Trout with Fennel Puree and Balsamic-Pine Nut Dressing

Fennel is one of the most under-utilized vegetables I can think of.  I know I’ve been guilty of ignoring it in the past due to my strong dislike of licorice.  However, once I started using the bulb (rather than just the seeds, like most recipes use), I noticed how delicate and refreshing fresh fennel can be and I was hooked.  I wanted to take advantage of this flavor profile and see how I could use it to enhance the flavor of rainbow trout, which is abundant in rivers throughout Colorado and try to match its various attributes with other mild flavors, such as pine nuts and sweet, roasted garlic.  The result? Nothing short of amazing.  If you ever need a dish that can knock the socks of your dinner companion(s), spend the extra minutes preparing this dish… the ingredients alone sound like they came out of some haughty modern-American bistro menu.

Green Pea Soup with Tarragon

When you think of pea soup, do you (like many people) automatically think of a bland, green mush that is as tasteless as wet cardboard?  Well, perhaps this version of pea soup that is short on ingredients and big on taste will help change your mind.  In order to create a light and delicate soup, we ditch the pork many recipes use, and rely on fresh tarragon to complement and enhance the natural sweetness of peas.

Chilled Shrimp Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

As much as I love to cook, there are times when the kitchen is the last place I want to be, especially when the sun is out and Pliny the Elder is on tap.  That’s why I love having salads like this chilled shrimp salad in the fridge ready to go on a moments notice.  Like most salads, the ingredients in this dish can be prepared ahead of time and quickly thrown together to yield a very satisfying lunch or light dinner.

Lemon Gnocchi with Peas and Spinach

Spring is in the air!  This means breaking away from some of the heavier flavors associated with winter and trying to lighten things up with Spring ingredients that are starting to trickle in to your grocery store.  Here, we’ll use gnocchi again as our canvas that acts as the perfect backdrop to showcase how the sweetness of early spring spinach and peas can be contrasted by minimal use of fresh lemon.

Asparagus with Walnut-Lemon Vinaigrette

Asparagus season is short and sweet, so we take full advantage and eat as much as we can during these months.  One of my favorite ways of preparing asparagus is with a light lemon dressing that uses walnut oil, rather than olive oil, for an earthier taste that matches the cold temperatures outside.