​Serves 4

As a tribute to winter, this relish captures the sweet acidity of a Fuji apple, Castelvetrano olives’ briny, buttery snap, and a slight hint of bacon’s luscious smokiness. Most of the ingredients for the relish can be prepared separately ahead of time, and then put together right before you would like to serve. This  versatile sauce pairs well with roasted or grilled meat such as brined pork chops or a tri-trip. For a vegetarian option, try the relish over roasted tofu slabs or pan seared wild mushrooms.    
 
2 slices of bacon (uncured)
½ cup chopped Castelvetrano olives*
¾ cup small diced Fuji apple
½ teaspoon Meyer lemon zest (regular lemon zest will work fine if you cannot find a Meyer lemon)
¼ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 
1. In a fry pan, render out and crisp the bacon. Set it aside on a paper towel to cool.
 
2. Small dice the Fuji apple, and place it in the fry pan with the bacon fat. Cook the apple dices on medium high heat and turn them with a spatula so that they brown on all sides. Once just cooked and golden brown, remove the apple from the heat and set it on a plate to cool.
 
3. Meanwhile, de-pit and chop the olives. Place the olives in a stainless steel or glass bowl and add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, apple, and hot pepper.
 
4. Chop the bacon up into small diced pieces, and set it aside. Right before serving, add the bacon to the relish and serve.
 
5. Spoon the relish over roasted cauliflower, slices of beef, duck breast, or roasted chicken. 

(Serves 3-4)

​Each year I cook, I’m more convinced that the less complex the recipe, the better. If you start with good ingredients picked at their peak that compliment each other, as a chef you shouldn’t have to do acrobatics to make the dish sing; you are a conductor whose job is to bring out the best in each ingredient that you’ve chosen.
The buttery herbaceous Castelvetrano olive and the acidic and bright snap of pomegranate seeds swim in the thick, tongue coating of extra virgin olive oil. Spoon this sauce over the folds of thinly sliced tri-tip and duck breast, or a brined pork chop or rack of lamb. For a vegan option, roast cauliflower or broccoli in a little salt and olive oil, and sprinkle the confetti over the florets.
 
¼ cup Castelvetrano olives, rinsed and chopped
¼ pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Sea salt, to taste
 
1. Place the roughly chopped Castelvetrano olives in a small bowl.
2. Place the pomegranate seeds in the bowl.
3. Add in the olive oil to the bowl and gently stir the mixture. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the parsley and a little sea salt, and serve the confetti by spooning it over the meat or vegetable of your choice. 

Serves 3-4
​
Concentrate and accentuate the flavor of sweet, slightly acidic red grapes in this fall-inspired relish. Try to find flavorful, seedless, and organic red grapes for this recipe—if possible, I recommend hitting your favorite farmers’ market or local produce shop.
    Pair this relish with roasted butternut or acorn squash and a meat or veggie of your choice to create a late-fall harvest meal. This recipe, simple in its execution, will create a grape-popping burst in your mouth and balance a well-marbled tri-tip or hanger steak, pan-roasted duck breast, brined bone-in pork chop, olive oil poached wild salmon, or roasted oyster or Chanterelle mushrooms. High in its anthocyanin content and visual appeal, this relish will make a unique addition to any holiday feast.
 
1 cup red seedless grapes, destemmed and washed
1 tablespoon sage leaves, washed and dried
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
 
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. Place the grapes in a heavy roasting pan and roasted them in the oven for about 15 minutes.
3. Heat a small fry pan up and drop the sage leaves into the hot oil (they should sizzle).
4. Once the sage leaves are crisp, place them on a paper towel to drain—pull them out of the oil with a fork so that you can reserve the fragrant sage oil for the sauce.
5. Pull the grapes from the oven, and place them in a small bowl. Add in 1-tablespoon Balsamic vinegar and the remaining sage oil.
6. Right before serving, crush the fried sage leaves and sprinkle them into the roasted grape mixture.
7. Spoon the sauce onto thin slices of tri-tip or hanger steak, pan-roasted duck breast, brined bone-in pork chop, olive oil poached wild salmon or roasted oyster or Chanterelle mushrooms.

