A Summer Food and Wine Menu for Grilling and Garden Lovers

Instantly elevate weeknight cooking with this summer food and wine menu featuring garden-fresh squash and one of our favorite - often overlooked - cuts of meat.

Summer officially started last week, and Far Niente Chef Sarah Walz is hooked on all of the fresh summer squash and zucchini coming out of our winery's organic gardens.

"I'm also totally obsessed with my grill right now," she adds. "This easy grilled flat iron steak with summer squash and corn salad brings my garden and grilling loves together in one super tasty menu that's great for entertaining larger groups and parties. That it pairs gorgeously with the dark fruit flavors and silky intensity of our Far Niente Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon is just icing on the cake, pardon the food pun!

I hope you enjoy preparing it - and finding ways to make it your own - as much as I do."

Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Summer Squash and Corn Salad

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

2 ½ pounds flat iron steak

4 tablespoons olive oil

8 sprigs fresh thyme. Summer savory, rosemary, or oregano can serve as a substation.

5 garlic cloves

6 assorted zucchini and summer squash

4 ears of corn

½ teaspoon sherry vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Method:

For the marinade: Smash four garlic cloves, setting the fifth aside to be chopped and added to the zucchini. Place your steaks in a glass dish and add the garlic, six thyme sprigs, two tablespoons olive oil and pepper. Don't be shy with the fresh black pepper. You'll want to grind a considerable amount of it onto your steaks. Allow steaks to marinate for at least one one hour, or refrigerate for one to two nights. Marinating is your friend, and the longer the meat marinates, the more flavor it will absorb.

When you're ready to grill: Preheat your grill to a high heat. Season steaks with salt, place on grill and cook each side for three to four minutes. Let rest for five minutes before slicing.

For the salad: Slice zucchini and squash in half lengthwise and place it all flesh side up on a large baking pan. Brush each half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop the last garlic clove and pick the leaves off the thyme and sprinkle both evenly across the top of your vegetables. Allow your grill to cool to a medium heat before placing zucchini and squash on the grill. I like my vegetables to retain some crunch, so I leave them on just long enough to get some grill marks. Once your zucchini and squash are grilled to your preferred consistency, gently remove and slice them into one-inch pieces. Set aside in a bowl.

Boil four ears of fresh corn for eight minutes, and then allow each ear to cool until it's easy to handle. Cut your corn off the cobb and add to the zucchini and squash you've set aside. Drizzle with your remaining olive oil, and your sherry vinegar or lemon juice.

Serve everything family style, with your steaks sliced ½-inch thick, extra lemon or vinegar on hand for the salad, and several bottles of Far Niente Cabernet, Napa Valley, Oakville decanted and ready for toasting. Bon Appétit!