Chef Louis DiBaccari Of Tavern Road | Boston, MA

Chef Louis DiBaccari's uncle Adio was an artist.

Perhaps that's why he treats his Boston restaurant, Tavern Road, as an artists' studio of sorts: He advocates experimentation among his small kitchen staff, encouraging them to play with new flavors and ideas for the menu, which changes daily.

It's also one of the reasons he loves the restaurant's cobia escabeche (see the recipe). The firm white fish acts as a blank canvas: As the fillets roast in the oven, they absorb the flavors of blistered cherry tomatoes, garlic, onions, fennel, herbs and a sherry-vinegar reduction.

At Tavern Road, the dish is served with a dollop of fennel-saffron rouille, but you can substitute crème fraîche to add a bit of richness. You can also duplicate the recipe's flavors with just about any firm fish or shellfish, but DiBiccari especially likes it with mackerel, oysters or large scallops.

Or make it your own work of art.