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Cookbook Archives
for 2008
Access the
2007 Cookbook
Archive here...
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March 20, 2008 - Mint Chimichurri
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March 13, 2008 - Lebanese Tabbouleh
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March 6, 2008 - Creamed Feta with Radishes, Spring Onions, Mint and Olives
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February 28, 2008 - Pan-Roasted Veal Tenderloin with Mushrooms, Fingerling Potatoes, Prosciutto and Truffle Oil
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February 21, 2008 - Grilled Pork Chops with Merlot-Shallot Sauce
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February 14, 2008 - Roasted Asparagus with Pecorino Romano and Hazelnuts
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February 7, 2008 - Fillets of Sole with Classic Butter Sauce
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January 31, 2008 - Baked Penne with Sausage, Zucchini and Fontina
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January 24, 2008 - Natalie's Estate Grilled Swordfish with Chardonnay and Rosemary Sauce
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January 17, 2008 - Welsh Rarebit Fondue
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January 10, 2008 - Skillet Breaded Pork Chops with Rosemary
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January 3, 2008 - Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Pancetta and California Goat Cheese
March 20, 2008 - Mint Chimichurri
I wanted to do a lamb
recipe today. After all, Easter is the holiday of lamb! But my Mom cooked our
Easter dinner this past Sunday and she made such a good chimichurri sauce for
lamb, she talked me into doing that recipe for this week's Recipe Board. It was
fantastic!! It's from the April issue of Food & Wine (which has a lot of good
recipes in it, by the way, and we sell it at the store) and it's fast to make
and super fresh to eat.
Mint Chimichurri
Serves 4
2 cups fresh mint leaves
1 small jalapeno, seeded
and coarsely chopped
1 small shallot, coarsely
chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely
chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Pinch of sugar (my Mom
left this ingredient out and it tasted just fine)
½ cup extra virgin olive
oil
In a blender, puree the
mint, jalapeno, shallot, garlic, vinegar, sugar and olive oil. Season with
salt, if desired.
Serve partly on the side
of lamb chops or slices or lamb.
Wine Pairing
Suggestions
- There's a lot of
acidity in this dish so you need a wine, white or red, with good acidity.
For red, try a
- A white
- Everybody knows a Rosé works anytime by now, right?!
March 13, 2008 - Lebanese Tabbouleh
Next week is my
week….it’ll be time for LAMB! And we all know how much I love lamb (Bruce, are
you making lamb chops for Easter dinner?!) But this week, I thought I’d do an
appetizer recipe which would be perfect to serve before lamb. From the
Salads cookbook, here’s an easy one to whip up and it’s good for you.
Lebanese Tabbouleh
Serves 4
2/3 cup medium bulgur
wheat
2 large ripe red tomatoes
A bunch of flat-leafed
parsley
A large bunch of fresh
mint
3 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp fruity EVOO
1 tbsp freshly squeezed
lemon juice
Kosher salt or sea salt
Freshly cracked black
pepper
Soak the bulgur wheat in
water for 20 minutes, then drain. Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes, then chop
the parsley and mint. Put the tomatoes, herbs, scallions and bulgur wheat in a
bowl. Sprinkle with the olive oil and lemon juice and toss well. Season to
taste.
Serve with lemon halves
and pita bread.
Wine Pairing
Suggestions
- Any Italian dry white
from the Northern part of
- Since you have lemon
juice in the recipe, Sauvignon Blanc’s acidity would pair well
- Rosé anyone?!
March 6, 2008 - Creamed Feta with Radishes, Spring Onions, Mint and Olives
My Mom loves beets and she
was plugging for a beet recipe this week. They are pretty and they do remind us
of Spring as we start to see items in the grocery store like beets, artichokes,
asparagus, English peas, radishes and late winter greens. But I just couldn't
do a beet recipe (at least this week). So, we agreed to settle on an appetizer
dish which utilizes a lot of the vegetables and herbs you can find in the market
at this time of year. Plus, it's a healthy appetizer to boot...not to mention,
it's one that's easy for me to eat! From a great seasonal cookbook, Fresh
from the Farmer's Market, here's my recipe pick for this week.
