A short video from the Mediterranean Culinary Arts (MCA training) at the ŠKMER Academy shows how collagen is used in a modern kitchen, through the work of chef Jadran Grančić, who recently came back with two gold medals from an international competition in Turkey.
In his module, Grančić showed how knowledge, technique and a deep understanding of an ingredient produce dishes that are simple and expertly executed at the same time – such as white fish fillet confited in olive oil, with pil pil and celery cream.
This chef from Imotski, an award winning chef and head of the kitchen at the hotel Park in Makarska, has spent recent years researching and applying collagen in gastronomy, and passes on his knowledge through training for professionals and enthusiasts. Science knows more than twenty types of collagen, yet cooking mostly uses two of them – type I and type II.
“Type I collagen, dominant in skin, bones and tendons, is especially present in fish. It digests more easily, has a lower molecular mass and melts at lower temperatures, which makes it ideal for delicate emulsions, creams and gels. That is the collagen used to build light, ‘marine’ textures such as emulsified sauces based on olive oil. Type II collagen, on the other hand, comes from cartilage and is most often used as gelatine obtained from meat bones. It is more stable at higher temperatures, and its gelling power comes through in stocks, slow cooked sauces and dishes with a rich texture that develops on cooling” – said Grančić.
In cooking, collagen has a key role in rounding out flavour and building that recognisable velvety texture – the one that defines fine soups, ragouts and sauces. Beyond its technical value, its use also gains weight through the philosophy of sustainability, where every part of an ingredient is used to the full – from skin and bones to connective tissue.
The new cycle of Mediterranean Culinary Arts training starts in the autumn.
The programme is developed within the project Kompetencije za izvrsnost u ugostiteljstvu (Competences for excellence in hospitality), with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, in order to promote the profession, develop professional knowledge systematically and strengthen the competitiveness of Croatian gastronomy.
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