Luca Grasselli: making the most of what the land produces

In Luca Grasselli’s words, Cascina Lago Scuro is not just “a place where we make food”: above all, it is a place to connect with nature.

It is also a farm, run with sustainable and organic methods, that processes its own produce: livestock, vegetable and cereal growing, cheese-making and baking.

The vegetable plot occupies what was once the Cascina’s garden, about two hectares, with three unheated greenhouses where a wide range of winter and summer varieties are grown.

The kitchen lets the flavors of the land lead the way and follows the rhythm of the seasons. The menu is “farm to plate”, with vegetables that are always freshly picked and plenty of plant-based dishes.

Luca’s giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables) is a permanent fixture among the starters: vegetables picked in the garden and cut by hand, combined with vinegar, bay leaves, pepper and the chef’s own secret ingredients.

Made the traditional way, it is a lengthy process: each vegetable is blanched separately, then cooled (again separately), and finally preserved in vinegar.

The Nortech Plus multifunction blast chiller radically simplifies the process. Luca cuts the vegetables, puts them straight into the jars with the vinegar and starts a combined cycle of low-temperature cooking followed by positive blast chilling. The blast chiller cooks the jars at 83°C for 40 minutes (about 20% less if vacuum bags are used), then chills them to a core temperature of 3°C.

Cooking and chilling take place automatically in the same appliance, so the time once spent watching over each step is freed up for the kitchen.

For Luca and his team, ingredients are a matter of love and emotion. Nortech Plus has become an essential tool for getting the most out of what they grow: it respects the natural properties of the produce and ensures the same quality every time, bringing all their passion for the land to the plate.