Serves 4-5
​
Summer's last swing in California weighs in figs hanging so low you bang fruitfulness with your head as you walk down streets. Fall fruit reminds us of life that we are just stupid to ignore. Smell the fat belly hang of a fig and wake up to life. Be here with the pollen's sticky aroma and fecund life. Cut figs into eighths, lather them in Balsamic, olive oil, and mint, and sprinkle relish richness into the fatty folds of roasted tri-tip. Live, and poison everything with your version of life
 
1/2 pound Candy Strip figs, washed, stems removed, cut in 1/8ths
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon mint, thinly sliced
 
1. Wash, dry, remove the stems, and cut the figs in half and then in quarters.
2. Gently place the fig bits into a small bowl.
3. Add the Balsamic vinegar, oil, and salt, and fold the ingredients together.
4. Set the fig relish aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.
5. Right before serving, thinly slice the mint and stir it into the fig relish.
6. Spoon the relish over grilled tri-tip or eggplant slabs, pan-roasted pork or salmon.

 
​Pestos and salsas can be endlessly varied to create raw seasonal herb and vegetable sauces. If you follow the basic principles of pesto preparation, you can be imaginative in your use of ingredients.
            Start with a tender leafy green or herb, add a nut of your choice, a copious amount of olive oil, citrus peel such as lemon or lime, and any additional seasonings (capers, red pepper flakes, cayenne), and blend. By processing the raw ingredients and submersing them in olive oil, you capture the potential health benefits in the herbs and vegetables.
            You can vary the texture profile by roughly chopping nuts instead of blending them, small dicing one of the vegetables in the pesto, or halving the cherry tomatoes like I’ve done in this recipe.
            Pestos and salsas are versatile in what they can be served with—depending on what you’ve crafted, you can easily pair the pesto with a large variety of meat or vegetable proteins from steaks to fish to beans, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or dip crackers and bread into the mix.  
 
3 cups basil leaves, washed and dried
2/3 cup pecans, toasted
1 cup Sun Gold tomatoes, washed
1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Salt, to taste
 
1. Place all of the ingredients but the Sun Golds in a high-powered blender or food processor.
 
2. Blend or process the ingredients until just smooth—do not over blend or the mix will oxidize.
 
3. Halve the tomatoes.
 
4. Pour the pesto in a bowl and place the halved cherry tomatoes in the bowl. Stir to mix the Sun Golds into the pesto.
 
5. Serve the pesto over meats, eggs, or vegetables. To create contrasting colors, garnish the plates with a few Sun Golds.

​Serves 2-3
 
            Enjoy the last thrust of spring’s cherries in this sublime and easy to prepare relish that accentuates pork loin’s tenderness and bacon’s salt-crisped smoky smack. Unleash the savory side of dessert’s favorite fruit by pairing the cherries with caramelized oyster mushrooms, balsamic vinegar’s sweet acidity, minced shallot’s bite, and the fresh fat cutting quality of mint.
            The loin’s moisture and tenderness is retained throughout the cooking process by brining it in a cold bath of citrus and hot pepper and wrapping it in peppered bacon. Fix the bacon tight against the pork with butcher’s twine and as it cooks, the bacon’s fat will melt into the loin and baste it in a smoky richness. For a complete tribute to late spring, serve Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Cherry-Mint Relish with lemon-kissed asparagus and smashed new potatoes laced with olive oil and green garlic. 
 
Cherry-Mushroom Mint Relish
 
1 cup Bing cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
¼ pound oyster mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, to taste
 
1. Wash the cherries.
2. Slit each cherry and pop out the pit. If you have a pitter, use that to remove each cherry’s pit.
3. Slice the cherries into slivers and place them in a large stainless steel bowl.
4. Mince the shallot and place it with the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt in a stainless steel bowl.
5. Let the minced shallot macerate in the vinegar for about 25 minutes.
6. As the shallot macerates, cook the oyster mushrooms.       
                        a. Heat a frying pan on high heat.
                        b. Once the pan is hot, put a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan.
                        c. Immediately put the mushrooms in the pan and cook them on high until they are wilted and caramelized.
                        d. Once they are cooked, remove the mushrooms from the pan and add a splash of vinegar to deglaze the pan.
                        c. Let the mushrooms cool and then chop them up.
7. Whisk in the olive oil to the shallot-vinegar mixture and pour it over the sliced cherries.
8. Add the oyster mushrooms and a pinch of salt, and gently mix the ingredients together.
9. Wash, dry, and thinly slice the mint. Right before serving, mix the mint in the relish and serve.
 
