Carlo Scotto Kitchen Confidential

Carlo Scotto, previously of Murano and La Chapelle, is now, at 27, head chef at Mayfair’s Babbo. He talks veg and fish for simple summer dining

Cooking With

When creating a summer menu, I think about which ingredients are readily available and what will appear most vibrantly on the plate. I love fresh tastes and bright colours: some of my favourite vegetables are green peas, crunchy sweet corn and ripe tomatoes. I bring in the latter from my favourite Italian suppliers at least four times a week – UK-ripened tomatoes just don’t have the same flavour.

Fish and seafood always play a part on my summer menus – it’s nice to eat something lighter in warmer weather. I prepare a fillet of John Dory with scallops in a fricassee style; I start by scoring the skin and frying in a little olive oil until crispy. Then I turn the fish over and add the scallops – this way the contents of the pan are all ready at the same time. I’ll serve with fresh sweet corn and a lemongrass velouté. Some chefs use a lot of cream in a velouté, but I prefer to add only a touch – just enough to give it a bit of body.

I source my crabs from Devon because of their high-quality flesh and greater yield. I combine them with an avocado purée, fresh peas and Tuscan melon – a variety of cantaloupe. The clean tastes and vibrant colours create a truly wonderful and refreshing dish. Sea bass is another great light option for summer, baked simply in a salt crust and served with roast potatoes.

One of my favourite ingredients is burrata. This traditional cheese is similar to mozzarella, except that when it is made, the hollow cheese is filled with liquid cheese leftovers and topped with cream, which gives it an unusual texture. It is one of my absolute seasonal favourites and I have it flown in especially from Puglia, twice a week. When serving this exquisite cheese, it’s best to keep things simple, allowing it to shine as the main event – I use it in a starter and serve it alongside nothing more than fresh tomato and basil.

Who i'm using

I have an especially close relationship with La Credenza, who supply our burrata. I really love the way they travel the length and breadth of Italy in order to select the very best ingredients (lacredenza.co.uk). When choosing my seafood, I source most via Southbank Fresh Fish. They have a presence in many major fishing ports in the UK, meaning I have a huge choice from which to design our menu (southbankfreshfish.co.uk).

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