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.

Continue for recipes...

Pan-Roasted Chicken

There are few aromas as wonderful as roasting chicken. Especially chicken slathered in butter, lemon, and garlic roasting away on an autumn afternoon. The citrus adds a bright, aromatic note to counter the richness of the butter, and the dish is finished with a flavorful sauce made from pan drippings and a touch of cream that is just as delicious atop the chicken as it is drizzled on accompanying potatoes or vegetables.

Pan-roasting is my go-to method for mouthwatering, succulent chicken. Browning the meat on the stove first locks in moisture and creates beautifully crispy, golden skin. Then the chicken is finished in an oven, still in the pan with the drippings and a flavorful stock, until it is evenly roasted to golden perfection. In less than an hour, you have a deliciously tender, luscious meal that tastes like it took hours of preparation.

This recipe is equally befitting of a cozy weeknight in, or a night of elegant entertaining.

Recipe after the jump...