If you love to drink red wine, then you'll really enjoy these red wine burgers! The wine keeps the patty nice and moist.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese

Method:

• Start off by melting the butter in a heavy skillet and adding the chopped onion. Gently sauté until they begin to brown, maybe 7-10 minutes. Then drain off any excess butter and set the cooked onion aside.

• Now combine all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, then throw in the cooked onion and mix again.

• Shape the meat into 4 patties with your hands and grill each burger for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the meat is fully cooked through.

• Serve on crusty rolls with a slice of mozzarella cheese and enjoy.

1 ½ lb. goat cheese
1 ½ lb. cream cheese (or mascarpone)
1 stick melted butter
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup pesto

Combine all ingredients except the pesto. (Add heavy cream if needed to soften and smooth the mixture.) Blend well.

Line the sides and bottom of a 9” spring form pan with plastic wrap.
Spread ½ of cheese mixture on bottom. Spread ½ of pesto on top of cheese.
Spread remainder of cheese then finish with pesto. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Can be made a few days ahead of time.

Carefully remove the spring form, then plastic wrap. Garnish plate and center of torte with roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes or other herbaceous garnish.

Notes:
1 - If you want to have 3 layers, layer in a smaller pan.
2 - Place a 9” spring form pan directly on serving dish, without the bottom part of the pan. Line only the sides of pan with plastic wrap. If the pesto is very oily, it will ooze out the bottom. Absorb with a paper towel.

Basic ingredients:

• 1kg fresh wild mushrooms
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• bread crumbs
• fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Clean the mushrooms (try not to get them too wet) and chop them up roughly into quarters.
2. Mix the garlic (crushed), chopped parsley, and breadcrumbs.
3. Place the mushrooms in an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
4. Finally, pour over the olive oil and place the butter (chopped into cubes) on top of the mixture. Season with salt and pepper and place in a preheated oven (200*) for 15 - 20 minutes.

Tips and Ideas:

You can use any type of mushrooms for this dish, so if you can't get wild mushrooms, use normal ones. The recipe won't have such a nutty, earthy taste, but it is delicious all the same! If you do use normal mushrooms, sprinkle some sesame seeds over the dish just before sprinkling the breadcrumbs.

Wine to Pair:

An aged Chablis, with its earthy, mushroomy profile, is a perfect match for this dish. Stop in the shoppe and we'll be happy to show you some terrific Chablis to choose from!

¾ cup chopped pitted dates
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 firm ripe pear, peeled and diced
½ cup currants
½ cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup rose wine or applejack*
2 lb. wheel of ripe Brie, well chilled
thin baguette slices, toasted

(*I used a combo of white wine and port.)

In a bowl, mix the dates, apple, pear, currants, pecans and wine. Set aside to let fruit soften about two hours.

Cut Brie in half horizontally to make two round layers. Place one layer, cut side up, in a shallow-rimmed, 10-inch baking dish or quiche pan. Spread the cut side with 2 ¼ cups of the fruit. Place remaining cheese layer, cut side down, on top of fruit. Spoon remaining fruit onto center of cheese. The recipe may be prepared up to two days ahead, covered and refrigerated.

When ready to serve, bake the Brie, uncovered in a preheated 300* oven until cheese melts at the edges and the center is warm, about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot from baking dish, spread on thin slices of bread or toasted baguette slices.

Makes 16 servings.

This is one of our most popular "Special Appetizers." Serve with an Australian Shiraz.

November Recipe of the Month

Toasted Almonds with Rosemary

1 1/2 cups unsalted almonds
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Place all ingredients on a 12x18-inch cookie sheet, combine with your hands, and spread out the nuts to cover the cookie sheet.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool, and put in a tightly covered container.

Serves 2.

(Recipe courtesy of Connie Fairbanks's "Scratch That" cookbook on sale at Wines by Jennifer.)

6 pears
5 tsp sugar
2 cups of red wine
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 cup water

1. Place the pears in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes, then remove from the water and place under the cold tap.

