Category: sips and tips

This month is all about the holidays. Nothing is better than enjoying great food and great wine with family and friends.

One of our closest friends and charter member of La Familia, Susan Barri, has offered her recipe for Osso Bucco, a traditional Milanese winter dish often served with risotto. She has quite a reputation as a culinary goddess so pay attention.

Osso Bucco is an EASY traditional Milanese dish made without tomatoes so that the flavor of the Gremolata comes through. It is often served with risotto.

Ingredients:

• 12 Pieces veal shank, about 1 ½ “ thick
• All purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• ¼ Cup olive oil
• 4 Tbls butter
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 Cup dry white wine
• 1 Bay leaf or lemon leaf
• 1 Pinch of allspice
• 1 Pinch of ground cinnamon

Gremolata:

• 2 Tsp grated lemon zest
• 6 Tbls finely chopped parsley
• 1 Garlic clove, finely chopped

Thin lemon wedges

Directions:

• Tie each piece of veal around the middle and dust with the seasoned flour. Heat the oil, butter and garlic in a heavy saucepan such that the shanks are one layer. Brown the meat for 12-15 minutes, standing them up in a single layer. Add the wine, bayleaf, cinnamon and allspice.
• Cook at a low heat for 15 minutes, then add ½ cup warm water. Continue cooking for 45 min – 1 hr, adding more water if needed. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Discard garlic and bay leaf.
• Increase the heat under the sauce pan and stir for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thick, scraping up any bits off the bottom of the sauce pan as you stir.
• To make the gremolata, mix together the lemon zest, parsley and garlic. Add the gremolata to the sauce pan.
• Season with salt and pepper, if necessary, and return the veal to the sauce. Heat through and serve with lemon wedges.
• This pairs very well with our Two Amigos 2011 Tirare il Dito! Syrah (69%)/Cabernet Sauvignon blend (31%):
• This elegant, full-bodied red wine is grown in the hills above Sonoma Valley where Sonoma Valley, Bennett Valley and Sonoma Mountain intersect. Both the Syrah and Cabernet are Estate grown, fermented in small lot fermentation tanks, blended right after several taste trials and then finally barreled in French Oak to create a fusion of flavors.
• What to have for dessert? Hmmmm…..
• Now that you have served and enjoyed tour friend’s Osso Bucco, how about some Two Amigos Wee Moor and milk chocolate…simple, yummy, easy, peezy!! The TAW Wee Moor is dessert wine made from 100% Estate grown Syrah and fortified with pure grape spirit. Belgian milk chocolate is wonderful, particularly sprinkled with almonds or walnuts. This dessert wine pairs especially well with ANY milk chocolate product rather than dark chocolate. Guido is having a special on the Wee Moor this month. For more info, just click on HERE!

Guido and I enjoy our hearty winter meals but also love to find yummy vegetarian meals as well. The base for this recipe is quinoa which is a great source of protein. This healthy alternative to a meat based menu is easy to prepare and makes a great meal with just a salad. It would even qualify as part of the recently touted Mediterranean Diet. Remember, recent research claims the Mediterranean Diet, which includes a glass of wine each day, has proven to
enhance health and longevity!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved crosswise and seeded
• 18 fresh sage leaves, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped sage
• 1/2 onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375º. Brush 2 rimmed baking sheets with 1 tablespoon oil. Cut 5 1/4 inch thick rings of squash; cut remainder into 1/4-inch dice. Place squash on sheets. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 12 sage leaves. Bake until tender and just golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Keep oven on.
• Heat remaining teaspoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add Quinoa and stock; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat. Simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes.
• Stir together Qinoa, diced squash, chopped sage, parmesan, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
• Coat a 9 inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Arrange 6 sage leaves face down in plate; top with squash rings. Press quinoa mixture on top.
  Bake 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Serve wedges warm or at room temperature.

We have been lovin’ our new Vino Bianco with Guida and Vita on the label. It is a delightful Viognier and folks in the tasting room seem to love it too. Our dear friend/chef/owner of Glen Ellen’s Olive and Vine Restaurant, Catherine Venturini has a FABULOUS Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho and she feels it pairs beautifully with our Viognier.