Creamed Feta with
Radishes, Spring Onions, Mint and Olives
Serves 4
½ lb French, Greek or
Bulgarian Feta Cheese
1-1/2 tbsp EVOO
½ small clove garlic,
thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes, trimmed
1 dozen spring onions or
green onions (scallions), white and pale green parts only
2 dozen Kalamata Olives
Hearts of Romaine Lettuce
Fresh Mint, Basil or Dill
Leaves
Pita Bread
Combine the feta, olive
oil and garlic in the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
Transfer to a serving bowl and arrange all the other items around the bowl on a
platter. Dip and spread away!
Wine Pairing
Suggestions
- Feta is a strong
flavor so you definitely need a wine, white or red, which can stand up to
it. An Italian white such as an Erbaluce, Gavo or Vernaccia would be good
choices. Alsatian whites such as Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc would also pair
well.
- For a red wine, try a
Spanish Tempranillo or Grenache or a Rhone Blend from the South of France.
February 28, 2008 - Pan-Roasted Veal Tenderloin with Mushrooms, Fingerling Potatoes, Prosciutto and Truffle Oil
I think this is the recipe my Mom should make for me for Easter dinner. The finished picture in the cookbook made me drool while I was searching for a recipe. Ok, maybe I drool a lot anyhow, but this dish looked really, really good. Plus, it made think of Spring and I'm ready for Spring...or at least my bones are. I move a lot better in warmer weather!
From the cookbook, The Wine Lover Cooks Italian, here's my recipe for
this week, which, by the way, looks pretty easy and fairly fast.
Pan-Roasted Veal Tenderloin with Mushrooms,
Fingerling Potatoes, Prosciutto and Truffle Oil
Serves 2
6
to 8 fingerling potatoes of uniform size, unpeeled
4
leeks, white part only, cut crosswise into ¾ inch lengths
1
veal tenderloin, about 14 oz
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
2
tbsp grapeseed or sunflower oil
1
tbsp olive oil
6
oz fresh hen-of-the-woods, shitake or cremini mushrooms, cut into ¼ inch strips
3
slices Prosciutto, cut into narrow strips
½
cup dry red wine
½
cup veal or chicken stock
2
tbsp truffle oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add lightly
salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until tender when
pierced with a knife tip, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut lengthwise
in half and set aside. Refill the saucepan with lightly salted water and bring
to a boil over high heat. Add the leeks, blanch for 30 seconds, and drain.
Immediately place them in a bowl of very cold water until cool. Drain again and
set aside.
Cut the veal tenderloin into ½ inch medallions. Season with salt and pepper. In a sauté pan or skillet, heat the grapeseed oil over high heat. When very hot, add the medallions and sear, turning once, for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a roasting pan, arranging the medallions in a single layer, place in the oven and roast until medium rare, about 3 to 4 minutes.
While the veal is roasting, prepare the vegetables. In a heavy bottomed sauté
pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, leeks and potatoes
and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to color, about 5
minutes. Add the Prosciutto, stir well, and season to taste with salt and
pepper. Remove pan from heat and cover.
When the veal is ready, transfer it to a warmed plate, cover loosely with
aluminum foil and let rest while you make the pan sauce. Place the roasting pan
over high heat and add the wine and stock. Cook until reduced by half, about 6
to 7 minutes.
To serve, divide the potatoes, mushrooms and leeks evenly between two warmed
plates, arranging them to one side. Ladle half the pan sauce onto the other
side of each plate. Place the veal medallions on top of the sauce and drizzle 1
tbsp of truffle oil over each portion. Serve at once.
Wine Pairing Suggestions
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There are a lot of earthy, mushroomy flavors going on in this dish, particularly between the mushrooms and the truffle oil. Thus, a Piedmonte red would be an excellent pick, such as a richer Barbera or a Barberesco. An older Barolo would also be a nice treat. A
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If you've really got a hankering for a white wine, you'll need a full bodied white but one which isn't overbearing on the oak. An Italian white which sees some neutral oak would work such as a Vernacchia or a white blend. White Burgundy such as a Puligny-Montrachet or a Pouilly-Fuisse or a Southern French Chardonnay would be another option for a white wine.
February 21, 2008 - Grilled Pork Chops with Merlot-Shallot Sauce
Since we'll probably have some cooking time tomorrow during the snow/freezing
rain/sleet/ice storm (as long as we keep the power!), I thought this looked like
a good recipe to try out. You could probably use the sauce for other dishes as
well. It's from The Wine and Food Lover's Diet cookbook.
