Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

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By Flavor & The Menu
August 4, 2021

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Craig RichardsPhoto credit: Heidi Geldhauser Harris

Craig Richards

Yes, a dish co-starring chicken livers is a best seller on an Italian menu in the United States. Lyla Lila, a restaurant that specializes in the cuisine of southern Italy, achieves this feat with its Chicken Liver and Spring Pea Ravioli Doppio. Chef/Owner Craig Richards credits the dish’s success not only with its enticing flavors, but its distinctive look: “It has a finessed shape that is a good conversation piece between servers and guests.”

This elegant double-sided ravioli (doppio means “double” in Italian) features two fillings: chicken liver, Marsala and Vidalia onions on one side; and spring pea with mint, ricotta, egg and Parmigiano-Reggiano on the other. The simple sauce boasts only pasta water, butter, basil and fried pine nuts. “The chicken liver needs natural sugar to balance out its strong iron flavor so we add the Vidalia and Marsala,” says Richards. “The spring pea filling is also naturally sweet.”

 

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About The Author

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Leigh Kunkel is a freelance journalist with more than a decade of restaurant industry experience as a server, bartender and sommelier. She has written about restaurant operations for B2B publications, as well as foodservice brands, including Beam Suntory and Dawn Foods. She specializes in covering flavor, ingredient and cuisine trends. Leigh has also covered the food and beverage world for a wide range of consumer outlets such as The New York Times, Eater and Vinepair.