Leek Soufflé
Courtesy of Peter Zambri, Zambri’s, Victoria, B.C.
Serves 4
This makes a lovely lunch served alongside slices of prosciutto with a green salad.

4 small ramekins (about 2 1/2" diameter), buttered and lined top and sides with breadcrumbs
1 large leek
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 tablespoon butter
A bit of olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons Béchamel sauce (or substitute 1/4 cup heavy cream plus 1 teaspoon flour)
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons grated pecorino
1/4 cup grated white cheddar
1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 500°. Slice the leek in half lengthwise and wash thoroughly. Thinly slice both green and white parts of the leek. Heat butter and oil in a sauté pan. Add the leeks, garlic, and salt and pepper, being careful not to fry or burn. Once the leeks are soft, transfer to a mixing bowl, add the bèchamel (or substitute by sprinkling the mixture with flour and pouring on the cream), nutmeg, grated cheeses, and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly and divide the mixture in between the four ramekins, right to the top.
Bake at 500° for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and continue bak

Classically Inspired Eggplant Parmigiano
Courtesy of Peter Zambri, Zambri’s, Victoria, B.C.
Serves 4
Zambri’s occasionally serves this in its unstacked version on the lunch menu, served between a toasted crusty bun, with basil standing in for mint.

One medium eggplant cut into 12 equal slices
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
One bocconcini or buffalo mozzarella ball
1/3 cup Parmesan, sliced thinly from a wedge, first brought to room temperature
4 fresh mint leaves, minced
1/4 cup candied orange peel or brandy-soaked raisins
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
A few drops of white wine vinegar
Grated orange peel, finely chopped
2 cups tomato sauce (Zambri’s or your favorite)

Preheat the oven to 500°. Lay the eggplant slices on a parchment-lined baking tray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and olive oil and bake until one side is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack and allow slices to cool.

Lay four of the slices separately on the baking tray, browned side up. Lightly spoon tomato sauce over each, followed by a few pine nuts, a sprinkle of orange zest, a few thin slices of Parmesan and mozzarella, being careful to keep within the outer edges of the eggplant. Top with another slice of eggplant, tomato sauce, a sprinkle of olive oil, mint, a few pieces of candied orange peel or raisins, and a few drops of wine vinegar to balance the sweetness of the orange. Top with a few more slices of Parmesan and the mozzarella and the last slice of eggplant. Coat with more tomato sauce and return to the oven until heated through and the cheese is melting.

Serve garnished with a few pine nuts and more sauce if needed.

Speckie Soup
Serves 4
One of my favorite simple dinners is a big bowl of speckie soup served with crusty bread, a crisp green salad, and a glass of local Pinot Noir.

BROTH
8 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups water

SPECKIES (DUMPLINGS)
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached flour, or enough to make a stiff dough
Pepper

In a soup kettle, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain the bacon strips on paper towels. Add the diced onion to the bacon grease and cook until golden, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add the diced potatoes and water to the onion. Stir in the cooked bacon. Simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, make the speckies.

To make speckies: Beat the eggs thoroughly with a fork. Add salt and enough flour to form a stiff dough. With scissors or a knife, cut the dough into cherry tomato-size pieces and drop gently into the simmering broth. Simmer about 10 minutes, until the speckies are firm and rise to the top. Season the soup with salt and freshly grated black pepper.

Food writer and cookbook author Lori McKean lives in Tolovana Beach, OR.

Lavender Pound Cake
From The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld (HarperCollins)
Makes one 10" tube cake (16 to 20 slices)

Softened butter and flour for preparing the pan
2 tablespoons lavender buds, fresh or dried
2 1/4 cups sugar, preferably fine (baker’s sugar)
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325∞ F. Heavily butter a 10-inch tube pan, coat it with flour, and knock out the excess. Whirl the lavender and ? cup of the sugar in a spice grinder (rotary coffee mill), mini food processor, or blender until finely ground.

Put the butter, remaining 2 1/4 cups sugar, the lavender sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Turn to medium high, set a timer for 4 minutes, and let the mixer do its work until the timer goes off. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat another minute. It will be very fluffy and nearly white.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well before adding another (crack the eggs into a cup first, for insurance against adding eggshells). Alternately add the flour and sour cream (1/3 of the flour, 1/2 the sour cream, another 1/3 of the flour, the rest of the sour cream, and finally the remaining flour), beating each addition into the batter completely before you add the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of more times during the whole process.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan as evenly as you can and gently whack the pan on the counter a couple of times to expel air pockets. Bake the cake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack. Once it’s completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will be best the second day and still moist after about 4 days.

Autumn Comfort Mac
Veronica Vichit-Vadakan
Serves 8 or more

FILLING
1 butternut squash (approximately 2 pounds), peeled and cubed into 1" pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces diced pancetta
1 minced shallot
12 ounces cavatappi pasta (hollow corkscrew pasta)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups Tuscan Blend shredded Tillamook Cheese mix
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

TOPPING
1 tablespoon Tillamook Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
1/2 cup Tuscan Blend shredded Tillamook Cheese mix

Preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash pieces with olive oil. Spread squash pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway. Remove when squash is tender and caramel brown. Set aside and reduce oven heat to 350°.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add cavatappi and cook approximately 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well.

