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Salt-crusted beetroot with caviar by Mauro Colagreco.

Autumn according to Mauro Colagreco: iconic dishes for inspiration

Journalist

Mauro Colagreco needs no introduction, the driving force behind the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur in Menton, named the best restaurant in the world by The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2019. Nature is the fil rouge of the chef's cuisine and philosophy and he approaches gastronomy from the earth and the (wonderful) landscape that surrounds him. His restaurant, which is distinguished by a cosmopolitan kitchen brigade, is located near the Italian border, at one end of the Côte d'Azur, immersed in a lush territory, amidst epic terracing and sea-view cultivations. 

Elected a UNESCO Ambassador for Biodiversity last year, the chef uses the products of his biodynamic gardens among the ingredients of his dishes: veritable gardens overlooking the sea, close to the mountains, where cultivation is based on the Moon's influence on the Earth. Here, the menu follows the phases of the moon and is divided into four parts: Roots, Leaves, Flowers and Fruit. For seafood, Colagreco turns to local Mediterranean fishermen, for meat, poultry and dairy products he turns to local breeders and farms. All in the name of the shortest possible supply chain, respecting nature and its cycles. The result? A riot of aromatic herbs, vegetables, citrus fruits and flowers. 

Let yourself be inspired by Mauro Colagreco's iconic dishes: here are the creations that the chef prepared on 7 November at the Hotel Splendide Royal in Lugano, in the kitchen of Executive Chef Domenico Ruberto, for S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2023. The festival, in its 17th edition, focused on the culinary art of France and saw in Colagreco an exceptional protagonist. On the table, guests found a small parchment with verses from Pablo Neruda's Ode to Bread: a tribute to the art of breadmaking, accompanying a warm loaf prepared by the chef himself. 

Salt-crusted beetroot with caviar

The menu paid homage to autumn and its flavours, ennobling simple vegetable ingredients such as pear, beetroot or artichoke, alongside precious elements such as oyster, caviar or truffle.   

In a game of role reversal, simple and 'common' ingredients became protagonists, while those conventionally considered more 'luxurious' were transformed into important accompanying notes:  salt-crusted beetroot with caviar Oscietra Maison Sturia (pictured top), for example. For this dish, the vegetable is planted and stored for two years underground, then cooked in a salt crust to enhance its flavour, just like meat or fish, and then served with caviar sauce. 

Oyster and pear   

The dish consists of a Gillardeau oyster covered with a shallot cream, accompanied by three treatments of pear: fresh, as a gel, and in juice, poured at the table. An incredible dish, for the play of textures and the ability to not overwhelm the initial savouriness of the oyster with the sweet and subtle taste of the pear.  

Turbot, red shiso, sake sauce  

A gel of red shiso (Japanese basil) and its leaf accompany the turbot, together with a sake sauce. An elegant and simple dish, at the same time delicate and comforting. 

Tortellini with walnuts, oxtail consommé  

Imagine two people preparing 2,000 fresh and dainty tortellini, stuffed with walnuts, served in a beef consommé: an enormous amount of work, for another dish with a comforting and enveloping flavour, characterised by a tasty elixir with a pleasantly smooth and oily texture. 

Artichoke pie, black truffle, Périgourdine sauce   

A classic yet unexpected dish, rustic and refined, consisting of a large artichoke pie served at the table in slices, with two accompanying sauces: Périgourdine, made with truffle, and lemon. Fun fact: at S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2023, 300 artichokes were used to prepare just five cakes. Get the recipe.

Naranjo en flor   

Naranjo en flor is the title of a characteristic tango, but also the name of this dessert with which Colagreco pays homage to his Argentinian roots. A dance that smells of citrus fruits and saffron cream, tantalising the palate with different textures and aromas. 

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