bargainsonwine

Easter Ham & Cheesy Potatoes

What goes better with a juicy Easter ham than cheesy potatoes, Nothing, but Portuguese baked beans are a close second. Roasted fennel, turnips and carrots sure fit into the puzzle. But of course they only fit well if the day is started off with the right holiday brunch style cocktails. How about a "GRAND MIMOSA" or "PEACH & SPARKLING COCKTAIL" both were really well recived to the tune of 6 bottles of fling brut, fling almond & fling raspberry.

Grand Mimosa

orange liquor ( triple sec, patron orange etc )

Fling brut or raspberry sparkling

fresh orange juice

1 ripe Kiwi and some fresh raspberries

In a champagne flute, or, my family a wine glass...

1 tbsp orange liquor, 2/3 glass sparkling, fill glass with fresh OJ, garnish with one slice of kiwi and a raspberry.

peach & sparkling cocktail

vanilla simple syrup ( 1/2 vanilla bean crushed, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, heat until sugar is dissolved, remove vanilla bean)

puree of fresh or frozen peaches

Fling sparkling Brut

peach slices and mint for garnish

1 tbsp vanilla simple syrup

2 tbsp peach puree

fill glass with sparkling

garnish with a peach slice and mint leave

 

So once we got thru the sparkling cocktails and a few appetizers, clams casino, bloody mary shrimp in endive cups, venison salami we were off to the Easter Ham and cheesy potatoes... Again I thought the amount I made was to much, weighed about 4 lbs, but as usual there was less than half a cup left, and everyone was asking for the recipe.

GRUYERE POTATOES DE PROVENCE

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 bay leaves2 lbs russet or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick

1 1/2 cups coursely grated gruyere cheese ( about 6 oz )

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated asiago cheese ( about 6 oz )

4 plim tomatoes sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 bell peppers, 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 orange cut into 3/4 inch strips

1 onion, halved and sliced 1/2 thick

2 tbsp olive oil, plus some for the baking dish

3 tsp herbes de provence

1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs

whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream in a large saucepan, stir in nutmeg, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the garlic and bay leaves and bring to a boil over medium heat. reduce heat to medium low, add the potatoes and simmer until halfway cooked, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir in the egg-milk mixture and 1 cup gruyere and 1 cup asiago, cover and keep warm.

preheat the broiler. put the tomatoes, bell peppers and onions on a baking sheet in seperate piles. drizzle each pile with 2 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle each with 1 tsp herbes de provence, salt and pepper to taste. toss each pile of vegetables to coat, then spread out the piles. broil until tender and charred around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.

preheat the oven to 375 degrees, brush a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with olive oil. sprinkle half of the bread crumbs ( 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp ) in the dish. spoon out half the potatoes and arrange evenly over the bread crumbs. top with the broiled onions and half each of the tomatoes and bell peppers. top with remaining the remaining potatoes in an even layer and all the cream mixture, discard the garlic ( or not ) and bay leaves. top with the remaining tomatoes and bell peppers. drizzle with remaining cream and sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and gruyere and asiago cheeses.

bake until the potatoes are tender and lightly golden 40 to 50 minutes, let rest 10 minutes before serving alongside the baked ham.

Unleash the hounds, stray dog viognier or stray dog unleashed

 

Strawberry's are Back

It's that time of year here in california, BIG, Plump, Juicy Fresh Strawberry's are being sold on practically every corner. Just down the street from the winery we have a little strawberry stand, well it's really a "table", with an umbrella at the back of a soccer van run by an incredibly friendly and happy young hispanic man who can't do enough to help you pick just the right box of ripe Berry's.

So after I picked up a package of country style pork ribs at the grocery store, where I passed right by their display of fresh berries, I headed right to my local corner strawberry "table". After some inspection and a few samples to get just the right basket, off to home.

while my braised country style pork ribs are working in the oven I will do a glazed strawberry tart for desert. I had about an hour and half for the ribs to bake so quickly I put together dough for the crust. The whole process for the tart should take about 2 hours but I cut it down to 90 minutes. It worked but the full amount of time for the dough to chill is really best. So now that you are getting this recipe WAY ahead of time you can make the dough the day before.

