Mulled Wine Poached Pears

Mulled-Wine-Poached-PearThanksgiving is coming up, with the other winter holidays not far behind. That means it’s fancy food time!

I made poached pears with mascarpone for New Year’s Eve a few years ago. Charles and I loved them. They were so rich and decadent — a wonderful way to ring in the new year. It was a recipe I wanted to revisit, but when it came to finding the original, I couldn’t locate it. Google gave me many options, but none of them were exactly what I had done before. So, as I do so often anyway, I decided to make it my own.

We just received our final Farm to Table shipment from Pennyroyal for the 2014 season, and I thought using some of my coveted Laychee cheese for poached pears would be amazing. It truly was. I poached the pears in Sobon Estate’s Old Vines Zinfandel. Its fruit-forward richness was a perfect choice to go with the pears and spices. Remember, never cook with a wine that you wouldn’t drink, but make sure its characteristics will compliment the other flavors in the food — much like choosing a wine for pairing.

For more ideas for Thanksgiving, check out Cranberry Chutney, Drunk Ruby Turkey, Kuri Squash and Bacon Soup, and from my other blog, An Oops Makes a Great Turkey, and My Favorite Green Beans. Please don’t judge some of those photos — many of those posts are from a few years ago. 😉

Mulled Wine Poached Pears


Serves 6

6 Bosc pears, peeled (but keep the stems)
1 bottle red wine
1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon mulling spice (I actually used Garam Masala because I love it so.)
pinch of powdered ginger
pinch of salt

4 ounces heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup Laychee or Mascarpone cheese
vanilla bean, split and insides scraped into a bowl.

Put wine, sugar, spices, salt, and the remains of the vanilla bean in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, turning the pears every ten minutes so they get a lovely, uniform red.
Remove pears and continue to cook the liquid. Reduce the liquid until it’s syrupy. You can use this for ice cream or any other dessert where a syrup would be a nice addition.
When pears have cooled, take out the stems and set aside. Core the pears with an apple corer, or like I did, with your peeler. (This is the one I have.)

Add whipping cream and cheese to the bowl with the vanilla bean innards. Stir with a rubber spatula until well blended, then scrape into a reclosable bag. Cut a corner off the bag and pipe the cheese mixture into the pear. Place the stem back on the top for a pretty presentation.

by Mellisa on November 22, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on November 22, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/11/22/mulled-wine-poached-pears/

A Dessert Recommendation

Chimney-RockThis is just a super-quick post to let you all in on my latest dessert obsession. It’s Cowgirl Creamery’s fall seasonal cheese, Chimney Rock, and a bit of NV Rosemount Estate Old Benson Tawny Port. I’ve written about the glories of savory and sweet pairings as dessert before, but this newest combination has taken my taste buds to new heights. The earthy and creamy flavors of the cheese with its touch of herbs added to the hazelnut toffee of the tawny — truly, this is what gastronomic bliss is.

by Mellisa on November 15, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on November 15, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/11/15/a-dessert-recommendation/

The Savory Spaghetti Squash

spaghetti squashOne of my favorite things to do is to meander through the produce department to see what’s freshest that day. I go in without a plan and peruse. Based on what strikes my fancy, I proceed to wander the rest of the store, concocting a dish as I go along.

The abundance of summer is over for the year, but there is still so much to be had! I have quite a fondness for winter squash, so I’m never disappointed when autumn begins to show its bright colors and causes us to layer outerwear. Spaghetti squash is a fun one, as it can be used as a substitute for pasta or just tossed with some olive oil and Parmesan for a side dish. I opted for the former this go around the store, and was quite pleased with the result. I added a vegetable marinara sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, chard, and some Italian sausage. It made for a hearty supper.

To pair, I chose a Teroldego. Its light tannins went nicely with the sausage, and the licorice on the mid-palate was delightful with the fennel that had been ground into the sausage. Side note — get to know your butcher. Our local ones at the co-op create the best sausage. A butcher can introduce you to new cuts of meat, and you’ll always find the freshest options. The Teroldego was also rich enough to hold up to the marinara sauce and really brought dinner to the next level.

Spaghetti Squash Pasta


Serves 6

1 medium spaghetti squash*
26-32 oz. jar of high quality marinara sauce (or homemade, of course)
1/2-1 pound of Italian sausage, depending on how meaty you want it
1 bunch of red chard, stems removed and chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut your squash in half. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put it cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the squash with either more parchment paper or tin foil and cook for around two hours or until the inside of the squash in tender.

When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the “noodles” out of the squash.

Drizzle olive oil in a saute pan and cook sausage over medium heat until browned. Add chard and cook until the leaves turn dark green and become tender.

Warm marinara sauce and then either toss everything together or layer squash, sauce, sausage, and chard on a plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

*If you plan a little, you can always cook your squash in the slow cooker while you’re at work. Instead of cutting it in half, just pierce it with a fork a few times and cook it on low for about eight hours. In my case, with my commute, it would probably be closer to ten hours. Thankfully, the slow cooker is forgiving.

by Mellisa on November 8, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on November 8, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/11/08/the-savory-spaghetti-squash/

Coconut Jasmine Rice

coconut riceYou know how sometimes you pick up a sauce and think, “I should just save myself the frustration and get take-out?”

