Today’s recipe is a great weekend winter meal that combines grilled lamb chops with a tasty cider based butternut squash sauce.  Accompanying the lamb is sautéed spinach and an interesting coconut Calrose rice.  The recipe is from DiStefano Winery (Woodinville, WA) who suggest pairing the meal with their Syrah R wine.  

Grilled Lamb Chops with Cidered Butternut Squash Sauce 

Roasted Lamb Rack

• 3 Lamb Racks (8 bones each)
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400

Season lamb racks fairly liberally with salt and pepper

Place on a roasting rack and place in oven until interior temperature reaches 130 testing with a meat thermometer (very approximately 15 minutes)

Pull from oven and allow to rest for about five minutes before carving

Slice rack into chops and serve immediately 

Butternut Squash Sauce

• 1 Medium Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded, diced 1 inch cubes)
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion (peeled)
• 1 Medium Sized Carrot (peeled)
• 2 Cloves Garlic, halved
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 6 Large Slices Fresh Ginger, 1/4 inch thick
• 1 Tablespoon Whole Coriander
• 6 Whole Cardamom Pods
• 1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
• 1/4 Pound Butter
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Toss squash in half of the oil and lightly season with salt and ground pepper and roast in 400 degree oven until lightly brown.

Dice carrots and onion (1/2 inch pieces).

Add carrots and onion to a sauce pot with remaining oil and garlic and cook on low heat until tender.

Tie ginger, coriander, cardamom and peppercorns in a cheesecloth pouch with twine.

Add water, cider, apple vinegar, spice bag and pumpkin to sauce pot.

Bring pot to simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove spice bag and puree sauce in blender.

Whisk in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper 

Coconut Calrose Rice

• 2 Cups Calrose Rice, a medium grain rice that sticks together well
  
• 14 oz Coconut Milk
• 22 oz Water
• 1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

Rinse calrose rice several times, until water runs clear. Drain.

Add all ingredients to a pot and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Poke a small hole in the center of the foil.

Turn on high heat until steam is jetting out of hole in foil.

Reduce heat to very low for 15 minutes.

Turn off and let sit for about five minutes covered.

Sauteed Spinach

• 1 Pound Cleaned Stemless Spinach
• 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Put large sauté pan on high heat until quite hot.

Add oil to pan (it should shimmer and smoke a little bit).

Add spinach and sauté until just wilted, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

About DiStefano Syrah R

Bright, juicy and appealing for its fresh plum, berry and mocha flavors; beautifully knit and lingering enticingly on a polished finish. A Syrah with real refinement. Drink now through 2012.

About DiStefano

Located in an industrial park, guests feel like they have stumbled onto a special discovery when they enter the DiStefano winery tasting room with its warm and inviting atmosphere, filled with antiques, fine paintings, and specialty items. Under the direction of Mark Newton, they have been making still wine in the Bordeaux style in small lots since 1990, using traditional methods, and applying gravity flow techniques for gentle handling of the grapes. He released a Sauvignon Blanc under the new “DiStefano” label, and in 1991 a Cabernet Sauvignon followed. In 1993 Newton began experimenting with terroir blending, the winemaking philosophy he continues to practice and advocate today with winemaker Hillary Sjolund.

Lamb is a great choice for a winter dinner, and while it may have once been difficult to find that is no longer the case.  As Craig Camp from Anne Amie Winery (Carlton, Oregon) says “Frenched rack of lamb has become easy to find these days.  They are even easy and fast enough to cook for a weeknight dinner while remaining delicious and elegant enough for company. It’s one of my favorite meals.”  Give this simple recipe a try and maybe it will also become one of your favorite meals.  Craig recommends serving it with their Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir. 

Frenched Rack of Lamb

By Craig Camp, President Anne Amie Winery

To prepare, simply flip the rack bone side up and with a small sharp knife make narrow incisions, about two inches deep, between each rib at the thickest point. Into each pocket insert a slice of fresh garlic and some fresh rosemary. If possible, let marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours. If you’re in a hurry, go ahead and cook right away. Just before cooking, salt and pepper on all sides.