Below is her recipe and here is a link to the restaurant. Definitely should be on your bucket list if you have not yet been there! Catherine was also recently featured as a spotlight chef in one of our local Sonoma County newspapers and here is a link to her story that also includes other recipes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 6 Cups peeled, chopped seedless watermelon (about a 6-pound melon)
• 1 Medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 Cup peeled jicama, chopped fine
• 1 Cup diced red onion
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 Finely chopped Serrano chile (or to taste) Juice of 2 limes.
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste.
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzle on top

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients except olive oil, salt & pepper in large mixing bowl. Puree half in food processor, or to desired smoothness. Transfer to another large bowl. (You can puree another few cups, or add the remainder, whichever you prefer for consistency. Also, it can be all done in the food processor if you like it smoother.)
• Add salt & pepper to taste, and more lime if needed. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve very cold in chilled bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

This months recipe is brought to you by Darci, our brand new wine club manager.”The second I tasted the Mistella, I knew it would be PERFECT with the baked pear recipe I love to make!”

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 2 tsps sugar -I use coconut sugar now for everything
• (its healthy..no difference in taste and you use it 1-1)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup apple juice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 °F
• Halve pears lengthwise and core. Place core side up in a medium baking dish.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar and a 1/2 teaspoon butter into each cavity.
• Pour juice into baking dish and bake 25 minutes until pears are tender.
• Combine cheese, sugar and cinnamon
• Top each pear half with 1 1/2 tablespoon cheese mixture and serve warm.

The Perfect Wine Slushy using our very own Mistelle and Mistelle Rouge:
Fill cup full of ice and dump in blender.
Fill to top of ice with your choice of Mistelle/Rouge.

Add a splash of your favorite fruit juice.
Toss in a handful of your favorite fruit.
Blend.
Serve.
Enjoy!!!

This yummy Coq Au Vin recipe comes again from our Tasting Room Manager, Nancy. She is a culinary goddess who lived for a while in France. Her recipe is based on a Julia Child recipe with some modifications and the inclusion of Two Amigos Wines. Nancy uses either our Tirare il Dito or our Cuvee Classico and then serves that wine with the dish as well. Bon Appétit!!

Ingredients:

1 bottle Two Amigos Cuvee Classico or Tirare il Dito
6 oz of lean bacon

2 T butter

2 cut-up chickens or 8 chicken pieces (thighs and breasts)

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

¼ cup cognac

1-3 cups chicken stock, best quality

½ T tomato paste

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp thyme

1-2 bay leaves

20-24 peeled white onions, about 1 inch in diameter

1½ T butter

1½ T olive oil

½ cup beef bouillon

Herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, ¼ tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth

½ lb fresh mushrooms

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 T minced shallots

3 T flour

2 T softened butter

Directions:

• Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (1 inch by 1.4 inch). Simmer for 10 minutes in water. Rinse in cold water and dry.
• Sauté the bacon slowly in hot butter in a heavy fry pan until it is lightly browned. Remove to side dish.
• Dry the chicken pieces thoroughly. Brown the chicken in the butter in the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, return the bacon to the fry pan with the chicken.
• Cover and cook slowly for 10-20 minutes, turning the chicken once.
• Uncover, pour in the cognac. Ignite the cognac with a match averting your face. Shake the pan back and forth until the flames subside.
• Pour the bottle of wine into the pan. Add just enough stock to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 1 hour or more until the chicken juices run clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
• Pour in the bouillon, salt and pepper to taste, add herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for up to 50 minutes until onions are tender, but retain their shape, and the liquid is evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet and set aside.
• Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. When the butter begins to foam, add the mushrooms. Shake and toss the pan for 4-5 minutes. As soon as the mushrooms have begun to brown, remove the pan from the heat.
• Toss the shallots with the mushrooms and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Picking up at #6, remove the chicken to a side dish and simmer the liquid in the pan for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 ¼ cups. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves.
• Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste. Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer while stirring. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
• Arrange the chicken in the pan, place the mushrooms and onions around the chicken and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. It can wait indefinitely.
• Slowly, before serving, bring to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is hot through.
• Serve the chicken on each plate. Decorate with fresh parsley and serve with parsley potatoes.
• Serve TAW Cuvee Classico or Tirare il Dito with the meal!!! Yum!!!