Lets start with the braised ribs, which I served with a 3 been salad and wild rice.

BRAISED COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS

3 lbs of boneless country style pork ribs

salt & pepper

3 tbsp olive oil - divided

1 large onion sliced and rough chop

4 cloves of fresh garlic - minced

1 stalk celery - chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken stock

1 bottle dark beer

parsley flakes for garnish

heat oven to 400 degrees

Rinse and dry the ribs, season with salt and pepper. heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat - brown ribs on all sides, work in batches if necessary. remove ribs and set aside. add remaining tbsp of oil and reduce heat to medium. add onions, carrots, celery and salt & pepper, cook until soft about 5 minutes. add the garlic - cook 1 minute - add tomato paste and cook stirring about 3 minutes to remove the raw flavor. deglaze the pan with the vinegar, add pepper flakes & bay leaves. add back the ribs. add the beer and then enough chicken stock to cover half way up the ribs. bring to a simmer on medium heat, place in oven for 1 1/2 hours, uncover for last 30 minutes. transfer to serving dish along with plenty of the sauce. My wine choice is JK Estates cabernet sauvignon -

GLAZED STRAWBERRY TART - serves 8

So the star here are the fresh strawberry's in this easy to make tart. you can bake the crust a day ahead and assemble the tart just before serving.

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup finely ground almonds

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup seedless strawberry jam

1 tsp lemon juice

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced in halflengthwise

sweetened whipped cream ( optional )

Stir together flour, ground almonds, sugar, lemon rind and salt in a large bowl. cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives, until course crumbs form. whisk together egg and vanilla in a small bowl - stir into flour mixture until a dough forms. shape into a flattened disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or best is overnight.

when ready to serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease and flour a baking sheet. place dough on baking sheet - pat into a 10 inch circle forming high edges. pierce bottom of dough all over with a fork. bake until slightly browned, about 25 minutes. place baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. transfer tart shell to wire rack and cool completely.

melt jam with lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat until spreadable. spread 1/2 cup of jam mixture over bottom of shell. arrange berries on top, cut sides down. brush with remaining jam mixture. slice like a pie and serve with whipped cream on the side. serve with stray dog zinfandel.

thinking about Easter weekend

Easter weekend, not an easy holiday, the beginning of spring an urge to BBQ or have an outdoor brunch with lots of fling sparkling wines, Brut, Almond and Raspberry. So I am looking at some past menu's from our restaurant and our winery and get some good ideas but get a real urge for tonight's dinner. How about a little pan seared tilapia, tarragon green beans with pearl onions and some creamy wild rice. Yes I got side tracked trying to decide on what to serve for a small group of friends for dinner on good friday. So I'll get to the Tilapia and green beans but here is a simple Friday night before easter menu that is sure to please.

Steamed clams, mac & cheese, broiled lobster tail and corn on the cob.

Steamers, depending on what part of the country you live in, can be a real variety. New England and Atlantic coast you can get the soft shell "pissers" as some call them. In the rest of the country you can get little necks, mahogany clams, cockles and a few other varieties, all good.

My preference for steamers is obviously new england steamers and they are simple to fix.

Make sure whichever clams you get they are fresh and the shells are closed, any open shells need to be tossed. 8 to 10 clams per person is a good starter for your dinner.

STEAMERS

2 quarts of water

1 onion sliced

1 bottle pilsner beer of choice ( personally - pilsner urquell )

1 tbsp zaterains or mccormicks Old Bay seasoning

10 steamers per person

1 loaf of crusty Portuguese, french or italian bread

Mix all ingredients, except steamers, together in a large pot. bring to a boil over medium heat, drop in the clams and simmer on medium heat until all clams have opened ( any that don't open need to be tossed) remove clams to a large bowl with lots of the broth.

Serve with cups of melted butter and broth on the side along with the bread, which really cries out to be dipped in the broth. Works really well with Jk estates "lobstah white" a chardonnay, viognier and sauvignon blanc blend that really compliments seafood.