If you’re cooking in the oven, roast at 450°F for around 20 minutes to an internal temperature of about 130°F, measured with an instant readout thermometer. If you don’t like lamb rare (what’s wrong with you!), cook to 150°. I usually prefer to prepare this on my gas grill. First I brown the lamb directly over high heat, then move it to the upper rack and close the lid, leaving the heat on high. About twenty minutes will bring the rack to rare.  Remove from heat and let sit ten minutes before slicing.

Carve the rack rib by rib and serve with roasted potatoes, a fresh salad and 2004 Anne Amie Vineyards Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir.

Bon Appétit!

About 2004 Anne Amie Vineyards Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir

The seductively translucent color the 2004 Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir is a brilliant light ruby with sparkling garnet highlights. Leaping from the glass are smoky touches of oak laced with exotic spices and tart ripe wild cherry fruit. It is graceful and balanced on the palate with gripping wild red raspberry fruit flavors layered over hints of sweet tobacco, new leather and touches of just cracked vanilla beans. The finish is firm with a racy, tart acidity that makes the wine very lively and fresh bringing lightness of spirit to the rich fruit and oak flavors. This elegant structure gives mouthwatering zest and a distinctive Oregonian style to this wine. While drinkable now, the firm structure and balance would suggest several more years of aging before reaching its zenith.

About Anne Amie Vineyards

Pinot reigns supreme at Anne Amie Vineyards with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc forming the heart of our production. Complimenting the Pinot family, we also produce small selections of Riesling from our Willamette Valley estate vineyard on the hillside directly in front of the winery. As with all great wines, ours start in the vineyards and we are fortunate to have some of Oregon’s best sites, both those farmed by us and those we contract with to purchase. Our vineyards (as do the ones we purchase from) receive only the minimal required treatments and yields are severely reduced to yield fruit with great depth and complexity.  

Sweet chili sauce, cilantro, pickled ginger, and garlic marinated shrimp create a wonderful Thai inspired main entrée in today’s recipe from John Sarich the culinary director at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery (Woodinville, WA). Although this dish marinades overnight it is a quick dish to prepare for a touch of elegance in a great mid-week dish.  John recommends pairing it with the Chateau Ste. Michelle's Indian Wells Riesling. 

Thai Cilantro Shrimp

By Chateau Ste. Michelle Culinary Director, John Sarich

Serves 8

• 1/3 cup (75ml) vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup (75ml) Thai sweet chili sauce
• ¼ cup minced cilantro
• 2 tablespoons minced pickled ginger
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ pounds (675g) large (21-25 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Combine oil, sweet chili sauce, cilantro, pickled ginger and garlic in a large, low-sided glass or ceramic baking dish.  Add shrimp and toss well.  Cover tightly and put in refrigerator the day before serving. Stir once or twice.

Preheat barbeque, grill or broiler.  Cook shrimp over high heat on the barbeque grill or in the broiler for about 3 minutes total, turning once.  Transfer to a platter and serve either warm or cold accompanied by Avocado and Tomato Salsa.

About Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Indian Wells Riesling

This is our ripe, tropical style Riesling, which comes from the warm Wahluke Slope region of eastern Washington. The 2006 Indian Wells Riesling exhibits fruit-driven aromas of juicy pineapple and mango. The wine is rich and unctuous, while maintaining a fresh, elegant style that is typical of Washington state Riesling 

About Chateau Ste. Michelle

This year marks Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 40th year of Washington winemaking.  Founded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle pioneered vinifera grape growing in Washington State and has been producing classic European varietal wines under the Chateau Ste. Michelle label since 1967. The winery combines an ongoing dedication to research with a commitment to classic winemaking traditions. The winery owns 3,400 acres of vineyards in the Columbia Valley of eastern Washington, including Canoe Ridge Estate and Cold Creek, one of the state’s oldest and most acclaimed vineyards. As part of the winery’s ongoing pursuit to quality, Chateau Ste. Michelle enjoys winemaking partnerships with two of the world’s most distinguished vintners.  Col Solare is an alliance with Tuscany’s Piero Antinori and Eroica Riesling is a partnership with the Mosel’s Ernst Loosen.    