Brine and Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin Preparation
 
Brine ingredients:
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons salt
3 cups cold water
1 pound pasture-raised pork loin
 
For after the brining process:
6 slices of peppered bacon
 
1. Place all of the brine ingredients in a clear plastic bag.
2. Shake the bag so that the salt is dissolved and all of the ingredients are afloat.
3. Place the pork loin in the bag, push any excess air out of the bag, and seal the bag.
4. Place the bag in the refrigerator and let the brine sink into the meat for about 7-9 hours.
5. Pull the loin from the brine, place it on paper towels, and dab it to remove any excess moisture.
6. Pull out the bacon and lay it flat on a cutting board.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a large frying pan on the stove on medium-low heat.
8. Wrap each piece around the loin and cut off any excess bacon (you just want each piece to wrap around once).
9. Cut six pieces of butcher’s twine.
10. Wrap and tie each bacon slice to the loin with a piece of twine. Pull the twine tightly against the bacon and loin, but be careful not to rip the bacon.
11. Turn the heat on the frying pan on high.
12. Once the pan is hot, place a generous amount of oil in the pan, and lift the bacon-wrapped loin into the pan with tongs. Swirl the meat around in the oil to make sure that it doesn’t stick.
13. Turn the heat on the pan to medium-low, and cook each side of the loin to render out and crisp the bacon.
14. Once the bacon wrapped around the loin is crispy and golden brown, place the roasting pan in the oven and cook the loin for about 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook it.
15. After 8-10 minutes, pull the loin from the oven and place it on a plate. Loosely tent the loin in aluminum foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
16. After 10 minutes, remove the foil, remove each piece of twine, and thinly slice the loin.
17. Place the slices on a serving platter or on plates, and spoon the cherry-mint relish over the top. 

​Smoky Lamb Polpettini with Oregano-Olive Infused Aioli
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer
 
These small meatballs pack a punch that will leave your guests kicking for more. The natural gaminess of lamb is ushered forth with a hint of smoke and spice that melts in your mouth as it gets tangled in a briny herbaceous aioli. By cutting the lamb’s leanness with ground pork, the polpettini remain tender after they’re cooked. The lemon, oregano, and olive in the aioli act as an antioxidant bath that protects you and your guests from any of the potential ill effects from the meat.
            Meatballs are easy to make and take the fuss out of preparing for dinner guests while offering an elegant surprise when skewered. You can prep the base of the ingredients before hand and even form the polpettini the night before the party. The aioli can be made within a few hours of serving. Cook the balls right before serving. Unless it is a cold night, for convenience you can serve the polpettini at room temperature once they are cooked.
 
¾ pound ground grass fed lamb
½ pound ground pasture-raised pork
1 teaspoon Pimenton de la Vera
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green garlic or regular garlic, bloomed out
½-1 teaspoon salt, to taste
 
Oregano and Olive Infused Aioli
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup extra virgin olive oil (reserve ¼ cup of this oil to bloom out the oregano and olive)
1 tablespoon oregano, chopped and bloomed
1 tablespoon green olives, chopped
¼ parsley, chopped
 
1. Place all of the ingredients listed under the polpettini section above in a stainless steel bowl. Wash your hands or use gloves, and then gently mix all of the ingredients together.
 
2. Form small meatballs with the mixture.
 
3. Place the meatballs on a lightly oiled sheet tray and set them in the refrigerator to set for about two hours.
 
4. In the meantime make the aioli*.
 
5. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
6. Place the balls in the oven and roast them until they just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
 
7. While the balls are still warm, drive a wooden skewer in to hold each one.
 
8. Place the aioli in a small bowl, arrange the polpettini around the aioli, and sprinkle parsley over the top of the balls and aioli.
 
Aioli Preparation
 
1. Place the chopped oregano and olives in a small stainless steel pan with about ¼ cup of the olive oil.
 
2. Gently heat the oregano and olive oil just so the oil becomes scented with the aromatics.
 
3. Let the infused oil cool while you prepare the aioli base.
 
4. Place the egg yolk, a pinch of salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl.
 
5. Briefly whisk these ingredients until smooth and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.
 
6. Very slowly, drop by drop, add the olive oil without the oregano and olives while vigorously whisking the lemon-yolk mixture. It helps to curb the bowl with a damp towel to keep it in place while you whisk.
 
