Invented at Antoine’s in New Orleans in 1899, the dish was named after John D. Rockefeller, the richest American at the time, for the richness of the sauce. Antoine’s has kept the original recipe secret but all kinds of interpretations exist. Basically it includes a rich cream sauce with spinach and other greens and flavored with Pernod or anisette. This version omits the rich sauce but is still full of flavor. This would be wonderful with Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres Chardonnay.

Piquillo peppers come from the small northern Spanish region of Navarra. The peppers take their name from their distinctive, narrow, triangular shape: Piquillo means “beak” in Spanish.

At first glance, piquillos look like a variant of sweet bell pepper, but just one bite will tell a different story, as the familiar sweetness gives way to a sneaky heat. Navarra’s piquillo peppers are traditionally roasted over a beechwood fire, which adds a delectable smokiness to their bouquet. The final product is then packed whole in its delicious juices, ready to be sliced, stuffed and puréed into a variety of delicious dishes. Russian River Ranches Chardonnay would be a great match with these peppers.

This is an easy first course and depends on getting the best, freshest and largest scallops possible. Specify to your fish monger that you want dry pack or diver scallops. Dry-packed scallops are scallops that are shucked, packed and shipped on ice without chemical additives. This pairs wonderfully with Sonoma-Cutrer Sauvignon Blanc.