A Romantic Culinary Journey for Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day 5 Course Experience
Welcome Entrée & Appetizer
Arancina al Tartufo, Zabaglione Salato, Cucunci Panteschi, Foglie di Tartufo Fresco di Bagnoli
To begin this romantic culinary adventure, the chef has chosen a luxurious reinterpretation of the beloved Sicilian arancina. Fried truffle-flavoured rice balls, with egg yolk cream, cucunci panteschi (capers from Pantelleria Island), and prized black truffle leaves from Bagnoli.
Arancina di Ricciola alla Beccafico, su Vellutata di Vegetali, Riduzione di Marsala all’Alloro e Gel all’Arancia
A love affair between two iconic dishes of Sicilian cuisine. In this reinterpretation, we chose to use grouper fish instead of rice for the external shell, which hosts a filling inspired by beccafico sardines: breadcrumbs flavoured with orange juice, raisins, pine nuts, pecorino, garlic, and aromatic herbs, creating a perfect contrast of sweet, crunchy, and savoury flavours, on a vegetable velouté.
The orange peel, traditionally used in the cooking of the beccafico sardines, in our version became a gel in order to enhance freshness and acidity. Laurel leaves, also a key element in the preparation of the sardine, are infused in the Marsala reduction, adding a rich, enveloping fragrance.
But no worries! We did not forget the rice as we decided to use a puffed version of it, which, placed atop the vegetable purée, adds a delicate crunch to balance the creaminess of the dish. On this very special day we tried to unite two Sicilian traditions with love, changing the texture, but preserving all the goodness of two great dishes.
Main Course
Abbracci d’Amore Trapanesi
“Abbracci d’Amore” are one of our signature creations, a dish that we are very proud to offer to our guests every year to celebrate Valentine’s Day, always enriched with new ideas and innovations.
Dedicated to the city of Trapani, an important part of my life, with its deep culinary roots, and renowned for its famous Couscous di Pesce alla Trapanese, a traditional unbelievably tasty dish that celebrates the sea and its flavours.
For these tortelli, I chose to cook the fish using the same technique and ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic, parsley, laurel leaves, cinnamon, pepper, tomato, and aromatic herbs. It is a slow and patient cooking process that gives a unique, rich, and unmistakable fragrance to the fish. The tortelli, embraced by each other, are presented in two colours: white and red, the latter created by a tomato infusion.
Inside, a fish filling that recalls the flavour of the couscous di pesce trapanese. The dish is completed with a lobster ragù, adding a refined touch, and puffed couscous for a crispness that perfectly balances the softness of the tortelli. Once again, we enjoyed playing with Sicilian traditions, merging two great recipes from our land into one dish that celebrates our love for cuisine and our gastronomic culture.
Second Course & Dessert
Rosbif, il suo Fondo al Melograno e Patate alle Mandorle
We had to add a touch of romance to your second main course too. Our roast beef, delicately browned and then cooked at low temperature, turns into a soft embrace that retains all its qualities and its enveloping aroma. And to enhance your experience, we even created a rich and tasty sauce, using the unexpected freshness of the pomegranate, whose sour and delicate flavour adds the perfect balance to the dish. As a side dish, we chose potatoes, breaded with almonds from Agrigento, a tribute to the Valley of the Temples, which add a crunchy texture enriching your experience and completing the dish with a delicate and caressing sweetness.
Forever Roses
Bavaroise roses with red fruits, on orange sbrisolona crumble, vanilla ice cream quenelle, and red fruit coulis. A dessert created specifically for Valentine’s Day as its ingredients perfectly describe a love story happening… right now!
