Susie's Goat Cheese Salad

by Susie Bynum 

Salad

• 8 oz goat cheese
• Roasted, finely chopped green pumpkin seeds
• Organic greens
• Dried cranberries
• 1 bunch leeks
• Light olive oil
• Salt
• 1/2 cup flour 

Dressing

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/8 cup Tamari Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbl grated fresh ginger
• 3 Tbl finely sliced green onion
• 1 tsp Umi plum vinegar (optional)
• 1 to 1 1/2 Tbl sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 cup light olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
  

Mix all dressing ingredients EXCEPT the olive oil in a blender until smooth; set blender on low speed and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until mixture is emulsified.

Marinate the cranberries in 1/2 cup of the dressing.

Shape the goat cheese into four patties. Coat with the pumpkin seeds and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Rinse the leeks and julienne the white parts only, discarding the rest.  While still damp, coat the leeks with flour and sauté in the hot oil until golden brown.  Set aside on paper towels to drain, and lightly salt.

Bake the goat cheese at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm. 

The presentation: Toss greens in dressing until lightly coated; place on plate.  Put one goat cheese patty on each plate, sprinkle with marinated cranberries and sautéed leeks.  Serve with warm bread and Davis Bynum Fumé Blanc.

Davis Bynum 2005 Fumé Blanc : Credit the cool Russian River Valley growing region for the crisp structure of this lovely wine. Produced from 100% sauvignon grapes, the wine displays unbridled aromas of vibrant stone fruit accompanied by subtle flinty notes in the background. Full yet firm, showing a very broad range of flavors. The Shone farm fruit brings an almost honeysuckle fatness along with its distinct minerality, while the King vineyard lends melon and fig notes. The addition of the Richiolli vineyard gives the ‘high notes’ of gooseberry and lime that distinguish Russian River Sauvignons.

Davis Bynum Winery 

Davis Bynum Winery is a pioneer of wine growing in the Russian River Valley and is widely recognized as the first producer of a vineyard-designated Pinot Noir with a Russian River Valley Appellation.  Davis Bynum Winery also has the distinction of being the first winery located on Westside Road in Healdsburg, CA. Davis Bynum farms 22 acres of organically grown vineyards on Westside Road in the "Middle Reach" of the Russian River Valley. They cultivate the land in a manner consistent with organic agricultural farming producing outstanding Russian River wines. 

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This week's featured recipes are provided by MacCallum House Restaurant located in Mendocino, CA. The community of Mendocino has the great fortune of being situated on the Pacific coast and the edge of the Anderson Valley wine region. This location provides a wonderful backdrop for the creations of MacCallum House Restaurant Executive Chef Alan Kantor where he combines wonderful ingredients into interesting and enjoyable meals paired with regional wines. And if his dinner creations are not enough for you, MacCallum House Restaurant also serves breakfast demonstrating the many talents of Chef Alan.

"Caramelized Day Boat Scallops". This entree combines caramelized scallops with an interesting mixture of verjus, vanilla bean, saffron, and cream. Chef Kantor suggests pairing these scallops with the slightly sweet accents of either a simple coconut rice or a Basmati rice with raisins. To complete the meal, Chef Kantor suggests serving a Chardonnay such as the Navarro Chardonnay Premiere Reserve from Anderson Valley.

Caramelized Day Boat Scallops with Verjus-Vanilla Beurre Blanc

Serves 6

• 2lbs day boat scallops

Sprinkle scallops with salt and sear in hot, almost smoking, sauté pan until golden brown on each side, approximately 2 minutes on each side. Serve with verjus-vanilla beurre blanc.

Verjus-Vanilla Beurre Blanc

• 1 ½   sticks butter, unsalted
• 2 T. shallots, finely diced
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split
• 1/4 tsp. saffron
• 1/2 c. verjus from Navarro Vineyards
• 1 ounce heavy cream

Melt 1 T. of the butter in a small non-reactive saucepan (Calphalon or stainless), add shallots, scraped seeds from vanilla bean, vanilla bean pod and saffron. Sweat over very low heat for 1 minute.

Add verjus and reduce by half to approximately 1/4 cup. Cut remaining butter into small pieces and whisk into sauce over low flame. When butter is just completely melted, remove from heat immediately and strain through fine sieve. Whisk in cream and season with salt and white pepper to taste. Use immediately or hold in pre-warmed thermos up to one hour ahead of serving.

