A Case of Syrahs Recipes
Ingredients
2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds each) -- peeled and cut into 1-inch
cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
8 pitas
1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1/3 cup tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic -- peeled
1 small head romaine lettuce (about 3/4 pound) -- cut crosswise into 1-inch
strips (about 5 cups)
1 plum tomato -- halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin strips
1 cucumber -- peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon wine vinegar
Directions
Heat the oven to 450°. Put the eggplant cubes on a large baking sheet and toss
with 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.
Arrange the cubes in a single layer and roast, stirring occasionally, until soft
and golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Reduce the heat to 350°. Wrap the pitas in aluminum foil, making two packets of
four, and warm in the oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the roasted eggplant, the lemon juice, tahini, cumin, garlic, and
1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a blender or food processor puree until smooth.
In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, and
cucumber. Add the vinegar and the remaining tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon
each of salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Spread some of the baba ghanouj on
each pita and then top with the salad.
Ingredients
2 six-ounce boneless halibut filets
2 tablespoons blackening spice
1 tablespoon canola oil
Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic -- crushed
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon blackening spice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro -- chopped
Salad Ingredients:
4 cups your choice of field greens or romaine lettuce
1 tomato -- cored & diced
1/2 cup frozen corn -- thawed
1/2 cup mandarin orange slices -- drained.
1/2 cup jicama -- diced into 1/2 inch cubes
Directions
Dust both sides of halibut in blackening spice.
In a heavy sauté pan, add the canola oil and heat to medium high. Sauté halibut
for two to three minutes per side (make sure your kitchen is well ventilated)
or, place filets over medium high heat on the barbecue and cook for 2 to 3
minutes per side.
Dressing Method:
Combine all of the ingredients and set aside.
Salad Method:
Toss the ingredients with the salad dressing. Place warm halibut filet on top
and serve.
Ingredients
1 lb dried white beans (preferably Great Northern)
8 1/4 cups cold water
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chopped onion (3/4 lb)
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (6 large cloves)
1 piece celery -- (3-inch) cut into thirds
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
3 whole cloves
3 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs plus 1/2 cup chopped leaves
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 can stewed tomatoes -- (14-oz) puréed or finely chopped with juice
4 confit duck legs* (1 3/4 lb total)
1 tablespoon olive oil (if necessary) -- (1 to 2)
1 lb cooked garlic pork sausage* or smoked pork kielbasa -- cut crosswise into
1/3-inch-thick slices
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Special equipment: an 8-inch square of cheesecloth -- kitchen string; a 4 1/2-
to 5-quart casserole dish (3 to 4 inches deep)
Directions
Soak and cook beans:
Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a large bowl and soak 8 to 12 hours.
Drain in a colander.
Transfer beans to a 6- to 8-quart pot and bring to a boil with 8 cups cold
water, broth, tomato paste, onion, and 2 tablespoons garlic. Put celery, thyme,
bay leaf, cloves, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tie into a
bundle with string to make a bouquet garni. Add bouquet garni to beans, then
reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until beans are almost tender, 45 minutes to
1 hour. Stir in tomatoes with juice and simmer until beans are just tender,
about 15 minutes more.
Prepare duck and sausage while beans simmer:
Remove all skin and fat from duck legs and cut skin and fat into 1/2-inch
pieces. Separate duck meat from bones, leaving it in large pieces, and transfer
meat to a bowl. Add bones to bean pot.
Cook duck skin and fat with remaining 1/4 cup cold water in a 10-inch heavy
skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until water is evaporated and fat is
rendered, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until skin is
crisp, 3 to 6 minutes more. Transfer cracklings with a slotted spoon to paper
towels to drain, leaving fat in skillet. (You should have about 1/4 cup fat; if
not, add olive oil.)
Brown sausage in batches in fat in skillet, then transfer to bowl with duck
meat, reserving skillet.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make bread crumb topping:
Add remaining tablespoon garlic to fat in skillet and cook over moderate heat,
stirring, 1 minute. Stir in bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until pale golden,
about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon
salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cracklings.
Assemble casserole:
Remove bouquet garni and duck bones from beans and discard, then stir in
kielbasa, duck meat, remaining teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Ladle cassoulet into casserole dish, distributing meat and beans evenly. (Meat
and beans should be level with liquid; if they are submerged, ladle excess
liquid back into pot and boil until reduced, then pour back into casserole
dish.) Spread bread crumb topping evenly over cassoulet and bake, uncovered, in
lower third of oven, until bubbling and crust is golden, about 1 hour.
Cooks' note:
Cassoulet can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead. Cool casserole before
adding topping, then top and chill, loosely covered. Let stand at room
temperature 30 minutes before baking.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil -- plus more for brushing
2 large garlic cloves -- minced
2 Thai chiles or 1 large jalapeño -- minced
1 large shallot -- thinly sliced
3 tablespoons rice wine or dry white wine
One 16-ounce can plain tomato sauce
3 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1/2 cup minced onion
4 large canned water chestnuts -- minced
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves -- plus 12 large sprigs
1 tablespoon Korean-style kimchi (see Note)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
Six 6-inch French bread rolls or pieces of baguette
Quick Pickled Carrots
Hot sauce -- for serving
Directions
Soak six 10-inch bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes; drain.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the
garlic, chiles and shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3
minutes. Add the rice wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the tomato sauce and
simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1
tablespoon of the fish sauce.
In a large bowl, gently mix the ground pork with the onion, water chestnuts,
cornstarch, chopped cilantro, kimchi, soy sauce, pepper, sesame oil, beaten egg
mixture and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and 2 1/2 tablespoons of
fish sauce. Using moistened hands, roll the mixture into 30 meatballs. Thread
the meatballs onto the skewers and refrigerate until chilled.
Light a grill. Lightly brush the meatballs with vegetable oil and grill over a
hot fire until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Halve the rolls lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Halve the
meatballs, stuff them into the rolls and spoon the tomato sauce over them. Top
with the Quick Pickled Carrots and cilantro sprigs and serve with hot sauce.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups Petit Sirah
1 1/4 cups simple syrup1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Directions
The perfect intermezzo between courses of an extended dinner
(Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water that is boiled until all crystals
dissolved)
Place in ice cream freezer and process to manufacturer's direction.
If this sorbet isn't going to be consumed within a couple days,
2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin should be added to the liquid to prevent
weeping in the freezer.
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