo of the Pecorino Romano Consortium, the code of the cheesemaker, and the month and year of its production. FAST FACTS • 20,000 tons of Pecorino Romano PDO are exported every year, 90 percent of which goes to North America. • Pecorino Romano PDO is naturally lactose-free, a conse- quence of the cheesemaking process. It contains galactose in quantities below 2.7 mg/kg. • Famous Roman authors such as Pliny the Elder and Hip- pocrates mentioned Pecorino Romano in their works.

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