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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(ARA) - Summer is over and the days are getting shorter. Say goodbye to hot summer nights and hello to autumn dinner parties. Fall brings crisp air, falling leaves and gatherings of family and friends. It’s time to cozy up to the fireplace and set the dinner table with hearty comfort foods and harvest centerpieces.
Autumn welcomes the harvest moon and delicious fall recipes: sweet potatoes and yams, green leafy vegetables like kale and chard, pork chops, ham, roasted chicken and pumpkin and apple pies. The secret to fall entertaining is sharing family recipes -- old traditions and new -- with loved ones. From spicy hot apple cider to heaping mounds of buttery mashed potatoes with ham, a traditional dinner fills bellies and warms hearts.
What’s the appropriate beverage to accompany a delicious harvest meal? Wines have recently surpassed beer as the alcoholic beverage of choice in America; and wines are an ideal beverage for the fall. Gone are the days of “red wines with beef” and “white wines with fish.” A creative pairing of wines can enhance the flavor and dimension of any autumn meal. Instead of the “typical” Cabernet, try something new. A complex, full-bodied Shiraz, like Night Owl Wines’ latest single vineyard wine (new from California), can work with lamb, pork or turkey. Or, take a cue from the recent movie “Sideways” and pour a Pinot Noir with sautéed baby scallops. Experimenting with wines will not only spice up a traditional meal, but can spark interesting conversation as well.
“Wines are a perfect partner for fall entertaining,” says Cheryl Indelicato, third-generation family member of Delicato Family Vineyards. “Wine has been a part of our family for more than 80 years. We enjoy different wines with each course of our meal. That way, you can make a culinary statement, bringing out flavors in innovative ways. Personally, I like to try different wines and pour something like our new Night Owl Pinot Noir with a baked ham stuffed with chard -- or our new Chardonnay with homemade portobello mushroom soup. It wakes up the taste buds and your guests will be talking about the meal for weeks afterwards.”
During autumn, the meal is the centerpiece that brings together the entire celebration. Therefore, the slightest change or addition can set a fresh tone and help create new bonds and memories. Delicious, reasonably priced wines give families and friends the chance to forge new connections by adding a little more heart and soul to the holiday dinner. Here are some tasty recipes you may want to try:
Cream of Portobello Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
8 cups Portobello mushrooms - medium dice
1 cup yellow onion - medium dice
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup Night Owl red wine
1/2 cup Night Owl white wine
2 1/2 cups of heavy cream (I put about half whole milk)
1/3 cup olive oil
Pinch dried thyme
Pinch dried tarragon
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons *Roux (thickening agent)
Chevre cheese
Fresh parsley
Directions: Take 6 tablespoons of flour and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Place in saucepan and cook, stirring frequently until mixture is lightly brown and a pasty consistency.
Place olive oil and onions in medium sauce pan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add mushroom and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add white and red wine and cook to almost evaporated. Add chicken broth, thyme and tarragon. Bring to a boil. Add Roux and stir. Reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and salt and pepper. Take off heat and blend soup in a blender or food processor. Place a spoonful of Chevre cheese in the center of each bowl and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serves 6 to 8.
Suggested wine: Night Owl Chardonnay
Baked Ham Stuffed with Chard
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 pounds Swiss chard, stems discarded, leaves cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup grated parmigiano regiano
One 6- to 7-pound spiral sliced ham
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and green onions. Cook until the chard begins to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, salt and crushed red pepper. Mix well, cook until the chard is completely wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the Parmigiano; mix well.
Arrange a large piece of aluminum foil in a roasting pan. Set the ham on top of the foil and stuff the filling between each slice of the ham. Wrap the foil around the ham and bake until hot, about 1 hour. Serves: 6 to 8 as a main course.
Suggested Wines: Night Owl Pinot Noir or Chardonnay
Fresh Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
4 eggs
3 cups cooked pumpkin
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups evaporated milk
1 9-inch pie shell
Directions:
Cut fresh pumpkin and place in pot of water; cook until pulp is soft. Place pulp in food processor and puree. Slightly beat the eggs; set aside. Add cinnamon to pumpkin and stir. Add eggs, sugar, salt and evaporated milk. Pour into unbaked piecrust. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes. Check center of pie, knife should be clean when done. Serves 6 to 8.
Suggested wines: Clay Station Viognier
Wine Tips
* When buying wine, purchase one bottle for every two guests. One 750 ml bottle (regular size) pours about five glasses of wine. On average, each guest drinks about two glasses of wine.
* White wines should be served cool. Place in the refrigerator for two hours before serving.
* Red wines should be served slightly cooler than room temperature. Cool for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
* Re-cork opened bottles and keep remaining wine in the refrigerator for up to five days. Use remaining wine in pasta sauces, fondues and soups.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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