Recipes

All-Time Favorite Food and Wine Pairings New England Lobster Rolls with Dilled Mayonnaise Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chile-Molasses Butter Hot Veggie Bath (Bagna Cauda) Easy Recipe for Greener Eating Soupe au Pistou Spicy Garlic Shrimp Chimichurri Sauce Easy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvre Menu Wild Mushroom Gravy Tagliatelle with Brown Butter and Sage Chicken, Cherry, and Pepper Yakitori "Hot Bath" (Bagna Cauda) Easy Recipe for Greener Eating Easy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvre Menu Bordeaux-soaked mushroom, shallot, and Roquefort salad Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce All-Time Favorite Food and Wine Pairings If there's one thing our staff spends a lot of time doing, it's trying out different foods with different wines. We asked each of our staff members who picked wine for this month's selections to tell us their all-time favorite food and wine pairing. Each one is a sure-fire recipe for a good night! Bunny Neuhart: Stilton cheese and honeycomb with Port Kathy Brindle: Grilled salmon with Oregon Pinot Noir Mike Maresca: Lavender-honey ice cream and Sauternes Ryan Sacks: Italian sausage and peppers with Primitivo Rich Isel: Jamon Serrano with Rioja Cesare Martini: Rigatoni with game ragu and Barolo Geoffrey Brooke: Wood grilled leg of lamb raised on the salt marshes of Bordeaux with a bottle of Pauillac, preferably with a side dish of frites fried in duck fat Laura Moorin: Dim sum and Champagne New England Lobster Rolls with Dilled Mayonnaise (Serves: 6) Wine Pairing: 2008 Eighteen Eighty Three Chardonnay or 2008 Berstrom Old Stones Chardonnay This is an adaptation on a classic picnic recipe we developed at this time last year, and has become a Fourth of July tradition for East-Coasters like us. To match the buttery-rich lobster salad, a Chardonnay of either the toasty-oaked or crisp unoaked persuasion works best. 1 1/2 lbs lobster meat, torn into generous chunks 9 Tbsp. good quality mayonnaise 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 small head of Bibb lettuce 6 hot dog rolls 6 Tbsp. butter, softened -In a bowl, gently mix lobster, mayonnaise, celery, dill, and smoked paprika. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. -Butter the cut sides of the hot dog buns and toast until lightly browned. Lay several pieces of lettuce on each bun, then fill with the lobster salad. Serve with fresh corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and other picnic fixin's. Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chile-Molasses Butter Serves: 6-8 Wine Pairing: Any of the Reds in this Month's Selections This simple mixture gives regular corn on the cob a sticky, sweet, smoky, salty and spicy kick. 6-8 ears of fresh sweet corn on the cob, shucked 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter 1/2 tsp good chile powder or smoked paprika 1 Tbsp. dark molasses 1/4 tsp salt - Melt butter gently in a sauté pan or microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir in molasses, then the salt and chile powder a bit at a time, tasting for your preference as you go. Adjust amounts as necessary if you prefer it a little sweeter, spicier or saltier. - Grill corn on the cob on a hot grill, turning every few minutes to get nicely charred grill marks. (About 7 min total.) - With a barbecue brush, evenly coat each ear of corn just before serving. Hot Veggie Bath (Bagna Cauda) Serves: 4 as an appetizer (approx. 1 cup) Wine Pairing: Bastianich Friuliano This simple dipping sauce or "bath" for raw vegetables and crusty bread is adapted from a recipe in the famed revolutionary chef Alice Waters' classic "The Art of Simple Food." One of the most influential female chefs of all time, she taught us to delight in the simple things rather than fussing them up too much. I take the liberty of adding fresh parsley to this classic dish, but it's equally good without. 5 salt-packed anchovies 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced Zest of one lemon 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley (optional) Assorted raw vegetables and crusty Italian semolina bread - Soak anchovies in water for 5 minutes, then debone and finely chop. - Heat water to simmer in a double boiler. In the top pot, combine all ingredients. Heat and stir until butter is melted. Salt to taste. - Serve warm as a dipping sauce for bread and vegetables. Back to top Easy Recipe for Greener Eating This month's "recipe" is one for greener eating without going crazy trying to figure out when it's important to buy organic, or otherwise. Each person needs to set their own guidelines based on what's most important to them, but a few suggestions: When to go organic: Meat, Milk and Eggs: Those growth hormones and heavy antibiotics get passed on to you, not to mention facilitate rather unhygienic and environmentally devastating "factory farming". You have a much better chance of getting well-tended meat and dairy when you buy Free Range, Organic and/or Hormone Free. Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Berries, Leafy Greens and Grapes: Basic rule of thumb - if you eat the skin or outer membrane, you don't want the chemicals on the outside. Many pesticides don't wash off easily with water, so go organic with these types of fruits and veggies whenever possible. When you can get away with the conventional: Fruits and vegetables with a protective skin (bananas, avocadoes, kiwi, mango, onion, pineapple, papaya) generally keep the chemicals on the outside. So if you can peel it, you're better off. Back to top Easy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvre Menu We all have enough to do preparing the main meal for a house full of holiday guests, so the hors d'oeuvres should be the easy part. Try these simple suggestions, and consider them delicious little bites of sanity. Gary's can even help with the grocery shopping! An assortment of Italian Cheeses: Pecorino Romano, Ricotta Salata, and Burrata (all available at Gary's) Wine Pairing: Natale Verga Prosecco NV Potato Latkes with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraiche and American Caviar (Simply assemble into bite-sized portions in that order; salmon, crème fraiche and caviar available at Gary's) Wine Pairing: Domaine Mittnacht Freres Cremant d'Alsace NV Sliced Filet Mignon and Gorgonzola on Toast Points Wine Pairing: 2005 Go Figure Lot 5 Napa Red Wine 2006 Ramey Shanel Vineyard Syrah 2006 Grand Finale Jericho Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Back to top Wild Mushroom Gravy Serves: 6-8 Wine Pairing: 2007 Samsara Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, or any other good Pinot Noir Have a little fun choosing an assortment of wild mushrooms from your local specialty food store to go in this gravy. The sauce can be spooned over pieces of a whole roasted turkey after carving, or you can sauté a few turkey breast fillets to go with the gravy for a smaller meal. 6-8 servings of whole-roasted turkey or pan-roasted turkey breast 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter 32 oz (2 lbs.) assorted wild mushrooms (Cremini, Porcini, Shiitake, Bluefoot, Chanterelle, and/or Morel) 3 shallots, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth 8 Tbsp Pinot Noir 1/2 cup tarragon and/or sage, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste -In a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms, stir to blend. Cover and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about five to seven minutes. -Stir in broth, sherry or wine, and half of the herbs. Turn the heat to high and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken, about five minutes. When the sauce has reached the desired consistency (should coat the back of a spoon), remove from heat, Salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over turkey, sprinkle the remaining herbs over the top, and serve. Back to top Tagliatelle with Brown Butter and Sage Serves: 4 Wine Pairing: Quality Brunello or Chianti Classico The beauty of this dish is in its simplicity and variability. For a weeknight meal, you can easily find good quality fresh-made pasta (soft, not hard) in any specialty grocery store, and the rest takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. To change the recipe up from time to time, try adding julienned zucchini, porcini mushrooms, chestnuts or pancetta to the sauteing butter. 8 oz fresh taglitelle (flat egg pasta) 4 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp fresh sage, sliced into very thin strips across the leaf 1 garlic clove, very finely minced Freshly ground salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste Freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano - Bring water to a boil. Prepare fresh pasta according to the package instructions (usually boils 2-5 minutes.) Check pasta frequently so as not to overcook. Drain pasta reserving about 1 cup of the water. - Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Watch carefully until butter begins to turn golden. Add garlic and sage, saute for about one more minute, and remove from heat when butter is brown and garlic is softened. Do not allow butter to burn. - Toss the butter sauce and egg pasta in a bowl to coat pasta, adding a small amount of the cooking water if necessary. - Grind a bit of salt, pepper, nutmeg and Parmesano to taste, and serve immediately. Back to top Chicken, Cherry, and Pepper Yakitori Serves: 4 Wine Pairing: 2005 Chateau Corbin Saint Emilion Call it yakitori, satay, or shish-kebab; any way you slice it, meat-on-a-stick isn't the most conventional pairing for Bordeaux that comes to mind. But take a Merlot-dominated Right-Bank Bordeaux from a ready-to-drink year like 2005, pair it with these skewers of marinated chicken and sweet-tart cherries, and you've got quite a match. 