European

If you like risotto, you will love this creamy, heart-healthy variation made with barley. Pearled barley is not a whole grain, because it has had much of the bran removed, but it has a lot more fiber than white rice so it’s a healthful choice. Chef David Koelling, a 1990 Workshop participant, adds mushrooms to his barley risotto to make the dish more substantial. Serve it in small portions as a first course or side dish—it would complement roast chicken—or in larger portions as a main course, with a salad.

Brian teaches a paella class at the winery occasionally to help take the fear out of preparing rice the Spanish way. It’s a great dish for parties because guests love watching paella come together, the flavors and fragrance building as ingredients are added. Brian cooks his paella by the traditional method, outdoors over a hardwood fire. Gauging the heat of the fire is the only challenge; if it is too hot, the rice will scorch. Be sure to let the coals burn down until they are well covered with white ash before starting. And if you still lack confidence after trying this recipe, sign up for the class. Paella tastes best warm, not hot, so allow for some cooling time.

Hubert Keller, chef-owner of San Francisco’s Fleur de Lys, patterned this recipe after the traditional Provençal soupe doux (sweet garlic soup), a specialty of the peasant kitchen. But as you might expect from a chef for one of the city’s most elegant restaurants, Chef Keller has refined the procedure, blanching the garlic to temper some of its bite and adding saffron for a richer color. A poached egg set on a crouton in the center of the soup really dresses up the dish. Chef Keller participated in the 1991 Workshop.

Canadian chef Rob Feenie made this savory tart during the 2002 Workshop. Unlike quiche with its custard filling, the classic tarte flambée topping includes no egg—just fromage blanc thinned with crème fraîche, sweet sautéed onions, and smoky bacon. The name (“flaming tart”) derives from earlier times, when cooks would bake it near the embers of a wood-fired oven.

Tempered chocolate solidifies easily into a hard, shiny chocolate that snaps when broken. It can be worked into a variety of shapes, spread into sheets, and used in molds. Tempering chocolate also keeps cocoa butter from rising to the surface of the chocolate and “blooming” into unsightly light brown patches. Many chocolate experts will teach you to temper using the marble slab method: You heat your chocolate, then pour it onto a cool marble slab, stirring and working the chocolate with a bench scraper until it has cooled to the proper temperature and then returning it to your bowl. This is a beautiful, classic French method to use, but as large marble slabs aren’t readily available for this purpose, here’s how to use the seed method. Be sure to have an accurate digital thermometer on hand.

New potatoes are really just young potatoes of any variety. They are crisp, waxy, and hold their shape when boiled or roasted, as in the recipes that follow. Try any of these rustic potato dishes with roast chicken, pork, or beef (see page 284).

This recipe makes one large lasagna, but you can easily make two smaller versions in eight-inch baking dishes. Enjoy one for dinner tonight, and freeze the other for later. Or add sausage to one (see variation below) and keep the other meat-free.

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

Think of this hearty casserole of ground lamb in tomato sauce, penne pasta, and a béchamel-and-cheese sauce as the ultimate Greek comfort food.

The combination of raisins, pine nuts, and chard is typical in Sicilian cooking; here it is used in a robust pasta dish, along with crumbled sweet Italian sausage. Running a paring knife down the center of the sausage is the easiest way to remove the casing.

Similar to other Tuscan soups, like ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, this recipe makes good use of day-old bread. During cooking, the pieces absorb the broth and help thicken the soup. Shave or grate parmesan cheese over each serving, if desired.

This pressed sandwich—a specialty of Nice, France—is filled with many of the components of the classic Niçoise salad (tuna, olives, and hard-cooked eggs). Weighting the sandwich allows the bread to soak up their flavors as it compresses.

A cold mayonnaise-based sauce that originated in France, rémoulade is a traditional condiment for crab cakes in New Orleans. You can assemble this version, a quick blend of pantry items, at the last minute or a few hours ahead. Its vivid color and zesty flavor make it the best choice for accompanying delicate chilled foods such as poached chicken, white fish, and, of course, crab cakes.

THIS IS OUR BASIC RED SAUCE and a recipe you will turn to again and again. It’s one of the most versatile marinara sauces around, topping pasta, homemade pizza, or fresh seafood.

This confit is truly versatile. It can be used as a thickener in a soup or sauce, a flavor and texture boost to potato salad, or a filling for pork or beef sandwiches.

A BEAUTIFUL BOWL OF FRESHLY STEAMED MUSSELS is even better with marinara sauce, with the tomato playing off the tender, salty shellfish. Serve this dish as a starter, or ladle the mussels over spaghetti for a hearty pasta dish. Be sure to serve a loaf of warm, crusty bread alongside to soak up the juices.

CIOPPINO, THE CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN FISH STEW for which San Francisco is famous, takes on a new life in the Northwest, with fennel and a hint of anchovy to boost the flavor. The mashed avocado is used as a thickener and adds a richness to the dish, but it’s optional. We use a variety of seafood, but feel free to use whatever is fresh in your fish market. We like to use true cod, also known as Pacific cod, because of its flaky texture and mild flavor. (Pacific cod is preferable to Atlantic cod, an overfished species.) True cod is often available frozen. If you find it fresh ask your fishmonger to bone it for you.

RISOTTO IS A SIMPLE, ELEGANT DISH that acts as a vehicle for a variety of flavors. Adding lemon to risotto is common in Italy, where the subtly flavored dish is often served as an appetizer. I like it as a side to Butter-Rubbed Salmon (page 103) with Blueberry Sauce (page 104) or simply enjoy it as a vegetarian main course, perhaps accompanied by blanched asparagus.

THE RICH FLAVORS OF CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP are especially comforting on a cold, gray day. The original recipe is lightened here by substituting chicken for beef stock. The croutons are the grand finale, and making them yourself is a snap; simply top sliced bread with cheese, bake on a baking sheet at 350°F. until golden brown, and cut into cubes. If possible, use homemade Chicken Stock (page 230) in this soup; the flavor is incomparable.