Food & Wine Pairings: Recipes

We asked some of the Tri Valley’s top chefs to dream up divine dishes that would pair perfectly with the Top 10 Livermore Valley wines selected this year by our veteran judges in the third annual Tri Valley Magazine wine competition. Here are their recipes:

The Restaurant: Baci Café, Pleasanton
The Chef: Josh Payton
The Food: San Francisco Cioppino, Chilean Sea Bass with Cignac Cream, Grilled Lamb Chops with Balsamic Mint Demi Glace
The Wine: Wood Family 2005 Zinfandel Raboli Vineyard, Livermore Valley

San Francisco Cioppino (Serves 6-8)

Ingredients: 

1 cup chicken stock
1 cup clam juice
2 16 ounce cans peeled tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 pound Manila clams
1 pound Mussels
8 ounces dungeness crab meat
1 pound tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
1 pound sea bass or other fresh fish
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Fresh basil as needed, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Chilean Sea Bass with Cognac Cream   (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

For the Cognac sauce:
1 cup Cognac
3 sprigs fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 cups cream
2 tablespoons clam base or juice
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour

For the Sea Bass:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs Chilean sea bass, divided into four six-ounce pieces
Salt to taste

For the Cognac sauce:
In a small saucepan, add Cognac and herbs. Simmer and reduce by half. Add cream and clam juice to pan and return to a simmer. Reduce by half. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Return to sauce pan and bring back to a simmer. In a separate saucepan, make a roux with the butter and flour. Slowly add roux to the Cognac sauce, mixing with a wire whip until roux has dissolved and sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add salt to taste.

For the Sea Bass:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly salt fish on both sides. In a sauté pan over high heat add olive oil to pan. Add fish skin side down. Brown for about two minutes and then turn each piece. Transfer fish to oven, cooking for another six to seven minutes.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Balsamic Mint Demi Glace

For the mint demi glace:
3 cups sugar
3 cups balsamic vinegar
3 cups veal demi glace
1/2 cup chopped mint

For the lamb: 
4 pounds double chop lamb racks, Frenched
Salt to taste

For the mint demi glace:
In a sauce pan over medium heat, add sugar, vinegar, and demi glace and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, reducing liquid by half or until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add chopped mint. Keep warm.

Prepare a hot grill.
Salt each piece of lamb on both sides. Place on grill with bones facing away from heat and grill for five minutes on both sides, or until medium rare.

The Restaurant: PALM EVENT CENTER, Pleasanton
The Chef: Alex Olson
The Food: Venison with Parsnip Spaetzle, Smoked Rainbow Chard and Whole Grain Mustard Jus
The Wine: 2005 Bent Creek Cab Franc Livermore Valley

Spaetzle

Ingredients:

4 large parsnips, 1 reserved for garnish, peeled and finely chopped
4oz. butter
1 bunch fresh thyme, chopped
3 cups white wine
1 cup water
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
6 cups All-purpose flour
½ cup chopped chives
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

For the spaetzle:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauté pan over medium heat, sauté parsnips in butter until brown. Add the thyme and deglaze pan with white wine and water. Transfer parsnips to a roasting pan and roast parsnips until soft and golden brown and most of the liquid is absorbed. Using a food processor, puree the parsnips, slowly incorporating the eggs and milk. Add the minced chives. Slowly incorporate flour until dough is thick and the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Grease a bowl, and cover the dough with plastic wrap, refrigerating for one hour. Remove, and scrape the dough through a flat, perforated surface with a dough/bench knife into boiling, salted water. When the dumplings rise to the top, they are cooked and need to be immediately put into ice water to stop the cooking process.
When cool, drain the spaetzle and dry on a cooling rack lined with a towel. Sauté in brown butter, season with salt and pepper, and add the lemon juice.

Rainbow Chard with Smoked Bacon

Ingredients:

1 bunch chard, stemmed, finely chopped and blanched
½ pound Hobbs Applewood Smoked Bacon, chopped
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup Bent Creek Cabernet Franc
Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauté pan over medium heat, render bacon until crisp. Add onions and garlic, sautéing until translucent. Add the chard, sautéing for one minute. Add the Cabernet Franc and sauté until liquid has absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Cabernet Franc and Whole Grain Mustard Jus

Ingredients:

1/2 bottle Bent Creek Cabernet Franc
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 cups veal or beef demi glace
1 bunch thyme, chopped

In a sauté pan over medium high heat, reduce Cabernet Franc by three quarters. Whisk in the mustard and add demi glace and fresh thyme. Slowly reduce by half.

Venison with Parsnip Spaetzle

Ingredients:

Two 4-rib racks of venison or one 8-rib rack, halved
Salt and pepper to season and to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add oil. Add venison racks and sear and until both sides are lightly brown. Transfer to oven and roast until medium rare, or internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes. Carve to desired thickness.