2. When the pears are sufficiently cooled, remove the peel.

3. Put the sugar, wine, water and cinnamon stick in a pan over medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the pears and simmer slowly until the pears become soft.

4. When the pears have softened, remove them from the liquid and place them in a glass bowl.

5. Leave the liquid simmering a bit longer until it reduces, then pour over the pears.

6. Can be served warm or cooled in the fridge.

This was served with the Codorniu Pinot Noir Brut Rose at our recent Spanish Alfresco Wine Dinner and the combination was a smashing success!

 

2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Lemon Garlic Sauce (optional)

2 lemons, juiced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together all sauce ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350* F. Foil line a cookie sheet and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together breadcrumbs, Romano cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic.

Dip chicken in olive oil, then into breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes or until golden and tender. (If breasts are especially thick, add five minutes to cooking time.)

Optional: Soak wooden skewers in water to prevent burning. Place chicken on skewers and grill. (We prepared it on the grill at our August 26th Alfresco Wine Dinner and it was a HUGE hit!)

Serve at once, alone or topped with lemon garlic sauce.

Serves six.

2 cans chick peas, drained
2 Tbsp Tahini, ground sesame seed
6 cloves garlic, peeled & coarsely chopped
juice from 1 lemon, plus a little extra salt
½ cup olive oil (more for creamier texture)
feta cheese (optional)
pitted Kalamata olives (optional)

Blend all ingredients well in a food processor.

While processing, add olive oil slowly until desired creaminess.

Garnish with crumbled feta cheese & slivered Kalamata olives.

Serve with flatbread crackers, Pita points, or Pita chips.

Optional: Roast the garlic or blend in some artichoke hearts

10 3/4 oz. package frozen Sara Lee all butter pound cake, thawed
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup superfine sugar
2 Tbsp. Brandy
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 cup espresso or strong coffee
Unsweetened cocoa powder

 

Note: Original Tiramisu calls for Lady Fingers, which can be used and may make for a lighter consistency.

• For Individual Dessert Glasses:
  
  1. With sharp knife, trim dark top from cake and discard. Cut cake horizontally into 4 equal layers. With 2 1/2" cutter, cut out 3 rounds from each layer; break remaining cake into large crumbs.
  
  2. In small mixing bowl, at medium speed, beat mascarpone with heavy cream and 1/2 cup sugar until soft peaks form when beaters are raised. Beat in 1 Tbsp brandy and the vanilla until stiff. In a cup, combine coffee with remaining brandy and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves.
  
  3. Place a spoonful of cheese mixture in each of 6 large wine glasses; top each with a cake round. Brush cake with some coffee mixture. Top cake with spoonful of cheese mixture and spread to edge of glass; sprinkle each with cake crumbs, dividing evenly, and sprinkle cake with more coffee mixture. Repeat layering in each glass: cheese mixture, cake round, and remaining coffee mixture. Carefully dust with cocoa powder.
  
  4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
  
  

  Serves 6.
  
  
• For a larger group:
  
  I do this in a 13 x 9 glass dish, and double all ingredients in the recipe. There may be over-flow into another small pan or dish as well.
  
  
  Cut the cakes length-wise into 4 equal layers. Start the layering in the pan with cake, coffee, then cream, cake, coffee, and end with remaining cream. I don’t make any cake crumbs, which seems to work out fine. Use a small sifter or just be careful dusting with the cocoa so that you don’t get big blobs of cocoa on the top cream layer.
  
  
  Refrigerate overnight works fine (also freezes well).

Back to top

• Prepare cedar plank & grill:

1. Soak plank in pan of hot water, submersed for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. (Optional: add some sea salt to the water to add to flavor.)

2. Heat grill to medium-high heat or about 425 degrees. Place the plank on the grill and close the lid. Let heat until you see light smoke and the wood crackles.