Grilled Pork Chops with Merlot-Shallot Sauce
Serves 4
Four 1-1/2 inch thick bone-in rib pork chops (about 8 oz each)
1
tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1
shallot, finely chopped
1
cup Merlot or other full bodied red wine
3
cups canned reduced-sodium beef broth
1
tbsp crème fraiche or unsalted butter (optional)
Prepare an outdoor grill or gas grill for cooking over medium heat (or you can
use a grill pan on the stove indoors). Place the pork chops on a plate and
brush both sides with oil. Lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. In
a saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1 tbsp oil. Add the wine, raise the heat
to high, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about ¼ cup, about 5
minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup,
about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Keep
warm over low heat while grilling the chops.
Brush the grill rack or pan with oil. Place the chops on the rack directly over
the heat, cover the grill and grill until browned on the first side, about 6
minutes. Check the chops after a few minutes to make sure they are not cooking
too rapidly. If they are, move them to a cooler part of the grill. Turn the
chops, re-cover the grill and cook until browned on the second side and an
instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a chop away from the bone
reads 145 degrees for medium, about 3 minutes. The chops will continue to cook
as they rest a few minutes while you prepare the plates.
To serve, swirl the crème fraiche (if using) into the sauce. Ladle a little
sauce onto each warmed plate and arrange a chop on top. Drizzle with a little
more sauce.
Wine Pairing Suggestions
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A Merlot would be an obvious choice here. Go for something supple with soft fruit, perhaps the 14 Hands Merlot from
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If you have your heart set on a white wine, you're going to need a white with some weight on it because you have a sauce and a cream based sauce at that. A Pinot Gris from
February 14, 2008 - Roasted Asparagus with Pecorino Romano and Hazelnuts
I
did not like the ice storm we had Tuesday and yesterday. My body configuration
is already challenging enough without adding some icy grass and pavement into
the mix. Just going outside in the backyard is a challenge! Thus, I had lots
of time to look for recipes this week. I’m going with a good vegetable side
dish which will work with all sorts of dishes you might be cooking (and it would
be great for a special meal this evening…..ahem Mom!). It would also be a great
side dish for Easter! It’s from The Wine and Food Lover’s Diet cookbook.
Roasted Asparagus with Pecorino Romano and
Hazelnuts
Serves 4
¼
cup hazelnuts
1
bunch asparagus (about 1 lb.)
2
tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
½
cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap or cut off the tough ends of each
asparagus spear. If the spears have thick skin, use a vegetable peeler to
remove the skin below the tips. Put the spear in a baking dish, drizzle with
the olive oil and turn to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and spread
the spears in an even layer. Roast the spears, turning once or twice, until
crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a warmed platter and sprinkle with
the cheese. Scatter the hazelnuts over the top and serve.
Wine Pairing Suggestions
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Sauvignon Blanc is a classic match for asparagus. That said, depending upon what you are serving for a main course, you might want to have something not quite as sharp as Sauvignon Blanc – perhaps a Pinot Blanc from
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Since hazelnuts and the Pecorino Romano cheese give this dish earthy undertones, if you want to do a red, a Rhone style red or a Pinot Noir, preferably from
February 7, 2008 - Fillets of Sole with Classic Butter Sauce
It's hard to be inspired to read this time of year. It's so gray outside, I
just want to curl up on the sofa and close my eyes and have doggie dreams of
warmer, sunnier times to come. Will Spring please hurry up and get here?!
While I was resting up on the sofa the other day (garnering some energy to go
counter cruising in the kitchen a bit later), I forgot about a set of cookbooks
my Mom as near the sofa. So, I did some leafing and came up with this recipe
for you this week. This is as classic a recipe as it gets...perfect for the
upcoming romantic holiday. From The Wine & Food Lover's Diet cookbook,
here's my recipe pick for this week. And if you want a big red wine, save it
for your dessert course and have it with chocolate!
Fillets of Sole with Classic Butter Sauce
Serves 2
2
Dover Sole fillets (you could substitute Flounder as well) - about 5 oz each
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
5
tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2
tbsp grapeseed oil
½
tsp finely chopped fresh Thyme
1
shallot, chopped
2
tbsp white vinegar
2
tbsp dry white wine
½
tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and lay
them on a plate. Lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. In a large
skillet over medium high heat, melt 1 tbsp of the butter with the oil. When the
mixture is hot, add the fish and cook until light to medium brown on the first
side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook until light brown on the second side and
the fish is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle thyme over the
fillets. Transfer to warmed plates and put in the oven to keep warm while you
make the sauce.