MacCallum House Restaurant

MacCallum House Restaurant provides a wonderfully warm and inviting spot to dine within the charming coastal town of Mendocino, CA.  MacCallum House itself was built in 1882 and is now home to both the Restaurant and an Inn.  In the restaurant, dinners are served in the former library which is kept warm with two riverstone fireplaces.  An outside wrap-around porch provides additional scenic seating.  MacCallum House Restaurant and Executive Chef Alan Kantor take pride in the fact that everything they serve is prepared in their own kitchen including breads, handmade pastas and a variety of smoked meat.  As Chef Alan says, "We use only the freshest seasonal ingredients and feature local and regional organic and wild crafted products whenever possible." 

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"Haydon Street Inn Cream Scones".  No breakfast is complete without a tasty and filling baked product!  These Cream Scones not only meet that requirement but they also complement nearly any breakfast main course.  They also go wonderfully with a nice hot cup of tea.

"Haydon Street Inn Candied Almonds".  Whether served on a salad, on ice cream, or simply when eaten out of hand these candied almonds are scrumptious.  They are also so easy to prepare that you may never buy candied almonds from the store again.

Haydon Street Inn Cream Scones

Servings:  8

Scones

• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup  cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup dried currants, plumped under hot water and patted dry (can substitute other dried fruits)
• grated rind from 2 lemons
• 1 egg
• 1 cup half and half
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract 

Egg Wash

• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. coarse white sugar or turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F.   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Slice the cold butter into 8 pieces and cut into flour mixture until pea-sized.  Stir in the currants and lemon zest. 

In a small bowl, beat egg slightly with a fork.  Stir in half & half and vanilla.  Pour cream mixture all at once into the flour mixture, stirring with a form to form a soft dough.  DO NOT OVER MIX.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured pastry cloth or board and knead a few times until smooth.  Flecks of butter should still be visible.  Roll or pat dough until about ¾" thick.  Cut with biscuit cutter or into wedges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.  Separate and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Prepare egg wash by beating 1 egg and 1 tbsp. water in a small bowl.  Brush mixture over top of scones and sprinkle with coarse white sugar or turbinado sugar.  

Bake at 375°F for 15-17 minutes until the scones are puffed and golden brown and a cake tester, or toothpick, inserted in the center comes out clean.

Haydon Street Inn Candied Almonds 

• 1 lb. sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp. Cinnamon
• 2 qts. Simple syrup (equal parts of sugar and water)
• 1 cup turbinado or coarse grind sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Mix cinnamon, simple syrup and almonds in a large sauce pan.  Bring to boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain well and spread on oiled baking sheet.  Generously sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.  Stir.  Sprinkle with sugar again and bake until crisp, stirring occasionally.

About Haydon Street Inn

Haydon Street Inn has the envious good fortune of being located in the heart of the Sonoma County wine country and within walking distance of the quaint downtown area of Healdsburg, CA.  The Inn is a charming, turn of the century, Queen Anne Victorian that serves scrumptious breakfasts, hosts an outstanding evening social hour and provides friendly suggestions on activities to entertain you during your stay.   Healdsburg itself has many excellent restaurants, a variety of boutiques and antique shops all of which are only a few minutes walk from Haydon Street Inn.  While innkeepers Keren and John, have only recently taken over operations at Haydon Street Inn you would not know this from the quality of their service and attention to detail.

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"Murios's Meatballs", is an excellent party appetizer or can be served as a main entree when complemented with your favorite pasta. And it not only pairs well with the Esterlina Cole Ranch Off-Dry Reisling but it also uses the wine within the recipe!

"Que Syrah Chicken" makes a wonderful centerpiece to any meal.  The chicken combines hot pepper jelly, brie, and Esterlina Syrah which may sound unusual but is actually a perfect match with the jam bridging the flavors of the brie and Syrah.  Thus, as Mario says, serving the Esterlina Syrah with this chicken is a must.  To round off the meal we suggest complementing the chicken with some simple roasted potatoes.

Murio’s Meatballs

Meatballs

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• ¼ cup minced garlic
• ¼ cup finely chopped green pepper or jalapeno peppers for spicy version
• ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
• ½ cup Esterlina Off-Dry Riesling
• 2 eggs beaten
• ½ teaspoon Allspice
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg

Sauce

• 1 jar (10 ounces) currant jelly
• ½ cup chili sauce
• ½ cup Esterlina Off-Dry Riesling
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Heat oven to 350°

Meatballs:  Combine all ingredients in large bowl- mix, shape into 1-inch balls - put on baking pan and bake 20 minutes until brown.

Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients, mix well and cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens - stir constantly!  Add meatballs.  Cook for two minutes more.

Put meatballs with sauce in a fondue pot and serve with cocktail picks or spoons.  Serve with Esterlina Off-Dry Riesling

Esterlina 2005 Cole Ranch Off-dry Riesling: This Riesling has a nose with pineapple, green apple and spice hints. Lots of grapefruit and honeydew flavors, with a strong mineral undercurrent. It also has great acidity and a hint of residual sugar. 

