deVine Table

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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Earlier this year Chef Sabrina Tinsley of Osteria la Spiga taught a cooking class at PCC that I was delighted to attend. One of the dishes she introduced us to that evening was Zuppa di Finocchio e Noci – also known as Fennel Walnut Soup. It’s easy to prepare, vegetarian, and pairs well with wine.

I recently prepared this soup for a dinner party we hosted at which we were serving Merlot. Ed claimed that this dish along with the Northstar 2002 Columbia Valley Merlot created his absolute favorite pairing of the evening.

This recipe is reprinted with the kind permission of Chef Tinsley.

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Quesadilla and a Glass of Salish

Okay, we’re not talking about someone getting lucky on the first date! We’re talking about a meal that’s light on the budget that you can put together in a snap – and pair with wine. A $10 bottle of quality Washington wine.

On the Menu

Shrimp Quesadillas with Mango Salsa

Peachy Curried Quinoa Salad

Northwest Totem Cellars 2008 Salish

Shrimp Quesadillas

Serves 2

• 2 large flour tortillas
• 1 cup mild semi-soft or semi-firm cheese, grated
• 1/3 pound shrimp
• 1 container prepared mango salsa

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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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Smoked Trout Pate

This recipe was inspired by a tapas class I took from Chef Tom Black at the late Culinary Communion. If you’re serving it at a party, you can make it earlier in the day.We like to pair this with the Grgich Hills Fumé Blanc.

Serves 6-8 people.

• 1 medium russet potato (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons cream
• smoked trout
• 1 shallot chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• dash of pepper
• crackers for serving – we like La Panzanella Croccantini

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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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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.