6 Chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks), boned 6 Tbsp soy sauce 3 Tbsp sake 1 Tbsp sugar or honey 2 cups fresh red cherries,pitted 2 yellow bell peppers Bamboo skewers - Over low heat, combine soy sauce, sake and sugar (or honey) and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and cool. - Cut chicken legs into 1-inch by 2-inch pieces. - In a sealable plastic bag or airtight container, marinate chicken in soy sauce mixture for two to eight hours in the refrigerator. - Cut bell pepper into 1-inch square pieces. - Alternate chicken, cherry and bell pepper, putting two pieces of each on each bamboo skewer. - Preheat a gas or charcoal grill, and grill each skewer about 5 minutes on each side until meat is cooked. Serve hot. Back to top "Hot Bath" (Bagna Cauda) Serves: 4 as an appetizer (approx. 1 cup) Wine Pairing: Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes or Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc. Perfect for this time of year when our garden veggies are coming back into season, this simple dipping sauce or "bath" for raw vegetables and crusty bread is adapted from a recipe in the famed revolutionary chef Alice Waters' classic "The Art of Simple Food." One of the most influential female chefs of all time, she taught us to delight in the simple things rather than fussing them up too much. I take the liberty of adding fresh parsley to this classic dish, but it's equally good without. 5 salt-packed anchovies 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced Zest of one lemon 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley (optional) Assorted raw vegetables and crusty Italian semolina bread - Soak anchovies in water for 5 minutes, then debone and finely chop. - Heat water to simmer in a double boiler. In the top pot, combine all ingredients. Heat and stir until butter is melted. Salt to taste. - Serve warm as a dipping sauce for bread and vegetables. Back to top Easy Recipe for Greener Eating This month's "recipe" is one for greener eating without going crazy trying to figure out when it's important to buy organic, or otherwise. Each person needs to set their own guidelines based on what's most important to them, but a few suggestions: When to go organic: Meat, Milk and Eggs: Those growth hormones and heavy antibiotics get passed on to you, not to mention facilitate rather unhygienic and environmentally devastating "factory farming." You have a much better chance of getting well-tended meat and dairy when you buy Free Range, Organic and/or Hormone Free. Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Berries, Leafy Greens and Grapes: Basic rule of thumb - if you eat the skin or outer membrane, you don't want the chemicals on the outside. Many pesticides don't wash off easily with water, so go organic with these types of fruits and veggies whenever possible. When you can get away with the conventional: Fruits and vegetables with a protective skin (bananas, avocadoes, kiwi, mango, onion, pineapple, papaya) generally keep the chemicals on the outside. So if you can peel it, you're better off. Back to top Soupe au Pistou Serves 4 Wine Pairing: Bourillon Vouvray Dorleans 2007 This warm vegetarian stew is a French countryside favorite, and a versatile dish that will pair well with all of the wines chosen for this month, red or white. This recipe was adapted from Chef Suzanne Goin. 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup chopped parsley 2 medium onions, diced 2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 cup chopped plum tomato 3/4 cup diced carrot 2 15 oz cans white cannellini 3/4 cup diced celery beans, drained 1/2 cup diced fennel root 6 cups vegetable stock 3-4 tsp basil pesto 1 French baguette - In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sautée garlic, onions, carrot, celery, fennel and herbs until onion is translucent and soft. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes. - Divide soup into bowls, garnish each serving with a dollop (about 1 tsp) of pesto. Serve immediately with crusty French baguette. Back to top Spicy Garlic Shrimp Serves 4 as an appetizer Wine Pairing: Albarino from Rias Baixas This simple to prepare dish is a traditional tapas favorite in Spain. You can choose between mild or spicy (picante) smoked paprika to customize your level of heat; most specialty gourmet food stores have begun carrying both in recent years. 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 4 garlic cloves, smashed - Toss shrimp with olive oil, smoked paprika and garlic in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2-6 hours so that flavors can combine. - Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. - Separate the shrimp into four individual ramekins or shallow baking dish. - Bake until shrimp turns pink and firm, about 10 minutes. - Serve. Back to top Chimichurri Sauce Wine Pairing: Argentine Malbec (Nico by Luca or Durigutti Classico) or Chilean red blend ( Concha Y Toro Don Melchor, Emiliana Coyam, or Perez Cruz Liguai.) Known as the national condiment of Argentina, Chimichurri sauce is the perfect accompaniment to any char-grilled red meat. Try it on a good beef tenderloin, porterhouse steak, burgers, or if you're adventurous, barbecued goat. 