3. Lift the lid. For new planks, turn it over, place fish skin side down on the plank, and close lid.

4. Let hot-smoke about 8-10 minutes or until done. A 3.5 pound salmon make take up to 20-25 minutes.

• Prepare maple glaze:

1 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp finely grated ginger root
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 large clove garlic, crushed

1. In a small heavy saucepan, combine all but 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, add salt and pepper to taste, and heat reduce to about 1 cup. Takes about 30 minutes. Let cool. Glaze may be made days ahead. Just bring to room temperature before using.

2. Place salmon in shallow dish, skin side down. Brush with glaze.

3. Grill salmon according to above directions.

4. Heat remaining glaze and stir in remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice.

5. When salmon is done, cut crosswise on platter or individual plates, and drizzle with warm sauce.

6. Garnish with chopped arugula sprinkled around plate and lemon slices.

Preheat oven to 350* F. Melt butter and chocolate in a small saucepan. Let cool.

Break eggs into a large bowl and beat. Add sugar, Merlot, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well.

Gradually add flour and salt and beat until smooth. Blend in chocolate mixture. Add walnuts and cherries.

Spread mixture in a 9 x 13-inch greased cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Cut into 2-inch squares.

Makes approximately 24 brownies.

1/4 pound butter
1 onion, minced
1 pound chicken livers
4 tablespoon brandy
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onions and saute until soft. Stir in the livers and cook 2-3 minutes over medium high heat, stirring, until they are just cooked but still rosy inside.

Puree the onions and livers in a food processor or blender, or put through a food mill.

Over medium heat, pour the brandy into the skillet and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add to the liver mixture along with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Pack into a mold and refrigerate until chilled and set. Serve unmolded with thin toast or crackers.

Makes 3 cups.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Merlot wine
3 pounds pork tenderloin
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon flour
6 oz. fresh blue cheese
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pat entire tenderloin with black pepper and sprinkle with salt.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter and stir in Merlot. Braise seasoned tenderloin until it is golden brown. Transfer tenderloin to an 8 x 12 inch glass baking dish.

Add remaining butter, flour and whipping cream to the seasoned pan, using whisk to blend until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture over tenderloin and crumble blue cheese over the top of the roast.

Bake for 45 minutes. Garnish with raspberries.

Serves six.

Best enjoyed with Merlot wine, of course!

Blue Ribbon Chili

Blue Ribbon Chili

1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds beef round, coarsely
ground or cut into ¼ inch cubes
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
with puree
1 can (7 ¾ ounces) Mexican-style tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 cup Zinfandel
2 tablespoons mild ground red chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
6 cups drained cooked pinto beans
salt
chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, cover and cook, stirring, once or twice, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one more minute. Place onions in an 8-quart pot.

Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil in pan. Add meat, cook over high heat, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Pour meat and juices into pot. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, wine, ground chili, cumin and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 ¼ hours.

Add beans; simmer 30 minutes or until chili is as thick as you like, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Season to taste with salt. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Back to top

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata

Season:
4 chicken cutlets

Sauté in:
2 tsp. vegetable oil

Deglaze with:
¼ c. dry white wine
1 tsp. garlic, minced

Add:
½ c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 tbl. capers, drained sautéed cutlets

Finish with:
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
fresh lemon slices

Garnish with:
chopped fresh parsley

Season cutlets with salt and pepper then dust with flour. Spray a sauté pan with nonstick spray; add vegetable oil and heat over medium-high.

Sauté cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip the cutlets over and sauté the other side 1-2 minutes with the pan covered. Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly gone, about 2 minutes.

