bargainsonwine

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 )

 

saturday night urge for spicy pasta

Well Saturday was as usual a busy day, long walk with Bell, lots of errands and a slight

wine-over from pizza night at one of our local wineries. So by the end of the day and before

I had to make an appearance at ANOTHER winery party, (it’s a dirty job) I had an urge

for some pasta. maybe a seafood pasta, something with a little kick. So what’s in the pantry

and what’s in the freezer. This whole craving probably started with pizza night where the

winery also offers a whole main lobster dinner, 1 1/2 lbs for $30. The west coast flatlanders

go crazy for it and pack the place. And I have to admit the pizza is thin crust and incredibly

delicious. But oh what a sin it is, very few of them really know how to do a lobster justice

and throw oh so much away. My uncle Bob, rest his soul, a lobster fisherman in Maine

would have a fit if saw what they waste. I finally had to show one gal who had a larger one

she special ordered just how much meat was in the body and the legs, they were amazed

and I was then the recipient of lots of free thank you wine, that’ll teach me. So anyway I

had some whole wheat linguine, large shrimp and a can of whole baby clams along with a

26 oz jar of pasta sauce ( ragu is still my favorite, just wish they had prince spaghetti out

here). So even with having to go to another party after dinner ya can’t have pasta and red

sauce without a glass of red wine. So when I thought about my recipe it made sense to go

with a Doce Robles barbera which turned out to be a perfect compliment to the spicy rich

tomato sauce. you can get Doce Robles Barbera at

 

 

www.bargainsonwine.com

at an

incredible bargain price, so take a look.

SPICY PASTA DEL MAR – serves 4 to 6

1 medium onion diced

1 tsp olive oil

1 (10 oz) can whole baby clams – drained

2 tsp minced garlic

1 (26 oz) jar Ragu red pasta sauce – traditional

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ( or to taste – I do a 1/4 tsp )

1 lb medium shrimp peeled and deveined

3/4 lb linguine – cooked and drained

In large sauce pan saute onion in oil until tender. Add clams and garlic, cook and stir 1

minute. Stir in pasta sauce, basil, thyme, black pepper and cayenne. Heat, stirring

occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil. Add shrimp, reduce heat and cook until shrimp

are pink and cooked through. Toss linguine with sauce and serve with grated Parmesan or

any hard cheese and some good Italian or sourdough bread. Oh and don’t forget the Doce

Barbera.

Well that was simple and fast for a Saturday night but now its time to think about dinner for

11 on St. Patrick’s day in Medford. Well I did a little research and of course corned beef and

cabbage is the tradition. However there is not a lot of diversity in Irish cuisine. But after a

little looking here’s the menu for Thursday night.

Killian’s Red Irish Margaritas

Emerald deviled eggs

Irish soda bread

corned beef, root vegetables and sauteed cabbage

green creme de menthe pie with baileys and a splash of green creme de menthe on the

rocks

So look for the recipes in tomorrows blog. Enjoy another glass of that great Doce barbera

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 )

pickle juice and saturday night dinner

When the last dill pickle is gone do you ever, especially when you where a kid, find yourself

taking a little sip out of the jar maybe two sips. Come on tell the truth, I did, and its really

delicious. Why else would the pickle be so good if the juice wasn’t. So when you have left

over pickle juice don’t waste it, use it to make chicken taste delicious. I know I was a little

skeptical at first and then I tried it, wow this one is amazing. Brine your chicken in dill

pickle juice for flavor and to keep it moist in the oven. You will be amazed at how moist

your chicken is and how it just falls off the bone. Serve it with potatoes and onions roasted

alongside and the most amazing sauteed swiss chard you’ll ever make.

Vinegary pickle brine is a tough match for wine, but a fruity, unoaked white is probably the

best option for this tangy chicken and savory, slightly bitter, swiss chard. Try the floral

fruity Wildfire trinity, the viognier, chardonnay and sauv blanc are the perfect

combination for this complex flavor profile.

Now I like cooking my chicken whole either in the oven or on the BBQ – butterflied. Easy to

do and makes seasoning and cooking more uniform. With a good pair of kitchen shears cut

down either side of the backbone through the soft rib bones and discard. On a large plate

or cutting board flatten the chicken by pushing down on all the joints. now your ready to

brine. You will want to do this 24 hours in advance to get the best result from the pickle

juice.

