Ai Fiori's Stuffed Morels And Halibut

"It's the little touches that separate you from other places," says executive chef Chris Jaeckle, referring to the extra effort and thought put into the dishes that he serves at Ai Fiori. While at home, we are not able to create meals with such precision and technical know-how, chef Jaeckle has generously adapted the recipe for Ippoglosso — halibut, morels, asparagus, hollandaise, and foie gras — for us to replicate his masterpiece at home (well, at least the best we can).  We were able to visit chef in the kitchen to watch him compose the dish from start to finish. If you want to see how it's done, check out the slideshow below for extra tips and advice.  How did this intricate and lovely spring dish come about? In two ways really. First, executive chef Chris Jaeckle and chef/owner Michael White were brainstorming one day about how to use the Hold-O-Mat machine that they have and playing around with the idea of doing more with fish. Chef Jaeckle explains that compared to White’s other restaurants, Ai Fiori is more feminine in its approach to food whereas his other restaurants are more masculine with a focus on searing and meats. Ai Fiori has more of a Provencal influence that focuses on the region's cuisine and fish is a better fit for that type of food. As the restaurant is based in the Northeast, halibut, asparagus, and morels are in season during the spring, so it seemed natural that this dish would come together with all of these components and with the method used. —Yasmin Fahr Click here to see the D.I.Y. Restaurant Recipes: Ai Fiori's Stuffed Morels and Halibut Slideshow.