I traveled to Italy for the first time with my family when I was about 16 and it changed my whole life. Seriously. I remember each plate of pasta and the list of ingredients. It’s easy to remember because the ingredients are simple in Italy. It’s about the quality of the ingredients and the quality is what creates flavor. The plate of pasta I’ve fallen in love with over and over again, since I’ve been back to Positano, is from a restaurant called La Cambusa. What I do not remember is what it was called on their menu, but in my kitchen I call it La Cambusa Pasta. It’s linguine with zucchini and that’s pretty much it. I’ve spent years trying to recreate it and although it will never be the same as it is in Positano, it brings me back bite by bite.

Pair this wine with a crisp Italian white wine, which we often feature in our Seasonal Wine shipments.

Ingredients:

• Zucchini
• Zucchini Blossoms (if available)
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Parmesan
• Pecorino Romano
• Lemon juice +zest (1-2 lemons depending on how juicy your lemons are)
• Sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• Cracked black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• Linguine

Every time I make this, it’s a little different! I have found success with a couple different approaches and leave it to you to find the best one for your kitchen.

Recipe #1

Boil water and prep a bowl of ice cold water. Use a mandolin to slice the zucchini into thin rounds, practically paper thin! Blanch the zucchini rounds until bright green – About 30 seconds or so. Transfer immediately to the ice cold water. Strain the zucchini from the water and set aside onto a paper towel or cloth to help absorb excess water. Pat dry.

You can use the boiling water from the blanching for the pasta. The pasta will take about 6-7 minutes to become al dente and you will finish it off in a pan with the sauce. Throw the pasta into the boiling water with some sea salt.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a sauté pan big enough for the pasta with a 1/2 cup of olive oil, red pepper flakes, and slivers of garlic.

When the pasta is al dente, add directly from the boiling water to the sauté pan with the olive oil. You can do this by taking tongs to grab some of the pasta and transfer it or if you were cooking the pasta in a strainer within the pot, you can transfer it directly from the strainer into the sauté pan. Once the pasta is in the pan with olive oil, vigorously mix everything together to coat the pasta with the oil. Add a couple scoops of pasta water with a ladle to the pasta and mix together. Again, making sure the pasta is coated. The sauté pan should be on medium-low. The pasta water when mixed should begin to absorb and also start to create the sauce once you add in the cheeses and lemon zest. Throw in the cheeses, lemon zest and crack some black pepper over surface of the pasta. Mix everything together. Add more pasta water to continue creating a light sauce when mixed with the cheeses and oil. Add in some lemon juice and mix some more! You could keep adding lemon juice (forever 😉 Taste the pasta frequently while adding in the lemon juice until just right. You can also continue adding in pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Before serving, throw in the zucchini rounds and mix gently.

Spoon the linguine into a shallow bowl and garnish with cheeses, cracked black pepper, some leftover zucchini rounds if you have them, and lemon zest to taste.

Recipe #2

Prepare the Squash – Thinly slice the zucchini using a mandolin or sharp knife. Roughly chop the zucchini blossoms and set aside. Cook the Zucchini – In a large skillet over low heat, warm the olive oil and butter until melted. Add the zucchini slices and crushed garlic cloves, season generously with cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of salt. Caramelize Low & Slow – Let the zucchini cook down slowly, stirring occasionally. The goal is for it to caramelize and soften, almost melting into itself. This takes about 20 minutes.

Optional: Add a pinch of saffron at this point for a subtle floral note and golden hue.

Add Zucchini Blossoms & More Butter – Stir in the zucchini blossoms and a bit more butter if the pan looks dry. Fold gently to combine. The zucchini should start to resemble a rustic, jammy sauce. Cook the Pasta – Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente, then reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining. Combine – Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the zucchini. Pour in a splash of the reserved pasta water and fold everything together over low heat. Finish with Cheese & Lemon – Add a generous handful of grated cheese, stirring until it melts into the sauce. Squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon and season to taste with more salt and pepper.

To Serve: Plate immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil, a touch more cheese, and a few torn basil leaves if you have them on hand.

