wine

Bleu Plate Special

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Bleu Plate Special! As the day winds down, the kids are fed, and the sunset turns to burnt-sugar orange, take some time out for yourself. Make a delightful cheese plate filled with inviting textures balanced by a range of flavors from aged and smoky to salty and sweet. Pair with a glass of sweet wine (or fruity spritzer) for an amazing taste sensation. Sink back into a comfy chaise lounge and let soft music fill the room. Remind yourself this is a classic French dessert, and prepare to be pampered. 

BLEU PLATE SPECIAL

Ingredients:

Wedge of Bleu Cheese (or any aged cheese variety)

Bunch of Green Grapes (or any seasonal fruit)

Smoked Almonds

Water Crackers (or crusty breads)

Instructions:

Choose a platter where all ingredients can be arranged in a simple way, leaving space between choices. Identify cheeses if offering more than one kind. Rule of thumb: Place one cheese knife or spreader for each type of cheese. Keep it simple. 

Zinfandel Pairings

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: Zinfandel Pairings! Just when I thought I’d seen it all, there in the produce department perched on the bottom shelf below its green and red cousins, was a small bin of larger-than-life black seedless grapes. Immediately I was intrigued. The hand-scribbled sign boasted sweet and tart beyond your wildest dreams. That’s it. Nothing more than “Product of USA” on the package. It didn’t matter. It was love-at-first-sight. I knew immediately that a Zinfandel wine and tangy cheese would join the impromptu Date Night that was forming in my mind. Later on, after I got home, I read all kinds of powerful benefits these precious little gems do for the body, mind, and soul. What a perfect prologue for guilt-free delicacies. 

ZINFANDEL PAIRINGS 

Ingredients:

1 pound black seedless grapes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

4 ounces feta cheese, block

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup honeycomb 

Multigrain French Bread slices, lightly toasted 

Raw Honey, for drizzling

Lemon Thyme, for garnish 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a small dish, combine olive oil, sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Wash cluster of black grapes; pat dry. Place grapes on the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the grapes with the olive oil mixture. Roast for 30 minutes. Grapes will release juice and begin to wrinkle. Remove pan from oven to cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Break the feta cheese into rough chunks. Transfer to a baking dish sprayed with nonstick oil. Sprinkle with olive oil and lemon zest. Drizzle with raw honey. Bake for 15 minutes until softened. Broil until slightly golden. Watch carefully. To serve, spread warm cheese on toasted baguette slices. Top with a piece of honeycomb. Place a roasted grape over the cheese. Drizzle with raw honey. Garnish with lemon thyme. Serve with a slightly chilled glass of red Zinfandel. 

Festive Food Gifts

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? There’s nothing better than sharing homemade foods with cherished friends, family members, and those very special people who make our lives easier. Think about all those who impact your life on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis: Mail Carrier, Hairdresser, Physical Therapist, Dog Groomer, Nail Technician, Bartender, Delivery Driver, Babysitter, Housekeeper, Lawn Service, Teacher, Coach, Clergy Staff, Neighbor, Secret Santa, and more. The holidays are perfect for saying, “I made this especially for you!”  Gifts of food are great ways to show thoughtfulness and appreciation. Many recipes can be divided creatively to make several gifts. Decorative boxes, ribbons, picks, and tags personalize each package. The recipes forthcoming in the days to come range from sweet and salty to healthy and heartwarming. So, turn up the music, slip on your apron, and get busy. Celebrate the season by giving something that is simply delicious: Festive Food Gifts!

Jam Session

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Jam Session! This recipe guarantees to be music to your ears. For once, you can make a single jar of your favorite fruit jam without spending an entire day in the kitchen. Simply put: This recipe is an answer to a time-saving prayer. Adapt to whatever is in season. If your craving today is raspberry, or strawberry, or apricot, or peach, have a jam session in minutes. 

JAM SESSION 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups fresh peaches; peeled, diced, and stone removed 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 tablespoon white wine*

3 discs of spiced ginger, slivered 

2 cinnamon sticks 

1 lemon

Pinch of sea salt

*May be substituted for water. 

Instructions:

Pulse half the peaches in a food processor to make the fruit chunky. Transfer to a 2-3 quart saucepan. Add remaining diced peaches, sugar, wine, ginger, and juice of half the lemon. Slice a section of the lemon with rind on, remove seeds, and drop it into the pan. You will fish it back out later. (The lemon is a natural thickening agent.) Add two cinnamon sticks. Mix well. Cook the peaches over medium-high heat at a boil. It should begin to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until mixture becomes jam, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. Before transferring to a jar, remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon wedge. Store in the refrigerator. 