7. After the uninfused oil is incorporated into the egg mixture, drop by drop whisk in the oregano and olive infused oil.
 
8. After all of the oil has been whisked in, taste the aioli and add salt or a little lemon juice to balance the sauce as needed. 

Serves 4 as a side dish
 
The caramelized spiraling tips of the Romanesco will amaze you and your guests. Grilling the Romanesco concentrates the flavor and contrasts with the lemon sauce’s bright acid and the toasted pine nuts’ rich fattiness.
            Romanesco and other members of the broccoli family have powerful cancer-fighting phytochemicals called isothiocyanates. There is a growing body of research that suggests that the isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables have a significant impact on lung cancer progression. In addition, these chemicals help inhibit cancerous tumor formation and protect “the liver, forestomach, mammary gland, esophagus, small intestine, colon and bladder” (Wu, Zhou, Xu). With this in mind, it makes sense to consume at least 1-2 servings of cruciferous vegetables a day.
            Spiked with capers and Dijon, this easy to make lemon sauce can be served over grilled Romanesco, broccoli, or cauliflower.         
 
1 head of Romanesco
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, to taste
 
Sauce:
1.5 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped capers
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste
 
To finish:
¼ cup toasted pine nuts or pistachios
 
1. Preheat the grill to medium.
2. Sprinkle the tablespoon of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt over the Romanesco.
3. Grill the Romanesco head for about 10 minutes, turning often to ensure even caramelization.
4. While the Romanesco is on the grill, prepare the sauce. Place the lemon zest, juice, capers, mustard, salt, and olive oil in a lidded jar and shake vigorously until emulsified.
5. Once the Romanesco is slightly caramelized and has cooked for 10 minutes, pull it from the grill and place it on a wood cutting board.
6. Cut the florets off of the main stalk. If you encounter a large floret, cut it in half.
7. Place the florets in a stainless steel bowl. Right before serving, put the pine nuts and lemon sauce in the bowl and mix the elements to ensure that the florets are covered in the tangy sauce.
8. Garnish the Romanesco with a pinch of finely chopped parsley and serve. 

                                                Works Cited
Micronutrient Information Center. “Isothiocyanates.” Linas Pauling Institue, Oregon State University, n.d. Accessed 12 Mar. 2016.
 
"Romanesco Broccoli, and Edible Fractal with Many Health Benefits." Herbcyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Accessed 12 Mar. 2016.
 
Wu, Xiang, Qing-Hua Zhou, and Ke Xu. "Are Isothiocyanates Potential Anti-cancer Drugs?" Acta Pharmacologica Sinica Acta Pharmacol Sin 30.5 (2009): 501-12. Accessed ​Accessed 12 Mar. 2016.

 (Serves 5 as an appetizer)
 
            Thinly sliced Meyer lemon adds a tang and soft bite to these smoky spiced shrimp. Smoked paprika heightens the shrimp’s natural flavor, while grilling in the shell protects and concentrates that flavor as it almost steams. 
            Why shell on? The shrimp retain more moisture when cooked in the shell. If you are serving the shrimp to people who love food, they will thank you and enjoy the messy dinner. If you are serving the skewers to people who mind making a mess when they eat or who are in a place where eating with hands isn’t acceptable, peel the shrimp before skewering it.
            To serve, drizzle the skewers with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of parsley or dip them in the Meyer Lemon & Anchovy-Laced Aioli (see the recipe at the end of this post).  
 
1 pound shell-on, deveined wild shrimp
1-2 Meyer lemons, sliced thinly (deseeded)
1 teaspoon Pimenton de La Vera (smoky paprika, bittersweet)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 rosemary stems or wooden skewer sticks (if dry, soak in water for 10 minutes before skewering)
 
1. Wash, dry, and place the shrimp in a bowl with the olive oil, thyme, garlic, and paprika. Let marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Slice the lemon and set aside.
3. Rinse the rosemary stems and set aside.
4. Prepare the grill (get it medium hot)
5. Begin to build the skewers: pull the shrimp through the skewers so that the head and tail are bound, fold a Meyer lemon slice in half and skewer it, then repeat with another shrimp, lemon slice, and shrimp (you should have three shrimp and two lemon slices on each skewer).
6. Run a lightly oiled rag over the grill grates.
7. Season the shrimp with salt and place the skewers on the grill.
8. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
9. When the shrimp is just cooked through, pull the skewers from the grill, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of parsley, or dip the shrimp in a Meyer Lemon & Anchovy-Laced Aioli and serve.