INGREDIENTS – serves 6

1 3 1/2 to 4 lb whole chicken – butterflied

2 cups dill pickle juice

1 tbsp crushed garlic

juice of 2 lemons

10 to 12 sprigs of fresh thyme

In a large resealable plastic bag mix the brine, crushed garlic, lemon juice and 5 sprigs of

thyme, add the chicken and squeeze out any air and seal. refrigerate for 24 hours.

1/2 cup olive oil, divided, and some extra for drizzle on the onions and potatoes

3 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

2 medium yellow onions quartered

4 large yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered

salt and fresh ground pepper

2 lbs swiss chard – thick stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped

1/2 small red onion sliced and quartered

1 tbsp crushed garlic

When ready to cook remove the chicken and rinse with water then pat dry. preheat the

oven to 350

 

 

′

. loosen the skin on the breast, thighs and legs and place the remaining sprigs

of thyme under the skin. Brush the chicken all over with 1/4 cup of olive oil. mix the

paprika and sea salt together and coat the skin side of the chicken evenly with the mixture.

place in a roasting pan with the onions and potatoes drizzled with olive oil and seasoned

with salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast covered for 1 1/2 hours, roast uncovered for the

last 30 mins. remove from oven and let chicken rest 10 mins before carving to serve.

when you uncover the chicken to finish roasting start the chard. In a deep skillet on medium

heat add 1/4 cup olive oil, crushed garlic and onions. saute until onions begin to get soft

about 7 to 8 mins. start adding chard a handful at a time tossing to coat with oil, when all

the chard is in and coated with the oil season with salt and pepper, cover and saute until

chard is tender.

to serve divide the chard evenly on warm plates, place chicken pieces on top of the chard

add some potatoes and onions to each plate and serve with wildfire trinity. You are going to

love the flavors in this dish. Nobody will believe its done with pickle juice. let me know how

many compliments you get on this one.

Wednesday nite winter dinner

 

Just as we have another storm system rolling in it’s time for Wednesday night dinner and

some recipes from;

” a knife full of cinnamon” handwritten by Ruth Gendron

” when my children started to ask for my recipes, I decided something drastic would have to

be done. I must make each and every one of them and write down the ingredients as I do

it. Of course, you realize that every time I made anything, it couldn’t possible be the same

as the last time that I made it. But – LO- if my children thought that I was a fantastic cook,

I had to do it.”

And that is exactly what she did. Every Wednesday night for many years when Mom & Dad

lived in Santa Barbara every Wednesday night we would pack up and drive from Camarillo

and Carpenteria and have an incredible family dinner. One of the best things you can do for

your kids is have family dinner as many nights of the week as you can.

So for my first Wednesday night dinner I have decided on:

Garlicky Caesar salad, Ragout, horseradish mashed potatoes Au gratin, turnips and

carrots and a raisin pie.

Definitely winter comfort food with all the aromas of that kitchen in Santa Barbara. Picking

the wines are the most fun, at least now, so because the ragout takes 2 cups of dry red

wine I wanted a wine that you can cook with and serve with dinner. Of course if you are

cooking with wine and serving it with dinner you will need an extra bottle. 2 cups for the

sauce and 2 cups for the cook always makes for a more creative cooking experience. After

some thought I decided that wildfire blaze with its earthy blend of cab sauv, merlot and

syrah would be the perfect match and you’ll see why when you taste the sauce in the

Ragout.

GARLICKY CAESAR SALAD

Romaine lettuce with a pungent dressing made from anchovy, Worcestershire, tabasco and

a little mayo.

1/4 cup mayo

3 tbsp fresh grated pecorino cheese

pecorino shavings for garnish

1 anchovy fillet plus more for serving (optional)

2 tbsp water

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 medium garlic clove – mashed

1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp tabasco

white pepper

3 chilled large hearts of romaine, leaves left whole

In a blender combine the mayo, with the 3 tbsp of pecorino. 1 anchovy and the water,

vinegar, garlic, worcestershire and tabasco. process until smooth, season with white pepper.

In a large salad bowl, toss the romaine with the dressing and season with black pepper,

garnish with pecorino cheese shavings and anchovy fillets, serve right away.