This is a fun and playful recipe that is versatile and great for leftovers for that very reason! I’ve played around with various ingredients. They all work well and bring something to the table. I encourage you to play around with this recipe and see what works for you. You could add some green bell pepper or even make this with or without the artichoke hearts. It can be dependent on what you’re using the Peperonata for i.e. on crusty bread like we do here, or perhaps you want to spoon it over grilled swordfish…Have fun with Peperonata year round!

If it’s warm out, you’re serving these as an app over crusty bread and you want to start with something fresh, I’d go with the 2020 Domaine de Marquiliani ‘Vin Gris’ Rosé from Corsica. It will keep the dish bright and enhance the sweet bell pepper flavor. In turn, the Peperonata will bring out a little salty flare to the wine immediately transporting you to the Corsican coastline.

If you are serving this as a side dish at dinner, I would go for the 2018 Girolamo Russo ‘A Rina’ Etna Rosso. Serve it with a slight chill and enjoy how it adds a touch of smokiness to the dish and brings out the savory elements without overpowering it. Yum! I’m buying a bottle as I write this. 

Ingredients:

• 1-2 red bell peppers
• 1/2 of an Eggplant
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup basil ribbons
• 1/4 cup lemon zest
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

Slice the tomatoes in half, slice the garlic and red onion into slivers. Throw everything into a bowl. In a skillet, heat olive oil and then add the tomato mixture. Bring to high heat and mix everything together in the skillet. Bring the heat back down to simmer and let the tomato mixture cook through to the point where the tomatoes start to release their juices. Crack some black pepper into the mixture and continue to stir. Do not season will salt just yet.

While the tomato mixture continues to cook, prepare the vegetables by cutting the peppers and eggplant into 1-inch pieces or however big/small you’d like them to be (this is more about preference). Chop the artichoke hearts and set everything aside in a bowl.

Prepare the basil ribbons and pluck the parsley leaves, zest the lemon, and set aside in a bowl.

Add the red wine vinegar to the tomato mixture in the skillet and bring the heat up to medium-high. Add in the peppers/eggplant and mix everything together. Add more olive oil as needed to ensure everything is coated. Crack more black pepper into the mixture and mix some more. Add a handful of the herbs and lemon zest while leaving enough set aside for garnishing.

Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so until the peppers are soft.

At this point, the Peperonata is ready to be served! Whether you are serving it over swordfish, pasta, or crusty bread – It’s a crowd-pleaser! I like to make enough for leftovers. Since it’s so versatile, it’s nice to have in the fridge to be warmed up and repurposed.

If you’re spooning over crusty bread, we suggest toasting the bread in the oven first with some olive oil and then spreading any sort of sheep/goats milk soft cheese onto the bread followed by the a spoonful of the Perperonata. Garnish with sea salt and the remainder of the lemon zest/herb mixture. You can drizzle some olive oil on top as well!

I love this salad because it is an easy, refreshing and satisfying dish as is, but it also makes for a great base recipe that responds well to little tweaks or last minute additions like white beans or arugula.

Here I’ve opted for yogurt, swapped the lemon for lime and added sliced serrano chilis and chunks of avocado. It was delish!

Pair this dish with a Team Argaux favorite: 2020 Hirsch ‘Hirschvergnugen’ Gruner Veltliner. This aromatic and deliciously thirst-quenching wine quite literally smells like a spring day. Light and smooth on the palate, the wine finishes with a long and refreshing finish. This is Margaux’s (co-founder) go-to with sushi. It also pairs well with Thai food and anything with a little spice.

Ingredients:

• 6 Persian cucumbers sliced horizontally into 1 inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons Ottomani EVOO
• 1 TSP ground coriander
• ½ TSP cumin
• 1 TSP red pepper flakes
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup chopped mint, parsley, and dill
• ¾ cup full-fat greek yogurt
• 1 lemon
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• Feta Cheese

1. Toss the cucumber pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and set in a colander in the sink to drain.

2. In a small pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the coriander and cumin, and toast until fragrant, stirring to avoid scorching, about 1 minute. Remove oil from heat, add red-pepper flakes and allow to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, toss the salted cucumber pieces with the scallions, apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the herbs and spiced oil. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes while you prepare the yogurt.

4. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the rest of the herbs (leave a little for garnish), lemon zest and juice. Stir to incorporate, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Spread the yogurt mixture on a plate or the bottom of a shallow bowl. Using a slotted spoon to drain the cucumbers and scallions of excess liquid, evenly place the cucumbers and scallions on top of the yogurt.