Meyer Lemon & Anchovy-Laced Aioli
Yields just over ¾ of a cup
 
           Along with pesto and salsa, aioli stands as the part of the trinity of adaptable grill sauces. Once you get the hang of making aioli, variations from the base sauce are endless and allow for a pulse of creativity in response to any seasonal ingredient. The smooth texture and sublime flavors of aioli can be tweaked with the sweet fragrant acid of Meyer lemon and complex flavor profile of a hint of cured anchovies. While the anchovy adds depth and savor to the sauce, you can leave it out if you prefer.
            While I developed this sauce to compliment the Grilled Lemon, Serrano, and Oregano Spiced Polpettine recipe, it can be paired with a variety of grilled fish or poultry dishes. Try this aioli over grilled wild salmon, scallops, chicken breast or thigh, squab, or even quail.
          
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon anchovy paste
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste
crack of black pepper
 
1. Place the egg yolk, Meyer lemon juice, minced garlic clove, crack of black pepper, and a pinch of salt in a food processor.
2. Briefly blend the ingredients until they form an emulsion, and then slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil with the processor on. Start by adding the oil drop by drop as the processor blade turns. Once 40% of the oil is emulsified, you can speed up the rate at which you add the oil, but don’t go too fast or the mixture will break.
3. When all of the oil is emulsified, check the mixture for salt and acidity. Add salt as necessary. If you need more acidity, just add another splash of lemon juice.
4. Add the anchovy paste and mix it into the aioli.
5. Set the sauce aside. You can prepare the sauce a day ahead of time—if you do prepare it ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator and take it out about 30 minutes before serving to bring it up to room temperature. Do not let it sit out of the refrigerator for more than an hour.
 
 

​Often overlooked in favor of more traditional meats like beef, chicken, or pork, the thick crispy skin of duck breasts and the tender, medium-rare flesh offer a belly-warming addition to the winter table. The fat in duck breasts keeps the meat moist and is best paired with slightly acidic and sweet sauces. For this recipe, the natural sweetness and tang of Pink Lady apples, orange zest, and balsamic combine to play against the duck’s fat and create a rich mouth feel.
            Cooking duck breast is not as complicated as many people think—this recipe breaks down the steps so that you can make this restaurant-level dish with minimum fuss and delicious results.
            While duck breast skin has cholesterol, the significant protein content and high levels of selenium and zinc make occasionally consuming duck breast a healthy alternative to the beef, chicken, and pork meat trinity (“Duck Meat and Cholesterol”).
 
Meat & Marinade:
3 long strips of orange zest
5 sprigs of thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil for the marinade, plus 1 tablespoon for cooking the breasts
1 tablespoon orange juice
1.16 duck breasts, deboned, skin on
 
Sauce:
1 Pink Lady apple, small diced
2 medium-sized shallots, thinly sliced to form little rings
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped sage
crack of pepper
 
Marinate the meat:
1. 12-18 hours before cooking, place the duck breasts and the marinade in a plastic bag.
2. Seal the bag and put it in the refrigerator.
 
Make the sauce:
1. Heat up a sauté pan to medium-high heat.
2. Put 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the pan, swirl it around, and add the diced apple.
3. Every minute of so stir or flip the diced apple to ensure that it evenly browns.
4. After 4-5 minutes, the apple dices should be caramelized. 
5. Pull them from the pan and place them on a plate to cool. Sprinkle a little salt on the apple.
6. Heat up a small sauté pan to medium-low heat.
7. Place a teaspoon of olive oil in the pan and swirl it around.
8. Add the sliced shallots to the pan.
9. Occasionally stir the shallots as they brown.
10. Once they turned golden brown, add the chopped sage.
11. Let the sage bloom in the shallots and oil for about 1-2 minutes.
12. Turn the heat off, add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
13. The teaspoon of vinegar will cook off in the pan.
14. Place the apple and shallots in a nonreactive bowl.
15. Add in the other teaspoon of olive oil and vinegar, and stir the mixture. Try to break apart the rings of shallots into quarters as you go: they should give under weight of your stainless steel spoon. Season the mixture to taste. You might need to add a little more salt and a crack of pepper.
 
