Food Pairings

Pheasant A l‘orange with Blood Orange Glazed carrots and Blood Orange Jus

Ingredients:

2 (2 1/2 to 3 pound), innards removed-pheasants

1 bunch- washed-heirloom carrots

4 each- blood orange

10 oz. - veal demi-glaze

½ lb. at room temperature- butter

¼ lb. cold-butter

2 tbl- sugar

4 medium size, sliced, approximately ¼ cup-green onions

¼ tsp-pepper

1 tsp-salt

2 tbl-honey

½ cup- ½ cup orange liqueur

To taste- sherry vinegar

1. For filling: Zest all four oranges and reserve fruit. Mix zest with the green onions, butter, pepper, salt, and honey.

2. For the birds: Preheat an oven to 400F. Place pheasants, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Starting at the open side of the bird, gently separate skin from breast, using fingers. Spread butter filling on pheasant breast under skin. Lay the skin back down naturally. Roast pheasants until golden brown. Approximately 30 minutes. Once out of the oven, allow to rest, gently covered with aluminum foil to remain warm.

2. For the carrots: wash the carrots and place into a cold pan large enough for them to be in one single layer and not overlapping. Juice 2 of the blood oranges and add to the pan, with the cold butter and sugar. On medium heat, cook the carrots while covered until they are nicely tender. Remove lid and reduce the liquid in the pan to a thick glaze.

2. For the sauce: cut the other two blood oranges into segments, excluding any pith- reserve them. Bring veal glaze to the boil, and while doing this reduce the orange liqueur in a separate pot until syrupy. Add the veal glaze to the liqueur reduction and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until saucy. Season with salt and sherry vinegar to taste. Just before serving, stir in the blood orange segments.

Pair with: 2018 Rosé of Cabernet Franc & 2014 White Pebble Cabernet Sauvignon

BBQ Ribs with Cherry BBQ Sauce

Ingredients for BBQ Rub:

2 racks baby back ribs

5 tsp brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp musdard powder

4 tbl yellow mustard

Ingredients for BBQ Sauce:

1/4 cup orange juice

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup honey

2 tbl molasses

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tbl Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tbl liquid smoke

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tbl spicy mustard powder

3 tbl butter

1 onion - diced

4 garlic cloves - minced

2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups dark cherries

1 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1. For the sauce, melt the butter in a medium sauce pot and add in onions. Cook until golden and then add your garlic, salt and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for half an hour, constantly stirring to ensure it does not stick to the bottom. Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender. Let cool.

2. For the ribs, you want to clean any excess connective tissue or loose fat off the ribs. Rub an even layer of the yellow mustard all over the ribs. Mix the rest of the ingredients and evenly season the ribs. Heat a smoker or grill to 225 F and add your choice of wood for smoking. Cook for 4 hours, then lather ribs with the cherry bbq sauce. Cook further for 30 minutes or until done. Serve with the extra bbq sauce on the side.

Pair with: 2014 Alpine Cabernet Sauvignon

Wild Mushroom Puff Pastry

1 shallot, minced

1 pound assorted wild mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves roasted garlic, minced

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add mushrooms. Cook and stir until mushrooms reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Stir in roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in cream. Remove from heat and allow mushroom mixture to cool. It will thicken as it cools.

2. Unfold pastry sheet onto floured surface and lightly roll into a 12 x 15 inch square. Cut into eighteen 3 inch squares. Place a mounded teaspoon of mushroom filling in the center of each square. Fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Pinch edges firmly together with a fork to seal.

3. Bake 12 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pair with: 2012 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon Magnum

Roasted Quail with Wild Mushroom Duxelle

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup finely chopped shallot

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 pound of wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, hen-of-the-woods, black trumpet or a mixture (coarsely chopped)

1 tablespoon (finely chopped flat-leaf parsley)

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 whole quail

1 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons creme fraiche

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

For Duxelle:

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic, cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook while stirring until mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, about 7 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes more. Stir in parsley and season with salt, and the pepper.

For quail:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed ovenproof saute pan over medium heat, add oil and brown the quail on all sides.