Roasted Breast of Squab with Red Wine Sauce

Recipe provided by Fernando and Marlene Divina, Center for American Food and Wine at SageCliffe

Serves Four

When planning this simple dish, allow sufficient marinating time for flavors to develop.

• 2 whole squab breasts, boned and split into four half breasts
• ¼ cup Merlot or Cabernet wine
• 4 juniper berries, minced or processed in a food mill
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Lena Camelina oil, optional
• coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper

Pour the wine in a shallow bowl large enough to hold the squab breasts. Roll the breasts in the wine to coat evenly leaving the breasts skin side down. Sprinkle the juniper, garlic slices, Camelina oil, some salt and pepper over the breast. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

To cook the squab

Preheat oven to 400° F

Prepare a roasting pan with a rack, or as an alternative, make an aluminum foil coil just slightly smaller than the squab breast to elevate the breast off the roasting pan surface. This keeps the meat from steaming.

Remove the breasts from the marinade and pat dry, being careful to remove clinging slices of garlic. Discard the marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium high heat. Place the squab skin-side down in the pan to brown each squab and crisp the skin. Place the browned breasts on the roasting rack and place in the oven. Cook for about 4-7 minutes for rare or 7-10 minutes for medium rare. Squab is best when served from rare to medium rare. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and place in a warm spot - the range top works well for this - and cover loosely with a piece of foil to keep warm. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Red Wine Sauce

Yield ¼ cup

• 1 tablespoon Lena Camelina, grape seed or your favorite oil
• ¼ cup minced sweet white onions
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped carrots
• 1 minced shallot
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 peppercorns, crushed
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped tart apple, stem and seeds removed
• 1 ½ cups Merlot or Cabernet
• ¾ cup Port

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and shallot. Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, apple, wine and Port. Bring the mixture to a boil then decrease the heat to a slow simmer for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and return to the saucepan. Bring to a steady simmer once again and cook until the liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup.

To serve: Thinly slice the meat and plate, ladle with sauce or pass separately. Pair with Cave B Estate Merlot.

About Cave B Estate Merlot

Flavors of ripe plum, a lovely cedar aroma and sultry mouth feel are front and center. Ample tannins ensure a long finish and cellar life. This wine will age six to eight years beyond the vintage date.

About Cave B Estate Winery

Award-winning Cave B Estate Winery crafts artisan wines from the sixteen varietals grown on site. Situated amidst the stunning SageCliffe property high above the Columbia River Gorge, Cave B's vineyards were planted as early as 1980, comprising some of the oldest vines in Washington State. Open seven days a week, the winery tasting room features standard wine tastings and barrel tastings as well as a gift shop. The Cave B Inn provides overnight accommodations and offers gourmet dining at its Tendrils restaurant. Winery tours are available by appointment, and self-guided vineyard tours are encouraged.

Beef Stew is a great meal for a chilly night.  It tastes great, warms the kitchen as it cooks, and warms you as you eat it.  Today, Domaine De Nizas (France) provides us their recipe for Provençale Beef Stew - La Daube De Nizas.  This stew has a tomato base and is accented with flavours of clove, orange and chocolate!  Serve the stew on a bed of mashed potatoes or a pasta such as Tagliatelle.  Domaine de Nizas recommends pairing the stew with their Nizas 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc wine.  Add in some bread to soak up the wonderful sauce and you'll have a great meal for a cold winter's night.   