RAGOUT

2 1/2 lb pork loin sliced into 3/4

 

 

″

thick slices

2 eggs

2 lbs ground beef

1 tsp gravy master

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, celery salt, and ground clove

mix altogether {except pork} form into small meatballs, cook in sauce in large dutch oven

for 2 1/2 hours. brown pork slices in a large skillet add to sauce and meatballs.

SAUCE :

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups dry red wine

1/2 tsp each : salt, pepper, celery salt, garlic powder, ground clove.

2 tbsp gravy master

6 tbsp flour mixed with warm water to a smooth paste ( I like to use a jar and shake it till

its mixed, don’t forget the lid)

mix all ingredients together and whisk to combine.

when ready to serve ladle over mashed potatoes.

HORSERADISH MASHED POTATOES AU GRATIN

5 large boiler potatoes washed peeled and cubed

sea salt and black pepper

3 tbsp creamy horseradish sauce

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

boil potatoes until soft, mash and mix with all ingredients except cheddar cheese. Spread

the mashed potatoes into a 2 qrt gratin dish or casserole dish. smooth surface with wooden

spoon. season with salt and pepper and cover the top with grated cheese. Bake until top is

golden and crispy about 30 min. When ready to serve spoon onto center of plate and cover

with Ragout.

TURNIP AND CARROTS

3 large turnips ( rutabagas) peeled and cubed

1 lb carrots peeled and sliced

1/4 lb butter

salt and pepper

cook turnips and carrots until soft about 35 to 40 minutes. drain well and mash with butter

until granular, season with S & P . serve alongside ragout and gravy.

RAISIN PIE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

2 pie crusts ( 1 shell and 1 top )

1 1/2 cups seedless raisins

1 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup sugar

cook raisins in water until tender. mix flour and sugar together and add slowly to raisins and

water stirring over low heat until thickened. Cool – pour into pie crust, cover with top crust

and pinch edges to seal. Poke 3 slits in top crust to release steam. Bake 425

 

 

′

35 to 40 min

or until top is browned. cool 15 min allowing pie to set before cutting and serving, serve

with scoops of vanilla ice cream AND ANOTHER GLASS OF WILDFIRE BLAZE OR A GLASS OF

WILDFIRE ZINFANDEL FROM www.bargainsonwine.com

stormy weather chowder

 

Well we certainly had a wild weekend of weather on the west coast and in the foothills.

Snow down as low as 1000 feet, funnel clouds just below us following the base of the

foothills , rain, hail, high winds you name we had it. We did have enough warning this time

to get prepared. I took my generator in for service, got an extra fuel can and fuel, checked

all the extension cords, batteries for the flashlights, lanterns and camping lights. Got extra

bottled water and filled large pots with water for cooking, propane stove just needs a

match, and washing dishes. Filled the tub with water for bathroom issues. I was set except

for what do do while the power was out and the roads were closed. That didn’t take much

thought I’ll get everything I need to make another great chowder for the weekend and at

the same time pick up everything I need for Wednesday night dinner.

So after looking at Mom’s cookbook I decided a Portuguese fish chowder would be perfect.

It’s such a natural having grown up so close to Fall River and New Bedford and with all the

Portuguese families living around us. There was nothing better than the seafood dishes the

women made from the fresh seafood the men would bring home after a weekend night of

fishing. Steamers, cherry stones, quahog’s, snails, striped bass and pollock. And the

homemade linguica or chourico ( if you can find it) that would go in just about everything

was the best. The flavor from the hearty spices and the ample amounts of pork fat ground

up for the sausage created the perfect color as it rendered out during cooking. That was

what you used on a sandwich, just brush some of that rendered oil on the bread instead of

anything else, add sliced linguica or chourico and that’s a sandwich for a Saturday lunch,

nothing better. So back to the chowder, I am a big fan of using more than one type of fish

in my chowders so finding the right fish is never difficult. Remember just because I specify

a certain fish doesn’t mean you can’t use what you like or find to be plentiful. A note of

caution is don’t use any fish that is to soft in texture they don’t make good chowders. Cod,

halibut, haddock, pollock, bass, hake are your best choices.

Now if you live anywhere near a Portuguese bakery a crusty loaf of fresh baked bread is

perfect and if not a loaf of Italian is terrific also.