Such was my experience last night. Charles had a sample of a Thai sauce and wanted to try it. I had an inkling it was going to be blah. I was right. To make sure our entire meal wasn’t ho-hum, I made coconut rice to pair with the yawn-worthy sauced-up chicken. It’s such a super-simple thing to make, tastes decadent, and compliments Thai food so nicely. We paired our dinner with the Belgian Pale Ale we brewed a few weeks ago. It was a good choice. If the sauce had been spicy, an off-dry Riesling would have been lovely, but since it wasn’t, the beer paired quite well.

Coconut Jasmine Rice


Serves 6

2 cups jasmine white rice
2 14 oz. cans of coconut milk
1 cup water
3 Tablespoons of shredded coconut
pinch of salt
coconut oil

Coat the inside of a deep soup pot with coconut oil. Make sure the pot has a lid that fits well.
Put all ingredients into the pot and set over medium-high heat. Stir.
When the liquid starts to boil, put on the lid and turn down the heat to low. Let rice simmer for 15 minutes. Take off lid and simmer for 5 minutes more, or until most of the liquid is gone.
Fluff the rice and cover again with the lid. Let sit while you make your main entree then fluff again right before serving.

by Mellisa on October 25, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on October 25, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/10/25/coconut-jasmine-rice/

Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup

Tomato SoupTomato soup has been requested a lot this week. Charles can’t seem to get enough of it! I guess it’s easy to understand. Tomato soup is tangy and creamy and creates that comforting buzz after being consumed.

Soup is all about the simmering, so it’s a great option when you’re trying to catch up on DVR’d episodes of Agents of Shield and Sleepy Hollow. Minimal prep and occasionally stirring, along with a final go through a food processor is all that is required of this tasty tomato formulation. Serve it with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, and you’ve got a comfort food staple of a meal. To drink, pair this fare with a Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, preferably from one of the Wilson Artisan Wineries.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup


Serves 4

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cipollini onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can of fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir. Add tomato paste and cook for one minute more.
Toss in tomatoes, peppers, and broth and simmer on low heat for an hour. The longer the soup simmers, the more the flavors mingle, so it’s fine if it simmers for longer. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Remove from heat and blend in a food processor. I blended the soup twice, in small stages so everything became as smooth as possible. Add yogurt to the final blending so it doesn’t curdle.
Return soup to heat just long enough to get the soup hot again — and to give your grilled cheese sandwiches time to cook — about five minutes.

by Mellisa on October 18, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on October 18, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/10/18/roasted-red-bell-pepper-and-tomato-soup/

The 2014 Sangio Harvest

montoliva_vineyard 014Once again, we helped Mark with his grape harvest. We met just after first light this past Sunday. It was hot this year, but there were so many people there to pick the estate vineyard, it went by in a flash.

I’ve made it a tradition to relink to my post from a few years ago. The experience stays pretty much the same. I do get better and quicker at it each year, though. Harvesting Sangio…

by Mellisa on October 11, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in wine

Posted by Mellisa on October 11, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/10/11/the-2014-sangio-harvest/

Lemon Rosemary Cornish Game Hens

Cornish Game HenSome weeks are so full of so many tasks, when everything finally winds down, a little comfort food is in order. While baked chicken is always a winner, I wanted to change things up a bit, do something more individualized. I’ve always wanted to cook Cornish game hens. They’re so small yet fancy. When served with roasted carrots and an Anderson Valley wine, our cares just slipped away.

We paired our hens with 2012 Husch Renegade Sauvignon Blanc. The way the wine picked up the rosemary in the bird was dynamite! I savored every mouthful.

Lemon Rosemary Cornish Game Hens


Serves 4

2 Cornish game hens
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut in half
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth (I just used some broth I had frozen in ice cube trays and scattered the cubes around the pan.)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season birds, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Squeeze juice from half a lemon into the cavity of each bird, then place the half inside the cavity. Place the rosemary sprigs inside of each bird. Rub hens with olive oil and place them on a rack inside a roasting pan. Place garlic around birds.
Roast for 25 minutes then lower oven to 350 degrees. Pour the wine and broth into the pan and roast about 30 minutes more or until the birds are golden brown and the legs begin to fall away from the body.
Cut hens in half and serve.

by Mellisa on October 4, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on October 4, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/10/04/lemon-rosemary-cornish-game-hens/

Pork Udon

Pork Udon

Soup’s been on the menu quite a bit this week. Maybe it’s because of the change of the seasons. Maybe because it can be a complete meal contained in a bowl. Maybe just because it’s delicious.