The Restaurant: BRIDGES
The Chef: Kevin Gin
The Food: Red wine-braised short rib with red miso cream, gorgonzola gyoza with figs and walnuts
The Wine: Thomas Coyne Petite Verdot, Lodi

Red Wine-braised Short Rib with Red Miso Cream

Ingredients:

For the short ribs:
1 pound short ribs
Salt and pepper for seasoning
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup peeled and chopped onions
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup peeled and chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/8 bunch fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 cups red wine
3 cups veal stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste

For the garnish:
Blanched chive batons
Reserved braising liquid

For the red miso cream
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon red miso
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Soy sauce as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

For the short ribs:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, sear short ribs in oil until brown on both sides; set aside. In another sauté pan, sauté onions, celery, carrots and garlic until translucent. Add thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Deglaze with red wine and reduce by two-thirds; add veal stock and tomato paste. Add short ribs and cover, transferring to oven for 3 ½ - 4 hours, or until meat falls off the bone. Refrigerate in braising liquid. When chilled, cut ribs into ½ inch squares.

For the red miso cream:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and blend well.

To serve:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, sear short rib pieces just until warm. Remove and wrap with a chive baton. Add a little of the reserved braising liquid to a Chinese spoon and place short rib on top. Top with red miso cream. 

Gorgonzola, Fig and Walnut Gyozas with Truffled Honey    (Makes 6)

Ingredients:

4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
2 black Mission figs, stem removed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted and finely chopped walnuts
¼ teaspoon finely chopped orange zest
1 teaspoon Madeira wine
4 chives batons, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
6 gyoza wrappes*
Rice oil for deep frying

* Gyoza wrappers are readily available in Asian markets, refrigerated or frozen.

For the Truffle Honey:
½ cup natural honey
1 teaspoon truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

The Restaurant: CAFE ESIN, San Ramon
The Chef: Esin deCarion
The Food: Comice Pear Tart, Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheese Cake, Caramelized Apple Walnut Phyllo Beggar's Purse
The Wine: Singing Winemaker Malvasia NV

Carmelized Apple Walnut Filo Purses    (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

4 apples such as Pippin or Granny Smith, peeled and chopped
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
32 sheets filo pastry, cut into 9-inch squares
Melted butter as needed
Granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine apples, sugar and lemon juice, allowing sugar to dissolve without stirring until the sugar caramelizes around the edges and golden in color. Remove from heat and cool. In a mixing bowl, combine caramelized apples, mascarpone cheese, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon. Place one 9-inch square sheet of filo on a surface and brush with melted butter, repeat with the second sheet of filo, Sprinkle with a little sugar. Place the third sheet of filo on top, making sure the corners are at a different angle. Brush with butter and follow same angle with the fourth. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
Place ¼ cup of the filling in the middle. Lift the edges toward the middle, gathering the filo dough and squeeze just above the filling. Pull the edges out to form a purse. Place the purses on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Pear Almond Tart   (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

6 ounces almond paste, room temperature
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 prebaked 9 ½ inch tart crust
3 medium-ripe pears, peeled, sliced
1 lemon
Powdered sugar as needed

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, whip almond paste and butter until smooth. While machine is running, add sugar and cream, whipping until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla extract and flour, mixing until smooth. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Arrange the pear slices so they slightly overlap. Squeeze pears with lemon and sprinkle top with sugar. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and set in center.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheese Cake   (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round spring form pan and wrap outside of pan with foil. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Continue to beat while slowly adding sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add pumpkin puree, spices, vanilla extract and brandy, continuing to beat until smooth. Spread batter into prepared pan. Place pan in a roasting pan, adding enough water to come halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake until cake is set in center, about 1 ½ hours. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate about four hours before using.

Ginger Snap Cookies  (Makes two dozen)

Ingredients:

8 oz. butter
½  cup brown sugar
½  cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs, room temperature
½  tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½  teaspoons baking soda
¼  teaspoon salt
2 ¼  cups all purpose flour
½  tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼  teaspoon allspice
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch grated nutmeg

Restaurant: CAFE GARRÉ, Livermore
The Chef: Ty Turner
The Food: Tortilla de Espana, Holiday Braised Beef Stew
The Wine: Wood Family '05 Cabernet Franc Livermore Valley

Tortilla de Espana  (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large Yukon gold potatoes cut into ¼-inch thick slices
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup Spanish Chorizo sliced, cooked and drained
7 eggs, whipped
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 tablespoons grated Manchego cheese

Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and sauté onion until translucent; remove onions and set aside. Heat more olive oil and sauté potatoes in a single layer on both sides until brown. Add remaining olive oil to pan, pour in eggs and sprinkle with chorizo and onions.  Cover and cook over medium heat until edges and center begin to set up.  Carefully flip in pan and sprinkle parsley and cheese over top.  Finish cooking uncovered until omelet is just set. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Holiday Braised Beef Stew (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

3 pounds sirloin beef, trimmed and cut in 2-inch cubes
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
4 cups mushrooms, quartered
1 bottle red wine
5 bay leaves
7 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 gallon beef stock
1 package bacon, cooked drained and crumbled
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon paprika

The Restaurant: LARK CREEK, Walnut Creek
The Chef: Scott Wall
The Food: Roasted turkey, candied yams, garlic mashed potatoes, cornbread and sage stuffing, and cranberry jelly
The Wines: La Rochelle Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, and Red Skye 2005 Sunset Red Sonoma County

Roasted Turkey

Ingredients:

1 14-16 pound turkey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard    
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil
Butcher’s twine as needed
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Using a boning knife, separate the turkey into two breasts, wing joints attached, and two leg and thigh pieces.  De-bone leg and thigh pieces and rub with Dijon mustard.  Use the butcher’s string to tie each dark meat roast together. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. In a large sauté pan over high heat, heat the oil, add the turkey and brown on all sides.  Transfer to a large roasting pan and repeat with the two turkey breasts.  Roast the turkey, turning and rotating every 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.  Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes. Remove butcher’s string and slice straight through.

Candied Yams (Serves 10)

Ingredients:

5 large yams, peeled and sliced into ½-thick rounds
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup   apple cider juice
1/8 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/8 cup maple syrup
1 stick  unsweetened butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place yams, one layer in a baking dish.  Sprinkle with a little cinnamon.  Pour apple cider over the yams, sprinkle with brown sugar, drizzle with honey and maple syrup, crumble butter over the top.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover with parchment paper and foil, bake until tender, about 1 hour.

Cranberry Jelly  (Serves 10)

Ingredients:

1-12 ounce bag frozen cranberries, bruised berries discarded
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup La Rochelle Pinot Noir
3 tablespoons orange zest
Salt and pepper to taste
In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add cranberries.  Add the remaining ingredients, close the lid and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove lid, reduce liquid to jelly-like consistency. Remove from heat, puree in a food processor fitted with the metal attachment and strain through a fine mesh sieve.  Cool.

Cornbread Sage Stuffing (Serves 10-12)

Ingredients:

6 cups cubed French bread
6 cups cornbread
2/3 cups unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups chopped celery
½ cup chopped green peppers
2 cups creamed corn
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped marjoram
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
2 teaspoon Kosher salt
3 eggs
½ tablespoon cracked black pepper
1-1/2 cups turkey stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, place bread and bake for 20 minutes until lightly toasted.  Remove from oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt ½ cup of butter.  Add onions, celery and green peppers, sautéing until translucent. Pour mixture over bread, mixing until incorporated.  Add creamed corn, herbs, salt and pepper.  In another bowl, mix the stock and eggs; add to the stuffing mixture.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Bake, covered, for one hour or until golden brown.          

Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Serves 10)

Ingredients:

24 red potatoes
4 garlic heads, halved
2 cups  heavy cream
2 cups  whole milk
1 pound unsweetened butter
1 cup crème fraiche
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender.  In a saucepan over medium heat, steep garlic with cream and milk.  Strain cooked potatoes and place onto a sheet pan.  Place the potatoes into a 350 degree oven, dry the potatoes for 10 minutes.  Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the garlic from the cream mixture, reserving it.  In a blender, puree the garlic and return to the cream mixture.  In a large mixing bowl, mash the potatoes. Slowly add the butter and cream to the garlic mixture. Add the cream fraiche and season generously with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.
                       
Giblet Turkey Gravy   (Serves 10)

For the giblets:
2 pounds turkey giblets
½ pound unsweetened butter
8 cups chicken stock, chilled

For the gravy:
Reserved turkey giblets
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
Reserved turkey giblet stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place giblets in a baking dish and season with salt, pepper. Add butter. Roast for 30 minutes until lightly brown.  Remove and cover with chicken stock.  Place back in oven and cook until fork tender, approximately two hours; strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool.  Peel outside membrane and slice paper thin.  Reserve for gravy.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Stir in the flour, cooking for 12 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the turkey giblet stock slowly, stirring vigorously, bringing to a boil each time.  This process should take about 20-35 minutes and insures a smooth and lump free velvety sauce.  Simmer for one hour.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and strain through a fine mesh sieve. 