Cook the duck breasts:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pull the breasts from the marinade and wipe off any peel, pepper flakes, or thyme twigs that cling to the meat.
3. Place the breasts skin side up on paper towels. Wipe off any excess moisture on the skin.
4. Preheat a heavy-bottom fry pan on medium-high.
5. Score the skin of the breasts with a sharp knife in order to create a crosshatch pattern.
6. Season the breasts with salt and pepper.
7. Once the pan is hot, put the oil in the pan, swirl it around, and place the duck in the pan. Be sure to move the breasts around until they do not stick (don’t put too many breasts in the pan at once—if you have a medium-sized pan, cook the breasts in batches of two).
8. Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the breasts for 8 minutes on the skin. Frequently turn the breast skin around in the pan to ensure even cooking.
9. Flip the breasts over and cook them on the flesh for another minute.
10. Turn the duck back over so that the skin side faces down and place it in the oven to cook for another 7-9 minutes. Aim for medium-rare. The exact oven cooking time will vary depending on the size of the breasts.
11. Pull the breasts from the pan and place them on a plate. Loosely tent them with aluminum foil as they rest for 5 minutes.
12. After the breasts have rested, place them on a cutting board and thinly slice the meat across the grain.
13. Place the sliced breast on a plate or platter and spoon the sauce over the top of the meat.
 
“Duck Meat and Cholesterol.” Healthy Eating | SF Gate, San Francisco   Chronicle, healthyeating.sfgate.com/duck-meat-cholesterol-2410.html.

*An earlier version of this recipe appeared in Natural Solutions' Fall 2016 issue

Serves 4 

In this recipe, soft squash’s tender sweetness and diced Pink Lady’s firm bite of acid play against pastured pork stuffing’s spicy smoke and tang. By creating a mix of sweet, acidic, firm, and soft, any filled vegetable recipe can sing. Since stuffable vegetables usually contain high-levels of natural sugar and have mild flavor, you should pair them with intensely flavored fillings that contain bright, aromatic ingredients with a range of textures and tastes.
       The amaranth adds another texture element and acts to absorb the unctuous juice that releases from squash and ground pork as they cook. While white quinoa, millet or brown rice can be substituted for the amaranth in this recipe, the texture of the filling will be different. The small seeds of the amaranth deftly bind with the pork and apple and readily take in the chipotle’s spice and lemon zest’s fragrance. 
       If you long for a summer comfort dish, try this filling in roasted zucchini or a hollowed red bell pepper. You will not need to roast the bell pepper before hand: just fill it and bake for about 12-14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, then serve. For the zucchini, you will want to use a large, mature zucchini. After cutting the zucchini in half, trimming the ends, and removing the seeds and center flesh, lightly salt and roast it for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the filling and cook it for another 10 minutes.
 
2 acorn squash, washed, cut in half, insides and seeds removed
½ cup cooked amaranth*
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup diced yellow onion
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (use the dry powder, if possible)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ pound of ground pasture-raised pork
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest     
½ cup diced Pink Lady apple (or a similar variety)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper   
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
 
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Rub the insides of the washed, halved, and cleaned squash with olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt inside, and turn the squash over so that the insides are facing down on a heavy-bottom baking dish.
3. Cook the squash for between 30-35 minutes, or until the backsides are slightly soft. When the squash are just cooked through, pull them from the oven and set them aside to cool (still face down).
4. While the squash are cooking, prepare the amaranth*:
                   1. Put ¼ cup amaranth, ¾ cup water, and a generous pinch of salt in a small pan.
                   2. Bring the liquid up to a boil and immediately turn the heat to low so that the liquid simmers.
                   3. Cook the amaranth uncovered for about 20 minutes, and remove it from the heat.
                   4. Set the amaranth aside with the lid removed.
5. Place the olive oil in a large sauté pan, turn the heat on medium-low, and add the onions, garlic, and a teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions until they are translucent.
6. Add the pork, red pepper flakes, chipotle, and black pepper. Continue to cook the mixture on medium-low heat.
7. When the pork is just about cooked through, add the ½ cup cooked amaranth and lemon zest, and stir until all of the ingredients are mixed.
8. In about a minute, turn the heat off, set the pan aside, add the diced apple and sage, and stir. 
9. Check the pork-amaranth filling for seasoning. You want the filling to be intense and robustly seasoned so that it can stand up to the sweetness of the squash.
10. With a spoon, put the filling in each squash. Aim for a round top that rises just over the edge of the squash.
11. Place the pan in the oven, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the filling is a golden brown.
12. Serve the stuffed squash with a sprinkle of parsley over the top. 