PORTUGUESE FISH CHOWDER

2 tbls olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 tbls chopped garlic

2 cups diced yellow onions

1 large diced green pepper

1/4 tsp allspice

6 to 8 medium potatoes peeled and cubed

4 cups fish stock or clam juice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups canned diced tomatoes with juice

6oz linguica sliced 1/4 ” thick

6 oz andouille sausage sliced 1/4

 

 

″

thick

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1lb cod and 1 lb bass fillets skinned and bones removed

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Heat a large heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil and bay leaves.

when the bay leaves turn brown add the garlic and cook until it is golden brown, stir

frequently. Add the onions, bell pepper and allspice and saute, stirring occasionally, until the

onions and peppers are soft, not browned. Add the potatoes, stock and wine. make sure

potatoes are covered and if not add more liquid. Increase the heat and bring to a boil cover

and cook the potatoes until just soft about 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium

and add the tomatoes and sausage. Simmer and season with salt and pepper and don’t be

shy, 5 to 6 minutes to let the sausage cook. Add the fish cut into really large chunks, 4 to 5

” square or long. Simmer another 10 minutes until fish is cooked. remove from heat and let

sit at least an hour before reheating to serve, or overnight is best for a next day meal.

When you reheat don’t bring to a boil just to a good simmer. ladle into heated bowls and

serve with warm bread, garlic bread is best. Have this meal with wildfire trinity or the Irish

vineyard Kilkenny white from

 

 

www.bargainsonwine.com

. Don’t forget to let me know what

you think or any suggestions. ENJOY

winters back

Well winter is back in the Sierras, rain sleet snow, perfect for more warm winter comfort

food. So I decided on a seafood chowda for dinner but remembered that a good chowder

needs to rest and season itself so I’ll make it tonight for tomorrow. And then WOW, I had

some of my “I can’t believe its been a year” eggplant parm in the freezer so brought that

out for dinner. You gotta revisit this recipe, the rich tomato sauce, aromas of basil and

oregano, lots of cheese and the twist with the pepperoni reminded me of a winter night in

mom’s kitchen. And with a glass of Auriga 07 Zin just perfect.

It’s a great thing having left overs in the freezer. It helps to keep past recipes in mind and it

lets you concentrate on cooking a new recipe like New England Fish Chowder, your gonna

love this one. With the storm outside the warmth, aromas and energy coming from the

kitchen take me from the Sierras back to those frozen winter nights in New England, so

what else but a “chowda”.

Remember the rule of thumb with chowder it needs to rest and season itself after cooking.

So if you are making it for dinner the same night make it early enough so it has an hour or

so to rest before reheating and serving. If you make it for the next night let if cool a while

and then finish cooling in the frig before covering, keeps it fresher for reheating. Reheat

slowly when ready to serve.

They say the storms are going to last all week so its the time of year to focus on wednesday

night dinners like Mom’s and Saturday night family dinners. I am going to make that a focus

for the next few winter months. Especially since winter lasts thru April and sometimes early

May here. I am going to cook menu’s versus just recipes twice a week. Of course nights

like tonight when conditions are right a special selection like fish chowder will jump up for

us to try.

NEW ENGLAND FISH CHOWDER

4 oz salt pork, remove rind, dice to 1/3

 

 

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 medium onions – medium dice

1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

2 bay leafs

2 lbs yukon gold potatoes peeled and sliced 1/3 ” thick ( I like to halve the potatoes

lengthwise first, then slice)

5 cups seafood stock or clam broth

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 lbs haddock , or similar white fish

1 1/2 lbs cod

2 cups heavy cream

garnish - minced fresh chives

In a 6 quart heavy pot or dutch oven ( I like my Le crueset ) on low heat add the salt pork,

once it starts to render down increase heat to medium and cook until a crisp golden brown.

remove the cracklings and reserve until later. To the fat in the pot add the butter, onions,

thyme and bay leaves stir occasionally until onions are softened but not browned.

Add the potatoes and stock. I f the stock doesn’t cover the potatoes add enough water to

cover. bring to a boil on medium high heat, cover and cook for about 10 min until potatoes

are just soft but still firm inside. Reduce the heat to low and season heavily with salt and

pepper, you need to over-season slightly at this point so you are not stirring to much after

adding the fish, add the fish and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 min’s, remove from heat and

let rest for 10 min.

gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If your going to serve it the same

nite let it rest for an hour before reheating to serve. reheat slowly on low heat and don’t

bring to a boil. after ladling into bowls garnish the top with some of the cracklings the

minced chives and a little cracked pepper. serve with some really good crusty french bread

and Wildfire cellars Trinity.

