Parsley

Eduardo Pria, a 2002 Workshop participant and Mexico City native, is probably the most passionate chef we have ever had at the Workshop. He was overjoyed to be at the winery and expressed it with frequent hugs for all, usually coupled with an enthusiastic “I love you, man!” The Argentinian chimichurri sauce that Eduardo made for Don Watson’s lamb was as exhilarating as he is. Brian has used the sauce frequently over the years, adapting it along the way. Prepared quickly in a blender, it is a vivid emerald green and like pesto in texture, with a fresh, zingy taste. It complements almost any grilled red meat—from leg of lamb to hanger steaks, flatiron steaks, or pork chops. Add roasted fingerling potatoes and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes (page 157) for an ideal summer meal. We also like chimichurri with grilled summer vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, and peppers. You can make the sauce a few hours ahead, but plan to use it the same day. It loses zip with time. Note that the lamb needs to marinate for at least two hours.

Chef Walter Pisano, a 1999 Workshop alumnus, makes an aromatic pesto that includes neither basil nor garlic. He makes it with fresh spring herbs—parsley, chives, and mint—in place of the basil that doesn’t mature until summer. It’s lively and light, just the right complement to his feather-light gnocchi, but you could use this pesto on fresh pasta or fish as well. Chef Pisano’s gnocchi melt on the tongue when made with high-quality ricotta. At the winery, we use Bellwether Farms ricotta (see page 77), but Calabro also makes an excellent product. You may need to visit a specialty cheese shop to find fresh ricotta. Supermarket ricotta containing gums or stabilizers will not produce the most delicate gnocchi.

To form fish sticks, cut tilapia fillets in half lengthwise down the center line. Halve again lengthwise, then crosswise. If you can’t find Old Bay Seasoning, a specialty of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States, use another seafood spice blend.

To keep the salmon pieces moist as they roast, they are gently pressed together in the pan. A rustic potato-and-artichoke hash is cooked alongside. Slice the potatoes on a mandoline or with a very sharp knife to make thin, uniform pieces.

Pistachios and lamb are often paired in Greek cooking. Tomatoes, artichokes, and parsley—other common ingredients—combine to create a flavorful accompaniment.

Pesto made with parsley and sharp Pecorino Romano cheese (and without nuts) makes a colorful topping for tender lamb chops. It could also be tossed with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or mixed with cream cheese for a dip to serve with crudités (see page 52).

For the most tender slices, cut flank steak against the grain, at a slight angle. This recipe calls for cooking two steaks, so you should have about one pound left over to incorporate into the salad or fajitas on the following page.

A bit of planning ahead makes preparing weeknight dinners a breeze. Use the extra chicken from Roast Chicken and Parsnips with Swiss Chard (page 149) in one of the recipes below.

Cauliflower topped with brown butter and bread crumbs is a classic French dish; here the same components (plus sage, often used to flavor brown butter) combine to produce a delicious pasta sauce.

The delicious sauce on this pasta doesn’t require cooking—just a few seconds in the food processor. For the very best flavor, don’t skip the step of toasting the walnuts.

A great topping on fish, this fresh pesto also makes a wonderful pasta sauce or dipping sauce for bread. This recipe is a good excuse to experiment with different cheeses.

THIS IS A NORTHWEST TAKE ON THE CLASSIC SURF AND TURF, but instead of steak I like to include another fish. Halibut and salmon make a great combination because they have complementary flavors, cooking times, and thickness. (If you can get Alaskan halibut, even better.) Grilled on a cedar plank and served with fresh pesto, the fish have flavors that really pop. You can use any untreated cedar board to cook the fish. Cookware stores sell rather thick planks, but some big box hardware stores and large grocery stores sell thinner untreated cedar planks in the barbecue department.

SMART SUBSTITUTION Instead of toting a pasta salad along to the next potluck, try a salad that features a whole grain such as bulgur (precooked wheat that’s been dried and cracked). Most grains work well when tossed and seasoned with the same ingredients used in pasta salads, and they are definitely better for you.

GOOD TO KNOW Because they contain more fat than leaner breast meat, chicken thighs are good candidates for grilling: They stay tender and juicy after cooking.

WHY THEY’RE LIGHT Keep summer barbecue sides light and fresh: This no-fuss pasta salad is dressed simply with garlic oil and fresh herbs. Vegetables cooked on the grill need no adornment other than a light coat of olive oil. If using wooden skewers to grill onions, soak the skewers in water for thirty minutes before grilling.

GOOD TO KNOW Poached salmon fillets are ultramoist. But there’s just one hard-and-fast rule to follow when preparing them: Do not overcook. Poach the fish ever so gently just until the center remains slightly translucent.

GOOD TO KNOW Prepare flavorful sides to complement simply prepared fish (or other lean proteins) without introducing too many extra calories to the meal. Here, roasted tomatoes, potatoes, and a green herb sauce do the trick. If you prefer, remove the skin from the fillets before serving.