Signatures

BAJA CALIFORNIA

In Mexico’s Baja California, the newlyrefurbished hotel Rancho Pescadero is focusing its epicurean efforts on showcasing the local terroir. Culinary Director Chef Sandro Falbo celebrates the region’s cultural traditions using strictly native ingredients.

No dish epitomises his approach more than the Herbed Fruit Salad, composed entirely of produce harvested directly from the property’s traditional ‘huerta’ garden. Tangy strawberries, smooth agave nectar and a punchy Jamaica hibiscus flower combine with the smokiness of herbs such as tarragon, basil, dill and mint, with fresh, crispy and juicy results. “I consider strawberries and cherry heirloom tomatoes as having the same role in this salad,” says Falbo.

The dish is relatively simple to make: once the ingredients have been picked from the garden, they are mixed together and drizzled with a dressing made from boiled hibiscus flowers whisked in agave honey and seasoned with salt and pepper. “The trick is to have all the ingredients fresh from the garden, picked just at the right time – and to avoid using the fridge,” the chef explains.

As Baja California cycles through the seasons, Falbo plans to add pepita pumpkin seeds or amaranth to the salad, and perhaps a sprinkling of local goat cheese. But it will always be a favourite on warmer days. “It’s the perfect, uncomplicated fresh dish for our summer here,” he concludes.

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

As longer nights draw in across Italy’s EmiliaRomagna region, diners at the newly-renovated luxury bed-and-breakfast Roncolo 1888’s gourmet restaurant La Limonaia can look forward to Chef Mario Comitale’s signature Red Veg Carpaccio returning to the menu. The dish embodies the culinary star’s philosophy of exploring modern Emilian cuisine via the raw, seasonal produce offered by the province itself, respecting tradition while also catering to vegetarian and vegan diners.

The protagonist here is the red turnip, selected by Comitale for the way it showcases the colours and flavours of the natural world. It is enhanced with traditional local products such as toasted pine nuts, cream of Parmigiano Reggiano 60 months, saffron emulsion and dill, while a few drops of the property’s very own Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia DOP (Gold) provide a just-sweet-enough finishing touch.

Comitale, who loves the way the flavours of the turnip interact with the other ingredients, chose the tuber in tribute to his previous culinary experience in Chianti, pairing it with Emilian ingredients to symbolise his new gastronomic territory. He selected the carpaccio cut for the way it releases the taste of the vegetable, as well as for its visual qualities.

“I love the earthy taste and the enveloping colour that evokes the time of year when we use it,” he explains. “Especially in the autumn season, it really visually represents the place where I work.”