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.

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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.

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Seasonal Spotlight: Brussels Sprouts

 

It's beautiful in the city this time of year - with bright, changing foliage, crisp, autumnal air, shops aglow with festive displays and colorful holiday lights dotting the trees. It's my first Fall in San Francisco and I've been feeling nostalgic; missing home, family, the familiar holiday traditions. Craving comfort foods. Flavorful soups, braised meats and roasted, earthy vegetables.

This combination of smokey bacon, sweet caramelized onions and golden-kissed Brussels sprouts is the perfect antidote for chilly days. Warm and flavorful, yet still light.

I must confess that this is not an old family recipe. Growing up, vegetables were always strongly encouraged. But despite a large edible garden that produced a nearly year-round bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, Brussels sprouts not only never made it to our dinner table, they didn't even get planted. There was some kind of long-standing familial boycott. In fact, I had never even tried Brussels sprouts until recently. I expected to detest them, given their generally terrible reputation. Instead, I was surprised that I actually liked them, and - to the great chagrin of my family - inspired to explore the possibilities of this new-to-me ingredient.

So I started some research and discovered that overcooking Brussels sprouts brings out an unappetizing sulfurous smell, bitterness and dull color (I would suspect the reason for my family's embargo). Armed with that, I decided that quickly sauteing them to a crisp al dente would be a wonderful way to retain their bright, slightly sweet flavor.

If that's not enough encouragement for you to try these look-alike miniature cabbage heads, consider that Brussels sprouts share many of the health benefits associated with cruciferous vegetables: high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C and soluble fiber. They are members of the Brassica family, along with cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower and collard greens, and numerous studies point to a strong connection between Brussels sprouts and cancer prevention. And when they're sauteed in bacon drippings, garlic and caramelized onions, it's nearly impossible to remember just how good for you they are. Even the non-believers will be converted.

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