WOW just had a bowl and it is just incredible. Can’t wait to try my next

chowder, portuguese fish stew. Look for this one in a couple of days and for saturday nite

dinner it’s going to be mom’s meatball and pork cutlet ragu.

 

″

VALENTINES SPECIAL SIDES

OK so now that you have decided which one your going to make how about the perfect

sides. Everyone seems to think rice is the way to go with fish or seafood in general, well yes

and no. I am a big fan of risotto and like I said California fresh asparagus from the valley is

hitting the stores. When you pick out your bunch of spears try to get the thin ones or at

least a bunch with more thin than thick, really tender especially for this kind of dish. Oh yes

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH TOASTED ALMONDS.

I’m not sure I have mentioned this before but the best thing about cooking with wine is

having a glass while your cooking so always make sure you have enough for the recipe and

for the cook, and as I am told frequently don’t forget the sous chef.

after that comes another possibility SMOKED GOUDA MASHED POTATOES if you decide on

this one you can steam or saute the asparagus, also a great choice. Trimming the hard

ends off asparagus does not have to be done with a knife, just hold the cut end with two

fingers and grab the stalk in the middle with two fingers and bend. The stalk will snap just

exactly where the spear gets tender, no guessing or stringy bites.

Already got some feed back on the bread pudding and a great suggestion. I’ll pass that

along at the end of these recipes along with the port reduction sauce.

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

6 tbsp butter – cubed

1 shallot finely diced

1 1/2 cups risotto rice – arborio or I prefer carnaroli

1/2 cup white wine ( JK or Wildfire )

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all of your ingredients before you start to cook. Fill a bowl with ice water.

place the stock and 1 cup of water into large sauce pan and bring to simmer. add asparagus

and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes. Remove and place asparagus into ice water.

pour the stock and water into a pot over low heat. Remove asparagus from water and cut

the tips from each spear, set them aside for garnish. slice the spears into 3/4

 

 

″

pieces.

In a large deep saute pan melt two tablespoons of butter, over medium low heat then add

the shallots, season lightly with salt. saute about 3 minutes until translucent, do not allow

them to start to color. When the shallots are almost ready, add another tablespoon of

butter. Once the butter has melted, add the rice and bring the heat up to medium. Toss the

rice in the butter and shallot mixture to coat and stir, about two minutes, don’t let rice stick

to pan. set a timer for 18 minutes.

Now add the wine and stir. As the wine cooks off the rice will look dry, add one ladle of

stock and stir. Continue to stir keeping the rice moving from outside of pan to center. As the

rice begins to look dry again add more stock and stir. keep adding stock as necessary but

reserve at least 2 ladles full. when timer reads2 minutes add the asparagus to the pan but

not the tips continue to stir. continue to cook and stir until rice is al dente using up your

stock. Turn off the heat, add last tablespoon of butter and the parmigiana stir to combine,

taste for seasoning. Place in heated bowl and garnish with asparagus tips and slivered

almonds.

SMOKED GOUDA MASHED POTATOES

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed

6 oz shredded smoked gouda

salt and white pepper

Place potatoes in saucepan covered with water add 1/2 tsp salt cook over medium heat until

fork tender 15 to 20 min. Drain

Return potatoes to pan and add butter, cream and cheese. mash and stir to incorporate all

the seasonings, if to thick add more cream. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

serve hot. AND DON’T FORGET THE WINE

I got a great response to the bread pudding and a great suggestions for a little twist on this

desert, how about CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD PUDDING what a great idea, go to the

store or bakery and get a loaf of day old cinnamon raisin bread for this recipe. Or buy a loaf

and let it stay out for a day or two.

1 loaf day old cinnamon raisin bread

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp powdered sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup raisins

vanilla ice cream

tear 6 to 8 slices of the bread into large bite sized pieces. In a large bowl combine the

cream, sugar and eggs. Reserve 1/4 of the mixture for later use. Soak the bread in the

mixture for 30 minutes. Transfer to a small baking dish and top with the remaining 1/4 cup

of mixture. sprinkle the top with raisin and cover with foil. Cook for 35 minutes covered and

then 10 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and let set 15 minutes. to serve cut into

squares drizzle with port sauce and sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve with a scoop of

vanilla ice cream and a small glass of port.

