Past Issues:
The Wine Skinny Cooks, apr/may 2000
Spring is here again. Gone
are the cravings for winter stews, holiday
gravy, and all of the other comfort foods
that keep us all warm and toasty inside.
Now we want fresh herbs. Spring lamb. Dill
every-which-away. Baby vegetables. Sauvignon
Blancs. To celebrate, we've put together
a special occasion wine dinner. Many courses,
many wines. Think in terms of small plates
of perfect bites. Enjoy!
Pâté with Walnuts
Caviar
Pacific Echo NV Brut Mendocino County
North Atlantic Smoked Salmon
Goldwater 1999 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
Dog Point
Goat Cheese, Pancetta and
Asparagus Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Chateau Ste. Michelle 1997 Chardonnay
Columbia Valley Cold Creek Vineyard
Lasagna Verde
Castello di Gabbiano 1994 Chianti Classico
Riserva Gold Label
Asian Lamb Chops
Spinach Timbales
Spring New Potatoes
Ginger Glazed Baby Carrots
The Hess Collection 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Cheese Board (try Stilton,
Morbier, Manchego)
Fresh Pears
Chocolate Truffles
Cockburn 1970 Vintage Port
Coffee
(all recipes serve 6)
2 small celery ribs with leaves
6 whole peppercorns
6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound chicken livers
Pinch white pepper
½ pound (2 sticks) sweet butter
2 teaspoons dry mustard
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove
¼ cup French Brandy
½ cup chopped walnuts, plus extra pieces
for garnish
Fresh chives, for garnish
French bread
1. Add celery and peppercorns
to 6 cups water in a saucepan. Add the salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer
for 10 minutes. Add chicken livers and simmer
very gently for about 10 minutes; livers
should still be slightly pink inside.
2. Drain livers, discard celery
and peppercorns, and place livers in the
bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel
blade. Add all remaining ingredients except
walnuts and process until very smooth.
3. Scrape into a bowl, stir
in ½ cup walnuts, and transfer the pâté
to the refrigerator. Chill for at least
4 hours. Allow the pâté to stand at room
temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
4. To serve, spread a tablespoon
or so of pâté onto French bread slices that
have been lightly toasted on both sides.
Garnish with walnut pieces and a sprig of
fresh chive.
6 ounces whipped cream cheese
3 ounces sour cream
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon minced onion
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces black caviar
Good quality white bread
Butter
1. Mix cream cheese, sour
cream, lemon juice, onion, dill, and pepper
until thoroughly combined.
2. Cut bread into toast points. Toast one
side. Brush other side with melted butter
and toast that side.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture onto toast
points. Top with ¼ - ½ teaspoon of caviar.
Smoked salmon (enough for each of your guests
to receive a generous slice)
Danish pumpernickel bread
Sour cream
Red salmon caviar
Finely chopped fresh dill
Finely chopped red onion or hard-boiled
egg
Slice salmon across grain
into 5-6" slices. Slice a loaf of Danish
pumpernickel break into similarly sized
slices (should be a bit larger than a large
biscotti cookie). On each plate, crisscross
a slice of bread with a slice of salmon
(salmon draped on top). In the spaces around
the X, place a dollop of sour cream, a generous
spoonful of caviar (can use red or black),
a slice of lemon, and a spoonful of finely
chopped onion or hardboiled egg. Pass the
peppermill.
(Green Lasagna)
¾ pound fresh pasta sheets, uncut (about
3 sheets, each 9 x 13" or larger)
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach,
defrosted
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
½ cup grated imported Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
2 - 3 Tablespoons olive oil
11 ounces Montrachet, or other soft goat
cheese
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
4 Tablespoons sweet butter
6 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt, freshly ground black pepper, and nutmeg,
to taste
1. Bring 4 quarts water to
a boil in a large pot. Stir in 2 Tablespoons
salt and cook the sheets of pasta, one at
a time; each will be done in 2 minutes or
so. As each sheet is done, transfer it immediately
to a large bowl of cold water.
2. Bring 2 quarts water to
a boil in another pan. Add 1 Tablespoon
salt and stir in the defrosted spinach.
Cook for 1 minute, drain immediately, and
transfer spinach to another bowl of cold
water.
3. Mix ricotta and 3 Tablespoons
of the Parmesan together in a small bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.
4. In a food processor fitted
with a steel blade, purée basil leaves and
2 - 3 Tablespoons olive oil.
5. In another bowl, cream
together the basil purée, three-quarters
of the goat cheese (at this point, place
remaining goat cheese in freezer to harden
for later), and the heavy cream.
6. Drain spinach and squeeze
as much water as possible out of it with
your hands. Stir spinach into the ricotta
mixture and correct seasoning.
7. Drain the sheets of pasta
and pat thoroughly dry on paper towels.
8. Preheat oven to 375°F.
9. Make white sauce. Place
milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium
heat while making rest of sauce. In another
saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle in flour
and cook gently, stirring almost constantly,
for 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture brown.
Remove from heat; pour in heated milk all
at once; whisk vigorously to combine. Return
pan to medium heat and bring sauce to boil,
stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until
thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and
nutmeg.
10. Assembly: Smear one third
of the white sauce evenly over the bottom
of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange a sheet
of pasta over the sauce, trimming as necessary.
Spread all of the spinach and ricotta mixture
over pasta, being sure to cover to the edges.
Place a second layer of pasta over the spinach.
Spread half of remaining white sauce over
pasta, and spread all of the basil and goat
cheese mixture over the sauce (don't worry
if this all gets mixed up together). Top
this with the final sheet of pasta. Spread
remaining white sauce evenly over the top.
Cut very cold remaining goat cheese into
thin slices. Arrange over top of lasagna.
Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
11. Bake in upper third of
oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is
bubbling and top is lightly browned. Serve
immediately.
3 Tablespoons dark Oriental sesame oil
6 thick lamb chops
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons Oriental red chile paste
¾ cup orange marmalade
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1½ Tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
1. Heat sesame oil in a skillet
large enough to hold all the chops. Add
chops and brown lightly on both sides. Transfer
to paper towels to drain.
2. Add the onion and garlic
to skillet. Cook, covered, over low heat
for about 15 minutes until tender and lightly
colored. Add soy sauce, chile paste, marmalade,
vinegar, and gingerroot. Simmer for 2 minutes,
stirring constantly.
3. Return chops to the skillet,
cover, and cook over low heat, turning once,
until done, about 7 minutes for medium-rare.
Serve immediately, spooning sauce over chops.
½ recipe White Sauce (like in the Lasagna
Verde recipe, above)
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach,
defrosted, cooked, drained well
3 beaten eggs
½ cup grated imported Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock
Salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper to
taste
Mix all ingredients. Pour
into greased timbale cups. Place cups in
a baking dish filled with water to level
of filling. Bake in 325° oven for about
20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size
of the mold, until a knife inserted into
the center of one comes out clean.
24 tiny new potatoes (can use red or white
potatoes)
6 Tablespoons sweet butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
8 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Scrub potatoes and dry. Melt
butter in a heavy flameproof casserole with
a tight-fitting cover. Add potatoes and
season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir
to coat evenly with butter. Cover and cook
over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring gently
occasionally, until tender. Toss with dill
and serve.
24 - 30 baby carrots, trimmed if necessary
4 Tablespoons sweet butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh minced gingerroot
1/3 teaspoon caraway seeds
1. Place carrots in a saucepan
and add cold water to cover. Cook carrots
until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain carrots.
2. Melt butter in a small
saucepan. Add brown sugar, gingerroot and
caraway seeds. Mix. Add carrots, stir gently,
and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Serve.
The simplicity of a well-matched wine
and cheese is hard to beat. Throw in a little
fruit, and you have a meal. Each issue,
we'll suggest a current favorite combo:
($14)
Brie
Dried Currants
To check out our previous
Wine Skinny Cooks features - click
here.
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