Wild Salmon With Berry Noir Sauce and Sage Parsnip Puree

This past summer I just couldn't help myself. Every time I would go to the grocery store or the farmer's market I would buy berries. Raspberries. Blackberries. Blueberries. Boysenberries. Gorgeous, supple, seasonal summer berries, calling out to me everywhere I looked.

Unfortunately, I couldn't keep up with myself. Despite eating them by the handful, and making an assortment of berry jams and desserts, I ended up freezing many of them, wishfully thinking that they would come in handy when the fleeting summer berry season was over. I'm making good on my promise now with a luscious "Berry Noir" sauce - a reduction of blueberries, blackberries, Pinot Noir and balsamic vinegar.

Flakey, wild Salmon filets nestled atop an earthy sage parsnip puree and drizzled with this rich berry sauce make for a dramatic and sumptuous meal.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

I'm on a roasted vegetable kick. I love the way that the roasting process brings out the natural sweetness of vegetables, condensing and caramelizing their inherent flavors and transforming even the most simple produce into dishes with complex, satisfying flavor. I've been roasting lots of seasonal root vegetables - carrots, parsnips, turnips. They're sweeter this time of year and especially delicious alongside pan-roasted chicken.

Nubby little fingerling potatoes are also particularly well-suited for roasting. Drizzled in olive oil and roasted with fresh garlic and herbs, they remain crispy on the outside and soft and dense on the inside. Elegant as an appetizer served with aioli for dipping, or as a healthy, comforting side dish for a weeknight supper.

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Winter Citrus and Beet Salad

I’m back in the city today, feeling rejuvenated from a wonderful holiday vacation in my hometown of Santa Barbara. Lots of family. Old friends. Catching up. Too many Christmas cookies. I'm in need of a serious post-holiday detox and this energizing salad is the perfect way to kick off the new year.

Beets may be as polarizing as Brussels sprouts, but this lovely, classic combination of beets and citrus packs a healthy punch with delicious, fresh flavors sure to win over even the most ardent objector. The earthiness of the beets, roasted to develop their natural sweetness, is tamed by the bright acidity of winter citrus in the form of luscious Cara Cara and blood oranges, and sweet, tangy Satsuma tangerines. Creamy goat cheese and spicy arugula and chervil round out this healthy, resolution- worthy salad.

Recipe after the jump...