This risotto with leeks and shiitakes mushrooms is scrumptious. You can serve it as a side, but it stands well on it’s own as the main event. Perfect for a fancy night when you’re feeding a crowd.

This is one of my favorite dishes created by Chef David Vogler of Darwin Cafe in San Francisco.

It doesn’t feel like summer until I’ve made fresh chimichurri with steak on the grill. The sides in this dinner, grilled corn with cilantro lime butter and brown butter plantains, are so tasty they deserve their own post.