MAC AND CHEESE - serves 6

1 lb fettuccine pasta - cooked al den te

1 cup grated asiago plus 1/4 cup for topping

1 cup grated romano

1 cup grated parmesan

2 8oz containers of cream fraiche

1 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped thyme leaves

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 cup pasta cooking liquid

preheat oven to 375 degrees.

bring large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until tender but firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes, drain pasta and reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid.

In a large bowl combine 1 cup asiago, romano, parmesan, creme fraiche, thyme, salt and pepper, cooking liquid and mix well then add the pasta, gently toss to combine with the sauce until pasta is coated. Place pasta mixture in a large buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining asiago cheese. Bake until top is golden, about 25 mins, let sit at least 5 mins before serving.

BROILED LOBSTER TAILS - for 6

1 5oz new england lobster tail per person

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

In a large steamer with an insert that keeps the tails out of the water cook tails until about 1/2 cooked 8 minutes. remove and split lenghtwise from the underside but not all the way thru the back shell. press apart to open and expose the meat. combine thyme and butter, brush with butter mixture and broil in the oven until they are just browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. serve with drawn butter and more of the JK lobstah white.

 

So while I was planning the above for friday night i had an urge for some pan seared tilapia and tarragon green beans with pearl onions and some spanish rice, and oh yes a baked stuffed apple for dessert. Stray Dog viognier is the perfect compliment for dinner and works really well with the desert

PAN SEARED TILAPIA - serves 2

2 10 oz tilapia fillets

1/4 cup flour

salt and white pepper

1/2 cup grape seed oil

sauce

2 oz grappa or jager or brandy

12 capers

1 oz fresh diced tomato pulp

6 fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 tsp dried

4 large pitted greek olives

zest of 1 medium orange

place flour in a shallow baking dish, rinse and pat dry the fish fillets, season with salt and white pepper, coat both sides of fillet with flour and shake off any excess. In a large frying pan add the grape seed oil and heat on high allow oil to shimmer not smoke.

place fillets in pan and reduce heat to medium high, saute 2 to 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. remove fillets from pan cover and set aside.

add to pan diced tomatoes, the black olives cut into strips, capers, chopped oregano leaves and the orange zest. bring to a boil reduce heat and add the liquor ( being cautious not to flame ) simmer about 3 minutes and return fillets back to pan cooking about 30 seconds on each side. serve the fish and divide up the sauce on top.

TARRAGON GREEN BEANS - serves 2

I like green beans sauteed but steaming them first to "al den te" seems to work best.

1/2 lb fresh green beans washed and trimmed

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed garlic

1/4 tsp dried tarragon

14 small frozen pearl onions

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Steam beans until soft but still firm, drain and set aside. To saute pan add butter, oil, garlic and tarragon on medium high heat melt butter and stir to combine. Add beans and onions , saute about 10 to 12 minutes tossing the beans frequently to coat with oil/butter mixture. serve hot.

MEXICAN BROWN RICE

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 tsp cumin

1 can 8oz mexican-style tomato sauce

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, add onion, corn and cumin and saute 2 minutes. add tomato sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in rice and cilantro and simmer 2 minutes, serve hot.

BAKED STUFFED APPLES for two

2 large ripe apples of your choice

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup dark rum or brandy

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 cup chopped dried apricots

1/8 cup honey

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup apple juice

heat oven to 325 degrees

cut of the top of each apple and cut a flat spot in the bottoms. scoop out the core to make a pocket. In a medium sauce pan add butter, brown sugar, dark rum, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon bring to low boil and flame rum stir to combine. mix in apricots, raisins, honey and walnuts. bring to a low boil and stir to combine. stuff apples with mixture, place apples in a small casserole dish, pour in apple juice and cover with tinfoil, bake 45 minutes remove foil bake 10 mins more. serve with rum raisin ice cream & Stray Dog Viognier

 

 

 

monday nite, stormy, winter salad, cabbage and paprika pork

NOTE: click on recipes-choose a recipe-click on archives-find the month & recipe

Looks like it's going to be this way most of the week and then again on the weekend. Amazing how winter decided not to start until March, well it keeps the snow coming in the higher elevations and maybe a longer ski season. So what warm and comfy foods will work on a night like this? braised cabbage with bacon, red wine vinegar and mint along with paprika pork and a winter salad that will really get your attention and is a wonderful variation from traditional dinner salads. I can't tell you how impressed we were with this salad. little does the Bocce club know that this will be our first contribution to the season opener in April.