The pomegranate seeds’ tang, a Pink Lady apple’s round snappy kick, the sweet fragrance of roasted fennel, and a butternut’s deep caramel-like heart dance on freshly seared pork chops. So many fall and winter sauces are thick and seem to weigh down the meat with their heft. This fall vegetable relish contains a variety of flavors and textures that don’t just compliment the mild flavor of tender pork chops, but elevate it. 
            The health benefits of pomegranates have been well publicized, and the antioxidant power of these seeds combined with the butternut’s lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin carotenoids make the relish a health powerhouse. Beta-cryptoxanthin is currently being investigated for its anti-inflammatory and cancer fighting properties (“Beyond Pumpkin” 6). Fennel contains a significant amount of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which might help our bones stay strong (“10 Healthy Foods” 73-74). While pan-frying is not the healthiest cooking method, all of the health benefits in the relish help offset the potential downside to a slightly caramelized chop.
 
Marinade:
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 rib eye pork chops
 
Fall vegetable relish:
1 cup butter squash, small diced
1 cup fennel bulb, small diced
1 teaspoon shallot, minced
½ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup Pink Lady apple, small diced
Salt, to taste
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
 
-Place the pork chops with the marinade ingredients in a plastic bag. Move the ingredients around to evenly mix the marinade. Set in the refrigerator overnight.
 
The next day, start the vegetable relish:
1. Preheat the oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the diced butternut and fennel on a sheet tray. Sprinkle a little olive oil and salt on them, and place the sheet tray in the oven.
3. Cook the diced vegetables for about 22-24 minutes, or until they are just cooked through. Check them often to ensure that they are not overcooked. Once the vegetables are cooked, set them aside to cool.
4. While the fennel and butternut cook, small dice the apple and mince the shallot.
5. Place the diced Pink Lady apple and minced shallot in the teaspoons of lemon juice. Let the shallot and apple macerate for about 20 minutes while you cook the pork chops.*
6. Mix all of the slaw ingredients together, including the olive oil and salt. Check the mix for seasoning, and adjust with lemon juice and salt as necessary.
 
Cook the pork chops:
1. Heat a stainless steel pan to high.
2. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and remove any excess oil that clings to the chops.
3. Season the chops with salt and a crack of pepper.
4. Once the pan is hot, place a little olive or grape seed oil in the pan.
5. Place the chops in the pan and move them around until a slight crust forms, which will prevent them from sticking to the pan. Turn the heat to medium to medium-low, and cook the chops for 4 minutes on each side. A brick-red crust should form on each side of the chop.
7. Once the chops are cooked but still slightly pink in the center, place them on a plate and loosely tent aluminum over them. Let the chops rest for about 8 minutes.
8. Once the chops have rested, place them on a serving plate and spoon the slaw over the chops.
9. Garnish with a light dusting of the chopped fennel fronds.
 
                                                        Works Cited
 
"Beyond Pumpkin: Harvest The Health Benefits Of Winter Squash." Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter 32.9 (2014): 6. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 5 Nov.    2016.
 
"10 Healthy Foods.” Prevention. 68.8 (2016): 70-79. Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 5 Nov. 2016.

Serves 5-6 as an appetizer, 3 as an entree

With this recipe, the hot brightness and fragrance of fresh ginger mayo and the acidic tang of Ume plums cuts the flavorful charred fattiness of grilled pork ribs.     My dear friend Ayako Iino, a Japanese chef who I met while cooking at Oliveto Restaurant, has created a new line Ume-based products. I became fascinated with this cured plum while helping Ayako process the dried and salted plums at Full Belly Farm in the summer of 2015. We placed soft, partially desiccated plums in containers with red shiso infused plum vinegar while a gentle, late summer breeze swept through almond trees and tomato vines. You can purchase Ayako’s Ume plums and her other authentic Japanese condiments and preserves in San Francisco Bay Area food stores and online through Good Eggs.
           The Ume plum paste, rice vinegar, miso, and sesame act to tenderize and flavor the meat, in many ways performing as a barbeque sauce would, without the tired, often overused flavors in most barbeque sauces.
 
