 |
 |
 |
 |
there is very little contact with the grape skins, there are
no obtrusive tannins to get in the way of lighter foods.
The flavors that result from this winemaking practice
provides the wines with a lighter and fruitier taste than if
they were allowed extended contact with the grape skins.
Translation…Rose wines make an ideal pair with a wide
variety of food items.
You of course will not be serving your best grilled steaks
for dinner with a Rose wine, but certainly pork, chicken
and all sorts of seafood would make a delectable pair with
a good dry Rose wine. I should emphasize the word ‘dry’,
because the sweeter version can be a real turn off with the
wrong foods. Most Rose wines made outside the United
States are of the dry persuasion. If you wanted to play it
safe here, pick one from France or Spain.
If you have relatives (the kind you don’t mention to
friends) that insist on drinking white zinfandel, you are not
at a complete loss with your menu. You already know that
the wine is sweet, so focus on that aspect of it. A tangy
barbecue sauce on chicken or spare ribs would be ideal
with this type of wine. In fact, anything that is somewhat
sweet or has a tinge of honey to it could be considered fair
game here. However, if you have complex spice rubs or
herbs, they may or may not work with a sweeter Rose, but
the drier versions are a safer bet.
The dry Rose’s open you up to a much broader picture
with food. Light seafood dishes like delicately broiled fish
can make an ideal pairing. Chicken or fowl marinated in
herbs and grilled. Spicy ethnic cuisines can even be tamed
with a cool glass of Rose.
Of course, it can’t be overstated too much, Rose wines
make the ideal picnic wines. They just go so well with all
the items found in your picnic basket. Fried chicken,
mashed potatoes, pasta salad, salami or other cold cuts and
sandwiches are all great examples. Cheeses, olives,
salads, you name it, Rose wines can pair with it. Who
knows, if your picnic is romantic enough, maybe you can
make your partner’s cheeks turn the color of your blush
wine.
Nothing says summer like a nice chilled Rose wine by the
pool. Perhaps you can plan a pool party/dinner and have
everyone bring a rose wine with them. Have them bring a
picnic style food or dish and you will be all set.
Think…ah…refreshing!
Here are some Rose recipes that will help you get
refreshed this summer:
Recipes
Classic Smoked Salmon
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 4-5 drops Tabasco sauce
• 8 ounces Alaskan lox, nova or kippered smoked salmon
• 16 slices cocktail-size rye or pumpernickel bread
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced, soaked for 15 minutes in cold water
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 lemon, split lengthwise and thinly sliced
• fresh dill weed for garnish
Cream together the first 5 ingredients. Put the herbed cream cheese in a small serving bowl in the center of a
serving platter and arrange the smoked salmon and bread slices around it. Garnish with red onion, capers,
lemon slices and dill.
Miso Soup
• 5 cups water
• 3-4 tablespoon AKA Miso or red soy bean paste (usually sold in the refrigerated section)
• 1 package or 3 tablespoons dried shaved bonito flakes
• 1 teaspoon instant dashi or 3x3 piece of kombu (giant kelp)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 pound boneless pork
• 6-8 dried shitake mushrooms
• 1/2 package of tofu, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1-2 bundles of somen, a very thin white noodle (sold bundled in the center with a paper strip)
Also Required:
• sauce pan
For a light clear miso soup called shirumono which is usually served first or as an appetizer in the first course
of the Japanese meal, omit the pork.
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add the miso, bonito flakes, dashi & scallions. Simmer for 5-10
minutes. Remove from heat and allow bonito flakes to settle to the bottom. Pour through a strainer, top with
green onions and serve.
For a more substantial miso soup, add the diced pork meat to the water and cook till tender. Skim off and
discard excess oil. Replace water if necessary to make about 5 cups. Meanwhile, soak dried shitake
mushrooms in warm water till tender and rinse. Discard the tough stems and slice the shiitake thinly. Add
them to the pork broth and bring to a boil. Add miso, bonito flakes, dashi, scallions and tofu. Reduce heat and
simmer 5 minutes. Cook somen separately according to package directions (2-3 minutes) and drain. Pour
soup over somen, top with green onions, and serve.
Servings: 4
Waldorf Salad
• 1 cup diced peeled apple
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• butter lettuce leaves
Coarsely chop walnuts and set aside 2 tablespoons for garnish. Mix celery and apple together with
mayonnaise, lemon juice and walnuts. Place a lettuce leaf on each plate, mound up with salad, and sprinkle
with reserved walnuts.