In Japanese culture, udon noodles are served chilled in summer and hot in winter. There’s starting to be a nip in the air come evening, so creating a hot soup was a no-brainer, though during the day, summer’s been reminding us here that it’s not done until Monday. We paired our soup with what could be considered an interesting choice — Curtis Winery 2011 Heritage Cuvée. However, Rhone blends are very versatile when it comes to pairing, and this was excellent with the meal, picking up the earthy flavors of the shitakes and Tamari while highlighting the caramelized sweetness of the carrots. It made for a hearty supper and a lovely glass of wine.

Pork Udon


Serves 4

1 Tablespoon sesame oil, plus more for Panko crumbs
1 pound of pork shoulder, sliced thinly
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
3 teaspoons grated ginger
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped chives or scallions
8 cups of chicken broth
1 ounce package of dried shitake mushrooms or eight fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon light sodium Tamari
1 8 ounce package udon noodles (I used Koyo Round Noodles)
1 cup Napa cabbage, chopped
Sriracha to taste

In a large skillet or stove top wok, heat the sesame oil over high heat. Add the pork and pinch of salt, letting each side cook until browned, usually about three minutes per side. Remove pork and set aside.
Toss in carrots and sugar and stir until carrots have caramelized. Remove carrots and set aside.
Throw in the Panko. You may need a bit more oil. Stir crumbs until they turn golden-brown. Drain on a paper towel.
Turn heat down to medium and place ginger, garlic, and chives in the skillet. Stir until the aromas are released, then pour in stock. Toss in the mushrooms, and pour in the Tamari. Add pork and carrots and let simmer 30-45 minutes.
Add noodles and cook another six minutes.
Add cabbage and cook two minutes more.
Place in bowls. Add sriracha if wanted and sprinkle with crunchy Panko.

by Mellisa on September 20, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on September 20, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/09/20/pork-udon/

Farewell to Summer

Farewell to SummerSometimes, you just have to toast the end of the season with a drink that celebrates the intense heat of summer afternoons. What makes us feel languid is what makes fruit luscious. A cocktail that can incorporate the sweetness of those afternoons spent sunning on the deck lizard-like is be the perfect way to say, “Farewell,” to summer and “Hello there!” to autumn. It tastes pretty great, too.

Farewell to Summer


Serves 2

8 oz of blackberries
1 tsp coconut sugar, plus more for the rim of the glasses
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
4 jiggers of apricot juice
2 jiggers of Beefeater Wet gin
1 lemon
crushed ice
1 bottle of Fever Tree Tonic Water

Muddle blackberries, sugar, and pepper in the bottom of a martini shaker. Cut a lemon in half and slice two thin pieces. Set the pieces aside and squeeze the lemon into the shaker. Add apricot juice and gin. Fill shaker 2/3 of the way full with the crushed ice. Cover and shake vigorously.
Wet the edges of two martini glasses. Shake coconut sugar onto a plate and set the glasses rim-side down on the sugar. Spin the glasses and set back up.
Pour the contents of the shaker — with the cocktail strainer in place — into each glass. Pour half of the bottle of tonic water into each glass, garnish with blackberries and lemon, and serve right away.
See ya summer! It’s been real.

by Mellisa on September 6, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on September 6, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/09/06/farewell-to-summer/

When You Love It, It Doesn’t Seem Like Work

crush

L-R: Charles, me, Mark, Kristin, and Bill

Well, maybe that’s not entirely true. Your body will still remind you that you were working all day, even if it is with grapes.

Charles and I went out to Montoliva Vineyard and Winery directly after we were finished with our day jobs on Tuesday. Mark was going to be receiving 18 tons of Pinot Grigio, and it needed to be crushed and pressed. The grapes were being hand harvested, so the crew only delivered about half of the order on Tuesday, but since we didn’t get home until 7:00 that night, it still felt like plenty.

My job was sorting through the grapes to remove any leaves, twigs, random pieces of grass, dried out bunches, etc. before Charles and Bill shoveled everything into the destemmer/crusher. It’s important to remove those bits from the grapes since they can negatively affect the flavor of the wine. From there, the fruit was pumped into holding tanks until it could go through the press. It was hot, sticky work, and I’ve never seen so many spiders in my life. Working with wine grapes is definitely not a chore for an arachnophobe! But you know what — I enjoyed every moment of it. There’s just something about working with grapes that I find energizing. Charles’ back may not have agreed with me the next day, but there you go.

Our regular work gigs prevented us from going back to finish the job on Wednesday, but Mark fortunately had more help, and at the end of the week, there’s a whole lot of Pinot Grigio juice that will now be transformed into some pretty awesome wine, and in my own small way, I got to help with that. Isn’t that awesome?

Harvest is in full swing in California’s wine regions. In another couple of weeks, we’ll be back at Montoliva helping with the Sangiovese harvest, feeling our muscles cramp, and loving every moment of it.

Have a glass of Pinot Grigio for me tonight, in honor of the hard work that goes into great wine. Cheers!

by Mellisa on August 30, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Mellisa on August 30, 2014

https://sapidcellardoor.com/2014/08/30/when-you-love-it-it-doesnt-seem-like-work/

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