6. Top with the feta cheese, remaining chopped herbs, pine nuts and drizzle with a little more EVOO. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt and fresh ground pepper for good measure. Serve and enjoy!

I have been making this minestrone inspired by Jamie Oliver’s Spring + Summer Minestrone for years. It’s a staple throughout the year. In the spring I might not use any pancetta and opt for a more veggie centric spin, whereas in the winter I add pancetta or bacon to give it more body. I love how bacon adds a smokiness that can completely change the feel of the dish. It all depends on what you like, and of course what time of year it is! The crème fraîche topped with the pistachio pesto is a game changer!

Pair this minestrone and pistachio pesto in the spring with 2020 Par Fore the Course New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

This wine will bring out the green in the dish this spring! It will enhance the fresh herbs in the pesto and all the parsley in the base, and simultaneously complement the natural sweetness of the pistachios. The acidity will also cut through the oil leaving your palate feeling fresh and clean!

Ingredients: Serves 4 

• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 cup chopped carrots (or chopped broccoli)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 zucchini, quartered
• 3 bacon slices or pancetta cut into 1-inch pieces *you can leave the bacon/pancetta out in the spring for more of a fresh take
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 white onion, chopped
• Olive Oil
• 2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes (try and use a cutting board that can catch the tomato juice liquid while chopping, you want to add everything to the pot and it can get a bit messy roughly chopping the tomatoes)
• Black pepper
• Sea salt
• Garlic powder
• See Pistachio Pesto (below)

Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pot on simmer. Allow the pot and oil to heat up and then add the onion, celery, carrots (if broccoli then wait), cracked black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix everything together and allow the onions to become translucent. Add the chopped bacon to the mixture and allow the bacon to start to crisp just slightly. Add the chopped parsley (stems and everything, while leaving some aside for plating). Stir together. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add the broth and then add the orzo. The orzo will start to soak up some of the liquid as it cooks so add broth as needed based on your preference. The orzo will only take about 20 minutes or so. While the orzo is cooking, make the pesto (see below).

About 5-10 minutes before serving, add the chopped broccoli (if using) and the zucchini. Serve in a bowl topped with pesto and parmesan cheese.

Pistachio Pesto: My husband has a pine nut allergy and I LOVE pesto so naturally, when we first started dating I experimented with several different pine nut alternatives. It would have been a make or break it type of situation if nothing sufficed…but, I fell in love with this Pistachio Pesto and so did he!

Ingredients:

• Pistachios
• Lemon and lemon zest
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Basil
• Parsley
• Garlic
• Pecorino Romano

Blend the garlic and olive together in a food processor. Add the basil, parsley, and olive oil. Blend some more. Keep adding olive oil depending on the texture you like. Add pistachios and Pecorino and continue pulsing. Personally, I like when the pesto still has a bit of texture where the pistachios are not ground down entirely.  Add lemon juice to taste. I also like to add a bit of lemon zest for added vibrancy!

Pair this Sesame Seed Fried Feta with 2009 Domaine Bohn AOC Alsace Lieu-Dit Schieferberg Chapelle Oberhagel Riesling.

Forget what you thought you knew about Riesling. This natural, skin-contact expression from Domaine Bohn shows a whole ‘nother side of what the variety can do – and now with over ten years of age on it, a brand new layer of complexity is settling in.

Orange wine lovers, this is a one-of-a-kind tasting experience. Due to its age and natural vinification, we recommend decanting before enjoying. 

There’s nothing better to have in your back pocket than a recipe you can plop on any cheeseboard for easy-entertaining that is sure to impress and spark conversation. This Sesame Seed Fried Feta is just that. Although it take a small amount of preparation, it can be done ahead of time and warmed up in the oven just before serving. Be sure to find a softer or creamier feta like a French feta as it is less briny and softer than others.

Ingredients:

• One block of French feta
• 1/2 cup white or golden sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• Hanadful of fresh mint leaves
• 1 tblsp. Honey
• Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Sunflower Oil

Whisk the eggs in one bowl, place the flour in another, and combine the sesame seeds in an even layer on a baking sheet. Place the block of feta in the bowl with the flour and cover all sides. You don’t need to worry about it being totally covered. It’s better to have a thin, sheer layer of flour than a thick one. From there, dip the block of feta into the egg mixture on all sides and then let any excess drip off back into the bowl. Transfer the block of feta to the baking sheet with the sesame seeds and pat the feta against the seeds to cover all sides with an even layer of both black and golden/white sesame seeds. If you need to add or sprinkle some more seeds to completely cover the block of feta that’s fine too!

Heat the sunflower oil in a skillet. Once the oil is heated, add the block of feta and brown on all sides. This will take about 1-2 minutes a side and may vary based on your skillet. You essentially want those white sesame seeds to turn golden or that layer of egg/flour/seed to brown and start to harden while the feta begins to soften. Remove the feta from the skillet when ready and place onto clean baking sheet if you know you will need to warm it up later, or place directly onto you cheeseboard or plate for serving. Before serving, drizzle with honey, olive oil and garnish with fresh mint leaves!

Enjoy by cutting into the feta with a cheese knife and spreading the fried feta on a cracker or enjoy on it’s own! This fried feta would also be fun added to a salad or placed on the center of a table as a side!

Ingredients:

• 1 head of Cauliflower 
• Onion
• 1 tub of Creme Fraiche
• 1 bunch of Parsley
• Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Red Chilis
• 1 tablespoon Nutmeg
• Pepper
• Salt
• Olive Oil
• 1 bunch of Broccoli Rabe
• 2 garlic cloves
• Lemon (Zest + Juice)
• Rigatoni
• Breadcrumbs
• Pecorino
• 3 pieces of Bacon

Chop the entire cauliflower (leaves, trees stalks, etc.), onion, the entire bunch of parsley (leaving some leaves set aside for garnishing), and the bunch of broccoli rabe (chop some of the leaves and then pick the trees and chop a few or leave them whole, however you prefer). Mince the garlic and chop the red chili. Zest the lemon. Set aside.

Boil water for the pasta.

Mix a handful of breadcrumbs, pecorino, and red pepper flakes together and toast in a skillet until golden. Be careful not to burn! These will toast quickly. Toss them around in the pan so they evenly toast. Set aside in a bowl.

Heat a large pot and add a lug of olive oil to the heated pot. Throw in the minced garlic and onion. Crack some black pepper and mix everything together and simmer until the onions are translucent. Add in the red chili, nutmeg, and chopped parsley and mix. Cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the mixture. Mix everything together and brown the bacon.

Add in the cauliflower and mix everything together. Cover and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Continue to mix and add in olive oil as needed.

Add pasta to the boiling water. While the pasta is cooking, add the broccoli rabe and stir the Creme Fraiche into the cauliflower mixture. The cauliflower by this point should be soft. If it needs to continue cooking let it cook through until soft.

When the pasta is ready, add it to the cauliflower mixture with a 1/2 cup – 1 cup of the pasta water. Mix everything together allowing the pasta water to mix well into the sauce. Season with some sea salt and lemon juice to taste.

To plate, spoon the pasta into a shallow bowl and garnish with parsley, cracked black pepper, pecorino, lemon zest and breadcrumb mixture. A little extra pecorino doesn’t hurt!

Pair with 2016 Eraldo Borgogno Barolo and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough
• Fontina cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Castelvetrano olives
• Spicy Italian sausage
• Chili oil
• Olive oil
• Lemon zest
• Optional: Caramelized onions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Brown the sausage in a skillet until brown on each side and almost cooked through. The sausage will finish cooking through once in the oven. Shred your fontina and slice your mozzarella. Slice your olives in half lengthwise. Zest your lemon.

*If making caramelized onions, allow the onions to caramelize in a pan with butter for about 10 minutes.

Assemble your pizza! Drizzle some olive oil over the dough and start to layer the pizza with the fontina and mozzarella. Sprinkle the olives and sausage over the cheeses. Add the onions if you are using the caramelized onions. Sprinkle more cheese to your liking before placing in the oven. Bake the pizza for about 10 minutes and then check on it. All ovens are different so see where the pizza is at around 10 minutes and then gauge how much longer it needs to cook for depending on how crispy you’d like it.

Before serving, let sit for a minute or two and then sprinkle lemon zest and drizzle chili oil over the pizza. Pair this pizza with the 2016 Eraldo Borgogno Barolo and enjoy!