deVine Table

Squash Fritters with Chimichurri Paired with Malbec

Trying to come up with of a way to reinvent some leftover spaghetti squash, I recalled a recipe for fritters in Greg Atkinson’s book, “At the Kitchen Table.” His version is based on parsnips, but I can’t get the hubby to eat those. Besides, we were in need of a side dish to pair with a Malbec.

So, after a few tweaks, this is what I came up with. When I asked the hubby what he thought of the Spaghetti Squash Fritters he replied, “There’s spaghetti squash in there? I couldn’t tell; they’re delicious.”

Makes 8 fritters

• 3/4 cup cooked spaghetti squash
• 1 tablespoon Cilantro Chimichurri, plus extra for serving
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons butter

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The food and wine pairing classes I’ve taken at Northwest Wine Academy have had an ongoing influence on me. In Varietals II where red wine is explored at great length, we were tasked with serving a dish to pair with Malbec. I’m now obsessed with pairing food with Malbec. All the time. Seriously. (more…)

Washington winery, Walter Dacon, crafts some lush and decadent wines. One of our favorite wines that they’ve produced has been their Roussanne. Sadly, they haven’t bottled any in recent vintages. So when our good friend Vivian discovered a bottle of the 2006 and one of the 2007 vintages in the winery’s library, we planned a special pairing dinner. (more…)

Utterly decadent Cardamaro Ice Cream

I’m still obsessed with Cardamaro. Not only have I incorporated it into biscotti, but also this recipe. This is a decadent treat that I love serving to dinner guests for dessert. There is nothing like homemade ice cream so refreshingly cool, creamy, and smooth. With an automatic ice cream maker, it’s unbelievably easy to make. In the long run your own machine will save you money and you’ll have better quality ice cream.  I dedicate this recipe to my friends, Lisa and Kristi, who are true believers in the value of a home ice cream maker.

This recipe is inspired by the book Ice Cream by Liz Franklin.  This usually serves 4 people in our house.  You could serve 6, but you’ll probably leave people wanting more!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cardamaro

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until everything is combined and the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into the chilled freezer bowl of the ice cream maker. Turn on the machine and check it after 25 minutes. If it’s not thick enough, give it another 5 minutes or so until it reaches your desired consistency. Homemade ice cream melts very quickly, so be sure to dish it up and eat it right away. Immediately transfer any leftover ice cream into a freezer safe container and put it in the freezer.

Cardamaro Biscotti

I was introduced to Cardamaro last year, and I have been obsessed ever since. I started carrying this wine based herbal apertif at Dish it up!, bought a bottle for myself, and began drinking and experimenting with it. This is one of my first recipes featuring this Italian aperitif.

“What is Cardamaro?” you might ask. This wine based herbal aperitif from Piemonte, Italy is a form of Amaro. Dark brown in color with enticing herbaceous aromas, it is produced using a recipe that was developed over the last century by the Bosca family. Cardoon and blessed thistle (think artichoke) and other botanicals are part of the mix.

This recipe is adapted from the book, “Biscotti” by Lou Seibert Pappas. Makes about 3 dozen. (more…)

I had the good fortune to recently attend a dinner featuring Foster Farms chickens. As if it wasn’t enough that I got to spend an evening in good company while enjoying a fantastic meal, our hostess Anne Nisbet  generously sent each guest home with fresh chicken stock. This is how I put that stock to use.

This dish was inspired by a recipe from The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook. Authentic paella uses rice and takes longer to cook. This is one of those dishes I put together with ingredients in my pantry, hence the orzo. The end result is less time consuming and is still tasty.

Makes 4 servings

• 2 ½  cups  chicken stock
• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup orzo (I like to use whole wheat)
• 2 links fully cooked smoked sausage, sliced (I like to use chicken chorizo if I can find it; kielbasa is fine too)
• ½ lb smoked chicken, diced
• 1 pint roasted cherry tomatoes
• ½ c peas

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Stout Ice Cream

With Saint Patrick’s Day coming up, I started pondering different uses for the rich chocolaty stout beers that symbolize the day. I thought, “Why not make ice cream using stout?” The stout flavor in this recipe is subtle so it’s perfect for anyone who claims not to be a beer drinker. Even my picky non-beer drinking hubby agrees!

Plus, making ice cream with an automatic ice cream maker is so easy.  In fact, I recommend making ice cream for your dinner parties.  While clearing off the table pour the ingredients in the machine, turn it on, and in less than 30 minutes you have a wonderful homemade dessert. The end result has a much creamier texture than what you can buy in a store.

This recipe is adapted from the recipe book that came with my Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt – Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker.

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
• ½ cup whole milk, chilled
• ½ cup stout beer (I used Guinness, but use whatever stout you like)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until the sugar is combined with the liquids. Pour the mixture into the chilled freezer bowl of the ice cream maker. Turn on the machine and check the consistency after 25 minutes. If it’s not thick enough, give it another 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency. Homemade ice cream melts very quickly, so be sure to dish it up and eat it right away. Immediately transfer any leftover ice cream into a freezer safe container and put it in the freezer.

This is a great recipe not only because it is quick and easy, it’s also elegant enough to serve on an occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Your sweetie will think you spent all day on it! Plus, this versatile sauce can be served with a variety of different proteins from tofu to pork, whichever your heart desires.

Inspiration for this dish came from a recipe provided by the Neighborhood Farmer’s Market Alliance. Makes enough sauce for at least 4 entrees.

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Pantry Ingredients for Thai Cooking

I recently had the pleasure of taking a cooking class from Chef Toby Kim of NuCulinary after I got a great deal for it on Living Social. This class is based on easy everyday Asian cooking. Every week over the course of the summer, Toby has visited a different Asian cuisine and offered pantry items and tips to make it an easy addition to the home cook’s repertoire. The week I attended we learned how easy it is to make Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Vegetables based on a recipe from Fine Cooking. This recipe is very versatile in that you can substitute the vegetables in the recipe for whatever is fresh at the market. You can also make it vegetarian by substituting tofu for the chicken. This is a great recipe to help us prepare for our Feast and Tweet Taste of Thai!

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Radicchio Bread Salad for Wine

While at the International Food Bloggers’ Conference (IFBC) I had a conversation with a couple about radicchio, and pairing it with wine. As I was strolling through the produce section of the supermarket a couple of days later, I saw some beautiful radicchio. The memory of that conversation still fresh, I couldn’t resist snatching up that red colored head bearing a resemblance to an infant cabbage. After all, it is one of the few vegetables I can get the hubby to eat. Or so went my rationale. In any case, I find that it also stands up very well to red wines, bringing out the fruit in the wine. Armed with that radicchio, and determined to get the hubby to eat his veggies, I created this version of a bread salad.

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