This is our twist on a classic: melon & prosciutto. The texture and the sweetness of the watermelon against the saltiness of the prosciutto is a wonderful surprise! This dish has everything to make your mouth happy… it’s crunchy, tart, creamy, salty and sweet all at once.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes 2 bunches arugula, washed and dried
1/2 bunch basil, picked and sliced
1 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 cup feta cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 cup pistachios, toasted
Quality extra virgin olive oil, farm to pantry makes one from olives we glean! www.farmtopantry.org
Quality balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

Set out six cold plates. Divide the melon among them. Top with a few arugula leaves and some basil. Top with pieces of prosciutto that you twist around to gain height. Sprinkle with the feta cheese and pistachios. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

SERVES 4 

INGREDIENTS

FOR CRUST:

2 ¼ cups flour, plus more for your work surface
8 ounces unsalted butter
¼ cup ice water (or a little more as needed)

FOR FILLING:

5 peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten with a little cold water
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

FOR ALMOND WHIP:

1 cup heavy cream
1–2 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending how sweet you like it)
Splash almond extract 

PREPARATION

In a food processor, pulse butter and flour until resembles course cornmeal. Gradually add ice water until mixture holds together when you smash it with your hands. You want it still crumbly for a flakey texture. It will come together as it rests. Wrap well in plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least ½ hour.

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a mixing bowl, toss peaches with brown sugar, vanilla and flour. Using as little flour as you can on your work surface, cut dough into 4 pieces and roll out into circles 1/8th inch thick. Transfer to 2 baking sheets.

Mound the peaches in the center leaving a 1 ½ inch boarder all the way around. Fold the dough up around the mound of peaches. Brush the pastry with eggwash and generously sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for about 50 minutes, until crust is golden and peaches are bubbling.

Meanwhile, make the almond whip by combining cream, sugar, and almond extract in a mixer with whisk attachment to soft peaks. Plate and dollop each crostata with almond whip.

SERVES 6 

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots, peeled, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup pure olive oil, plus more for crostini
1 pound yellow or maui sweet onions, peeled and sliced
1 pound red onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 pound leeks, greens and root end removed, cleaned of dirt, and sliced into ½ moons
1/2 pound shallots, peeled and sliced
1 bottle of red wine
1 gallon water
Sherry vinegar to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 baguette, thinly sliced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
A pinch of onion seeds 

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 350. In a food processor, combine the carrot, celery, and garlic and process until finely chopped. In a large sauce pan on low heat, saute the carrot mixture and the onions in the olive oil and saute until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the red wine and reduce by 1/2. Add the water and simmer 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, make the crostini by brushing both sides of the sliced baguette with olive oil and placing on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan and onion seeds. Bake until browned and crunchy, about 10 minutes. Adjust the soup with sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Garnish with parmesan & onion seed crostini.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
3 leeks, white part only, cut in half rinsed and sliced into ½ moons
1 ½ cups Arborio Rice
1/ 2 cup Piper Sonoma Sparkling Wine
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
8 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed
½ bunch tarragon, picked
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 ounces freshly grated pecorino cheese, saving some for garnish
1 Meyer lemon, freshly squeezed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
optional garnishes: chives (cut into ¼ inch batons), roasted radishes, mustard flowers, snap peas (blanched and halved)

PREPARATION

In a saucepan on medium heat, sauté the leeks in the oil, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Set up a pot of salted water to blanch the snap peas, heat up the stock in another sauce pan on high heat, and set up an ice bath.

Add the Arborio to the leeks and stir to coat the grains of rice in oil. Add the sparkling wine to the risotto and stir. Take a sip of the Piper sparkling in your glass. Gradually add the stock a ladle at a time stirring constantly.

Meanwhile, blanch the snap peas in the boiling salted water a few minutes until tender. Strain and plunge in an ice bath. Once cool, puree in a blender with tarragon.

The Arborio should cook about 20 minutes, until just cooked through. Mound the risotto with butter, pecorino, and snap pea puree. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spoon into pasta bowls and garnish as you see fit.

Your grilled cheese is only as good as your bread and your cheese. Source the best!

Ingredients
 

For Mostarda d’Uva:

1 cup red wine
1 cup sugar
½ cup dried figs, roughly chopped
⅓ pound red seedless grapes, picked from the stem
1 apple, roughly chopped
1 pear, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch ground clove
pinch red chili flakes
kosher salt to taste 
2 tablespoons mustard seeds

Sandwiches for 4 people:

8 slices rustic sourdough bread
12 ounces quality sharp white cheddar cheese (I like Bellwether Carmody from Sonoma County) sliced thin, or thick if you like! 
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

Preparation

For Mostarda:

In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, combine the red wine, sugar, figs, grapes, apple, pear, cinnamon, clove, and chili flakes. Bring to a simmer for about 1/2 hour, until all the fruit is soft. Puree w/ an immersion blender. Stir in mustard seeds.

For sandwiches:

Generously spread 4 slices of bread with the mostarda. Top with cheese and remaining slices of bread.

Warm a sauté pan to medium heat. Smear butter on the outside of each side of the sandwiches and place in warm sauté pan. When browned, flip and brown other side. Once bread is golden and crunchy and cheese is melted, remove from the pan and cut in half and serve. An arugula salad on the side is a perfect accompaniment!

serves 6

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 lemongrass, minced
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon red thai curry paste
2 x 13.5 ounce cans coconut milk
1 ½ pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and diced large
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Lime juice to taste
½ cup fresh cilantro, washed
Kosher salt to taste

Preparation

In a medium sauce pan, on medium-high heat, saute onions, lemongrass and ginger in
oil until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, squash and stock. Simmer until squash is tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender and season to taste with lime and kosher salt. Adjust to desired consistency with water if necessary. Garnish with cilantro leaves.