In a small saucepan over medium high heat, combine the shallot, vinegar and
wine. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tbsp,
about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 or 2 cubes
at a time. Adjust the heat as necessary so the butter melts but does not
overheat and separate. Strain the sauce into a small bowl and whish in the ½
tsp lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and more
lemon juice, if desired.
Remove the fillets from the oven, spoon some of the sauce around and on top of
the fillets. Serve!
Wine Pairing Suggestions
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An Italian white with some weight, such as an Erbaluce or a Soave would be a great match for a white wine.
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Albarino from
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If you're hankering for a red wine, an Oregon Pinot would be an excellent match here.
January 31, 2008 - Baked Penne with Sausage, Zucchini and Fontina
I was watching the Today
Show earlier this week and they were making a fantastic looking French Onion
Soup recipe from Balthazar restaurant in NYC. I was going to promote that dish,
since it looked so good (and my Mom has their cookbook and likes the restaurant
a lot), but she advised going with some easy that can be cooking while everybody
is watching the game. Plus, she stated that onion soup and Basset Hounds are
not a good mix. So, I'm opting for a recipe from Bon Appetit's Every-Night
Cooking which is full of fast and delicious recipes. As the cookbook
suggests, this dish is a great way to get your veggies! And you could always
double the recipe and increase the cooking dish size to make more if you've got
a crowd.
Baked Penne with
Sausage, Zucchini and Fontina
Serves 4
3 medium zucchini, trimmed
and halved lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lb Italian hot sausage,
casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp dried Oregano
½ lb Fontina cheese,
grated
½ lb penne or other
tubular pasta
Fresh Oregano sprigs
Preheat oven to 375
degrees. Lightly oil 2-1/2 to 3 quart deep casserole dish. Cut each zucchini
half in thirds lengthwise, then crosswise into 1-1/2 inch long pieces.
Heat oil in heavy skillet
over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking up with a
fork. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl. Add onion to skillet and cook
until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add
zucchini. Saute until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Return sausage to
skillet. Add whipping cream and oregano and bring sauce to boil. Add half of
Fontina cheese to sauce and stir just until melted.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a
large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain
well. Return to pot. Add sauce and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead
and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Bake until
heated through, about 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh Oregano sprigs, if
desired, and serve hot.
Wine Pairing
Suggestions
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Indigenous wines go with indigenous foods so think Italian!
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If you've got a hankering for a white wine, try an Erbaluce, a Soave or a Pinot Grigio with some weight to it.
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If you're in the mood for red, any Tuscan red would be a great choice as would a Barbera, Dolcetto or Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region.
Buon Appetito!
January 24, 2008 - Natalie's Estate Grilled Swordfish with Chardonnay and Rosemary Sauce
While I think I should be
able to eat seafood, my Mom doesn't let me. But this recipe looks tasty and
pretty easy. Plus, being good for you is always a plus! From Cooking with the
Wines of Oregon, here's a swordfish recipe worth checking out:
Serves 4
4 swordfish steaks (6 oz each, 1 to 1-1/2
inches thick)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-1/2 tsp chopped fresh Rosemary
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
6 Tbsp minced shallots
6 Tbsp Chardonnay
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup chilled butter, cut into 8 pieces
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An Oregon Chardonnay would be a fantastic match as would any White Burgundy or a Chardonnay from the Santa Barbara region of California.
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For a red, try a Pinot Noir from Oregon or a soft Rhone red.
January 17, 2008 -
Welsh Rarebit Fondue
This week's recipe combines my love of
CHEESE
(everybody knows how much I love cheese...rivaled only, perhaps, by my love of
lamb chops) and a warm dish to make the whole house smell really wonderful. And
since there are some good football games on the telly this weekend, it seemed
like this might be the perfect dish to prepare with little fuss and would be
very filling. Of course, my Mom will need to make two orders of this dish - one
for me and one for everybody else. From the cookbook Fondue by Robert Carmack,
here's my recipe pick for this week. And no, this recipe doesn't say 'rabbit'
(of which I am extremely fond of chasing), it's 'rarebit' which is a Welsh term
used to describe combining cheese and butter and pouring it over toasted,
buttered bread. Yum.
