I cooked our sea bass on the grill and as per the instructions of our wonderful fish monger. I sprinkled the fish with salt, pepper, and lemon and cooked it “skin down” on a 400 degree grill (not directly over the flame) for 10-12 minutes. Perfect!
The asparagus risotto recipe belongs to Chef Marco Canora, Hearth, New York.

Asparagus Risotto (We cut the recipe in half for two people)

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arborio or other short-grained rice
1 cup dry white wine
6 to 8 cups good quality chicken stock
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and the oil in a large high-sided skillet or rondeau over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Raise the heat to high and add the rice. Using a wooden spoon, stir the rice with the onion and fat until the rice no longer books chalky and the grains begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine. Allow it to bubble vigorously until the rice absorbs it, about 1 minute.
3. Add enough broth to just cover the rice, about 2 cups. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring and scraping rice away from the sides occasionally. Cook the rice until it is almost dry, about 5 minutes, then again add enough broth to cover. Simmer, scraping and stirring every so often, until the broth is incorporated, about 5 minutes more.
4. Add about 1 cup broth. Stirring more frequently now, cook the risotto until the rice absorbs the broth. Simmer, stirring until the pan is almost dry again, about 3 minutes more.
5. Lower the heat and add the asparagus, salt and pepper to taste, and about 1/4 cup broth. Simmer, stirring constantly and adding broth in 1/4 cup increments, until the rice is just tender. Take the pan off the heat and add cheese and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve. Serves 6 to 8.

Wine served: Macon-Villages, Chardonnay

It’s a cold, rainy, grey day.
This is what I made for lunch.
Enough said.

I found this recipe in an advertisment for Texas Pete hotsauce! I don’t eat alot of fried food, but this sounded like fun and it’s not a heavy fry; the chicken is not buried under a greasy, crusted topcoat.
It calls for regular chicken breasts, but I, instead, used chicken breast tenderloins.
It’s surprisingly delightful how the hot sauce peeks it’s flavor out through the buttermilk.
I served it with roasted potatoes and an avocado, red onion, cucumber, tomaoto salad with a vinegarette dressing.
This recipe has you soak the chicken breasts in the buttermilk-hot sauce for 30 minutes before cooking. I made the mixture, placed the pounded chicken tenderloins in the mixture, covered it, and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours while I took the convertible out for a spin. It was fine.

4 4-oz. chicken breasts, pounded
1 quart buttermilk
1 cup Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce
3 cups all-purpose flour (at least)
3 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil

In a medium size baking dish, combine buttermilk and Texas Pete hot sauce. Add pounded chicken breasts and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from buttermilk and dredge in all-purpose flour seasoned with the salt and pepper.
In a medium saute pan on medium-high heat, add canola oil. Let the oil get warm for 1 minute. Place chicken in pan and cook one each side until golden brown or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Wine served: 2011 Pio Cesare, Gavi

This “oh so easy” recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine. It packs a punch! Serve it with a loaf of crunchy crusted bread. (4 servings)

6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 dried chiles de arbol
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
1 1/4 cups chopped tomato (about 8 oz.)
Kosher salt, freshly grounded black pepper
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 15-oz. cans white beans (such as cannellini, rinsed, drained
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 Lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 Tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Preheat broiler. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add 1 garlic clove, chiles, and bay leaf and cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. 1-2 minutes. (do not allow garlic to burn) Add tomato; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and smashing tomato with the back of a wooden spoon until tomato is completely broken down, about 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is deep red and caramelized, 3-4 minutes. Stir in beans and broth. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook until juices are slightly reduced and thickened, 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp. oil, shrimp, and paprika in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat shrimp. Scatter shrimp over beans in an even layer.
Broil until shrimp are golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp. oil over shrimp and beans; garnish with parsley.

Wine served: 2010 Ransom Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon