Recipes

Fresh Black Berry with Triple Cream Cheese on Melba Cracker

Equal parts, Mascarpone, Goat Cheese and Cream Cheese creamed together, chill and set aside till serving time.  Wash fresh Black Berry and drain and dry.  Serve as pictured on tray and let guest assemble, if you pre-assemble the melba cracker gets soggy.  Paired well with Syrah.

White Wine Sangria

 Many recipes out there have a lot of ingredients, I made this one simple and refreshing, enjoy…D

1 bottle dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio)

2 shots of brandy

1 orange sliced

1 lime sliced

1 peach sliced

1 lemon sliced

2 shots of triple sec

1 shot of simple syrup (optional)

Club soda

Pour the wine in a pitcher add sliced fruits (be sure to wash your fruit before slicing) brandy, triple sec, stir and chill 2 -4 hours.  Before serving, add 1 liter of club soda, taste test to see if you need the simple syrup (you might need if your fruit isn’t that sweet).   That’s it, you are ready to chill!

Lamb & Green Chili Stew

3 lbs of boned lamb, diced 1 ½ inch cubes

Flour for dusting the lamb

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 T oil

6 dried juniper berries, crushed

2 yellow onions, peeled & diced

5 ½ cups canned hominy, with liquid

1 medium dried chili pepper crushed

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 Tablespoon salt

½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

6 green chilies, quartered, to add more heat include some of the seeds

1 Quart of water

Dust the lamb with flour, brown in the oil in heavy pot. Stir in the pepper and juniper berries. Remove the meat, drain.  Cook the onions in same pot till golden, return the meat. Add the remaining ingredients, cover simmer for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

This is a fun recipe to pair wine with since you have the Lamb and all the spice from the peppers.  Try a dry Riesling a Viognier or a Pinot Noir would be great. 

Pork Tenderloin with Herb Sauce

½ cup of fresh flat leaf parsley

 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 cloves of fresh garlic crushed

1 Tablespoon of Parmasan cheese

6-10 fresh baby spinach leaves

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

3 teaspoons of dried oregano

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 Pork Tenderloin 1 ½- 2 lbs

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Coarse salt and black pepper

In a food processor add the fresh parsley and pulse to chop, add the garlic, ½ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the dried oregano, rosemary, parm, spinach, vinigar, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and pepper to taste; pulse to combine.  Put in a bowl and refrigerator for at least one hour.

Preheat griddle or skillet on medium-high.  Brush the pork with the olive oil and rub with coarse salt, oregano and garlic powder. Cook on all sides until meat thermometer reads 145 degrees (medium) inserted in the thickest part.  Remove from heat and let rest for 10-20 minutes.  Slice and serve with the herb sauce.
Options:  Instead of tenderlion use 4 pork loin chops as pictured below

 

Crimini Mushroom Tart

1 lb Crimini mushrooms

2 cloves of fresh Garlic, crushed

¼ cup Fontina cheese or gruyere cheese grated

1 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 large Shallot, diced

3-4 strips bacon (optional, can omit for Vegetarian option)

¼ - ½ teaspoon black truffle oil (to taste)

Puff pastry or pie pastry or filo dough

Sauté shallots in olive oil on low heat till golden and caramelized set aside, cook bacon till crisp, cut into ¼ inch pieces and set aside.  Sauté chopped crimini mushrooms with chopped garlic till soft and golden.  Take all of these ingredients and toss together in bowl with drizzle ¼-1/2 teaspoon of truffle oil to taste.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Using a small muffin tin, spray with pan coating spray, using biscuit cutter  cut out your pasty ( I have tried all kinds and they all work with different results , the puff pastry puffs the other two options don’t)  I have used this same filling for topping a crostini then broil to melt the cheese, a  ravioli filling and steak topper.

Steak, Gorgonzola and Arugula Crostini

Ingredients:

Fresh Arugula

French baguette bread

Steak (I used Sirloin)

Gorgonzola Cheese (Or blue cheese of choice)

Garlic

Olive Oil

Fresh cracked pepper

Sprinkle of salt to taste

Rub steak with olive oil, garlic, fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste then tenderize with a fork and let marinate for desired amount of time. Let it marinate for about a half hour to an hour.  Once marinated desired amount of time, grill the steak either in a grill pan or an outdoor grill to desired wellness.  Preferably slightly pink to maintain tenderness and let rest for 10 minutes or so before thinly slicing against the grain.  Slice the baguette into ¾” slices and lay out on a baking sheet then toast on both sides in the oven until golden brown.  Once the baguette is toasted, smear the gorgonzola cheese onto each toast then place a thin slice of steak on each and top with arugula and fresh cracked pepper.  Repeat with each toast until you have the quantity desired. 

Pair with Cabernet Sauvignon