2.5-3 pounds spare ribs, St. Louis style
5 salted Ume plums
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons yellow miso
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil for the grill rag
 
1. Break apart five Ume plums and place them in 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar.
2. With a metal spoon, mash the plums into the vinegar so that a paste forms.
3. Place the paste in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.
4. Bring the ume-vinegar mixture out of the refrigerator, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of miso and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
5. Coat the rib rack with the mixture, and let them marinate for 8-10 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
7. Place the marinated ribs on a roasting rack with a pan underneath.
8. Roast the ribs for 45-50 minutes in the oven.
9. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
10. Bring the rib rack out of the oven when the grill is hot.
11. Rub an oil damp rag over the grill grates.
12. Grill the rib rack on each side until it is caramelized and deep brown. Aim for about 25 minutes of cooking time on the grill.
13. Once the rack is caramelized, pull it from the grill and allow it to rest in a roasting pan tented with aluminum foil.
14. After the rack of ribs has rested for 10 minutes, slice them into single ribs and serve them with the Fresh Ginger Mayo recipe that follows.
 
Fresh Ginger Mayo:
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or thinly sliced and pounded to a paste in a mortar)
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon Alaea sea salt (or another sea salt)
1 cup of organic safflower oil
 
1. Place all of the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and turn it on to blend.
2. Then, with the food processor on, drop by drop slowly add in the safflower oil. After you’ve incorporated about half of the oil, you can begin to add it at a drizzle.
3. You may need to stop the processor midway through and scrape the bottom of the processor to make sure that the ginger and yolk are not clinging to it.
4. Once all of the oil is emulsified, check the seasoning. You may need to add more lemon juice, ginger, or salt, depending on what you like and the acidity of the lemon and intensity of the ginger. 

Serves 4

​​The acidic bite and balance of Sungolds create a robust marinade for late summer tri-tip. Think of this recipe as cherry tomatoes served two ways, doubled up for intensity: in the marinade blended with rosemary, garlic, and a little hot pepper, then as the relish’s backbone paired with Castelvetrano olives’ buttery brine, fragrant basil, and a jalapeno’s kick.
            If you don’t have much time to fiddle with complicated recipes but can make it to a market that sells summer’s golden gems, this recipe will help you bust out a refined and nourishing summer meal.  
 
1½ pounds of grass-fed tri-tip
 
Marinade:
¾ cup Sungold tomatoes
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 medium clove, garlic
 
Relish:
3 tablespoons Castelvetrano olives, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
2 cups of rinsed Sungold and Black Cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
 
1. Place all of the marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend them until a smooth, sauce-like consistency forms.
2. Rinse and dry the tri-tip and place it in a gallon-size plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the meat and rub it against the plastic to evenly distribute the ingredients.
3. Place tri-tip in the refrigerator and let it marinate for about 5 hours.
4. When you are about ready to cook the tri-tip, turn the grill on medium to heat up.
5. Pull the meat from the marinade and whip off any clinging Sungold skins. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
6. Once the grill is hot, rub an oiled rag over the grates and place the meat at an angle on the grates.
7. After about five minutes, turn the meat straight to form crosshatch grill marks. Aim to grill the tri-tip for about 9 minutes on each side, for a total of 18 minutes of cooking time. As you cook the meat and then let it cool, make the relish.*
8. Once the meat is cooked, place it on a plate and loosely tent aluminum foil over the top. Let the tri-tip rest for about 10-12 minutes before thinly slicing it against the grain.
 
*Relish
1. Mince the garlic, quarter the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the Castelvetrano olives and jalapeno pepper, and place the ingredients in a stainless steel mixing bowl with the olive oil.
2. Right before serving, add the salt and chopped basil to the relish.
3. To serve, tangle the tri-tip slices on a serving plate and spoon the relish over and against the slices.