Chicken With Cherry-Wine Sauce

This is a recipe I’ve made time and again not only because it’s easy, healthy, and impressive enough for guests, but because it showcases two of Washington state’s finest products–Washington wine and Bing cherries grown and processed in the Yakima Valley. It comes from Pamela Auld, co-owner of Chukar Cherry Company (www.chukar.com), which has a permanent stand in the Pike Place Market’s Main Arcade.

1 to 2 cups white, brown, or wild rice

1 bottle (750 milliliter) good-quality red wine (Washington state Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon recommended)

1 cup Chukar dried Bing cherries

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Pinch of granulated sugar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Dried rosemary, crumbled

Cook rice as directed on package. (Cook 1 or 2 cups depending on whether you want to serve 1/2-cup or 1-cup servings.)

While rice is cooking, pour wine into large nonreactive saucepan and add dried cherries. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer cherry-wine mixture about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half and cherries lose their wrinkles and plump.

While cherries and wine are simmering, sauté chicken pieces in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, using a minimum of olive oil. Chicken pieces should be white and completely cooked throughout, but still tender.

When cherry-wine mixture is reduced by half, remove it from the heat, add butter and sugar, and swirl until blended.

To serve, place chicken pieces on top of cooked rice and pour cherry-wine sauce over the top. Vegetarian eaters can enjoy this dish, too, if the sauce alone (no chicken) is served over the rice along with steamed or sautéed vegetables. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and rosemary (you can do this in the kitchen, or your family or guests can do it themselves at the table).

Serves 6 to 8

Cook’s Hint: Pam Auld suggests that to vary the aroma and flavor of this dish, add a small amount of fresh rosemary (in place of the dried) and white pepper (instead of black) to the finished dish.

Potato Salad Puttanesca

Make this Italian-leaning salad in the early spring, when new potatoes first start making their appearance at local farmers’ markets. The recipe comes from Catherine Stanford, who has worked in property management at the Pike Place Market (www.pikeplacemarket.org) for over a decade. Such exposure has given her ready access to all sorts of fresh produce and specialty products, which has extended her passion for good cooking. Sometimes she even dreams of writing her own cookbook!

2 pounds whole tiny new potatoes, scrubbed
8 large sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) kalamata olives, pits removed, coarsely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
2 hard-boiled large eggs, quartered, for garnish
6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (See Cook’s Hint below)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add potatoes, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or just until tender. Drain water, loosely cover potatoes with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soak up excess water, cover pot, and reserve.
While potatoes are boiling, place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain tomatoes, discard water, mince, and reserve.
In a medium skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and cook garlic and onions 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often.
Place onion in a medium mixing bowl along with the 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers, reserved sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Mix well, then season to taste with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Reserve dressing.
Cut warm potatoes into bite-sized pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss gently with reserved dressing, being careful not to break up potatoes. Let salad rest 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld, then divide among individual salad plates, garnish with quartered eggs, and sprinkle with basil. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate the salad, allowing it to come to room temperature before serving.
Serves 6

Cook’s Hint: To chiffonade, pull basil leaves from the stem, stack them neatly one on top of the other, and roll them tightly like a cigar. Using a very sharp knife, cut the leaves into thin slivers. Unroll the basil slivers and fluff.

Grilled Halibut with Lemon Herb Splash

Seafood and citrus form a classic pairing, but the flavor of each is enhanced in this boldly flavored, zestful “splash” (similar to a vinaigrette for seafood) devised by Seattle’s best-known culinary diva, Kathy Casey, co-owner with her husband John of Dish D’ Lish (www.kathycasey.com), located in the Pike Place Market just north of Rachel the Pig. Chef Kathy advises that if fresh halibut is not available, sea scallops or peeled, deveined shrimp threaded on rosemary sprigs or wooden skewers make delicious alternatives. If using skewers, be sure to soak them in water for half an hour before grilling.

1 1/2 pounds fresh halibut steaks or fillets, rinsed, drained, patted dry, and cut into four 6-ounce pieces

Vegetable oil as needed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon Herb Splash (Recipe follows)

Preheat the grill or broiler. Lightly rub halibut on each side with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cook fish for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness and doneness desired.

To serve, place halibut on individual plates and drizzle each piece of fish with 1 tablespoon or more of Lemon Herb Splash. Pass remaining “Splash” on the side.

Serves 4

Lemon Herb Splash

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced fresh lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small bowl or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, mix together all the ingredients until well blended. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 1/2 cup sauce, enough to top 4 to 6 pieces of fish

Cook’s Hint: To add a nice, light smoke flavor, soak a few wood chips in water and throw them on the coals just before placing the fish on the grill.

