Recipe ideas to make dad smile on Father’s Day

My father grew up during the Depression on the north shore of Boston. Upon graduating from Revere High School in 1943, he enlisted in the Navy. Tasty food was not something he took for granted.

In the Pacific, the sailors were often served a cheap but filling meal known as Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast, which earned the nickname of S.O.S., an acronym whose full name is not fit for a family newspaper. Since money was tight, our the family often ate that for dinner, too.

But when the convenience foods of the 1960s took hold, we began to enjoy the novelty of frozen TV dinners and Sarah Lee cakes (my favorite), Kraft pizzas from a box and Fluffernutter sandwiches (my dad’s favorite). For those of you not from New England, that’s white bread smeared with peanut butter on one side and Marshmallow Fluff on the other. Believe it or not, the sticky Fluff is still being manufactured in Lynn, Mass.

Once in awhile, my mother, who did not inherit the cooking gene, would make a beef barley soup that my dad claimed was the best thing he ever ate. And whenever she dressed up some canned peaches with cottage cheese, he was politely enthralled.

In other words, he wasn’t that hard to please.

So this Father’s Day, although you may only be making a simple meal for dear old Dad, it’s important to source some of his favorite ingredients and then just step back and let those shine.

That’s the philosophy of chef/owner Dan Lucia of DL Catering in Healdsburg, who has cooked at some of Sonoma County’s finest restaurants, from the former Santi restaurant in Geyserville with chefs Thomas Oden and Franco Dunn to the former Chateau Souverain restaurant with chef Martin Courtman.

In his cooking, Lucia gravitates toward Italian and Latin cuisines because they take advantage of fresh produce from the summer garden, such as tomatoes and peppers, beans and cucumbers.

“I was always into Italian cooking. My father’s side of the family is Italian,” he said. “But my cuisine is Sonoma County. I use French technique and simple ingredients. ... Yes, they’re just beans, but why not make them the best ever?”

Lucia, who is the father of 16-year-old Jaiden, enjoys coming up with different kinds of Italian paninis, then making them alongside his son on weekends.

“Every Sunday, that’s what my son and I do,” he said. “It’s Panini Sunday. I like to use the Acme Slab bread. It’s one of the best toasting breads out there.”

For Father’s Day, Lucia shared a recipe for one of his favorite homemade sandwiches, a warm panini made with juicy grilled skirt steak tucked between two toasted slices of the Acme Green Onion Slab bread. The Oakland bakery originally developed the dough for its rosemary-and-olive oil Fougasse, so it’s extra-moist and delicious.

“I love skirt steak,” Lucia said. “It’s one of the most amazing cuts. You can turn it into a sandwich or serve it with tomato salsa or salsa verde.”

The skirt steak is a long, flat cut of beef from the underside of the plate. It is prized more for its flavor than its tenderness. Before it was considered commercially viable, the vaqueros in Texas used it to make fajitas.

Marinating the steak before grilling, then slicing it against the grain after it rests, helps maximize its tenderness, Lucia said.

You can dress up the panini however you like, but Lucia likes to assemble an array of complementary toppings: sweet, caramelized onions; tangy tomatoes; pickled jalapeños; and a complex cheese such as aged white cheddar.

To go with the panini, Lucia suggested two simple salads that represent California cuisine at its best: a Green Salad with Avocado and Radishes and a Fingerling Potato Salad dressed with a vinaigrette.

“I love avocados,” he said. “And I also like the fingerling potatoes for a potato salad. I just add kalamata olives, olive oil, vinegar and Dijon.”

For dessert, Dad won’t be able to resist Lucia’s famous Chocolate Chip Cookies, which he prefers to cook medium-rare so they don’t get too crisp on the outside.

“I’m known for those,” he said. “I like a soft, chewy cookie.”

The pandemic pivot

After the pandemic hit in March 2020, the Healdsburg caterer pivoted to cooking two-person family meals that he creates and boxes up in his kitchen at the Villa Chanticleer in Healdsburg each week. The meals are delivered on Fridays in the Healdsburg area or can be picked up at The Drink in the Old Roma Station at Hudson and Front streets.

Luckily, between catering clients and fans of his monthly Food and Wine Club (currently on hiatus), Lucia already had a substantial contact list, which he uses to announce his weekly delivery menu. The multicourse meals attract regulars from as far away as Sebastopol and Santa Rosa to Healdsburg and points north.

For his first delivered meal last year, the chef made one of his signature comfort dishes: Gnocchi with Bolognese Sauce, a labor of love since the gnocchi are made by hand.

“I had 125 orders for 250 people,” he said. “It sold out in two days. It’s my ‘Beat Bobby Flay’ dish.”

Last week’s delivery menu included Chicken Marbella with prunes and green olives, Couscous with lemon and fresh herbs, Roasted Carrots and Peas and Salted Chocolate Brownies. He now averages 150 orders a week for a total of 300 people.

Although his monthly Food and Wine Club has not been meeting during the pandemic, Lucia is thinking of bringing it back again once people are more comfortable going out to eat.

But he may give it a new twist and turn it into a brunch. The monthly family-style feasts he made for the “club” (which is open to anyone) always included fun extras such as a pouring by a local winemaker as the warm-up act and a food-and-wine trivia contest with yummy prizes.

