Gourmet, April 2010

1 small ripe cantaloupe or honeydew

20 paper-thin slices prosciutto

- leafy greens

- freshly ground pepper (optional)

2 large ripe pears - lemon juice

Cut melon in half; remove seeds. Cut each half into twelve slices. Remove rind. Cut pears into eighths, removing core; rub with lemon juice. Cut slices of prosciurro in half lengthwise. Wrap one prosciutto piece around each slice of melon and pear. Refrigerate, covered.

To serve: line tray with greens; artistically arrange melon wedges and pear slices. Sprinkle lightly with freshly ground pepper.

From Evelyn Henderson of Roseville, Calif, who won the Entertaining Appetizers category with this.

1 (6 oz.) can premium skinless boneless pink salmon, drained	1/2 c. (2 oz.) shredded mild Cheddarcheese	1/3 c. pecan pieces, finely chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped dill pickle	1 tbsp.lemon juice	1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. finely chopped onion	1/21sp. dried dill weed	1 fresh dill sprig
1/3 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing	2 refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box	2 lemon wedges

In large bowl, mix salmon, pickle, onion, mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice and dill weed. Refrigerate.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On work surface, unroll 1 pie crust. Sprinkle half of the pecans over crust; gently press into crust. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter and make 10 rounds. Repeat with second crust.

In ungreased nonstick mini-muffin pan, gently press each round, pecan side down, on bottom and up side of muffin cup, folding edge under and rounding to shape. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese into bottom of each cup. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon salmon mixture on cream cheese in each cup.

Bake 12 to 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool in pan on cooling rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan to serving platter; cool 5 minutes. Garnish serving plate with dill sprig and lemon wedges. Serve warm.

Katie occasionally substitutes a couple of Fuyu persimmons for the mango. The pecans are nice on their own as a snack.

Nonstick vegetable oil spray	3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar	1 large mango, peeled, pitted, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar	1 cup pecan halves	Add Goat Cheese (Optional)
6 tablespoons olive oil	1 6-ounce bag baby spinach leaves	Add Red Onion (Optional)

Spray sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans. Stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats nuts evenly, about 7 minutes. Turn nuts out onto prepared foil. Using fork, separate nuts and cool completely (coating will harden).

Combine spinach, mango and cooled pecans in large bowl. Whisk remaining 5 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat.

1/3 cup orange juice	2 tsp grated lime peel
2 Tbsp canola oil	1 minced garlic clove
2 Tbsp lime juice	1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Save 1/4 cup of the marinade for basting the halibut while grilling. Marinate the halibut steaks for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Grill about 3-6 minutes each side and brush with marinade.

2 cups fresh or frozen peaches cut into small pieces	2 Tbsp orange juice
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper	1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped red onion	2 tsp lime juice
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped	1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup water	2 lbs fresh or frozen peas
1/3 cup vegetable broth	1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 shallots minced	1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and diced

Bring liquids and shallots to a boil. Stir in the asparagus, peas, and ground pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, then add bell pepper and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. I added the asparagus after about 3 minutes of cooking the peas so they would be a bit more crisp.

A pioneer of the Napa Valley, Newton Vineyard sits high on rugged slopes overlooking St. Helena and the lush valley below. Pino Solo, the distinctive pine tree that sits atop the mountain ridge, can be seen from the valley floor and symbolizes the individuality of our wines. All aspects of Newton, from the vineyard plantings and winery design to the meticulous winemaking practice, reflect a unique and artistic relationship with nature. This refreshing Chardonnay has ripe fruit characters of apple, pear and apricot, and is balanced with a touch of oak.

This is our most popular dessert at Cafe Bistro. No matter how well you have dined, or how muchyou have eaten, there is always room for this special treat. It is a perfect dessert for entertaining because most of the work can be done in advance. The pudding is baked twice; before it goes into the oven the second time, it is brushed with butter so it develops a crisp, yet delicate, exterior and a smooth, velvety, and seductive interior. We always serve this dessert with White Chocolate Sauce, Raspberry Sauce, fresh raspberries, and delicate ribbons of shaved white chocolate. Yummm.

5 tablespoons (1/2 stick)	3 1/2 cups (about 1 1/3 pounds) white chocolate morsels
unsalted butter, melted	6 large whole eggs, plus 12 large egg yolks
4 cups heavy (whipping) cream	1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups milk	1 24-inch loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Brush a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons melted butler. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, and sugar and heat just until hot. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate morsels, and stir until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Whisking constantly, gradually drizzle the warm cream mixture into the eggs, continuing to whisk until smooth and well blended (if the cream mixture is too hot, the eggs will curdle).

Lay half of the bread slices in the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour half of the cream mixture over the bread and allow to absorb the liquid, about 5 minutes. Layer the remaining bread on top and pour the rest of the cream mixture over it. Press down on the bread, making certain it completely absorbs the liquid. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.