PORT REDUCTION SAUCE

1 cup port wine

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tbsp orange zest

dash of cinnamon

combine all ingredients in sauce pan, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer until

volume is reduced by half and mixture is thickened. You can serve this hot or when cooled

place in a squeeze bottle and refrigerate for use later. Best served at room

temperature. DON’T FORGET THE WINE

more valentines

Like I promised a few more recipes to use in any combination you want for that special,

just for two, valentines dinner.

And its a good thing, discovered today that lots of folks got excited about the bouillabaisse

recipe and aren’t going to wait till next Monday. And seeing as how no new snow storms in

the forecast to keep Gerard busy I better get crackin with things to cook. As some of you

might remember one of my passions is seafood. I have tried more seafood and Italian

recipes than I can remember so I spend a lot of time looking for great seafood stores. One

of the of the best choices I can find consistently is halibut. A nice thick white flaky halibut

fillet is right at the top of my list. Of course if you are lucky enough to have a really high

end seafood market close by you might be able to find an extra thick cut of Chilean sea

bass, if you are in the mood to spend $20 plus per pound, otherwise lets do the halibut.

Atlantic, Pacific or Alaskan its all great. I think its one of the easiest fish to get creative

with. Encrust it with nuts, seasoned bread crumbs or a seafood mousse. Serve it

with asparagus risotto and smoked Gouda mashed potatoes for an incredible special event

meal.

Now you don’t have to save these recipes for special occasions. Just pick one menu for

Valentines day and the next for wed or Thursday. I skipped Tuesday because you’ll probably

have left over chicken from Monday night. No worry just keep cooking. Now the wines

from last night are perfect for this meal also, a perfectly chilled Wildfire or JK

chard, Divinity a proprietary white blend, or trinity a chard / viognier white blend.

Of course we can’t forget the Irish pinot grigio.

So I have tried both of these halibut recipes and they both have that island influence and

freshness and I can’t make up my mind. Macadamia nuts and lemon juice in one and

then tropical fruit with creamy seafood mousse with a crunch. One of the real treats to

this, at least here in the foothills, is the discovery of fresh California asparagus in the

markets. Makes you want to grill a few and top them with a fried egg, Don’t turn your nose

up at this one till you try it. Remind me to do that recipe some night. Now I never make a

habit of giving out competing recipes but I can’t make up my mind on this one. So I am

going to give you both recipes and you can pick.

MACADAMIA CRUSTED HALIBUT

2 8oz halibut fillets

1 cup macadamia nuts finely chopped

1 large egg, white only

4 tbsp canola oil

2 shallots thinly sliced

1 oz cider vinegar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes pureed

4 oz unsalted butter, cubed

1 tbsp chives finely chopped

2 oz fresh lemon juice

salt and black pepper to taste

preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lay the pieces of fish on a clean work surface, season each piece with the salt and pepper.

Using a brush quickly spread a thin layer of egg whites on top of the fish and then sprinkle

over the chopped macadamia nuts. Press the nuts into the fish to create a crust. Heat a

large saute pan coated with the oil over medium heat. Place halibut macadamia side down –

in the pan and sear for 3 to 4 minutes. When macadamia’s are golden brown, flip the fish

and cook for another 3 min. Place fish in a baking dish and cook in the oven for another 8

to 10 minutes.

for the sauce, heat shallots, lemon juice, and vinegar in a medium skillet. Reduce until

almost no liquid remains. Add cream and pureed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce by

half. reduce heat, add butter, and whisk constantly. When mixed, add chives and salt to

taste. Keep warm , spoon sauce onto a warm plate and place fish on top, drizzle a little

extra sauce over and around fish.

SHRIMP ENCRUSTED HALIBUT WITH MANGO SALSA

You will really appreciate the contrast of flavors in this recipe with the tropical fruit and a

splash of spice.

