Blog Posts matching RECIPE:Spinach Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing Friday, August 6th 2010 by
Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager
A mistake led to a wonderful discovery last Sunday night at McGuire Family Sunday Dinner. Normally, Mom and Pop McGuire make dinner for the 6 of us. In an effort to help out this week, I offered to bring a salad. I spent a good amount of time at home making a tasty looking Greek salad with tomatoes, feta, kalamata olives, spinach and other fresh greens, and a homemade lemon-Dijon dressing.
And... then I forgot it on the counter. Because my in-laws live about 45 minutes away and we didn't realize our (my!) mistake until we were nearly there, there was no going back.
Feeling like a total and complete goober, I explained what happened to my mother-in-law, who didn't even bat an eye. "No problem!" she said, and commenced to whip up one of the most delicious salads I've had in a long time: Spinach Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing, which of course we paired with Evolution.
There was just the right amount of spice in the dressing, and with a few handfuls of candied walnuts to bring a little sweetness to the dish, I vowed to forget food at home more often just so she would have to make this salad again. Below is a recipe I found on AllRecipes.com that is very similar to hers. Enjoy!
Spinach Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing
Ingredients
3 tablespoons mild pepper jelly 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 cups baby spinach leaves 2 ounces goat cheese, sliced 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts Directions
Click Here to ReTweet This! Meditrina and "Easy Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine Sauce" Friday, January 7th 2011 by
Happy New Year! I decided to approach 2011 a bit differently than the masses out there on their treadmills. I applaud you if you are one of those folks on a quest for a healthier you. I chose to commit to doing something I have always wanted to do, but have never made the time. I have been a subscriber to Food & Wine Magazine for many years. Every month I tear out the recipes that make my mouth water with every intention of cooking at least one before my new subscription arrives. I have failed miserably and repeatedly over the years. My recipe books and cabinets are filled with recipes just waiting to be experienced and enjoyed. So, I have enlisted a couple of friends, Sly and Mary, who have promised to indulge me and my “New Year’s Resolution 2011”, to cook 1 recipe a month from the magazine, pairing it with a Sokol Blosser Wine, and blogging about our experience. I can’t quit now…it’s in writing! For my first recipe, I chose “Easy Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine” from Chef Ken Frank of the esteemed La Toque in Napa Valley. Thank you Chef, your dish was the Trifecta of recipes! It was truly easy, delicious and inexpensive! I selected Meditrina as my red wine for cooking and serving. The blend of Syrah, Zin, and Pinot Noir was the obvious choice for this rich meal. The recipe says 40 minutes of prep, and 2 hours cook time. That too was just as true as the “easy” part of the recipe. It took me just under 40 minutes to prep. However, I will say I would have preferred to leave the ribs in at least an hour or so longer on a very low temp. They were falling off the bone tender, but I could have gone for ooh– e- gooey falling off the bone!
 There was just one flaw with this recipe, and as flaws go this is the one you want to have. Mary was picking through her cranberry, walnut, and feta salad that I served with the short ribs and egg noodles. I offered her more salad and she said “no I’m going back for more meat”. I had to tell her there wasn’t any and to keep picking the walnuts out of the salad for her protein boost. She is one of the masses that has committed to her treadmill as her New Year’s Resolution. The recipe called for 2 ¾ lbs of bone in short ribs to serve 4. I bought 3 ½ lbs for 3 people, because I always like to have too much and leftovers! Not to mention Sly eats like a stoned sumo wrestler! For the first time I did not have enough food, I had no leftovers (save the gravy there was plenty of that I made pot roast 2 nights later in my new dutch oven from World Market and used it) and I starved our poor Sly who had to eat butter noodles to satisfy her small frame with the ravenous belly. But, with that said the meal was a success. My two picky eaters wanted to go back for more and I had none, just like the “the little piggy” in the This Little Piggy Had None tale. So the moral of this story is to double the recipe and you and your friends will be “happy as pigs in slop” as my darling mother Ellyn likes to say!
You can find the recipe in the October 2010 Food & Wine Magazine on page 172, or you can keep reading.
Easy Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 large celery rib, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons all purpose flour One 750ml bottle dry red wine (I used Meditrina even though there is nothing dry about it for my palate) 2 cups veal or chicken stock (I used beef stock) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Four 2 inch thick, flanken-cut short ribs with bone (2 ¾ lbs) Salt and freshly ground pepper Buttered egg noodles, for serving 1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, cover and cook over moderate heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer. 2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Season the ribs with salt and pepper, add them to the pan and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until they are well browned, about 15 minutes. 3. Transfer the short ribs to the casserole. Partially cover and cook over moderately low heat until very tender about 2 hours. 4. Transfer the ribs to a plate and remove the bones, Strain the sauce into a heatproof measuring cup and skim off the fat. Return the sauce to the casserole and boil until reduced to 2 cups, 10 minutes. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer over low heat until heated through. Serve the ribs with egg noodles. Make ahead the short ribs can be refrigerated in the sauce for up to 5 days. Recipe by: Chef Ken Frank, La Toque I took the liberty of adding both garlic and mushrooms to Chef Frank’s recipe. If you’re a fan of those ingredients go for it, they were tasty additions! I also added a bit more flour during the reducing process as I wanted a bit more gravy style sauce than I was getting. Cost of the meal: $39.99 including the Meditrina to cook with. I found a great enameled cast iron casserole at World Market for under $60. I love it; it’s my new favorite cooking tool. http://www.worldmarket.com/ Food & Wine Magazine, http://www.foodandwine.com/ La Toque, http://www.latoque.com/ Enjoy guys ….and stay tuned for next month.