WINTER SALAD WITH RIPE PEARS & TOASTED PECANS - serves 4 to 6

A beautiful addition to your dinner table for a gathering of friends or dinner for two - the green and red lends a festive touch in any season.

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp course ground pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

3 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored and each cut into 16 wedges

1 wedge, 4oz, parmesan cheese

2 small heads radicchio torn into large pieces

2 small heads belgian endive, separated into leaves

2 small bunches arugula

1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

In a very large bowl, with a wire whisk, mix vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in olive oil until blended. Add pear wedges, toss to coat pears with dressing.

with vegetable peeler shave 1 cup loosely packed parmesan shavings and set aside.

add radicchio, endive,and arugula to bowl with pears; toss to coat evenly. serve salad topped with parmesan shavings and pecans.

BRAISED NAPA CABBAGE WITH BACON, RED WINE VINEGAR AND MINT - serves 4

8 ounces bacon, diced

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp honey

2 cups chicken stock

2 lbs Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves thinly sliced

preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized roasting pan over medium-high heat add bacon and cook until crisp. remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

place cabbage in roasting pan with bacon fat, stir in the vinegar, honey and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. cover and roast in oven until wilted, about 30 minutes. remove from oven and stir in the mint. transfer to a WARMED platter and sprinkle with cooked bacon, ready to serve.

Now this next recipe has a couple variations. If you like hungarian style then use the last ingredient, sour cream, or leave it out and enjoy a little more spice and warmth. I discovered this by tasting the sauce just before adding the sour cream. You can use the 1 lb of boneless pork cut up or I prefer 6 - 8oz boneless pork chops. You can also substitute top sirloin or bottom round steak if the mood strikes you.

PAPRIKA PORK - and JK zinfandel - and it helps to have a glass while your are cooking

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 lb lean pork cut into 1" cubes or 4 - 6/8 oz pork chops ( my preference )

4 tsp olive oil

2 cans (14.5 oz) chopped stewed tomatoes

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature, OPTIONAL

Combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss with meat or completely coat chops. Using a large skillet brown meat in hot oil. stir in tomatoes. cook, uncovered, over medium heat about 25 minutes until meat is tender stirring frequently or turning several times for chops.

Ready to serve alongside cabbage ( my choice) with the JK zin

OR OPTIONAL: remove pan from heat. remove 1/2 cup sauce mixture from skillet and blend with sour cream. return mixture to skillet; blend well over medium heat. DO NOT BOIL. serve over noodles or rice - and JK zin. enjoy

snowy sunday - spanish seafood soup

woke up to snow on the deck. fire was out and Bell (my dog) was doing her usual sprawl and Snor. I guess its her age. seems like the older we get the more we snor. the only difference is Bell doesn't wake herself up and apologize, HMMMM.

Had a little corned beef and a few potatoes so what else for breakfast, corned beef hash and eggs.

But all the time I was thinking today is a soup, chowder or stew day. Well ever since Ramondin gave me a spanish cookbook for christmas one year I do love flipping through the unique recipes. So I found this seafood soup ( zarzuela ) that looked like it could be a great base. So after a little reading and a little thought I decided to add a few things and make this hearty seafood soup for sunday afternoon. along with the white fish, mussels and shrimp the recipe called for I added to the shopping list clams, dungeness crab and cod. combined with the spanish love for almonds it's a great flavor.

so after a quick trip to the pokerville market I was home, the fire was blazing, and away I go creating Zarzuela. There is nothing like stormy weather, a good fire and the aromas of a hearty soup filling the house.

