Broiled Lamb Chops with Balsamic Syrup and Swiss Chard

Lamb, like chard, is underrated ingredient.  However, both can be gloriously sweet and tender when cooked right.  The natural flavors of lamb and chard are also both enhanced by the same ingredients, so pairing them in this dish was a no-brainer.  Here, we highlight the inherent sweetness of these two much-maligned ingredients by using balsamic vinegar to create a syrup, and tie everything together by using the classic pairing of rosemary and garlic.

Cannellini Bean Salad with Tuna and Radicchio

If I were to write a summer blockbuster-esque tagline for this dish it’d be, “This ain’t your granny’s tuna salad!”   All kidding aside, this salad really bears no relation to most tuna salads served across the country throughout the summer months.  So, whether you’re looking for a quick dinner after a long day of work, a nice protein-packed lunch that will keep nicely for a few hours or something new to bring to picnic that is not swimming in mayonnaise, give this surprisingly sophisticated and grown-up version of tuna salad a try.

Arctic Char with Lentils and Herb Butter

Lately, I’ve been craving lentils – or poor man’s caviar, as they say.  Sure, they’re a cheap and quick source of protein, but I find something comforting about a bowl of lentils.  Despite the long, and seemingly daunting ingredient list, this dish is actually very simple, and hopefully will get you to try a different combination of flavors and textures that you never knew went together so famously.

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.

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.