Add broth, lemon juice and capers. Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate. Finish with butter and lemon slices. Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Back to top

Coq Au Zin

Coq Au Zin

4 chicken legs and thighs, cut apart
salt and pepper
¼ lb. lean ham, cut into ¼ in. cubes
1 tbl. vegetable oil
8 small onions, 1-1 ½ in. diameter
½ lb. small mushrooms
1clove minced garlic
1 ½ c. canned beef broth
2 tbl. Dijon mustard
1 c. zinfandel
¼ tsp. dry thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tbl. corn starch
1 tbl. water
2 tbl. chopped parsley

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide frying pan over med-high heat cook ham in 1 tsp. of oil until lightly browned; remove from pan. Add 1 more tsp. of oil to pan and cook chicken until golden brown and add to ham. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil and onions to pan; cook until lightly browned, 6-8 minutes. Add to chicken and ham. Add mushrooms, garlic, and 2 tbl. of broth to pan. Cook uncovered until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are golden brown. Return chicken, onions and ham to pan. Combine mustard, remaining broth, wine, and thyme. Pour over chicken, add bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat near the bone is no longer pink, 35 to 45 minutes. Discard bay leaf, place chicken and vegetables in a serving bowl. Over high heat, reduce pan juices to 1 ½ c. mix corn starch and water, stir into juices. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils. Pour over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Cold Beef Tenderloin

1 center-cut beef tenderloin (4-5 lbs.)
1 T. salt
1 T. each black and white peppercorn
and fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
1 t. cayenne
¼ t. each dry mustard and ground nutmeg
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/3 c. melted butter

Tomato Coulis

Sauté ½ c. minced onion and 1 clove minced garlic in 2 T. olive oil for 5 minutes. Add 3 peeled, diced tomatoes, cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1 T. each balsamic vinegar, chopped fresh basil, and chopped parsley, and ¼ t. each salt and pepper. Chill to blend flavors.

Horseradish Sauce

1 c. mayonnaise
3 T. grated fresh horseradish
1 ½ t. capers, coarsely chopped
1 ½ t. grated lemon peel
¾ t. Dijon mustard

Trim fat from meat. In a bowl, combine salt, black pepper, white pepper, fennel seeds, cayenne, mustard, nutmeg, and garlic. Add butter, mixed well. Preheat oven to 375. Place meat on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Rub spice mixture over all sides of meat. Roast, uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour (or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 120 degrees). Remove from oven let stand. When cool, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Prepare horseradish sauce. Combine ingredients and chill to blend flavors. To serve, carve beef crosswise in thin slices and arrange on a platter. Serve with horseradish sauce and tomato coulis.

Back to top

Laura’s Beef Burgundy Stew

Laura’s Beef Burgundy Stew

2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 1” cubes
3 T. flour, seasoned w/salt and pepper
olive oil to sear beef
1 750ml Zinfandel
2 cups low sodium beef stock
2 bay leaves
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 or 3 big handfuls of green beans, ends removed and left whole

Working in small batches, dredge cubed beef in flour. Sear in olive oil until light brown in a 6 quart stock pot.

Add wine, stock, bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until beef is tender.

Add potatoes. Simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes more.

Add green beans and partially cover. Serve when beans are still al-dente, with crusty bread and more Zin!

Back to top

Swedish Meatballs with Paprika Sauce

Swedish Meatballs with Paprika Sauce

Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground pork
2 slices stale Italian bread
8 oz. can tomatoes (with some of the liquid)
1 onion, grated
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground fennel
¼ tsp ground mace
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground allspice
few dashes of cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients (excluding the meat) in a blender.

Mix the meat together well. Add the blended ingredients into the meat and mix well. Make small balls. Recipe will yield about 65.

Saute balls in olive oil until browned. Remove to paper towel drain excess fat.

(I then simmered the meatballs on low in a little of the chicken broth to cook more thoroughly. Don’t cook too long or use high heat as the balls could become mush!)

Paprika sauce

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup light cream
2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup finely minced onion
1 Tbsp paprika
3 Tbsp flour
salt & pepper

Heat broth and cream to boiling, and remove from heat.

Saute onion in butter, remove from heat, stir in paprika and flour.

Blend real well so there are no lumps. Slowly stir in broth mixture, stirring continuously until smooth.

Simmer for 5 minutes. Add additional broth or white wine to thin out if needed. (You want the sauce thick enough to coat the balls.)

Salt & pepper to taste.

Note: All can be made a day ahead of time and slowly simmer together to reheat.