Pasta Salad with "Smoked" Salmon
(A good alternative to the real thing, but if you get to Alaska, bring home real canned smoked salmon, and skip the liquid smoke.)

Mix lemon dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, break salmon into chunks and mix with liquid smoke. Combine with cheese, parsley and rotini. Add lemon dressing and toss lightly. Refrigerate if not serving immediately. Serve over greens with tomato garnish. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Try this delicious salad with a flavorful Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay or a good white Burgundy or a Spanish Albariño.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Sautéed Onions

Put salted water up to boil for pasta. Sauté onions and garlic in oil until soft. Do not let brown. Add mushrooms. Stir 3-4 minutes. Start cooking pasta. Cut tomatoes into large chunks. Add remaining ingredients except salt and cornstarch and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer. Add salt if desired. Add cornstarch mixed with water only if sauce needs thickening. Pour sauce over drained pasta. Pass the pepper and grated parmesan. Serves 4. This will go well with a flavorful, crisp white (try a French Chablis or other white Burgundy) or a light red such as a good Valpolicella, Chianti, or Pinot Noir.

Risotto with Sausages (risotto con le Salsicce)

This is a simple, tasty winter dish. The recipe is drawn from L'Antica Arte del Maiale, by Gianfranco Bergamaschi, who suggests it be served with Lambrusco. (Does anyone still drink that stuff?) Let’s “kick it up a notch” and use a heartier, drier red.

Peel and mince the onion. Sauté with all but a tablespoon of the butter in a casserole, and when it has browned lightly remove and save onions with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the butter as possible. Next, sauté the rice in the pot, stirring briskly, for 5-7 minutes, then return the onions to the pot and stir in the warmed wine. Once the wine has evaporated begin adding broth a ladle at a time. When the rice is about half done stir in the minced sausage and the tomato sauce. Continue stirring in broth until the rice reaches the al dente stage, then stir in the remaining butter, and the cheese. Turn off the flame and let the risotto sit covered for a couple of minutes, then serve. This would be great with a richly flavored Barbera or Rhone style wine. Serves 5-6.

Fusilli with Zucchini, Chic Peas and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic and saute 1 min. Add tomatoes, raise heat to moderately high and cook, stirring, until they collapse and form a sauce, about 10 min. Heat water for pasta. Add sun-dried tomatoes and oregano to sauce and simmer 2 min. Add zucchini, salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and simmer gently until zucchini are tender, about 10 min. Meanwhile, boil fusilli until al dente. Stir chick peas into sauce. Drain pasta and transfer to a bowl. Add sauce and 1/2 cup cheese. Toss, then serve. Pass more cheese at the table. Serves 4-6. Serve with a medium styled Merlot, a good Chianti, a medium styled Rhone or a full Chardonnay.

Seafood & Vegetable Pasta Medley

Cut vegetables into bite sized pieces. Put salted water up to boil. Heat 1 Tblsp oil in a large skillet. Add 1/2 Tblsp garlic and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Add vegetables, raise heat to medium and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring, until barely tender. Remove with juices to large serving bowl. Rinse skillet and return to heat. Heat remaining oil and cook remaining garlic as before. Meanwhile, throw pasta in the boiling water. Add clam juice, lemon grass and sage to skillet. Raise heat. When juice comes to a boil, add the shrimp and scallops. Cook 3-4 minutes. Add “crab” meat. Warm through. Taste for seasoning. Drain pasta. Add to vegetables in serving bowl. Pour seafood and liquid over pasta. Stir and serve immediately. Serves 4. This would be great with a good Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc based wine such as Sancerre. A dry rosé or a Vouvray Sec would also work very well.

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