La Daube De Nizas (Provençale Beef Stew)

• 4 lbs. chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 onions, one stuck with 2 cloves
• 1 cup thin carrot slices
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• bouquet garni: parsley & thyme tied together
• 28-oz can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped - RESERVE the juice
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 strip dried orange peel
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• a piece of bitter chocolate

      
1. Roll the beef cubes in flour and brown in a preheated large stew pan with the olive oil. Then reserve.

2. In the same stew pan, gently fry the onion and garlic about 5 minutes.

3. Return the beef to the stew pan.

4. Add the clove-studded onion, celery, carrots and bouquet garni. Season with salt.

5. Cover with the red wine and add the piece of chocolate and orange peels. Cook for 1 and a half hours at a gentle boil.

6. While the meat is cooking, boil down the reserved tomato juice to 1 cup (add a piece of sugar to balance the acidity) and add it to the meat once cooked.

To serve: The daube tastes better if made at least 1 day before and reheated before it is eaten.  Serve with mashed potatoes or Tagliatelle and Domaine de Nizas 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc.

About Domaine de Nizas 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc

About Domaine de Nizas

Veal Rustica

• 1 veal cutlet
• Seasoned bread crumbs
• ½ cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• ½ cup flour

• 3 plum tomatoes
• 6 basil leaves
• 1 cup fresh arugula
• Olive oil and good balsamic vinegar to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup red onions, chopped
• 2 pieces of fresh mozzarella

Dredge veal cutlet in flour, then egg and into bread crumbs. Get a pan with ½ cup of canola oil and put it on the stove. Wait until it gets hot. Then fry cutlet until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

For salad:

Cut tomatoes, arugula, basil and garlic. Place in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar and red onions. Mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place veal on a plate. Put the salad on top and enjoy. If you like mozzarella, melt it on top of veal cutlet before adding the salad.

Chef's note: It's quick, simple and delicious! Bon Appetite!

About with Castello di Borghese's Pinot Noir 2004

About Castello di Borghese Vineyard & Winery

Halibut Filets Braised in a Red Miso Broth

• 4 six-ounce Halibut Filets
• 1 ½  Cups Water
• ¼ Cup Red Miso Paste
• ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Bunch Cilantro
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

About Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery

Looking for a way to jazz up chicken?  Today's recipe converts a simple roasted chicken into something special chicken by topping it with a Bonair Winery (Zillah, WA) Rattlesnake Hills Riesling and Cougar Gold cheese sauce.  The crisp semi-dry Riesling complements the sharp cheddar to create a yummy cheesy main course chicken dish.  Serve it with marinated fresh vegetables and a salad for a great meal.

Cougar Gold Chicken

By Bonair Winery

• Approximately 3 lbs chicken (if whole, quarter the chicken),
• salt and pepper
• 3 TBS butter
• 1 bottle of Bonair Rattlesnake Hills Riesling
• 1 cup flour
• 6 oz Cougar Gold cheese (available from the Washington State University Creamery). Alternatively use a white, sharp cheddar
• nutmeg and cayenne pepper
• 2 egg yolks
• 8 oz. of crème fraîche

Preheat oven to 350.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Fry the chicken in butter using a large skillet with medium heat. When browned, remove the chicken and place skin up in a baking dish, Deglaze the pan with wine and set aside.

Sprinkle the nutmeg and the Cayenne pepper over the chicken. Place chicken in the oven and bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 160. (Approximately 30 min.)

While the chicken is baking, add the crème fraîche, egg yolks, and Cougar Gold cheese to the deglazed skillet.  Blend thoroughly. Add wine as necessary to make a creamy mixture.

When done, take the chicken out of the oven and place skin side down in a buttered gratin dish.

Pour the Cougar Gold cheese mix over the chicken.

Return to the oven and broil until the cheese turns golden.

Serve immediately.