For the dish:

The Restaurant: MCNAMARA'S, Dublin
The Chef: Mike Davis
The Food: Bone-in filet, giant prawns, horseradish mashed potatoes
The Wine: Wente Winery Nth Degree Cab Sauvignon

(Serves four)

Ingredients:

For the horseradish mashed potatoes:
1 pound new red potatoes, boiled
4 green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons horseradish
Salt to taste

For the vegetables:
1 cup green beans
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
Olive oil for tossing

For the steaks:
4 12-ounce filets on the bone
Olive oil for brushing
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For the sautéed onions:
4 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced ¼-inch slices

For the prawns:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 ounces white wine
8 large prawns
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter

For the potatoes:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all ingredients and mix on medium speed until just combined. Season with salt to taste.

For the vegetables:
Preheat a steamer to 212 degrees. In a shallow pan, combine green beans and carrots. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in the steamer to steam until tender but firm, about five minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with olive oil.

For the filet mignon:
Prepare a hot grill.  Generously rub filets with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper. Place on the grill to mark or until desired doneness. Remove from the heat and set aside keeping warm.

For the sautéed onions:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat butter and add onions, sautéing until onions are translucent. 

For the prawns:
In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, heat oil and sauté garlic until translucent. Add white wine, reducing by half. Add prawns, lemon juice and butter, cooking for three or four minutes until prawns are just cooked through.

The Restaurant: MUDD'S, San Ramon
The Chef: Darren Robey
The Food: Butternut Squash Soup, Duck Tartlets with Creamy Chard and Huckleberries
The Wine: 2005 Livermore Valley Bent Creek Petite Sirah

Butternut Squash Soup
(Serves 6-8 in bowls, or 24 if you use small sherry or shot glasses)

Ingredients:

For the soup:
2 butternut squash, split in half and seeded
4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Olive oil for drizzling
4 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 cups white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Heavy cream as needed

For the garnish:
Pumpkin seed oil for drizzling
Peppercress

Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour one tablespoon of honey into seeded holes of butternut squash. Place squash on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and add two tablespoons of the butter.  Season with salt and pepper and roast in oven until tender. Let squash cool, then peel skin, reserving any excess juices. In a large stock pot over medium heat, add remaining butter and olive oil and sauté onions until translucent.  Deglaze with white wine and reduce to almost dry. Add squash and chopped thyme. Cover squash with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering for 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. And cream to consistency and for texture. Pour soup into shot glasses and garnish with pumpkin oil and peppercress.

Duck Tartlets with Creamy Chard and Huckleberries (Makes 12 2-inch tarts)

4 ounces fresh huckleberries
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 duck breast
5 cups cream
2 cups julienned Swiss chard
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
12 2” tart shells (see recipe*)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook huckleberries with red wine and sugar until soft.  Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Score duck skin. In a sauté pan over medium heat, sear duck breast, just until fat is rendered out and the skin is crisp. Transfer to oven and roast until medium rare, or 6-8 minutes.
In a saucepot over medium heat, add cream and garlic and reduce by half, or until thick. Add chard and braise in cream until tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat tart shells in warm oven, fill with creamy chard, top with one slice of duck, and some of the huckleberries.

Tartlet Shells

(Makes 12 2” tart shells)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 1/2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons ice water
 

The Restaurant: THE PEASANT & THE PEAR, Danville
The Chef: Rodney Worth
The Food: Nicoise Salad, Vegetarian Heirloom Tomato Lasagna
The Wine: Concannon Captain Joe's Petit Sirah

Heirloom Lasagna (Serves 4)

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce

4 large heirloom tomatoes
1 clove garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon Champagne vinegar
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the lasagna

2 large patty pan squash*
1 pound fresh semolina lasagna noodles, cut into 12 - 4” x 5 ½“ strips (do not substitute dried noodles)
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced crosswise into four thick slices
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup prepared pesto sauce
¼ cup freshly grated Grana Padano cheese
½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese

For the tomato sauce: 
Prepare a hot grill. Char the tomatoes over an open flame, turning occasionally, until most of the skin has blackened.  Place charred tomatoes into a food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree with all ingredients until nearly smooth.  Season with sat and pepper to taste.

For the squash*:
Prepare a hot grill. Char patty pan squash over an open flame, turning occasionally, until the skin softens and begins to blacken.  Cool and slice each squash crosswise into four slices.

For the dish: 
In each 4 - 8” shallow ramekin, spread two tablespoons tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish. Lay one lasagna sheet on the tomato sauce. Lay one slice of squash on the lasagna. Spread with one tablespoon of ricotta and two tablespoons shredded mozzarella over squash. Drizzle with one teaspoon of pesto. Repeat steps two to five two more times, replacing squash with one slice of tomato in the middle layer of the lasagna. Top lasagna with one tablespoon ricotta, one tablespoon shredded mozzarella, one tablespoon Grana Padano and two tablespoons fresh mozzarella.