MANGO SALSA

1 ripe mango

3 strawberries

1 ripe kiwi

1 small red onion

1/4 bunch cilantro – chopped

a splash of whit wine – up to an oz

1 tbsp vinegar based hot sauce

MAIN DISH – HALIBUT

2 6 to 8 0z halibut fillets

1/4 lb medium shrimp shelled

1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 medium white onion

1 cup course bread crumbs

1/4 cup cooking oil

SALSA - prepare salsa about an hour ahead of time so it has time to break down. Dice

mango’s, 1/2 red onion, strawberries and kiwi. Stir in chopped cilantro. add hot sauce and

salt to taste. refrigerate

SHRIMP MOUSSE – slice remaining onion thin and cook in butter until onions are clear. add

shrimp and cook through, then add splash of white wine and a pinch of salt, and cook until

mixture is almost dry. Do not brown. set aside to cool. Puree cooled shrimp and onions in

blender or food processor and slowly add the cream.

HALIBUT – Top halibut fillets with shrimp mixture and encrust with bread crumbs, pressing

crumbs into shrimp mousse. Heat pan and cook fish coating side down. Turn with spatula

when crumbs begin to brown. Finish i n a 350 degree oven for about 5 to 6 min. serve

with salsa on the side or partially on top of a portion of the fish like a lava flow.

Serve either of these spectacular recipes with ASPARAGUS RISOTTO and SMOKED GOUDA

MASHED POTATOES I will add these recipes for tomorrow.

DON’T FORGET THE WINE.

valentine dinner at home

 

 

 

 

Yes I have been a bit of a slacker on the recipes, tried to give everyone enough to make it

thru the super bowl. Got lots of compliments on the apps especially the bacon wrapped

dates. The short ribs were huge and so was Grandma Phoebe’s meat pie. Just got back from

the Boston wine expo. Had a week and half of New England seafood – steamers, oysters,

scallops, fried clams and of course lobster and Boston scrod, it doesn’t get any better. If

you make it to the north end Giacomo’s is a must and if you go thru the tunnel to East

Boston you need to try Santarpio’s pizza, you’ll think your in a speakeasy during the 20

 

 

′

s.

For the first time that I can remember I did not make it to the Union Oyster house or the No

Name, I’ll get them next time. Instead I made a point of going to one of my top five

restaurants in the country, The Chatham Squire, for steamers, fried clams and sole in

beurre blanc sauce (ask for extra on the side) and a night talking with Otis,

bartender/manager extraordinaire. And if you are full of energy on a Friday or Saturday the

“other side” as we call it has plenty of good music and dancing. Try a walk on the beach

and then cocktails at Chatham Bars Inn for a great Saturday afternoon.

Did a couple of really fun tastings and bottle signings while I was there. One at Donelan’s

market in Acton and the other at Chris Gasbarro’s wine shop in North Attleboro, my home

town. Stop into Donelans and say hi to Kathleen or Gasbarros and visit with Liz.

Of course that was all the fun stuff, holy cow where did all that snow come from. Helped

shovel the 14

 

 

″ storm one morning and had to walk 25′

to find a place to throw the snow. I

got out of there just in time and luckily routed myself thru Orlando and then into Austin for

a meeting, the day the big storm hit Dallas. The snow never touched Austin just got really

cold. I was one of the few who made it out. My buddy Roy was stuck in Dallas for a couple

of days. Things could be worse, a couple of days of deep Elam BBQ isn’t so bad.

So I should probably move on to the point of this blog. If you don’t want to go out on

amateur night and you want to really have a great Valentine night try dinner at home. I

have a few suggestions and some recipes that make a great menu. I am going to give you

a great menu to start with then a few recipes to pick and choose from to make your own

special dinner. I am going to do my best to make these recipes for two but those of you

who know me will agree I don’t do well at that so there might be a little left over for lunch

on Tuesday. But the bread pudding recipe is from my mom’s Knife full of cinnamon cook

book so we don’t want to mess with this one, its great leftover, invite a friend over for

coffee and desert the next day. You’ll thank me when your fighting over the last bite on

wednesday.

We’ll start with a classic salad, Marissa’s wedge with blue cheese and bacon. followed by

chicken bouillabaisse ( YOU ARE GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS ONE, INCREDIBLE

FLAVORS), tarragon green beans and bread pudding with malbec. All of these recipes

really go well with a crisp JK or Wildfire chard, the Divinity white blend and of course a pinot

grigio from Irish vineyards works well also. I know I know the wines aren’t up

on

 

 

www.bargainsonwine.com

due to reconstruction of the site but you can keep them in

mind for a few weeks then go wild ordering the wines that will be at incredible savings.