About Bonair Rattlesnake Hills Riesling

About Bonair Winery

Bonair Winery

Pork tenderloin makes a great meal as it is, but add a wonderful sauce and you've got an even better meal that works both for the family and for entertaining.  Annette Bergevin from Bergevin Lane Vineyards (Walla Walla, WA) has just that kind of pork tenderloin recipe.  Her "Pork Tenderloin with Joannie's New and Improved Sauce" starts with a tasty pork tenderloin rub and finishes with a mouth watering sauce.  The sauce combines chicken stock, Bergevin Lane Vineyards Calico White Wine, sour cream, and Dijon mustard.  As Annette says "This is great with roasted new potatoes and steamed vegetables".  And, of course, the rest of the wine!  Yum.

Pork Tenderloin with Joannie's New and Improved Sauce

Recipe by Annette Bergevin, August 2007

• 2 approximately 1lb Pork Tenderloins - whole
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• ¼ tsp Cracked pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic salt
• 1 tsp Sara's Tuscan Salt (or any fun salt blend you have in the pantry)
• 1 tsp Steak Seasoning (I use Montreal but you can use your favorite blend)
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbl Olive Oil
• 1 shallot - diced
• 1 cup (and approx. 4 - 6 oz to enjoy
• while cooking!)  Bergevin Lane Vineyards Calico White Wine - You can substitute a nice dry white wine - Viognier preferably.  
• 1 cup Chicken Stock
• 1 Tbl Dijon Mustard
• ¾ - 1 cup sour cream  
• 4 Tbl chopped tarragon (plus extra sprigs for garnish)
• salt/pepper - to taste

Mix dry rub (Italian Seasoning thru brown sugar) and taste for flavor, rub on pork and let sit up to 2 hrs or at least 30 minutes.  

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove pork from the refrigerator  approximately 30 minutes before searing.  In oven proof sauté pan, sear pork in olive oil until browned on all sides.  Place in oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Place pork on platter and cover with foil.  Put pan from oven on stove top and turn on medium to medium high heat and add diced shallots to pan.  Cook about 1 - 2 minutes until soft and add Calico White wine.  Cook until wine almost completely evaporates and add 1 cup of chicken stock.  Cook approx. 1 minute and add Dijon mustard.  Take off heat and add ¾ to 1 cup of sour cream plus 4 TBS chopped Tarragon.  Stir sauce and add juices from resting pork.  Add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.  Put sauce back on the burner and add pork back to pan just to heat.  Slice Pork in 1 ½ inch slices and pour sauce over top.  You can garnish with whole tarragon sprigs.

Enjoy!  

About Bergevin Lane Vineyards Calico White Wine

The Bergevin Lane Vineyards Calcio white wine is incredibly aromatic with a lovely nose and palate of candied pears, and citrus. Underlying hints of tropical notes and vanilla are nicely complimented by the pleasant, crisp acidity on the finish. Enjoy with seafood, goat cheese crostinis, or chicken or pork dishes... or this wine is a great sipper! This wine is dry with no residual sugar. The Viognier is barrel fermented.

About Bergevin Lane Vineyards

Annette Bergevin (5th generation Walla Wallan) and Amber Lane co-founded and created Bergevin Lane Vineyards along with Gary Bergevin (Annette's father).  The winery officially opened its doors in May 2003 and is housed in a 20,000 square foot "modern industrial" building located in downtown Walla Walla.  Current production is 7,300 cases of premium red and white wines.  Small lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Rose', Viognier, Intuition - Reserve Bordeaux Blend, and Reserve Syrah are carefully crafted.  On a larger production scale the Calico Red - our proprietary blend of 5 varietals and Calico White - a white wine blend - are designed to be excellent value priced wines.  We create our wines to be distinctive.  Harmonious between the fruit and oak, fruit forward and structured so that they may be enjoyed and remembered.  We invite you to, "share a bottle and tell a friend".

Tututinis

• 2 cups ice
• 1-1.5 cups 2002 Meeker Tutu Luna
• 1-1.5 cups vodka
• fruit of one mango
• juice of two limes

About Meeker Tutu Luna