Nougat Glace
A meal at Oleana isn't complete without a dessert from pastry chef Maura Kilpatrick. Since the restaurant opened in 2001, Kilpatrick has created thoughtful, nuanced desserts that balance textures and flavors and are a natural complement to chef-owner Ana Sortun's savory dishes. Nougat glace ($12) "is always on the menu," she says. Fans of Oleana's baked Alaska might disagree, but "for me, it's our signature dessert," says the pastry chef -- the one she thinks best matches the rest of the menu.
Pistachios and orange peel are both candied and added to the ice cream base; although Kilpatrick has been making the dish for years, the techniques required of this confection remain tricky, she says. The nougat stays on the menu year-round, with accompaniments changing seasonally. "It's sometimes hard to find good pairings," she says, "because all the textures -- smooth, crunchy -- are in the nougat." She currently features a melon granita with the dish but has used blood oranges in the winter and quince in the fall, so if you miss the melon, there are plenty of flavors to look forward to. Oleana, 134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, 617-661-0505. -- LEIGH BELANGER 