ZARZUELA SEAFOOD SOUP

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic - whole

1 large onion large dice

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3oz prosciutto coarsely chopped

32 oz chicken stock

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 cup JK estates chardonnay, viognier or divinity white wine

1/2 cup finely, finely ground almonds

12 large shrimp peeled and de veined

8 each hard shell calms and large mussels

3 dungeness crab clusters legs and body

1 large cod fillet about 3/4 lb in LARGE cubes

chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges

heat oil in a large pot ( I use my le creuset dutch oven ) over medium heat. add garlic and onion - cook and stir for 5 minutes. add bell peppers and prosciutto and cook 5 minutes more. stirring frequently to lightly brown prosciutto.

add stock, tomatoes, wine and almond powder and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in seafood and cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until seafood is cooked BUT NOT OVERCOOKED. ladle into large heated soup bowls season with parsley and serve with lemon wedges and stray dog trinity wine from JK estates. Then sit back and enjoy the fire and watch the weather and start giving some thought to Easter, both friday nite when friends and family first start to arrive and Easter sunday brunch.

With my passion for great seafood how else to start the first holiday weekend of spring. some fresh shellfish a new mac and cheese creation along with some grilled corn. stay tuned for EASTER.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rainy winter saturday nostalgia

It's a rainy somewhat snowy march saturday, fire is going all day and I saw this weather coming and had an urge for Mom's Boston baked beans and "franks" as she called them.

So on friday I pulled out " A knife full of cinnamon" Mom's handwritten cook book and started the beans soaking overnight. I pretty much always have a bag of dry beans in the cupboard either navy, pinto or pea beans. soak the 1 lb of beans, overnight, in 3 cups of water.

BOSTON BAKED BEANS

1 lb of dry pea beans

5 cups of water ( 3 cups for soaking)

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

3 medium onions chopped

3/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup catsup

1/4 lb salt pork ( I always buy a large chunk and keep in the freezer)

After the beans have soaked over night get out the dutch oven. transfer the beans to the pot and add the remaining 2 cups of water and all the ingredients, except the salt pork. cover the pot and boil the beans until the skins are wrinkled. Place beans in a bean pot if you have one or stay with the dutch oven. cut salt pork into large strips and place on top of the beans. sprinkle with pepper. bake, covered at 250' for 6 to 8 hours ( I like 8 hours ). After 4 hours add water to cover beans, cover and continue cooking. uncover for last 30 Min's of baking and add the "franks". I like to take the big plump 1/4 pounder's and slice them in half and place right on top of the beans for that last 30 min's of cooking. If your lucky enough to live someplace that you can buy B&M brown bread that and a condiment dish of good stone ground mustard and a bottle of Jk or stray dog merlot makes for a warm cozy dinner. KEEP THE FIRE GOING.

 

 

lets enjoy the Irish more than once a year.

As usual starting with St. Patrick's day, 3 party's, and then a surprise birthday party lots of great recipes. Why is it we think we can only enjoy Irish recipes once a year. Did the Irish only eat once a year? It's still winter, I know it's been in the 80's all over the country, but it's still winter. Take advantage of it. If you look back to last year I pretty much covered corned beef and cabbage (march 2011) so even though CB&C was still the staple a couple of really good Guinness stews emerged. So I narrowed it down to the one I liked the best and decided I would tackle it at home. Something a little different in that it is a vegetable stew, no meat, a nice alternative after a weekend of "heavy" foods. Of course the left over Irish soda bread goes really well or you can make some Irish brown bread to go with it.

Hints: toast the soda bread or sliced brown bed in the oven brushed with melted butter.

Another variation is to ladle the completed stew into individual baking dishes and top with a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Bake at 400' for 10 min or until lightly browned.

GUINNESS VEGETABLE STEW SERVES 4 WITH TOASTY BREAD - PREP AND COOK 1 HOUR

3 tbsp any soft buttery spread ( earth balance, smart balance....)

2 cups quartered mushrooms

2 cups 3/4" dice peeled carrots

1 cup shredded celery root

1 cup 3/4" dice parsnips

1 cup 3/4" dice turnips

2 large leeks, thinly sliced ( white and pale green parts only)

2 cups vegetable broth - divided

2 .07 oz packages brown gravy mix

1 12oz bottle Guinness extra stout

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

melt buttery spread in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add vegetables, cook and stir for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in 1 cup of the broth, cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Whisk gravy packets into remaining broth and add to pot. add Guinness, thyme and worcestershire, stir to mix cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes more. test vegetables for "al dente" - serve hot or finish with mashed potato tip above.