Lucia, an avid golfer who serves as president of the Headsburg Men’s Golf Club, plans to spend some time perfecting his swing this Father’s Day. The chef said he likes the sport because it’s laid-back and not too competitive.

“You’re playing against yourself to improve on your own scores,” he said. “You’re outside, you can walk and get your exercise or take a cart ... and drink beers.”

And, of course, there will be a special “Panini Sunday” with his son.

For more information on DL Catering, go to bignightproductions.com.

The Acme Green Onion Slab bread is available at Whole Foods and Oliver’s markets as well as Big John’s Market in Healdsburg.

If you don’t have a panini press, you could grill this sandwich in a cast-iron pan, with another cast-iron pan on top to press it down until it is toasted on one side. Then flip it and toast the other side, pressing down with the pan again.

You can make the caramelized onions ahead of time and put them in the fridge, then bring them to room temperature before serving. Before tomato season, Lucia suggests using a local, hothouse tomato.

As a pairing, try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or your favorite Sonoma County zinfandel.

Grilled Skirt Panini Sandwich with Caramelized Onions

Makes 4 servings

For marinade:

½ cup olive oil

⅓ cup chopped parsley

⅓ cup chopped cilantro

⅓ cup chopped oregano

1 tablespoons red chile flakes

3 limes, juiced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

For panini:

1 loaf Acme Green Onion Slab bread

2 pounds skirt steak

Salt and pepper

3 yellow onions, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

2 cups aged white cheddar, grated

½ cup mayonnaise

⅓ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup pickled jalapeños (optional)

Handful of arugula

For the marinade: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and add the steak. Let marinate for at least four hours in the refrigerator or overnight for the best flavor results.

To cook the steak: Remove the steak from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. If using a gas grill, turn on and preheat for 20 minutes to medium-high, about 400 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, prepare the coals and heat to medium-high.

Once the grill is ready, add the steak and cook each side for five to six minutes, depending on how thick the steak is. Ideally, the steak should be cooked medium-rare. When done, remove steak and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

The secret to this steak is to cut it nice and thin against the grain. This will keep the meat really tender. Set the sliced meat aside.

For the onions: Heat a medium-size saute pan to medium-high heat, then add the olive oil and thinly sliced onions. For the best results, continue to stir and cook slowly, turning heat down gradually so they don’t burn. This process should take at least 25 to 30 minutes. The onions are done when they have a nice, even brown color.

To assemble the sandwich: Preheat the panini press. Slice the loaf horizontally. Spread the mayonnaise on the bottom half and the Dijon on the top. Add half the cheese to the bottom layer of the bread then add the steak evenly, the caramelized onions evenly and the sliced tomatoes. Add the pickled jalapeños, the remaining grated cheese and the top half of the bread.

Cut the loaf in half and place each half in your panini grill until the bread is nicely toasted and the cheese has melted. Let cool for a few minutes.

Remove the top and add the arugula. Put the top of the loaf back on and slice into four sandwiches.

You could make the salad dressing ahead of time and hold in the fridge.

Green Salad with Avocado and Radishes

Makes 4 servings

For vinaigrette:

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 shallot, diced

4 limes, juiced

Salt and pepper, to taste

For salad:

3 avocados

2 limes, juiced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

8 radishes

2 heads butter leaf lettuce, washed and prepared

1 cup shredded carrot

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish

For dressing: In a small Mason jar, combine all the ingredients and shake until nicely mixed.

To assemble salad: Cut each avocado into six to eight pieces, depending on its size. Place in a bowl and add the lime juice, salt and pepper. With a sharp knife, thinly slice the radish and set aside.

In a large salad bowl, add butter lettuce, avocado, shaved radish and shredded carrots. Add the dressing and lightly toss. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.

The pickled onion in this recipe can be made ahead of time and held in the fridge.

Fingerling Potato Salad with Lemon-Dijon Dressing

Makes 4 servings

For salad:

2 pounds fingerling potatoes

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup sliced kalamata olives

1 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

½ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon salt

Salt and pepper, to taste

For Lemon-Dijon Dressing:

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

3 lemons, juiced

½ cup olive oil

For potatoes: Place fingerling potatoes in a sauce pot and cover with water. Add salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes When done, drain the potatoes and cool. When the potatoes are cooled, slice into half-inch pieces. Set aside in a mixing bowl.

For pickled onion: Bring the vinegar and sugar to boil in a small sauce pot or pan. Add the thinly sliced onion, stir and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the onion vinegar mixture completely cool and sit for one hour. Once cooled, drain off excess liquid and set aside until ready to prepare the salad.

To assemble the salad, add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of sliced potatoes and lightly dress with the lemon Dijon dressing. After mixing this salad together, let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let the flavors combine before serving.

Lucia likes to cook these medium-rare, but if you like your cookies well-done, bake for a little longer.

DL Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 10 to 12 large chocolates

1 stick soft butter

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1½ cups Ghirardelli chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, let butter soften. Add the brown and white sugar and mix well with an electric mixer. Add the egg and mix in. Add the vanilla, flour, baking soda and salt and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet pan. Roll 12 to 15 balls of the dough and place on the cookie sheet 3 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

Staff Writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56