ICEBURG WEDGE WITH BLUE AND BACON

2 chilled salad plates

1 small head of fresh crisp iceberg lettuce, well chilled, cut in half then each half cut into 3

wedges ( save the rest for BLT’s or chop salad)

1 small jar of Roquefort or blue cheese dressing, preferably one from the refrigerated salad

section of your produce dept.

4 oz blue cheese crumbles

6 slices bacon cooked CRISP and crumbled

6 grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise

fresh cracked pepper

Place a wedge, curved side down on each plate, spoon 2 to 3 oz ( or more to taste, don’t

skimp) of dressing all over the wedge and drizzle some on the plate. divide the blue cheese

crumbles equally and sprinkle all over the dressing and wedge, now do the same with the

bacon crumbles, place half of the sliced tomatoes cut side up on each plate, a couple of

twists of cracked pepper and serve

CHICKEN BOUILLABAISE

2 large chicken breasts with bone, each cut into 3 pieces

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds

1 15oz can tomato puree

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine, JK or Wildfire chard

1 tbsp anisette

2 large yukon gold potatoes cut into 6 pieces

6 medium button mushrooms cut in half, or 3oz oyster mushrooms cut into 3rds

1 medium white onion cut into large pieces

1 medium red pepper cut into 1 1/2

 

 

″

chunks

crusty french bread warmed for serving

Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt, pepper and rosemary. heat olive oil

over medium heat in large Dutch oven and brown the chicken pieces until well browned all

over about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. lower the heat to

medium low and add the garlic, turmeric, fennel, puree, chicken stock, white wine and

anisette add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper to the pot. Stir and scrape all brown pieces on the

bottom of pot, simmer 30 min, until garlic is soft, stir often.

turn off the heat and let liquid cool for 10 min. carefully pour the sauce into a blender, cover

and pulse puree on low until smooth. Return sauce to pot add potatoes, mushrooms, onion

and red pepper, stir to mix, add chicken. Now you can cover the pot and bake for 1 hour

in a 300 degree oven or simmer uncovered on top of the stove on medium low heat until

sauce thickens and vegetables are cooked about 1 hour. If you choose the stove top use a

heat diffuser or stir frequently. If it boils to rapidly reduce heat and simmer longer. I like

about 90 minutes. Serve with warm french bread and Wildfire or Jk Chardonnay.

NOTE: If you want to increase the portions JUST add 1 or 2 more chicken breasts cut into

3rd’s, 1 or 2 more potatoes cut up and 1 more cup of stock. If when you put everything in

the pot use a little stock and white wine if you need to raise the liquid level to surround the

chicken that you put on top and pushed down into the juice.

TARRAGON GREEN BEANS

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large shallot finely sliced

1 lb green beans trimmed

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

In a high sided skillet melt butter in oil and add shallot over medium heat, stir constantly

until shallot soft and translucent, 2 mins, add green beans and toss to coat with shallot

mixture ( add more oil if necessary ) cook stirring occasionally 2 min, add wine raise heat to

medium high cook stirring frequently until beans are tender, stir in tarragon and add salt

and pepper. Serve hot.

BREAD PUDDING WITH PORT REDUCTION SAUCE AND VANILLA ICE CREAM

2 cups milk

4 cups bread, stale is OK, torn into small pieces

2 eggs

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 apple sliced

1/4 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

4 tbsp melted butter

heat milk and butter add to bread in large bowl – set aside. Break eggs and beat slightly till

yolk is combined add to bread and mix well add all other ingredients mix well and pour all

into a greased 2 qt casserole. set casserole in a baking pan, fill pan with water to within 1

inch of top of casserole. Bake @ 350

 

 

′

for 75 min. serve warm with port sauce and ice

cream. Don’t forget the finca andrade or santa sara malbec.

Tomorrow we’ll add a macadamia crusted halibut and a shrimp encrusted halibut and how

about a mushroom risotto. Now these are great recipes but don’t pass up the bouillabaisse,

I am having a bowl of it now, it came out incredible. this one has such intense flavors don’t

adjust the amounts. Oh yes you probably will want the port sauce so check back tomorrow.