 

Ok so everyone loved the soda bread and it's gone. Here is a great simple recipe for;

IRISH BROWN BREAD - serves 8 - prep and cook time 50 min

2 cups whole wheat flour ( usually in the bulk dept)

1 cup flour

1/4 cup oat bran 9 (in stores bulk dept)

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup molasses

2 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375' and lightly grease or line with parchment paper a baking sheet. stir together the 3 dry ingredients in a medium bowl until fully incorporated. add remaining ingredients and stir to form a stiff dough. knead several times on a lightly floured board, then form into a ball. place on prepared baking sheet and cut an x in the top with a small sharp knife. brush with melted butter.

Bake 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

finish off the 6 pak of guinness with the stew or a bottle of JK or stray dog pinot noir works really well, ENJOY.

 

 

 

Paprika chicken & Iverson estate blend

Yes that's right, Iverson 2008 estate red blend was a perfect compliment to my paprika chicken. I know I know that's not my wine but hey lets give credit where credit is due. And besides how else will I keep my edge if I don't sample ALL of the other wines out there. Yup, again I say it's a dirty Job.

So after 3 days of corned beef and cabbage, a friday night party, a saturday night St Pat's birthday party for 3 of the neighbors and leftovers how about an urge for Italian. Well that's a no brainer. Head for the freezer and pull out a zucchini parmesan. Did I forget to tell you about the zucchini elf's. Up here in the foothills we have those chosen few who fancy themselves as vegetable suppliers to the "hood" . Their passion for planting leeds to an intense desire to bestow their bounty on all who forget to lock their cars. I was lucky enough to have Roy find that I was in need of lots and lots of zucchini thus lots of frozen zucchini parmesan. Somebody needs to grow eggplant.

So with that in the oven warming up a little water goes on the stove to cook Elena's pasta famiglia capelli d'angelo ( spinach angel hair pasta ). This pasta, a gift from Dana during one of our feasting excursions on the east coast has turned out to be a real find.

And what the heck does that have to do with paprika chicken, easy, it lets me prep and start it tonight for tomorrow night's dinner. Just like 2nd day spaghetti, the best.

The reason for the Iverson wine was simple. They had a 5 year anniversary party and we tried it and liked it and brought a bottle home. It's a cab sauv, cab franc and merlot blend and really held up to the paprika and pepper of the chicken dish. It reminded me a lot of my la riata blend and the way it handles spicy dishes.

Elana's capelli with pesto, garlic and butter

6oz's capelli pasta - cooked al dente

4 butter

1 tbsp christopher ranch pesto

1 tbsp crushed garlic

salt & pepper to taste

drain pasta and return to pot add all of the above ingredients and toss to combine. serve hot.

 

Zucchini parmesan

1 really large or 3 medium zuc's sliced 1/2" thick

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

black pepper

olive oil for frying

flour for dredge

3 large eggs - 2 tbsp milk combined and whisked together

tomato sauce (recipe to follow)

ground beef (recipe to follow)

2/3 cup grated parmesan

1 lb mozzarella - grated

roasted red pepper strips - 1 jar

SAUCE

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3 tbsp capers drained - chopped

2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh basil - torn

salt & pepper

1/4 tsp sugar

In a large sauce pan on medium high add oil & garlic, cook 1 min. Add pepper flakes and capers, cook for 2 minutes stirring often. Add tomatoes and bring to a low simmer add basil salt & pepper to taste - simmer 30 minutes.

MEAT

1 medium yellow onion - chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 1/2 lbs 80/20 ground beef

add oil to dutch oven ( le crueset is my preferance) add onion and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. add garlic powder, italian seasoning and ground beef, saute until meat is browned - remove from heat and cool.

