What’s better than risotto?  “Nothing!” we hear you scream. Not so fast.  We think we’ve managed to find a way to make it even tastier, even more decadent (although perhaps not as decadent as our white alba truffle risotto recipe), and give it a crispy crust: stuff it in a squash blossom and fry it! …

As decadent as food gets, this risotto showcases the complex flavors of parmigiano reggiano cheese and incredible earthy white alba truffles (some of the finest truffles in the world). Whipped heavy cream adds richness while making the finished risotto luxuriously thick.  Let’s just say that when this came off the stove we took a break …

Pictured: Lobster-filled, heart-shaped ravioli with Fennel & Parmesan Sauce This pasta sauce prominently features the crisp, anise-like flavor of fresh fennel bulb cooked with white wine and parmesan cheese.  This brightly-flavored sauce pairs perfectly with any of our seafood filled ravioli varieties.  If fennel bulb isn’t to your liking, simply substitute fresh leek for a milder …

Pan Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta, Lemon and Herbs Served with a Chile Honey Vinaigrette Stuffed squash blossoms are a colorful, fresh alternative to ravioli or dumpling appetizers.  Besides being tasty, they’re also suprisingly easy to make. Drink Pairings: Alsatian Pinot Gris or German Riesling Ingredients: (Makes 6 appetizer servings) 24 Squash Blossoms 1 …

Nettle Risotto with Sheep’s Cheese and Preserved Lemon Melted sheep’s milk feta and whipped cream make this risotto exceptionally creamy and luxurious, with the brightness of the preserved lemon and fresh green flavor of the nettles providing balance.  If you don’t have nettles handy, you could substitute other cooking greens like kale or spinach (although the …

Crystal Grobe created her blog, Cafe Cyan, four years ago in an effort to share her adventures in food and inspire others to start cooking.  She loves discovering new ingredients and trying fun recipes. ————- When I received a bag of spelt flakes from the always-generous Marx Foods, my mind started racing with recipe ideas.  I started …

  Miner’s lettuce is a delicious wild salad green with a crisp, mild (slightly spinach-esque) flavor that is available from about March to June.  This salad, made with pine nuts, cheese, homemade vinaigrette, and dried cranberries really allows it to shine while contrasting shapes, flavors, and colors for an interesting presentation. Ingredients (per person): 1 large …

Includes a great basic pesto recipe below. You don’t need to buy a pizza stone so that you can bake pizzas. Your grill will do the trick. In fact, grilled pizzas are a delight Here’s how to make a grilled pizza: You can either make your own pizza dough or buy pre-made. You’ll also need …

Stuffed morels felt irresistible at our last shoot since: 1) we had some huge ones that I was just dying to put something in; 2) we had a deep-fryer going anyway; and 3) we had left-over stuffing from our stuffed squash blossom recipe and from the morel bruschetta.  Oh, and I slipped into a bizarre …

Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients: 4 large, ripe tomatoes 1/2 cup Lena Camelina oil 1/2 cup mixed herbs – flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped, chives with their flowers when available, minced; basil leaves with flowers when available 1/2 teaspoon coriander seed freshly ground 1/2 teaspoon pepper corns freshly ground Utah or Kosher Salt 1 cup …