Welsh Rarebit Fondue
Serves 4-6
½ cup butter
½ cup beer or ale
1 lb extra sharp Cheddar
or
Salt to taste
½ tsp ground white pepper
1-2 loaves toasted bread
slices, each cut into 4 triangles for serving
In a medium saucepan,
combine butter and beer or ale. Heat over medium heat until bubbles appear.
Reduce heat to medium low and add the cheese all at once, stirring until just
melted. Add salt and pepper. Pour into a warmed fondue pot. Serve with
toast. Use either forks or fingers to dip the bread.
Wine
Pairing Suggestions
- A white
- If you have a
hankering for a red to go with this fondue, a softer styled red without
strong tannins or high acidity would be best. Lots of Spanish reds made
from Garnacha and/or Tempranillo would work well as would some Southern
Italian reds such as a Nero d'Avola.
January 10, 2008 - Skillet Breaded Pork Chops with Rosemary
In the wintertime, I love
it when my Mom decides to cook because it makes the whole house smell like
food! Between the oven and the fireplace, it is so warm I often drift off into
doggie dreamland. I always know when it's time to get up though - with the
sound of the plates coming out of the cupboard. After all, why get up before
you have to?! Here's my recipe which I found for this week from Ciao Italia
Pronto! I know I am dog of French heritage but I definitely feel as though
I could easily vacation in
Skillet Breaded Pork Chops with Rosemary
Serves 4
2 tsp diced hot red pepper or 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary needles
2 tsp salt
Coarse black pepper to taste
1 cup toasted bread crumbs
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
8 center-cut bone-in pork chops, ½ inch thick
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges
Mix the red pepper, garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and bread crumbs together and place on a sheet of wax paper. Set aside.
Pour the beaten eggs into a shallow dish. Dip the chops in the egg on both sides, then coat each one on both sides with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing them with your hands. Transfer them to a dish. Do not stack them on top of each other. Refrigerate the chops, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in an oven to table sauté pan. Brown the chops on both sides over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Do them in batches, if necessary, keeping them warm as you brown them. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Wine Pairing Suggestions
-
For a white, a nice Alsatian Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris would be an excellent choice as would some Italian varietals such as Verdicchio, Vernacchia or Erbaluce. A White Cotes du Rhone would also be a nice accompaniment.
-
For a red, you can never go wrong with a Pinot Noir to go with poultry. A softer styled Red Cotes du Rhone would also work well as would some easy drinking Spanish wines such as a Garnacha or Tempranillo.
January 3, 2008 - Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Pancetta and California Goat Cheese
So, I so this recipe and
thought, not only does it look good, but our readers could purchase some
Pancetta from Galletta's to make it! I know my Mom has raved about John Ash's
cookbooks and this is his most recent one which I think we sell at the store
called From the Earth to the Table. I think this makes for an excellent
winter salad, especially while watching the Redskins in the playoffs!
Warm Red Cabbage
Salad with Pancetta and
Serves 6
8 oz good quality
Pancetta, cut into ¼ inch dice
¾ cup water
2 tsp roasted garlic
2 tbsp wild honey (local
honey would work just fine)
¼ cup champagne vinegar
(try the 'O'
½ cup olive oil
Kosher or sea salt and
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb red cabbage, finely
shredded
8 oz
Sunflower seeds or daikon
sprouts for garnishing (optional)
In a sauté pan, combine
the pancetta with the water and cook over medium heat until the water evaporates
and pancetta browns, about 8 minutes. Be sure to stir the pancetta to get it to
brown evenly. Remove and set aside. In the same sauté pan, whisk together the
roasted garlic, honey and vinegar and then slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat the sauté pan over
medium high heat. Add the cabbage to the honey vinegar mixture and toss quickly
for a minute or two just to warm through. Stir in the Pancetta. Place on warm
plates and arrange the goat cheese on top along with the optional seeds or
sprouts. Serve immediately.
Wine Pairing
Suggestions
- A Loire Valley
Sauvignon Blanc such as one from the
- Pinot Noir is a very
good choice for a red such as the Piko Pinot Noir from
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