Signatures

Triglia Farcita di Stoccafisso con Salsa Livornese Gusto By Sadler Baglioni Resort

SARDINIA

Sardinian gastronomy steps into the limelight at Gusto By Sadler, which swiftly attained Michelin-starred status after opening in summer 2021. The venue, within the Baglioni Resort on Sardinia’s Northeast coast, is helmed by Claudio Sadler, whose menu focuses on Mediterranean-inspired dishes created using a refined touch, traditional Italian techniques and local produce. It is an approach that is encapsulated by the standout mullet stuffed with stockfish and served with a Livorno sauce. “I wanted to showcase the flavours of Sardinia using the mullet, which is typical of the Tyrrhenian Sea,” says Sadler. “Although I love mullet as an ingredient, I prefer not to serve it on the bone, so for my guests in Sardinia I chose instead to stuff it with creamed stockfish, giving it more depth.”

The red mullet is cooked with oil and finished gently in a salamander or oven, while the stockfish is soaked for a minimum of three days before being stewed and creamed with extra virgin olive oil. The Livornese sauce, which incorporates the mullet stock, is a lightened version of a traditional Italian classic. “This dish is an intertwining of Italian culinary traditions,” concludes Sadler. “It is half-Venetian because of the cod, while the sauce is inspired by the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea and both Tuscan and Sardinian cuisine.”

St Austell Bay Mussels The Terrace The Montagu Arms

NEW FOREST

Sourced from the restaurant’s organic kitchen garden, the New Forest and neighbouring coastal counties, the ingredients called on to create dishes served at The Terrace at The Montagu Arms are all about provenance and seasonality. Featured on the four-course dinner menu, the St Austell Bay Mussels dish created by Head Chef Matthew Whitfield is a personal celebration of his culinary journey. “I source the mussels from Cornwall; I used to work there and my former head chef introduced me to the quality of the product,” he explains. “During my time there, I entered the Roux Scholarship, where as part of my dish I wanted to incorporate curry flavours. I took an old recipe that I learnt when working for Marco Pierre White and adapted it.”

The mussels are steamed in curry spices and white wine, and layered atop pickled and chargrilled cucumber sourced from a nearby farm in the New Forest. The dish is finished with a saffron-infused reduction, whipping cream and toasted almonds.

“What I love about this dish is that it showcases stunning ingredients served simply to really enhance the flavours of the base products,” enthuses Whitfield. “It is also a dish that has memories and meaning behind it, and shows the guest part of my journey as a chef.”

© Jodi Hinds