Grilled cep ice cream

Joan Roca’s creative capacity never ceases to amaze us. In 2004 we have tried about thirty new dishes, almost all of which are masterful. The most stunning one—for its spectacular aesthetic, its sheer craziness and its harmoniously confrontational flavors—is the grilled cep ice cream. Genius. We repeat, genius.

It is a salty mushroom ice cream topped with a half bell made of colorless caramel (similar in appearance to a blown glass ball); it is translucent and very crunchy, with fragrances deposited inside that are imperceptible to the eye but captivating to the olfactory—the olive tree smoke aroma it releases is a surprise, albeit a subtle one designed with good sense so as to intensify the other elements without saturating the olfactory. A few thin slices of mushrooms confit serve as a base for the ice cream and sugar dome, making for exceptional culinary architecture.

This recipe is spawning offshoots, like the char-grilled pine nut ice cream with pineapple aroma.

With this recipe El Celler de Can Roca is awarded a sixth Recipe of the Year—following the hot foie gras with lychees, rose petals and Gewurztraminer sorbet; the velouté of crustaceans, fennel, tomato, sea urchin and caviar; the pigeon liver parfait with juniper, Bristol Cream, hazelnuts and orange; the Trésor de Lancôme; and the Norway lobsters with curry smoke, apples and asparagus lettuce. A number equaled only by Akelare and Las Rejas and surpassed by Martín Berasategui and El Bulli.