This is Philippe’s creation – a practically instant, comfort food recipe:

Cook the noodles of your choice. We usually use matchstick-thin Asian-style wheat noodles or Udon noodles for this recipe.

Drain and toss back into cooking pan with butter, curry powder, salt, and chili sauce (Sriracha is a favorite) to taste.

Serve hot with chopsticks!

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: Riesling is a great go-to wine for spicy dishes. It’s balance of sweetness and acidity compliments the spice nicely. A crisp Sauvignon blanc would be lovely as well, or a just off-dry Rose. It’s always a good idea to pair regional wine with foods inspired by the region; so definitely try a wine from Asia (India and China are both producing wines that are becoming more readily available to Western consumers). Cheers!

As the weather warms up, I tend to spend less time “cooking” and more time eating simply prepared, fresh ingredients. Orzo pasta is ridiculously easy and quick to prepare, cooking in less than 5 minutes. This is a great quick lunch or dinner, or paired with chicken grilled under a brick, a delicious accompaniment.

Cook orzo in boiling salted water until al dente, usually about 3-4 minutes. Drain.

Toss with 1-2 Tbsp each olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Add chopped fresh herbs – parsley and oregano are my favorites for this.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over salade greens.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: A white or rose with good acidity pair well with the lemon component in this dish. Think Pinot grigio, Albarino, Greek whites, crisp Chardonnay. Reisling would work as well, as long as any sweetness is balanced by its acidity. Avoid malolactic or oaky wines, unless you like your wines flabby and lifeless! Cheers!

We finally (!) have some greens in our garden ready for picking. One of my favorite ways to serve them is tossed with pasta:

Cook whole wheat pasta until al dente. (We use about 5.5 ounces for 2 servings; rotini is a good choice for catching the bits of feta and oregano.)

Meanwhile, sweat 1-2 cloves of minced garlic over medium-low heat in 3-4 Tbsp olive oil until tender and fragrant, but not browned.

In a separate bowl combine 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano. Add the garlic and olive oil, freshly cracked pepper and a big pinch of salt, Whisk to blend.

Add the pasta. Toss in some greens – baby spinach, arugula, fresh basil, tsatoi, etc.

Crumble 2-3 ounces of feta cheese and stir to combine.

Finish with a drizzle of really good olive oil.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: There are some fabulous whites from Greece that would compliment the Greek flavors in this dish. I am most familiar with the grape Assyrtiko, but there are several others worth trying (Roditis, Savatiano). This dish would also pair well with Pinot grigio from Italy, Albarino from Spain, most any crisp white wine with little malolactic fermentation or oak influence. Cheers!

Broccoli is in season at the farmer’s market. This recipe was inspired by a dish that I had at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville, CA in 2002, which used broccoli rabe:

Blanch broccoli florets (or chopped broccoli rabe) and peeled stems in salted water for 3-5 minutes, depending on size and toughness of broccoli. Immerse in ice water to stop cooking, drain and set aside. In the same water used to blanch the broccoli, add pasta (fettucine or other preferred shape)Â and cook until al dente.

Sautee thinly sliced garlic (4-6 cloves) and minced fresh chile pepper (1-2 cayenne or serrano) in about 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. When fragrant and soft, but before the garlic gets any color, add the blanched broccoli. Warm through and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta and another 1-2 tablespoons of fat – olive oil and/or butter.

Serve warm with grated Pecorino Romano.

Bon Appetit!

Wine Pairing: This dish works well with either white or red wine, as long as they are not over-oaked, highly acidic or phenolic – try a Chablis, medium-bodied Italian white such as a barrel-aged Pinot grigio (Villa Appalaccia in Virginia makes a nice one to try with this), Soave, or a Tuscan red. Cheers!

Cook pasta (recommended: fettuccine or linguine) in boiling salted water until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, saute one small onion in olive oil until translucent. Add the kernels of 2 ears of fresh corn. Add 1/2-1 cup pesto and stir to combine. Add drained hot pasta. Toss with vegetables over low heat. Add halved or quartered cherry, pear, or roma tomatoes. (Recommended: Sungold, Juliet, Red, Yellow, or Pink Pear.) Serve topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and some toasted pine nuts.

Bon Appetit!

Wine Pairing: Pesto’s bold flavors and richness work well with the higher acid, lower alcohol wines of European countries. Albarino/Alvarino, Roses, lighter reds would all pair nicely.