Signature dish · 1996
Apple and foie gras timbale with vanilla oil
Joan, Josep et Jordi Roca · 1964 · El Celler de Can Roca, Girona
Alternating layers of caramelised apple and duck foie gras pressed into a timbale and dressed with vanilla-infused oil, on El Celler de Can Roca's menu since 1996 and formally given to the city of Girona in 2009.
Why it works
The malic acid of the caramelised apple cuts the fat film the foie gras leaves on the palate, while vanillin, being fat-soluble, dissolves into that same fat and carries its aroma through every layer.