I like to use loaf pans for the parmesan. they are a smaller manageable portion, easily frozen and can serve 4 for a quick meal. for larger portions any deep dish glass or aluminum pan 9 x 13

for the 3 dredges I like to use aluminum pie plates. they are the right size and easy to clean.

heat oven to 400'

mix the bread crumbs, dried oregano, thyme and pepper together.

place the flour, egg & breadcrumbs each in a pie plate, or whatever you have.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil to frying temp ( just starting to smoke ) dip each slice of zucchini first in flour then in egg wash then in bread crumbs place in skillet and fry until cooked through, drain on paper towels. when all the zucchini is fried and drained brush the baking dish with olive oil. layer into pan - sauce, zucchini, grated parmesan, meat, sauce, zucchini, parm, meat and top with mozzerella and red pepper strips. bake for 40 mins. let cool for 15 minutes before serving. or with loaf pans let cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and foil before freezing. HINT: let defrost completely before reheating.

suggestion: add a layer or 2 of sliced pepperoni between the zucchini and grated parm.

NOW back to the Braised paprika chicken for 4. since I already had the parm made and just needed to reheat it, about 30 mins, I have the time to make the chicken for tomorrow night.

Braised paprika chicken - serves four

2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

8 bone in chicken thighs

1 tbsp olive oil

2 medium yellow onions quartered and thinly sliced

1 medium russet potato, small dice

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

combine salt, paprika and black pepper. rinse and dry chicken pieces. roll & rub mixture all over chicken. To a 3 -4 quart dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat add the oil. when it smokes add chicken skin side down, cook until well browned about 3 min's, flip and repeat on 2nd side.

transfer chicken to a plate, leave drippings in pan. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. cook onions until softened, about 3 min's. Add broth and scape bottom of pan to incorporate any of the brownings. Add potatoes, chicken and bring to a boil. reduce heat to a medium / low cook covered for 30 minutes. reduce heat to simmer and cook 1 more hour.

At this point you can let the pot cool and refrigerate for the next night. If you are going to eat it now remove chicken to a plate and cover. Bring sauce to a boil and cook until reduced by 1/3 about 15 mins. Taste and adjust seasoning add chicken to moisten and serve with sauce over rice.

If you are using the dish for the next day, reheat for 45 mins before reducing the sauce and serving.

wines: Iverson estate red blend or JK la riata are perfect compliments.

 

 

 

 

 

were back and "IT'S PERSONAL"

YES, I know, it's been almost a year but I am back and have tons of recipes to share. We are working on some new projects over the past year so along with the recipes and info about life and PARTYING in the foothills we are going to have a whole new look to Bargains On Wine.

Soon you will be able to go on line and customize one of our label templates for any special occasion or holiday you have. You will be able to enter your names, dates, pictures and favorite sayings pick your wine and receive it in the mail within a week. All at Bargains on Wine incredibly low pricing. That's why we are calling this new section IT'S PERSONAL.

I am also compiling a table of contents for my recipes so you will be able to look down the list pick out what you want to try and it will direct you to the month it was published. no more hunting through all the blogs to find a recipe.

So for now it's going to be working on the directory then lots of new recipes, almost a years worth, to go along with our wines.

and DON'T FORGET "IT'S PERSONAL" COMING SOON.

St. Patrick’s day dinner

So on my way to Burlington Vermont’s Spring wine show ( spring my butt ) I am going to be preparing St. Patrick’s day dinner for eleven in Medford. Like I said in my last blog, looking for Irish recipes is not like typing in Italian or French or Asian. But thank goodness for some ideas on varying corned beef and cabbage. And a little Irish twist on a margarita, Marla’s a little skeptical about this one. And of course a little green goes a long way with deviled eggs and creme de menthe pie. I am really looking forward to the soda bread, a thick chewy bread just perfect for the juice from the corned beef. And of course a little next day corned beef sandwich with some stone ground mustard. That is of course if there is any left over. Eleven people gives one some thought on how much to cook. Not only how much to cook but what size pot to use. It’s either going to be Le Creuset’s largest dutch oven, the 9.5 qrt oval or the 13 qrt round or a really big stock pot. Well the hunt is on for the right pot. Cooking in a new kitchen can sometimes be a challenge so planning ahead is a must. In a case like this planning ahead gives the hosts a chance to borrow what is needed. Not everyone has 11 margarita glasses or a 10 qrt stockpot. But of course as long as they have a corkscrew I’ll be good to go. You really should have at least 8 to 10 oz of meat for each person, and everyone is going to want at least one potato, a parsnip and a carrot. And there is nothing worse than when you get the look, “no seconds”. So make sure you have the right size pot and enough for a few second helpings.