On the stovetop, cook the pancetta over medium heat in a skillet for 6 minutes. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and, stirring constantly, cook approximately 2 minutes or until golden brown. Add milk and cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir 2 cups of cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped sage. Add 1 teaspoons black pepper, or add to taste.

Mix cooked cavatappi, cheese sauce, and pancetta mix together in a large bowl. Gently fold in roasted butternut squash and crumbled goat cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 9" x 13" baking pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave in a large glass bowl. Stir in sage, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture in the pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Turn on broiler and move pan to the top rack of the oven. Brown for 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and wait 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with minced fresh sage, if desired.

Goat Cheese & Cured
Tomato Parcels
with Roasted Pepper Chutney,
Herb Salad & Basil Oil
Courtesy of Lee Parsons, executive chef, Bacchus Restaurant, Vancouver, B.C.
Makes 12 parcels; serves 6

FOR THE ROASTED RED PEPPER CHUTNEY
4 sweet red bell peppers
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch caraway seeds

Peel and de-seed the bell peppers. (You can use a potato peeler to remove the skin, but the easiest way is to place the peppers under a hot broiler until the skin is charred black all over. Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with cling wrap, and leave to cool. Once cooled, the skin will peel off easily.)

Cut the peeled peppers into eighths and remove all the seeds.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in an ovenproof pan and add the chopped shallot, garlic, caraway seed, and bell peppers. Cover and cook in a 250° oven until soft (about 1-1/2 hours). Season to taste with salt and pepper. (A few drops of aged balsamic works well with the sweet chutney or even chopped cilantro leaves).

FOR THE GOAT CHEESE FILLING
10 ounces soft goat cheese such as caprini
1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes
6 kalamata olives, chopped
2 marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
8 tarragon leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped chives
2 teaspoons chopped basil

Soften the goat cheese and mix well with the other ingredients. Place into a piping bag.


FOR THE HERB SALAD AND BASIL OIL DRESSING
1 head frizzy endive
4 teaspoons pea shoots
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon chervil sprigs
1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 teaspoons chopped basil leaves

Wash the endive and dry well. Pull apart and toss in a bowl with the pea shoots, chives, chervil, and parsley.
Blend the olive oil and basil until smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss with the herb salad. Reserve a bit of the basil oil dressing.

TO ASSEMBLE
12 spring roll wrappers or 12 sheets of filo pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for deep-frying*

Pipe the goat cheese mixture onto the center of each spring roll wrap. Roll the wrap into a neat cigar shape and then seal the edges with egg wash.

Add vegetable oil to a deep fryer and heat to 340-360°. Deep-fry the parcels until golden-colored and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Put a spoonful of red pepper chutney in the center of a serving plate. Drizzle a bit of the basil oil around it. Place 2 cheese parcels on top of the chutney and top with the herb salad.

*For an alternative to deep frying, lightly brush the cheese parcels with olive oil and bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 400° oven, 7-10 minutes or until golden.

French Roll Breakfast Casserole
Courtesy of Nancy Wilson,
Wilson Ranches Retreat Serves 8

4 large French rolls
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Praline topping (recipe follows)

Slice the French rolls in half. Butter a 11" x 14" baking pan. In a large bowl combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, spices, and salt. Beat until well-blended but not too bubbly. Dip each French roll-half in the mixture and place in the baking pan. Pour the remaining milk-egg mixture evenly over the rolls. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

FOR THE PRALINE TOPPING
Prepare the morning of serving

1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350°. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Spread the topping evenly over the rolls and bake at 350° for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve hot.

Gooseberry Fool
Courtesy of food writer Angela Murrills,
Vancouver, B.C.
Serves 4 to 6

1 pound gooseberries (You can substitute raspberries, strawberries, or black currants)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 cup whipping cream

Remove the berries’ stems and caps. Melt the butter over low heat, add the berries, and cook gently until they soften. Let cool and mash thoroughly with a fork. Stir in sugar to taste.

Whip the cream until it forms in soft peaks, and gently stir in the mashed berries. Mound in a bowl and chill until serving time.

Vietnamese Grilled Flat Iron Steak and Scallion Salad
Courtesy of Kathy Watson, Viento Restaurant, Bingen, WA
Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as an entrée

1 one-and-a-half-pound flat iron steak
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons fish sauce*
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup lime juice
2 1/2 fresh red Fresno chilies (or Thai chilies for extra heat)
1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro
1 yellow onion, cut in half and sliced thin
1 pound mixed greens, rinsed and dried
4 finely shredded green onions
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts for garnish

Grill the steak to medium rare. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Slice on the bias, at an angle. Mix together the next 8 ingredients, and toss the steak slices in the dressing.

To serve, divide the greens among 4 or 6 serving plates. Place a small handful of shredded green onions in the center of each plate. Arrange several slices of grilled beef on the greens, drizzle with the dressing, and top with chopped peanuts.

*Kathy Watson uses Viet Huong’s Three-Crabs Fish Sauce.