Black delicacies: spaghetti ‘carbon’ara and charcoal bread

Swiss chef Stefan Wiesner from Entlebuch. SRF

Charcoal can be used to colour food black. Swiss chef Stefan Wiesner from Entlebuch presents several recipes for dark dishes in his new book – and explains why he uses charcoal as an ingredient.

“Charcoal is healthy; it binds toxins,” says Wiesner. At the same time, he warns that too much of it can also bind nutrients.

Wiesner is one of Switzerland’s best-known chefs, recognised internationally for his holistic approach to food. He has been using charcoal in his cooking for decades – for example, in mustard and bread.

Black food – a trend from Japan

Black-coloured food has been a familiar sight in Japan for years: charcoal ice cream, black bread and even charcoal latte macchiatos. Foods containing charcoal are believed to have cleansing properties, and it is not uncommon for water to be purified by adding a piece of charcoal.

In Japan, Binchotan charcoal is used for this purpose. It is harder than standard charcoal and made from oak – whole branches are often charred in a single piece.

Charcoal colours bread and other foods black. The consumption of charcoal is said to have a cleansing effect. But be careful: as activated charcoal binds both toxins and important nutrients, it should only be consumed in small quantities. Istock / Tavan Amonratanasareegul

The “black food” trend later spread from Japan to Europe. In Switzerland, charcoal is approved as a food colouring. However, it must be treated and purified, as substances created during burning can be harmful to humans. Only charcoal that has been officially approved, treated and cleaned may be used as a colouring agent.

Ayurvedic-inspired recipes

For his own recipes, Wiesner recommends using charcoal tablets available from pharmacies.

In his book Herzens Küche, the award-winning chef presents recipes inspired by Ayurvedic principles. “Recipes with charcoal fit in well,” says Wiesner. His book focuses on dishes that are regional, seasonal and health-conscious.

One example is celery cooked in hay and served with pear mustard; another is a mock feta made from red lentils. He cooks the lentils with water, chilli, oregano and garlic, then allows the mixture to thicken. Once cooled, it can be cut into cubes and used like feta.

A “flat white” or other coffee drinks can also be prepared with charcoal. iStock / Maridav

The recipe for his charcoal bread also appears in the book, along with one inspired by a culinary pun: spaghetti “carbon”ara made with charcoal. “Because carbon means coal,” explains the “natural chef” from Entlebuch.

Translated from German using DeepL/amva/ts