Nettle Ravioli
Beyond the fact that stinging nettles are a superfood, they are just so damn pretty! Blanched, they lose their sting, and take on a lurid emerald. That green makes an exciting pasta — and a great ravioli filling. Yep, this is a double dose of nettle goodness.
Fish Risotto
If there is one episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” that sticks with me, it is his trip to Venice. In that episode he has risotto di go, an ethereal dish that hinges on a magical fish broth. I’ve remade this risotto here with striped bass. It will transport you.
Cappelletti Pasta in Duck Broth
Cappelletti, a variant on the well-known tortellini of Bologna, are normally served in a clear broth. My cappelletti are vegetarian, filled with ricotta and spices, but you could use meat, too. The soup is a rich, clear duck broth; almost a consomme. Simple yet, elegant.
Tomato-Fennel Pasta Sauce
Taking a break from what has become the Summer of Salmon, this is my go-to summertime pasta sauce recipe. A mix of fresh or preserved tomatoes, lots of fresh fennel and a little bit of anise-flavored liqueur brighten up this sauce for warm days.
Morel Risotto
I make a lot of risotto, but I love mushroom risotto most of all. This is what I do when life gives me a basket of pretty fresh morels, and life’s been good to me this season.
Spaghetti with Crab Sauce
I first ate this astonishing spaghetti sauce in Massachusetts; my brother-in-law made it with lobster. This is my West Coast version, done with crab.
Wild Boar Bolognese Sauce
I make all sorts of Italian pasta sauces, but an authentic Bolognese sauce is something else entirely. It make look like any other meat sauce, but it isn’t.
Tuscan Hare Sauce and Pappardelle
What do you do with a jackrabbit? Go with a classic: A Tuscan pasta sauce with hare.
Nettle Pasta
It’s nettle season here in Northern California, and as I am on a pasta jag lately, I thought I would make pasta dough with stinging nettles. Seemed like the right thing to do.
Crab Risotto
We’re in the thick of our Dungeness crab season here in California, and crab risotto is one of my favorite things to do with them.