Servings: 4
Barbecued shrimp
• 1 cup (8 oz.) butter
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of one lemon
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 teaspoon each rosemary, paprika, and cayenne
• 4 bay leaves
• 12 large whole shrimp, with heads on (about lb)
• hot cooked rice
Also Required:
• saucepan
Melt butter in a large saucepan and add all ingredients except shrimp. Cook over medium heat for
approximately 5 minutes. Add the whole shrimp and sauté for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and
ladle butter sauce over shrimp. Garnish with fresh parsley and slices of lemon. Serve with French bread and
salad for a classic New Orleans delight.
Servings: 2
Scallops and Pasta with Fresh Tomato Cream Sauce
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 quart boiling water
• 1-1/2 pounds bay scallops
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon chives
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups cooked pasta shells
• salt & pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese to garnish
Also Required:
• saute pan
Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and let cook for 10 to 15 seconds or until the skin just begins to split.
Remove and cool briefly under running water. Peel the tomatoes and slice into halves; gently squeeze to force
out the seeds. Chop and transfer to a glass bowl and set aside.
Lightly rinse the scallops. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the scallops. Cook
and toss for about 1 minute. Add the wine, shallots, garlic, and bell pepper. Cover the pan and simmer for 3-4
minutes or until the scallops are just cooked through.
Remove scallops from pan with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Reduce the cooking liquid by one-half over
high heat. Add the cream and tomato and again reduce by one-half. Add the chives, shredded basil, and pasta
just to heat through. Gently stir in the scallops and heat for about a minute more. Serve with freshly grated
Parmesan cheese.
Servings: 4
Seared Ahi Tuna with Napa Valley Organic Greens and Tomato-Mustard
• 4 whole tomatoes
• 2 cups mustard seed oil (available at most specialty grocers)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1-1/2 tablespoons warm water
• salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 2 pounds ahi tuna loin
• 1 cup mixed organic greens, such as red and green leaf or Boston lettuce
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
Also Required:
• heavy sauce pot
• food processor
• heavy skillet
To prepare the vinaigrette, cut the tops off the tomatoes, then quarter and place in heavy sauce pot with 1 cup
of the mustard seed oil and the fennel seeds. Slowly cook the tomatoes over medium heat, stirring
occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Purée the tomato mixture in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the remaining mustard seed oil, then add the
lemon juice and water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Wash and spin dry the greens, then tear them into bite-size pieces. Cut the tuna into 4 even portions. Place
the peanut oil in a shallow bowl and dredge the tuna in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Prepare a hot grill
or heat a heavy skillet. Sear the tuna on each side, until a brown crust forms, but the interior is still rare. (You
may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your cooking surface.) To serve, toss the greens with
a small amount of the vinaigrette. Arrange the greens evenly on 4 plates and place the tuna on top of the
greens. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the tuna.
Servings: 4
Cilantro-Lime Crab Salad in Avocado
• 2/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pound crabmeat
• 2 large ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
• 8 butter lettuce leaves
• lime wedges for garnish
Stir together the red onion, mayonnaise, cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, cumin, lime peel and cayenne in
medium bowl to blend. Gently stir in crabmeat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange butter lettuce leaves on 4 plates. Brush avocado halves with remaining tablespoon of lime juice and
arrange cut side up on the lettuce, one per plate. Mound crab salad on each avocado half. Garnish with lime
wedges and serve immediately.
Servings: 4
Spicy Orange Chicken
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine
• 1 pound boneless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot bean sauce
• 1/4 cup dried orange peel, soaked in hot water for 1/2 hour and shredded (can be bought at Asian
grocery shops)
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 12 small dried hot red chiles, such as Japones or de Arbol (find at Mexican or Asian groceries)
Also Required:
• wok
Cut chicken breasts in 1/2 inch pieces and marinate with the cornstarch and white wine for 30 minutes.
Combine the rest of the ingredients except for the peanut oil and chiles and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in a
wok over high heat. When is hot enough to start to smoke, stir-fry the chiles and marinated chicken for about
1 minute. Add sauce mixture and continue stirring for an additional 30 seconds. Serve hot with steamed rice.
(Remove chiles before serving.)
Servings: 4
Pork Shu Mai (Dumplings)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and diced (discard tough stems)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• about 2 dozen gyoza wrappers (or won ton wrappers cut into circles).
Combine all ingredients except won ton or gyoza wrappers. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of
each gyoza wrapper (make these one at a time) and gather sides to the center (the wrapper will fold). Pinch
top lightly and twist 1/2 turn. Press down filling on top and tap bottoms of the dumplings on the table so they
can stand up. Arrange on a heavy oiled plate or steamer tray. Steam over boiling water 15-20 minutes or until
filling is cooked through.