What do you mean “what’s an Irish margarita” what else but Irish beer and tequila, how tough is that. Oh yes and of course you need the lime, you’ve never seen a lime in a beer before. Except here we are going to use frozen limeade, your going to love it. Make sure you double the recipe so you don’t run out. Think about this, first you run out of cocktails and then you don’t have enough for seconds, life could get ugly. Have a few bottles of Wildfire trinity or JK chardonnay on hand to take up the slack and everyone will have a smile on their face.

IRISH BEER MARGARITA’S - for 6

1 lime cut into 8 wedges

1/4 cup course salt

2 – 12 oz bottles Killian’s red

1/2 cup frozen limeade – thawed

1/2 cup tequila – chilled and a little extra for a float if you like

Ice cubes

Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the margarita glasses and then dip them in the salt. In a pitcher combine beer, limeade and tequila. fill prepared glasses with ice and then fill with beer mixture and garnish with a lime wedge. Make sure you have a large enough pitcher so you can double the recipe and enough ingredients for at least two drinks per person, just in case.

EMERALD EGGS ( deviled eggs with a twist )

Hard boil 12 large eggs, peel and slice lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks into a food processor and puree with 2 cups watercress leaves, 1/2 cup mayo and four tbsp chopped scallions, 2 tbsp chopped tarragon with salt and pepper to taste. cut 8 slices of ham into strips, lay 3 strips in hollow of the egg criss crossed then fill with yolk mixture, sprinkle the top with a little dill ( for the green ) chill before serving.

IRISH SODA BREAD

4 cups flour and a little extra for currants

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter cut in 1/2″ dice

1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk – shaken

1 extra large egg – lightly beaten

1 tsp grated orange zest

1 cup dried currants

preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in bowl of electric mixer – use paddle attachment on low speed. Add butter and mix on low speed until butter is combined with flour. In a small bowl, with a fork, lightly beat butter milk, egg and orange zest. With mixer on low slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture. Dust currants with flour and mix into dough. It will be very wet. Dump dough onto a well floured board, knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place on sheet pan, cut a cross in the top with a sharp knife. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester or sharp knife comes out clean. When you tap the loaf it should have a hollow sound.

CORNED BEEF WITH ROOT VEGETABLES AND CABBAGE ( for 12 )

6 lbs corned beef

5 garlic cloves lightly mashed

10 peppercorns

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

12 oz Guinness

2 cups beef broth

water for simmering

cheese cloth and string

5 yellow onions cut into wedges

1 yellow or sweet onion sliced

4 parsnips peeled and cut into large chunks

6 large carrots cut into 3rds

12 medium red potatoes

2 heads green cabbage cut into quarters and cored

8 tbsp butter

Rinse corned beef and put in large dutch oven or stock pot. Make a bouquet garni with the garlic, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves, place in pot. Stir in beer, stock and enough water to cover beef by 2″. Bring to boil over medium heat, reduce heat to simmer and cook 4 hours covered stirring occasionally.

After 4 hours add onion wedges, parsnips and carrots and cook another 1/2 hour. Add potatoes then cabbage wedges on top. Cook covered until cabbage is tender but not limp, about 20 Min’s. Remove cabbage to a plate while beef and veggies continue to cook until meat is tender about another hour.

In separate large saute pan melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced onion and pinch of salt, saute until tender and beginning to brown 8 to 10 Min’s.

Slice cabbage thinly and press with paper towels to remove excess water. Add cabbage to onions and toss to coat with butter, cook over medium heat until cabbage begins to brown. Remove meat and let rest 10 Min’s, slice and serve on large platter surrounded by veggies and some of the broth, serve cabbage on separate platter.

CREME DE MENTHE PIE ( see recipe in January 2011 )