SMOKED CHILI FROM HOWLING COYOTE BBQ Karl Jones, pit master, manager and catering director at Howling Coyote, serves this chili with a sweet corn bread muffin. The brisket is smoked for about 14 hours, giving the chili a rich, smokey flavor. 1 onion, chopped 1/2 green pepper, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 1/2 lbs. smoked brisket, or browned ground beef 1 4-oz. can Ortega diced green chilies 1 12-oz. can diced tomatoes 4-5 12-oz. cans pinto beans, rinsed, depending on the ratio of beans to meat that you prefer 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cumin 1/2 can beer 3/4 cup chili powder, or more to taste Combine in large pot on stovetop. To kick it up, add 1 tsp. cayenne or more to taste, and use water to thin to desired consistency. Simmer at least two hours on medium low.     ROASTED GARLIC ARTICHOKE HEART DIP FROM SAVOY TRUFFLE Serves about 4 1 10-oz. can artichoke hearts 4 oz. sundried tomatoes in oil (about 2 or 3 tomatoes) 5 cloves garlic 1/2 onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp. mayo 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste  Drain the artichoke hearts and roughly chop them into about 3 or 4 pieces each. Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until transparent. Finely chop the sundried tomatoes with knife or food processor. Roast the garlic by placing the cloves in a pie pan or other small oven safe container, covering them with olive oil and placing in oven at 350 degrees until golden. Do not burn. Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add mayo, sour cream and parmesan cheese to other ingredients and mix until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, place the dip in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute and 30 seconds on high, then stir and heat for another minute on high and stir again. Repeat process until hot; this shouldn't take more than about 4 minutes total. The dip can be served with fresh bread, crostini, pita or fresh vegetables.     TLT SANDWICH FROM WHITEAKER STATION For tempeh bacun: 1 package Surata tempeh 2/3 cup tamari 1/4 cup olive oil 1/8 cup maple syrup 2 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tbsp. onion powder 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. garlic granules Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thinly slice tempeh and arrange in one layer on a baking sheet. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over tempeh, making sure to coat completely. Bake for 25-30 minutes until liquid is absorbed and tempeh starts to crisp. Layer tempeh with bread, vegenaise, dijon mustard, tomato and lettuce for a great sandwich!   PORCINI-CRUSTED AHI WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND SCALLION SAUTé FROM AGATE ALLEY BISTRO & BAR Serves 6 3 lbs. sushi-grade ahi 1/4 cup porcini powder 2 cups black fungus 3 oz. fava beans 3 oz. wild mushroom mix 25 scallions 2 tbsp. butter Vinegar Sugar Sour cream Onion soubise: 2 large onions, sliced, cooked in 1 tbsp. butter over low heat until translucent and soft but not browned. Dust ahi with porcini powder and sear in oil. Sauté mushroom mix with 1 tbsp. butter, add black fungus and fava beans and season with salt and pepper. Blanch scallions in salted boiling water and shock in ice water, then puree scallions with 1 tsp. butter and onion soubise. Season puree to taste with vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar, and add sour cream. Serve as pictured.     SLOW-ROASTED HALIBUT WITH FENNEL CONFIT & GRAPEFRUIT BUTTER PHOTO © 2007 RICK SCHAFER This recipe comes to us from A Chef's Bounty: Celebrating Oregon's Cuisine, a beautiful cookbook that does just what it says, featuring recipes from restaurants all over Oregon that make the most of the things Oregon has to offer (including Eugene's Marché and Excelsior). This particular recipe comes from Chef Vitaly Paley of Portland's Paley's Place and appealed to us for its interesting mix of flavors and relatively simple preparation. Serves 6 6 (5-oz.) halibut fillets 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 fennel bulbs, cleaned and finely chopped 1 lemon, juiced 3 grapefruits, juiced, strained 1/2 lb. cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks Salt Freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the fillets on a baking sheet and drizzle with some of the olive oil. Cook in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. (The fillet should pierce easily with a bamboo skewer when done.) While the fish is cooking, prepare the confit by combining the remaining olive oil and fennel in a sauté pan and cook over low heat until soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. At the same time, reduce the grapefruit juice and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat to one-quarter cup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Do not reheat the butter or it will separate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the halibut fillets on top of the fennel confit. Drizzle with grapefruit butter. Serve immediately. Recipe reprinted with permission, Arnica Publishing, Inc.