Citrus lace fits in perfectly with a wide range of dishes, including high-end, elegant cuisine as shown in this image provided by Jonathan Adler of Michelin-starred Noda in New York City. Noda has recently added Shinji’s, an 18-seat bar that serves nostalgic cocktails paired beautifully with small bites. 

Chef Norman Fenton

This title is actually a quote from Chef Norman Fenton from Brass Heart. “Citrus lace looks really cool,” he says “like a little fern on a plate. In fact, it adds a bit of a wild look to just about any plate.”

Besides appreciating the structure and visual appeal of the leaf, Chef Norman also talks about how the young citrus lace leaves are “viable on the palate,” and not fibrous or overly potent. “A really strong marigold flavor,” he says, “would be unpalatable while citrus lace from The Chef’s Garden provides a unique, slightly citrus, somewhat herbaceous flavor.”

Now, here’s his answer when asked when he uses citrus lace in his dishes: “Almost all the time.”

More specifically, he enjoys this leaf in desserts and the ability it gives him to add both herbal and citrus flavors at once without adding any citrus juice. Norman likes to blanch the leaves, steeping them in hot water before shocking them in ice water. After straining off the results, he thickens the bright green liquid that he calls “tea” to create a wonderful gel. 

He also uses citrus lace as a garnish. “When you put citrus lace and marigold together,” he tells us, “it’s really visually appealing with the colors of green, yellow, orange, and red.” 

Calling citrus lace a “staple in my kitchen,” he says that he appreciates this leaf so much that, even if he didn’t have a reason to use it, he’d find one.

Chef de Cuisine at Lazy Betty: Austin Goetzman

Chef Austin takes a different approach when using citrus lace. He agrees that it’s special—and so he reserves it for one special dish! He appreciates how the leaf has sweet, floral, and citrus notes, finding it the perfect addition to his snow crab salad. 

This snow crab salad is dressed with a cilantro lemon oil and ouzo along with wasabi cream. This delicious dish also is topped with an ouzo gelée and brown butter—and, of course, citrus lace. 

Please contact your product specialist to include citrus lace in your next order.