Zuppa del Frutti di Mare (Seafood Soup)

Seafood soups and stews can sometimes be difficult to make, but this one defies the odds with only eight easy-to-find ingredients. The addition of saffron gives the soup an intriguing musky flavor and pleasing orange-red color that belies its humble beginnings and allows the goodness of the seafood to shine through. The recipe comes from DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine, an amazing resource for anything and everything Italian, and a cornerstone of the Pike Place Market since 1928.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can (12 ounce) whole Italian tomatoes
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock OR 3/4 cup canned chicken broth plus 3/4 cup water
Pinch of saffron
2 pounds mussels (scrubbed and debearded just before cooking) or clams (scrubbed) OR 1 pound shrimp (rinsed, shells cut down the back with kitchen shears, and deveined) or scallops (rinsed and patted dry)
1 pound seafood fillets, such as halibut or salmon fillets, rinsed, skinned, and cut into 1/4-pound pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Four 1/2-inch baguette or rustic bread slices, grilled or broiled
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
Heat butter and olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened but not browned, stirring frequently. Add wine and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until reduced slightly, stirring constantly.

Add tomatoes and their juice, crushing the tomatoes with your hands or the back of a large spoon. Add chicken stock and saffron, stir well, and bring stock to a simmer.

Add seafood to pan, cover, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until fish is opaque and shellfish opens. Remove any mussels or clams that do not open. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide the seafood and broth among individual bowls. Top with baguette slices that have been rubbed with the garlic clove.

Serves 4

Salmon Puffs

Your guests will think you’ve slaved for hours over these salmon puff appetizers, when they’re really quite simple to make. The puffs can even be prepared ahead and frozen, then crisped and filled just before serving. The recipe comes from Totem Smokehouse (www.totemsmokehouse.com), the Pike Place Market’s long-established smoked seafood store along Pike Place.

2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) Totem Smokehouse smoked salmon or other canned smoked salmon

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2/3 cup Best Foods or Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1/4 cup catsup
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
Cocktail Puffs (Recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly grease two baking sheets and set aside.
Drain salmon, remove skin (if desired), and flake. Mix salmon with cheese, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, catsup, and dill weed and mix well.
Make Cocktail Puffs. Just before serving appetizers, split Cocktail Puffs with a serrated knife and fill with about 1 teaspoon of the salmon mixture. If desired, puffs may be baked ahead and frozen until ready to use. Before filling, crisp at 375° F for 2 to 3 minutes.
Makes 48 puffs

Cocktail Puffs

1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs
Bring water, butter, and soy sauce to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in flour and salt and continue to stir over heat until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, then cool to lukewarm, about 1/2 hour.
Whisk in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, and cool. Do not use more than a teaspoon of dough to make the puffs, or they will fall under their own weight and deflate when removed from the oven.

Holiday Crab Boils

Northwesterners love the region’s native crab—Dungeness—for its rich, sweet taste; big nuggets of meat; and large body size. Many of us make Dungies (as they are fondly nicknamed) the focus of our Christmas-Eve suppers by boiling them and serving with simple sauces such as Aïoli (garlic mayonnaise), spicy cocktail sauce, or melted butter. The two crab boil mixes below are among my favorites.

Spicy Crab Boil

Although the sweet, distinctive meat of the Dungeness crab is a joy to eat plain and unadulterated, sometimes it’s fun to spice it up a bit, as in this piquant version of the traditional crab boil.

3 cups water
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 precooked 2- to 2 1/2-pound Dungeness crab in the shell
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, bring water, mustard seed, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf to a boil and add crab. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning crab once.
Drain crab and serve immediately.
Serves 1 as an entrée; 2 as an appetizer

Tarragon Crab Boil

This elegant poaching liquid, infused with the essence of anise-flavored tarragon, takes the already superlative Dungeness crab to new heights. It can also be used to boil shell-on Alaskan spot prawns or shrimp or as a poaching liquid for a variety of fish fillets.

2 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon dried tarragon, crumbled
1 precooked 2- to 2 1/2-pound Dungeness crab in the shell
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, bring water, white wine, and tarragon to a boil and add crab. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning crab once.
Drain crab and serve immediately.
Serves 1 as an entrée; 2 as an appetizer

Cook’s Note: The crab feed is a Northwest tradition that, besides taking place during the winter holidays, can take place on the beach, in the backyard, or in the privacy of one’s home. Crab feeds are informal affairs where newspapers thrown on the picnic table take the place of tablecloths, while paper napkins (and lots of them) stand in for the more fancy cloth. Dungeness crab, the star of the show, can be served chilled or (as I prefer) warmed in a spicy or herb-infused crab boil, as in the recipes given above. Popular side dishes include sourdough bread and tossed green salad (the bare minimum), and/or cole slaw, baked beans, potato salad, and garlic bread for the more ambitious. Live music and dancing, along with lots of cold beer and crisp white Northwest wines are popular additions to any crab feed.