Chefs Share New Spring Recipes
With spring in full force, chefs have plenty of fresh ingredients to choose from when planning and preparing their menus. What are some of the things they look foward to using? Chef Jasper Schneider of Hudson Hall says that soft shell crabs and lemon verbena are at the top of his list. Why? Because he loves "that you can just eat the whole crab, and nothing is wasted! They're versatile too." He also says that lemon verbena is so fragrant yet pungent that it's an instant reminder that spring is finally here. How to combine the two together? Flash fry the crabs and serve with watercress dressed in lemon-verbena vinaigrette. On his spring menu this year, he's also serving a raw hamachi dish that he shares with us below.
Seafood seems to be the theme this spring, with chef Matteo Bergamini of SD26 serving anchovies soaked in Sicilian olive oil with herb-cured lardo and grilled country bread on the side, and a decadent black bass recipe from chef Laurent Gras during his guest stint at BLT Fish. All the chefs below tried to use seasonal spring ingredients when creating these recipes, and, while some might be harder to make than others, if you're looking for a challenge or for something to make for a special occasion, then these recipes might be exactly what you're looking for this spring.
Chef Schneider tops this dish with a spicy Thai Bird Chile Vinaigrette.
Black Bass with Caviar Vinaigrette
Perfect timing for this dish as black bass season starts on the first of May.
Scallops with Cauliflower and Pear
Chef Núñez of Graffit uses strong-smelling dill is used in this colorful scallop recipe.
Meniaca Anchovies with Roasted Bread & Herb-Cured Lardo
Anchovies are in peak season during the months of April, May, and June.