deVine Table

Curried Quinoa Salad

This salad is terrific for summer meals on the patio with a refreshing wine such as Gewürztraminer. I’ve adapted the recipe from the Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook to incorporate more ingredients from my farmer’s market and local producers. Serves 4

For the quinoa:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa rinsed (you must rinse the quinoa otherwise it tastes bitter)

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chutney
• 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the salad:

• 2 ripe peaches, chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 salad onion, chopped

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Inspired by our recent tour of farmstead cheese makers, and trying to use up the excessive amount of cheese we purchased, I adapted this recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook. It’s quick and easy to put together, and pairs well with wine! Serves 8.

Mac and Cheese Goes Glam

• 2 cups grated cheese (8 ounces) such as Pleasant Valley Dairy Gouda
• 1/2 cup grated onion (approx. 1 small onion)
• 1 16 ounce container Appel Farms low fat quark
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons dried mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta – I use chiocciole, but elbow macaroni or rigatoni are also good choices
• 1/4 cup grated goat cheese Gouda such as that produced by Silver Springs Creamery
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs or crumbled shredded wheat

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Friends Gather in the Kitchen for TasteLive

Last month we had the pleasure of participating in a TasteLive event featuring several wines from Kunde Family Estate. Roger and I have a fond memory of visiting this Sonoma winery’s expansive tasting room during our last visit to California. Fun fact: the boxing scenes in the movie Bottleshock were filmed on the Kunde grounds.

When we host TasteLive events, we follow the example set by our friend, Bean. We invite a group of friends, let them know what wines will be poured, and encourage them to bring a dish to pair and share. Then, when the clock strikes the designated time we open the bottles along with other TasteLive participants wherever they may be. Simultaneously, we all Tweet about our tasting, sharing our comments and experiences online.

On the Menu:

• Salad with Prawns, Hearts of Palm, and Herbs by Vivian
• Smoked Eggplant by Veena
• Truffled Bean Puree with Fresh Fennel
• Shredded Chicken with Balsamic Barbecue Sauce in Mini Tortillas
• Apple Clafoutis by Carolyn

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White Gazpacho

My first taste of white gazpacho was served to me by John Neumark, a great chef here in Seattle. I fell in love with this soup at first bite! This version was adapted from recipes by celebrity chefs, Joanne Weir and Hubert Keller.

A chilled soup is one of my favorite things to eat on a warm day when we’re dining on the patio. Not to mention, this is a great dish to serve to company because it’s made in advance. When your guests arrive, all you have to do is dish it up.

• ¾ c almonds
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 slices stale rustic country-style bread, crusts removed, about 4 oz.
• 1 cup ice water
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 ½ c seedless green grapes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

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Don Carlo Vineyard

One of my favorite experiences at the 2010 Wine Bloggers’ Conference was hopping on one of the many buses waiting outside the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla on Saturday, not knowing where it would take us. All we knew was that our first stop would be a vineyard. Then, as we pulled out of the parking lot we were informed by Michael, our tour guide for the day from Tourism Walla Walla, that we were headed to Oregon. Roger and I exchanged glances knowing that this meant we would end up in territory we had not yet visited. I was eager with anticipation.

As our group of 15 wine bloggers representing sites including Enobytes, A Wine to Die For, and Winery Advisor got off the bus, we walked out onto a beautiful grassy area where tables topped with wine bottles, wine glasses, and freshly picked cherries from the neighboring property awaited us. The vineyard provided a beautiful backdrop. We were informed, “Tim will be out in a moment; he wanted to make some fresh chips for you.” If you are from the northwest and hear “Tim” and “chips” in the same sentence you might think of Tim’s Cascade Style Potato Chips. Indeed, that Tim was making homemade garlic and parmesan potato chips for us. Best darn potato chips I have ever eaten.

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Curried Sweet Potato Soup

This dish was part of our meatless week menu. It is wonderful for anyone who enjoys sweet, savory, and tropical elements. To speed up cooking time, you can cut the vegetables into small dice.

Serves 4 very hungry people

• 2 cups onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 T palm oil
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups sweet potatoes (I used garnet), peeled and cut into 1 1/2″ dice
• 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 cups “no chicken” broth
• 1 cup coconut milk

In a large pot, saute the onion in the palm oil over medium heat for several minutes. Add the celery, carrot, sweet potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the curry powder and ginger and cook for another minute while stirring.

Prepped Veggies

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and you can easily stick a fork through a chunk of sweet potato. Stir in the coconut milk. Puree the soup until smooth either using an immersion blender or food processor. Serve at once.

Wine Pairing

We paired this soup with the Tyrus Evan 2007 Viognier from Del Rio Vineyard. Viogniers that emphasize fruit over minerality are my preference. This wine produced by Ken Wright delivers primarily pineapple on the palate. It’s a nice pairing with curry.

The challenge with this soup is that it is a little sweet. You want to be sure the wine you serve is as sweet as or slightly sweeter than the food. With that in mind, an off dry riesling would be a potentially good match with this dish.

Farmer's Market Frittata

My participation in Lorna Yee’s Meatless Week challenge continues. As I read Lorna’s posts, I am alternately amused and moved by her love for meat and her desperate longing for it. As someone who prefers chicken and fish, I find a sense of relief that I don’t have these pork cravings she documents.

Then, while driving by the fish market the sign reading:  “Fresh Copper River Salmon” taunts me. Although this particular salmon seems to be over-marketed and over-priced, I can’t get it out of my head now.

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A Table Set for Tea

Is there a special ocassion coming up? Fantastic! Let’s set the table.

In spring, a white backdrop with white flowers and just a touch of color offers guests a setting that feels pristine and fresh. Using the good china adds a sense of elegance. To keep it from feeling stuffy, simply don’t put more china and silver on the table than is necessary.

Hosting afternoon tea is fun and simple. After all, there is no big meal to worry about serving. Here is what we enjoy at our table:

• Lavender Shortbread from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld
• Fruit Platter
• Black Tea – consider giving Lavender Earl Gray a try
• Moscato d’Asti

Whether you are celebrating Mother’s Day, a graduation, or a bride to be, consider doing it over tea.

Truffled Bean Puree on Fresh Fennel

Serves a crowd.

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans
2 tablespoons truffle oil

Wine Pairing

This appetizer was prepared with Chardonnay in mind. We enjoyed it with the buttery O Wines Chardonnay. My friend Bean also found this dip with fennel to be the ultimate pairing with Columbia Winery David Lake Syrah.