Servings: 6 to 8
Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
• 7 pound whole smoked ham, bone in
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 5 maraschino cherries
• 5 slices orange
Also Required:
• roasting pan
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
If necessary, trim thick fat from surface of the ham, leaving about 1/2 inch of fat all around. Lightly score the
fat in diamond shapes (make lines about 1 1/2 inches apart and no more than 1/2 inch deep). Insert a clove
into each diamond and place ham, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip
is in thickest part of ham and does not touch bone or rest in fat.
Cover ham loosely with foil and bake. Stir together the brown sugar, vinegar and mustard, and when ham has
cooked about 1/2 hour, brush with the glaze and the pan drippings. Repeat every 20 minutes for a total
cooking time of 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 hours, or until interior temperature reaches 135 degrees F. Do not overcook.
Remove ham from oven, cover, and let stand about 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 140 degrees.
Remove to a warm platter and garnish with orange slices and cherries.
Servings: 12
Corned Beef Brisket
The secret of tasty corned beef is to keep the brisket in the cooked liquid until served.
• 9 lb. corned beef (brisket cut)
• 2 Tablespoons pickling spice (plus spice packet that comes with brisket)
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 7 whole cloves
• 3 bay leaves crumbled
• 8 parsley stems
• 2 cans of beer (not lite beer)
• 2 large onions, halved with skins
• 5 whole cloves garlic with skins
• 3 Tablespoons dry mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 10 large carrots, scraped and cut in large batons
• 10 yellow Finn or large new potatoes, cut in quarters
• 1 large or 2 small cabbages, cut in quarters
• Horseradish/Mustard Sauce
Also Required:
• cheesecloth
Cut the brisket in half, rinse it with water, and put in a heavy pot. Cover with cold water, bring to boil and
cook 15 minutes. Discard this first cooking water.
Tie the next 5 ingredients and the spices in the packet that comes with brisket into a little square of
cheesecloth with kitchen string. Cover the brisket with the beer and enough water to barely cover, and add
the spice bag, onions, garlic, dry mustard and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 - 2 1/2
hours, turning several times, until meat is quite tender. If cooking the day before (which is preferable), cool
and refrigerate overnight in the cooking water with the spice bag.
To finish, put the carrots, potatoes and cabbage in smaller pots and ladle some of the corned beef liquid into
them. Cover and cook until tender. Reheat the meat, if necessary, and set on a carving board. Trim off the
thick outside fat and cut in ¾ inch slices. Serve with a big bowl of vegetables and the horseradish sauce. (The
meat will keep for a week in the refrigerator in its liquid. )
Servings: 12
Soft Polenta with Cheese
• 2-1/2 cups (1 pound) coarse-grained polenta
• 1 quart (4 cups) whole milk
• 1 quart (4 cups) water
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
• 1 toma or Brie cheese (8 ounces or more ), diced
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Also Required:
• pot
Combine the milk, water, and salt in a heavy pot. Bring it to a boil and stir or whisk in the polenta, working
quickly to avoid the formation of lumps. Stir in the butter and continue to cook the polenta over a medium
flame, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, until it begins to pull away from the sides of the pot (this usually
takes an hour or more). Stir in the diced cheese, and grated Parmesan, if used.
Servings: 6 to 8
Greek-Inspired Peach and Honey Bread Pudding
• 6 thick pieces of firm white bread, crust removed, cut into thick rounds or squares
• 1-1/2 cups milk, depending upon thickness of bread
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (or 1 tablespoon orange flower water)
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 8 tablespoons clarified butter* (1/2 cup)
• 1-1/2 cups honey
• 4 peaches, sliced
• thickened cream or drained thickened yogurt (optional)
Also Required:
• Frying Pan
In a large bowl, soak the bread in the milk and almond extract until the bread has absorbed all the liquid.
In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs with cinnamon and sugar. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
Dip the bread into the egg, then dip into the bread crumbs.
Heat the clarified butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the bread until golden on both
sides. Warm the honey in a small pan and add the sliced peaches. When the peaches are warmed through,
spoon them over the bread. Serve at once with a dollop of thickened cream or drained thickened yogurt, if
desired.
*To make clarified butter: Melt 1 pound of butter in the top of a double boiler or over very low heat. When it
is completely melted, set aside in a warm place for 15 minutes. Skim off all the foam from the top. Then spoon
off the clear yellow liquid (the clarified butter) and reserve it. Discard the milky liquid.
Servings: 6
