It’s grilling day! Chicken, burgers, steaks, ribs…whatever you’re throwing down on the flames today here’s the perfect condiment: cilantro mint pesto. This recipe, I am super proud to say, came from Melissa and her co-author’s (Marcus Pape) newest book – their fourth! – Eat & Drink In The Northwest. The series is a beautiful food and wine (specifically Pacific Northwestern wines) pairing cookbook that will inspire you with seasonal ingredients. Of course I have to tout it! Even if Melissa wasn’t part of the Foodista team (and my friend) I’d still be shouting praises from the roof tops for her books. Each one is filled with beautiful mouthwatering recipes with local ingredients that are artfully paired with a local wine.

The other day Melissa brought to the office some grilled lamb and a jar of her cilantro mint pesto. (Did I mention that I love my job?) If it wasn’t for the spoon she placed in the jar I would have shamelessly dipped in and scooped out a big, green, tasty finger full.

Last night we grilled up some beautiful bison steaks, which we coated with a bit of the pesto before grilling, and topped them off with more. Perhaps this should be called Green Goddess – it sure is divine! Grilling lamb? Marcus recommends pairing it with a Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Red Blend or a Zinfandel.

Try it on any grilled meat or fish, smear it on your burger, make some crostini topped with ripe tomato, or even mixed with pasta. It’s the perfect condiment.

Here’s the recipe, thanks to Mel.

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This chicken sandwich combines so many ingredients that I adore. It tastes like a bite of Italy with its fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and pesto – all crammed in a buttery rosemary focaccia just lightly toasted. With a creamy pesto mayonnaise and tender grilled chicken breast this sandwich makes the perfect weekend lunch or easy dinner.

Chicken Pesto Focaccia Sandwich

One chicken breast
Small tomato, sliced
Red onion, sliced
Fresh basil, or organic salad greens
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Pesto
Focaccia bread, sliced half

Grill chicken breast, then set aside to cool. Mix about 1/4 cup of low fat mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon pesto (homemade or store bought), or to desired taste. Slice focaccia lengthwise and toast lightly. Spread pesto mayonnaise on both sides of bread. Place chicken breast on bottom slice and add sliced onion, tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil or salad greens. Top with the last piece of bread.

Makes one large sandwich.

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My first attempts to cook eggplant years ago revolved around sautéed versions. These typically began modestly enough with a few tablespoons of olive oil but then, inexorably, required more and more oil to be added to prevent burning. By the time the eggplant was soft, the slices or cubes had sucked up vast reserves of oil which they relinquished if reheated (as in eggplant parmigiana) — not pretty, or tasty. The calorie count was inestimable. And often the eggplant had a bitter aftertaste.

To cure the bitterness, various mavens recommended slicing the eggplant into strips or rounds, salting heavily, placing in a colander to drain for an hour or so, then rinsing off, patting dry, and proceeding to the above oil rig stage. This put cooking a simple vegetable into the Sunday afternoon project category. I continued to buy and wrestle with eggplants, but I became deeply suspicious of their resume.

Until the microwave. The microwave “gets” eggplant. You almost can’t go wrong, and just a bit of oil or a small amount of cooking liquid is required. The results are much healthier, the pre-salting stage is eliminated, and the cooking time is reduced to minutes.

Here is one of our all time favorites, using the blessed microwave shortcut for the eggplant:

Pesto ingredients
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 -2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, preferably reggiano, grated
2 T pine nuts (optional)
Salt to taste

Technique
Whiz the basil leaves in a blender or food processor until chopped fine
Add the garlic, salt and oil and blend until well incorporated
Pour into a bowl and beat in the parmesan cheese by hand for best texture
Add the pine nuts and stir
NOTE: the entire process can be done in the blender to save time

EGGPLANT with Pesto
Preheat oven to 375
Wash, cut the ends and stem off a medium to large eggplant, slice
lengthwise into pieces of similar width
Place into a microwave and oven safe dish, brush very lightly with pesto
Cover with lid or plastic wrap and microwave on high 3-4 minutes or
until eggplant is softening but not mushy
Drain accumulated liquid from dish
Brush eggplant slices again with pesto, using more than previously and
covering all surfaces
Bake uncovered at 375 to heat through and slightly brown the top,
approximately ten minutes

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A few weeks ago we drove out to Walla Walla to do a little early spring release wine tasting. At one beautiful winery, Abeja, we were blown over by the fine wines as well as the food offered at their autumn celebration. Chef Pascal Sauton from Portland, Oregon’s Carafe Bistro prepared a dish so delectable we returned the following day for another tasting (well, five actually). The small plate that had the four of us nearly begging for more was the Lamb Spare Ribs with Kabocha Squash Puree and Hibbits Ranch Walnut Pesto. <Gasp!> Allow me a moment to compose myself…

It was a tender, fatty (oh yes, you want this fat) section of rib that had been slow roasted until the meat was falling off the bone, served atop a subtly sweet puree of kabocha (a Japanese pumpkin), then drizzled with a delicious earthy walnut pesto.

Thank.God.I.Eat.Meat!! Pure Heaven, I tell you, pure Heaven.

I’m sure I can’t do justice to Chef Sauton, but I’m going to do my darndest and try to whip this up at home.

Lamb Spare Ribs, Kabocha Puree & Walnut Pesto

Lamb ribs, cut into thirds (about 3″ in length)
1 kabocha squash
Olive oil
Fresh parsley, chopped
Raw walnuts
Walnut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
*optional: crushed garlic and lemon zest

Slow roast the ribs until meat starts to pull away from the bone.

To make the kabocha puree: Cut the kabocha into 2 inch pieces, remove seeds. Place onto a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 40-60 minutes in a 400 degree oven or until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to touch remove outer green skin and place in a food processor. Puree the squash mixture until smooth.

To make the walnut pesto: Roast walnuts in a 350 degree oven until golden, turning frequently. Pulse in a food processor until in small pieces, but careful not to create a paste. Add chopped parsley, drizzle in walnut oil and pulse until a medium-moist consistency is reached. You don’t want it too pasty or too dry. For added flavor toss in some crushed garlic and lemon zest.

Serve ribs on top on the puree and spoon the pesto over the top. You will not be disappointed.

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