Vidalia Grilled Onions

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Vidalia Grilled Onions! Even if you don’t appreciate the taste of raw onions, by grilling them they turn into a totally different animal, so to speak. In raw form, onions can have a bite that is as raw, sharp, and bitter as a gator’s mouth. Grilling them releases the natural sugars to magically transform these bulbs into a sweeter, savory, delicious side dish that goes well with other grilled foods. Once you’ve tasted grilled onions at home, think variety for your next cookout. Combine potatoes, green peppers, and vidalia onions together in the foil packet and expect another flavorful explosion. 

VIDALIA GRILLED ONIONS 

Ingredients: 

4 Vidalia onions, skins discarded,  slice onions thick

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup garlic red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried 

Instructions: 

Place the sliced Vidalia onion in a bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, garlic red wine vinegar, and dried oregano. Pour the mixture over the onions; toss to coat well. Marinate the onion mixture for half an hour. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Line a grill pan with foil, overlapping the sides enough to make a tent. Place the marinated onions on the foil and form a seal. Grill the foil packet for 15-20 minutes. Remove pan from grill and set aside. Carefully open the tent and transfer the onions to a serving platter. Serve immediately. 

Very Berry Icy Sorbet

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Very Berry Icy Sorbet! ‘Tis the season for an abundance of fresh fruit!  This is the time to stock up on featured berries at the market. Pop them into freezer bags for easy storage. Later on, when looking for a refreshing dessert idea, combine the flavors of strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries! The presentation is elegant as well as delicious. Because I prefer the difference in shades of red, I prepare each berry recipe individually.  

VERY BERRY ICY SORBET

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries, slightly defrosted 

1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate 

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon blackberry wine (optional)

Garnish: Whipped Cream

Instructions:

Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend sorbet ingredients until smooth. Scrape sides as needed. Pour into a covered container and place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Using a melon ball scoop, form bite size balls of assorted fruit flavors. Top with more fresh fruit and a dollop of whipped cream. 

Oven-Glazed Pears

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Oven-Glazed Pears! Presenting a dessert as sweet as honey and as satisfying as a piece of pie. Make one for yourself or enough for a crowd. The recipe measurements below only need one pear, which is two servings. Perfect for dessert for two. The aroma alone will make your house smell amazing!

OVEN-GLAZED PEARS

Ingredients:

1 slightly firm pear; peeled, halved, and cored

2 tablespoons sweet dessert wine

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

Cinnamon to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Arrange pear halves in a small baking dish, cut side up. Sprinkle cinnamon, then vanilla over pears. Dot each pear with butter. Drizzle honey over each pear half. Pour in the sweet wine. Roast for 40 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the dish from the oven. Tilt the dish so the juices pool in one corner. Take a spoon and baste the pears. Turn each pear over and return to the oven to roast 20 minutes longer or until a paring knife inserts easily. Baste occasionally for a caramelized finish. The sauce will thicken slightly. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream. 

Vinaigrette, Garlic Red Wine-Style

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Vinaigrette, Garlic Red Wine-Style! Looking for a versatile salad dressing without mustard? Don’t give me that quizzical stare. I know mustard makes a wonderful bonding agent to keep the oil and vinegar from separating too quickly, but there are some people who simply don’t like the taste of it. Honestly, I could practically drink honey mustard salad dressing if the hubs wouldn’t look at me like I’ve gone off the deep end. SSShhh. It’s our little secret. 

VINAIGRETTE, GARLIC RED WINE-STYLE

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup garlic red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/4 tablespoons natural honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions: 

In a small bowl, combine garlic red wine vinegar, lemon juice, natural honey, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk until ingredients are combined. Slowly pour in olive oil; continue whisking so create a smooth texture. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. Before drizzling over a salad, whisk the ingredients to avoid separation of vinegar and oil. 

Unforgettable Pan Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Unforgettable Pan Sauce! You know the stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan whenever you sear meats? Never (repeat after me), NEVER scrape it out and throw it away. This stuff, in culinary terms, is called “fond”. It’s loaded with luscious flavor. When adding butter, herbs, and liquid, the bottom of the pan gets deglazed so all those bits and pieces give the sauce a taste so wonderful you may be tempted to slurp it through a straw. Elevate your next meal. 

UNFORGETTABLE PAN SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature 

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon marjoram 

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 rosemary sprig

1-2 teaspoons flour

1/4 cup wine

1/2 cup vegetable stock

Instructions:

After removing the seared meat from the frying pan, do not discard the browned bits that remain at the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat setting to low. Add the butter, minced garlic, marjoram, paprika, sea salt, white pepper, and rosemary sprig. Cook the herbs and spices in the pan for 30 seconds to a minute. Gently add the flour to the pan, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate, for about 15 seconds. Gradually add the vegetable stock to the pan. Simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens slightly. Once you have the flavor and texture you like, remove the rosemary sprig; discard. Serve the sauce drizzled over meat or vegetables.