Onion

Caramelized onions, carrots, and a pinch of sugar give this braise a subtle sweetness, with cider vinegar adding balance. In the end, the chicken and vegetables are cloaked in a luscious, light pan sauce derived from the reduced pan juices. Serve with Dirty Rice with Fennel (page 102) or with plain steamed rice or boiled potatoes. (See photo on page 103.)

In late spring, when California asparagus are still available and the Cakebread garden is yielding the year’s first onions, Brian makes this delicate pizza bianca (a “white pizza,” or pizza without tomato sauce). The fresh-dug onions haven’t been cured yet, so they don’t have papery skins, and their flavor is mild. Many supermarkets sell “spring onions” that look like thick scallions with a bulbous root end. They would work in this recipe, as would leeks or even cured yellow onions, but uncured onions have the most delicate taste. Choose a fresh ricotta without pectin or other stabilizers. The Bellwether Farms ricotta from neighboring Sonoma County is our favorite.

Many Workshop chefs are unfamiliar with the clamshell mushrooms, maitake, and other exotic fungi that Gourmet Mushrooms cultivates (see page 84), so this company’s table is always a magnet at our opening-day farmers’ market. Chef George Brown, a 2006 participant, took advantage of the bounty to create a warm grilled mushroom and bacon salad. Although many people would be inclined to pair a red wine with a mushroom dish, we chose a mature Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve, which echoed all the earthy and smoky notes. In this adaptation of George’s recipe, Brian has moved the preparation indoors for ease—first oven-roasting the mushrooms, then tossing them with browned cipolline onions, thick bacon, and tender greens. Serve at the first sign of autumn weather, followed with a pork roast or seared duck breasts.

For large parties, it’s useful to have a repertoire of easy hors d’oeuvres that guests can enjoy standing up, with no plate or silverware. Winery chef Tom Sixsmith developed these tender biscuits for the wine and food program at our Visitors Center, where guests can sample appetizers designed to complement our wines. The toasted walnuts in these savory biscuits and the blue cheese butter inside help soften the tannins in our robust hillside Cabernet Sauvignon. To save time, we make the biscuit dough in large batches, cut out the biscuits, and freeze them unbaked. Then we bring them to room temperature and bake them as needed so our guests have warm, buttery biscuits with their red wine. You could also serve them as an accompaniment to a green salad or a vegetable soup.

To show off Florida’s most famous shellfish, Chef Marty Blitz made miniature Thai-style tostadas at the Workshop in 1994. He replaced the conventional fried tortillas with wonton wrappers, which puff and crisp in the fryer and turn a rich nut-brown. Then he topped this crunchy base with a tangy crab and cabbage slaw sparked with fish sauce, lime juice, and chile. It’s finger food, but drippy. Offer sturdy napkins or small plates. If you dislike deep-frying, spoon the slaw into Bibb lettuce cups or Belgian endive leaves. You could also omit the wonton wrappers and serve the slaw in generous portions for lunch, or offer it as a side dish with baked or fried fish.

Chef Nancy Oakes used fresh duck livers from Sonoma County Poultry when she made these elegant crostini during the 1997 Workshop, but chicken livers work, too. She hand-chopped the warm sautéed livers with butter and a lot of sweet sautéed onion, plus just enough earthy truffle oil to make them worthy of a black-tie occasion.

Serve these bacon-and-cheese-stuffed onions as a side dish for roasts, or as an unexpected main course for dinner, supplemented by a green salad. Don’t rush the cooking of the chopped onions; keep them on the heat until caramelized, for the best flavor.

Seltzer water is the secret to achieving a delicate crust on homemade onion rings. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the oil, and be sure to maintain a temperature of 375 degrees; otherwise, the rings will absorb too much oil as they cook.

To keep these pancakes from browning too much, cook them over medium (not high) heat, and lower the temperature if they start to darken too quickly. Sour cream is a classic accompaniment to grated-potato pancakes of all sorts (including latkes).

Steamed fish is a healthful and quick-cooking dinner option. Adding a few aromatics to the steaming liquid enhances the taste of the fish without using any butter or oil. Haddock, halibut, or other firm-fleshed white fish can be used in place of the cod.

Tuna is most often cooked to medium-rare to prevent it from drying out. If you prefer, cook one or two minutes longer after turning, or until opaque throughout.

Use the extra loin from the Pork Loin with Figs and Port Sauce (page 217) in the recipes below (you’ll have enough meat to make both).

Using store-bought flour tortillas in lieu of homemade pancakes makes it easy to replicate this Chinese take-out favorite in your own home. Hoisin sauce, sold in most grocers’ Asian-food section, replaces the traditional (and harder-to-find) plum sauce.

Crisp scallions provide the vegetable base for this tasty stir-fry. If the scallions are particularly thick, cut the white parts in half lengthwise; they will cook through more quickly.

Roast beef sandwiches make good use of meat left over from Roast Beef with Peppers, Onions, and Potatoes (page 182). Here are two unexpected takes on the classic.