When the oven is hot, arrange the quail, breast side up, in a small roasting pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove the birds from the pan and set aside on a plate to rest for 10 minutes.

Just before serving mix the creme fraiche with the Dijon and whole grain mustard for sauce.

Pair with: 2014 Alpine Cabernet Sauvignon & 2018 Rosé of Cabernet Franc

Jerk Chicken Skewers

1 onion (finely chopped)

½ bunch cilantro leaves (rough chopped)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 jalapeño (stem and seeds removed)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
¼ cup orange juice
2 lbs chicken breasts (dice 1 inch thick)
2 peaches (diced 1 inch thick)
12 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 2 hours

Mix together onion, thyme, cilantro, salt, sugar, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, jalapeno, black pepper, soy sauce, oil and orange juice. These ingredients can also be combined in a food processor. Skewer 2 ½ ounces of chicken and peaches onto each skewer (about 4 pieces). Place the skewers in a shallow baking dish and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Place the skewers onto a hot grill and grill until done, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Pair with: 2014 White Pebble Cabernet Sauvignon

Cranberry & Brie Bites

2 sheets Puff Pastry

1 1/2 cups Cranberry Sauce
10 oz. Brie Cheese

Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 12 squares and place inside mini muffins cups. (You may want to lightly spray to ensure they won't stick). Try not to leave any part of the muffin cup uncovered by dough or the cheese and cranberry will stick. Place a 1-inch square of cheese inside each cup. Then add about 1 T cranberry sauce on top of the cheese. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven till edges are a light brown, 10-15 minutes. Cool a few minutes (but not completely) before removing from muffin tins.

Pair with: 2018 Rosé of Cabernet Franc

BBQ Ribs and Cabbage Apple Slaw

Smoked Baby Back Ribs

1 ea Pork Rib rack, baby back
3 tbs bbq sauce
4 tbs bbq rub
Take baby back ribs and liberally season them with the BBQ rub. Wrap an let sit overnight in the refrigerator. Hot smoke the ribs on the BBQ with mesquite chips at 300 degrees for 3 hours or until tender. Glaze with BBQ sauce and return to heat for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with slaw.

BBQ Rub

2 oz chili powder
1 oz smoked paprika
1 oz brown sugar
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs cumin, ground
1 tbs coriander, ground
1 tsp cayenne
2 tbs salt
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

BBQ Sauce

1 bottle ketchup, 20oz
3 tbs cider vinegar
1 ea onion, diced
2 cl garlic, minced
1 oz bourbon
Sweat onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add bourbon and cook until dry. Add vinegar and ketchup and cook for 20 minutes on low. Season to taste.

Cabbage and Apple Slaw

1 ea savoy cabbage, shredded
3 ea granny smith apple, julienned
2 tbs mayonnaise
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs whole grain mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Let sit 30 minutes before serving.

Pair with: 2013 Ganymede Cabernet Sauvignon

Paella Recipe

1 bag bomba rice (1kilo)

2 chicken thighs large dice

1 sausage 6oz chorizo medium dice
1qt red pepper diced
1/2qt onion diced
1/2qt tomato diced
8 cloves garlic chopped
4 oz extra virgin olive oil
3qt chicken stock
1/2cup fish sauce
1/2cup water
1/2cup vegetables for garnish (asparagus in photo)
1ea bay leaves
Saffron to taste
1/2c Smoked paprika
16ea gulf shrimp
24ea mussels
24ea clams
1 squid cleaned and body sliced into rings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sear all seafood in paella pan until halfway cooked. Remove from pan. Add more olive oil and sear chicken, sausage and chorizo until brown. Add onion, pepper, tomato and garlic and cook down slow until sticky and caramelized. Add rice and coat with oil in the pan. Spread rice out into one even layer in the pan. Turn up heat and deglaze with Chicken stock, fish sauce and water. Add smoked paprika and saffron. Season broth generously with salt. Bring to a boil and place in oven. DO NOT STIR. Cook until liquid has completely evaporated and the rice is tender. Arrange seafood and garnish vegetables on top of paella and place back in the oven to finish cooking and warm the seafood.

Pair with: 2012 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon