Scallop with mortadella, apple and fennel

Essential cuisine, that which is capable of expressing many things—odors, flavors, textures, colors, etc. —with few words, requires extraordinary talent. A deep, reflexive character who has made an artistic style of this way of expressing himself is Fulvio Pierangelini. A chef who integrates base and form to achieve harmonious fantasy. We have here an example of infinite sensations created with exquisite sophistication. The genius of a mortadella cube in the center of a scallop, playing the role of a bold seasoning element without affecting the shellfish in any other way except as an aromatic, sapid and textural counterpoint. And then there is the garnish: the subtle acidity of apple offset by the attenuated sweetness of caramelized fennel; all of this gives life to the shellfish, with the wonderful detail of encrusted pan d’oro pieces that beautify an artistic scene of subdued tones. Creativity and perfection.