St. John’s Gold Medal Plates

Published: Friday, October 27, 2017

“Modica’s silver medal dish was built around scallops, pan-seared and crusted covered with a powder made from porcini and pea shoots.

Its presentation saw it sit atop a clever sauce made by puréeing some of the scallop’s less familiar anatomical features (the bits around the adductor muscle), seasoned with garlic and herbs.

The side elements to the dish included swollen gnocchi, a flavourful ragout of pulled pork belly and carrot brunoise. It was decorated with a real scallop shell dusted with beet powder and pea shoot powder and garnished it with pea shoots, strips of dried porcini and a little hank of deep fried carrot threads.

His wine choice was another Nova Scotian, the sparkling Selkie Rosé from Jost Vineyards.”

— St. John's The Telegram on Maurizio Modica of the St. John's Fish Exchange Kitchen in the Gold Medal Plates & Canadian Culinary Championships

“a model of tension and elegance…a hint of sweetness and pear fruit coiled around a bean of great Nova Scotia acidity. Very fine indeed.”