Click Here to ReTweet This! Le Ciambelle with Evolution Monday, May 9th 2011 by
Lee Medina, Regional Brand Ambassador
We shared many of these treats at a meeting this morning - we all agreed this recipe is a winner, perfect for dipping in coffee like biscotti or for smearing with the fruit preserve of your choice!
Le Ciambelle: Semi-Hard Doughnuts (with Evolution)
Recipe courtesy CookingChannel.com
*Note: for this recipe, I reduced a bottle of Evolution down to about 1 1/2 to 2 cups. This concentrates the flavor and removes alcohol. I also did not use anise seeds on this batch.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 Tblsp anise seeds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the flour on a worktable. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the sugar, extra virgin olive oil and wine. Combine together and knead until the mixture becomes an even dough. If necessary, add a little more flour to absorb all the liquids. Sprinkle a tablespoon of anise seeds on the dough and knead well. Sprinkle the rest of the anise seeds, and continue to knead so that the seeds are evenly distributed.
- Cut off a small amount of dough and roll into a 1/2-inch thick log. Cut the log into a 5-inch long piece. Then form a "doughnut-like" shape by pinching opposite ends together. Repeast the above process with the remaining dough.
- Line a baking tray with cooking parchment paper and arrange the ciambelle approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Click Here to ReTweet This! Recipe: Wild Mushroom Pate Friday, December 2nd 2011 by
Lee Medina, Regional Brand Ambassador
WILD MUSHROOM PATE
A great pairing for Evolution Red! Makes enough to fill a 3-cup mold or dish. The simplicity of this recipe belies its great taste. Serve with crisp little croutes, toasts or crackers of your choice and, as the French do, with some little cornichons and grainy mustard on the side. Thanks to John Ash for this recipe. 1 ounce dried wild mushrooms such as porcini Rinse the dried mushrooms quickly and let soak in warm water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry and chop. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over moderately high heat. Add the shallots, all mushrooms, garlic, curry and cumin and sauté and stir until mixture is just beginning to brown and all liquid has evaporated. While mushrooms are cooking add the cashews to a food processor and process till finely chopped. Add oil and continue to process to make a paste or butter. Add the mushroom mixture and process till almost smooth. Stir in the herbs and zest and season with salt and pepper to your taste and place in a 3-cup pate mold or other ceramic dish. Can be stored covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Allow to return to room temperature to serve. *A caution here - - only use wild mushrooms that you are certain are edible. If you are not a hunter you can certainly substitute wild or cultivated mushrooms found in the market such as chanterelle, shiitake, cremini, portabella, oyster, etc.Labels: recipe
Click Here to ReTweet This! What would your last meal be? Tuesday, April 24th 2012 by
Elise Kubisak, Tasting Room Sales Associate
I was recently asked what my last meal on earth, if I could choose, would be. I had a difficult time narrowing it down because, well, I love to eat and I love to eat so very many things. But after having chicken liver mousse that a dear friend Rodrigo Huerta made, my decision became clear; if I had to choose my last meal, it would definitely be this very version of chicken liver mousse. It hands down made top of my list for three reasons: 1) it tastes incredible 2) I love truffle anything (especially this truffled honey) and 3) it has ¾ pound of butter in it. But life’s short and I like to treat myself…
Recipe created by Rodrigo K. Huerta.
Chicken Liver Mousse with Truffled
Honey
½ pound chicken livers, cleaned ¾ pound unsalted butter 2 small to medium
size shallots, sliced 3 cloves of garlic,
sliced 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp
balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sherry
vinegar 2 tsp truffled honey small pinch of
crushed chile pepper squeeze of lemon
juice
Clean your livers
from vein, and blood lines. Pat dry using a clean towel to minimize splatter
when searing. Salt livers generously and preheat a sauté pan with a Tbsp of
oil. When oil starts to smoke slightly add your livers carefully to the
pan. Do not overcrowd the livers or you will not achieve the proper sear.
In order to get the proper sear you may need to do this in batches. Sear heavy
on one side about a minute and a half or until livers look cooked half way
through. Flip the livers over just to cook the outside*. Pull livers out
once you've reached medium rare and place them on a plate. Take a Tbsp of
butter and add to the pan you used to sear the livers. Next, sauté your
shallot and garlic until nice and soft and a little caramelized. Once your shallot
and garlic are where you want them, deglaze with 1Tbsp each of balsamic and
sherry vinegars. At this point you will also want to add the truffled honey.
Don't reduce too long, just until the vinegars thicken and you've got a
nice glaze. Pull the sauce off the heat and add half the remaining butter and
all your livers with their juices. Let cool. Once cool, puree liver
butter mixture in a blender for thirty seconds then slowly add the remaining
butter in 1Tbsp pieces to emulsify**. When emulsified and smooth add the remaining
tsp of balsamic and sherry vinegars with a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with
salt if needed and give it one last whirl in the blender. Take mousse from
blender and add to container of choice for serving. Let cool about a half
hour to an hour in the refrigerator and serve with fresh bread or toasted
crostinis.
* You want to cook
them to medium rare for nice smooth texture in your mousse. ** If you are having
trouble emulsifying the mixture, add a small piece of ice or two.
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