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp minced garlic (3-4 cloves) 2 tbsp minced shallots 1 tsp course sea salt (preferably smoked) 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) This one's simple, folks. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Drizzle on top of meat and serve. Also delicious on salads. Note: blending the ingredients a few hours before serving will allow the herbs and spices to infuse into the oil and vinegar a bit more, magnifying the flavors. Back to top Easy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvre Menu We all have enough to do preparing the main meal for a house full of holiday guests, so the hors d'oeuvres should be the easy part. Try these simple suggestions, and consider them delicious little bites of sanity. Gary's can even help with the grocery shopping! An assortment of Italian Cheeses: Pecorino Romano, Ricotta Salata, and Burrata (all available at Gary's) Wine Pairing: Coste Petrai Prosecco NV Potato Latkes with Smoked Salmon, Créme Fraiche and American Caviar (Simply assemble into bite-sized portions in that order; salmon, créme fraiche and caviar available at Gary's) Wine Pairing: Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Rose NV Jamon Serrano or Iberico (top-quality cured ham from Spain) Wine Pairing: 2005 Bodegas Enguera Angelical Sliced Filet Mignon and Gorgonzola on Toast Points Wine Pairing: 2004 Go Figure Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, 2005 Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, or 2006 Chiarello Family Vineyards Bambino Cabernet Sauvignon Back to top Bordeaux-soaked mushroom, shallot, and Roquefort salad (Serves 2) Wine Pairing: Any Red Bordeaux from this month's Selections Nothing goes better with a well-structured red Bordeaux wine than steak, and we all have our favorite preparations. The following recipe is an ideal accompaniment to any steak, and complements the wine as well as the meat itself. Vegetarians can make a meal of the dish alone by doubling the amounts. 1 cup red Bordeaux wine 1/2 cup dried shiitake, morel, chantrelle or portabella mushrooms (or one cup fresh) 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 cup mache or arugula 1.5 oz Roquefort or other high-quality blue cheese - Soak dried mushrooms in wine for one hour at room temperature. - Turn a skillet to medium-high, and sauté the shallots until caramelized. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the wine. Allow the mixture to bubble and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. - Arrange the mache on plates, and place the reduced mushroom mixture on top. Crumble Roqufort over the salad and serve warm, with our without steak. Back to top Homemade Peri-Peri Sauce Wine Pairing: 2006 Spice Route Viognier or 2007 Simonsig Chenin Blanc Peri-Peri (or Piri-Piri, as it's sometimes spelled) is a popular chile pepper-based sauce used as a condiment in South Africa and West Africa. We like it best as a marinade for grilled shrimp, or mixed with a little mayonnaise to top fish and chips: the South African answer to tartar sauce. 1 1/2 to 2 oz. minced red chiles, preferably African birdseye 4-5 minced garlic cloves 2 cups olive oil Minced rind and juice of one lemon -Mince chiles, garlic and lemon rind very finely. -Combine with olive oil and lemon juice and store in a tightly sealed jar. Refrigerate for a minimum of three days before using. The flavor will intensify as it ages and reach a peak of flavor within about two weeks. -When using as a marinade for shrimp or chicken, soak the shrimp or chicken in the sauce for at least five hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Grill and serve. Back to top New England Lobster Rolls with Dilled Mayonnaise (Serves: 6) Wine Pairing: 2006 Wolffer Reserve Chardonnay or 2007 Hendry Unoaked Chardonnay This is an adaptation on a classic picnic recipe we developed at this time last year, and has become a Fourth of July tradition for East-Coasters like us. To match the buttery-rich lobster salad, a Chardonnay of either the toasty-oaked or crisp unoaked persuasion works best. 1 1/2 lbs lobster meat, torn into generous chunks 9 Tbsp. good quality mayonnaise 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 small head of Bibb lettuce 6 hot dog rolls 6 Tbsp. butter, softened -In a bowl, gently mix lobster, mayonnaise, celery, dill, and smoked paprika. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. -Butter the cut sides of the hot dog buns and toast until lightly browned. Lay several pieces of lettuce on each bun, then fill with the lobster salad. Serve with fresh corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and other picnic fixin's.