Que Syrah Chicken

• 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoon Butter
• 3/4 cup Hot pepper jelly or Fig Spread
• 1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange juice
• Brie or other cheese to your taste
• Rosemary as desired
• 1 Bottle of Esterlina Syrah-A must!

Sauté 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts in 4 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.  Add 3/4 cup hot pepper jelly or fig spread, 1/4 cup Esterlina Syrah, a tablespoon of lemon or orange juice, onions and garlic to skillet.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Top each chicken breast with a few thin slices of brie and broil until melted.  Garnish with fresh chopped rosemary.  Serve with Esterlina Syrah.

About Esterlina Syrah Sonoma Mt. (Janian Vineyard): This is Esterlina's second release of Syrah from this excellent vineyard. It has lots of black fruit aromas, with berry, clove and a bit of smoky oak. The flavors are rich and complex, with ripe plum, cherry, white pepper, and cinnamon. With firm tannins, good acidity, and a great finish, this wine will appeal to most red wine lovers.

Esterlina Vineyards & Winery

The Anderson Valley in Mendocino is home to Esterlina Vineyards and Winery a boutique winery that produces several varieties of wines.  Visitors to Esterlina will find its location, nestled in the highlands above Philo, CA, an ideal spot for a casual and intimate wine tasting.  It is also an ideal spot for growing grapes.  This is not coincidental.  Mario Sterling, the patriarch of Esterlina vineyards believes the climate, soil and geography of a vineyard are essential in wine making.  Esterlina, which in Spanish means "Sterling", has several vineyards all chosen for specific properties essential to the grapes grown on them.  For example, Cole ranch, where the Esterlina Cole Ranch Off-dry Riesling stems from, is the smallest American viticultural area and Esterlina is the sole vineyard in this appellation.  The special attention and hands-on processing Esterlina devotes to its wine making is evident in every aspect of their wine.

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Today's recipe is a simple yet elegant breakfast entrée that will set the stage for whatever plans you have for the day.  "Soft Polenta with Poached Eggs and Mascarpone" is the creation of Innkeeper Pat at Oak Hill Bed & Breakfast (Ashland, OR).  As Pat says,  "This is a simple dish whose elegance depends upon using the highest quality ingredients. You can vary the toppings to your taste - add bits of good sausage, try a local chèvre rather than mascarpone, or top with grilled vegetables to serve for lunch. While the dish must be assembled just before serving, most of the cooking is done in advance. The crock pot eliminates the constant attention and stirring needed with stove-top polenta."  With such flexibility and simplicity this is sure to be a great dish no matter how you vary it!

Soft Polenta with Poached Eggs and Mascarpone

• 5 cups water
• 1 cup coarse stone-ground polenta
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil or both
• ½ cup whole or 2% milk
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 6 of the best eggs you can find
• 1 cup home-made or other good quality mascarpone
• Freshly-ground pepper
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan

1. Butter the sides of a crock pot.  Measure in the water, polenta and salt and let that soak for 8 hours.  

2. Add the butter or oil, turn on the crock pot to low, cover and let it cook for 8 hours.  Cook it overnight and it will be ready for you in the morning.

3. About half an hour before serving, stir the milk, 1 cup of the shredded Parmesan, and the corn kernels into the polenta.

4. Cover the crock pot, and reduce the temperature setting to warm.  The polenta will stay fluid as long as the crock pot is covered and set on warm.

5. Poach 6 eggs in simmering water or in a stove-top egg poacher.

6. Stir the polenta and pour each serving into a warmed wide, shallow bowl.  Place a poached egg in the center, and surround with generous dollops of mascarpone.

7. Sprinkle the dish with pepper and the remaining shredded Parmesan.   

Serve immediately.

Serves 6

About Oak Hill Bed & Breakfast

The Oak Hill Bed & Breakfast is a 1910 farmhouse built in an orchard in Ashland, Oregon. Though the orchard is gone, the area is still a major fruit growing region and home of Harry and David Jackson-Perkins, and the many fine wineries of the Rogue and Applegate Valleys.  Ashland is also home to the largest regional repertory theater in the country. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) presents eleven plays in three theaters over a nine month season.  OSF attracts a west coast audience mostly from San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. Those audiences are also our guests and they are a sophisticated lot who enjoy exceptional breakfasts in addition to exceptional theater. Table conversation is often about the plays and why a production deserves thumbs up or thumbs down.  Pat's talent for planning and cookery and our breakfasts served on the garden deck provide a beautiful and unique experience that sets the stage for the coming day. To our way of thinking running a B&B is theater, so when our guests arrive….it's show time.

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