Carme Ruscalleda is all personality, character, independence, passion for products and seasons, full identification with her land, rigour, sensitiveness, refinement, complexity without over-ornate garnishes, chromatism without sophistications … A chef who is now reaffirming her long career, her feelings, her virtues and a totally convinced side of herself.
The house works on the same major figures, giving them different shapes and colours every season without basically altering the message. Red prawn, crayfish, sea cucumbers, red mullets, parrot fish, cod … have always been the stellar products of this talented cook’s imagination. Among her legendary proposals, let’s mention the prawn tortilla (omelette) accompanied by a soggy rice with prawns and artichokes, also accompanied by some prawns; the sea cucumbers casserole with turnip foam, spinach juice, cubes of continental toast and beans; the deboned red mullet stuffed with vegetables; the parrot fish or pearly razorfish with ñocas, curry sauce, spicy oil and spinach sponge cake; the cod with cabbage, potatoes and garlic mayonnaise; or the cod soup with mushrooms and almonds, among other delicacies… Other historic constructions have contributed to the worldwide fame of the house, such as the gigantic strawberry gazpacho; the varied versions of the contrasted salad and of the cocas (kind of pizza dough with different ingredients on it); the reverse cannelloni; the surprise meatball; the sole filets with figs, bones sauce, fig chutney and almonds; or the five-cheese assortment with its accompaniments.
Among the latest batch of dishes, one cannot but highlight the white and red endive salad with crayfish tails, olives and banana sauce; a real concert of harmonic contrasts. Or the vegetal ravioli with Joselito cured ham, whose courgette, aubergine, carrot, daikon and ham dashi get Japanese and Spanish cultures together. Or the deboned parrot fish with edible crunchy scales garnished with wholemeal bread and different kinds of tomatoes. Or the dentex with soft curry, dried fruits and vanilla pepper; a reinvention of the previous versions. Or the warm marinated suckling lamb with its cooking juice and young potatoes; a new adaptation of traditional tastes.