Thursday, March 7, 2013

Cuban Dinner: Banana Rum Custard Tart


Cuban Banana Rum Custard Tart
(Ron cubano Custard Tart Plátano)





Served With

2010 Kiona
Late Harvest Riesling, Columbia Valley
John & Monique

Ingredients

For the Cashew Pastry:

1 stick butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted cashews, finely chopped

Cuban Dinner: Black Beans and Rice


White Rice with Cuban Black Beans
(Arroz Moro)




Served With

Malbec, Estate Grown, Red Mountain
Dale & Jean

Mendoza, Argentina
Mark & Dorte


Cuban Dinner: Vaca Frita with Chimichurri


Crispy Beef and Chimichurri
(Vaca Frita con Chimichurri)

courtesy of the Cocina Cubana Club founded by Pascual Perez & chef Sonia Martinez





Served With

Malbec, Estate Grown, Red Mountain
Dale & Jean

Mendoza, Argentina
Doug & Peggy

Mark & Dorte


Cuban Dinner: Carribean Coconut Chicken


Caribbean Coconut Chicken
(Coco de Pollo)

courtesy of the Cocina Cubana Club founded by Pascual Perez & chef Sonia Martinez




Served With

Malbec, Estate Grown, Red Mountain
Dale & Jean

Mendoza, Argentina
Doug & Peggy

Mark & Dorte


Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Cuban Dinner: Pineapple and Avocado Salad


Pineapple and Avocodo Salad
(Ensalada de Aguacate y Piña)



Ingredients

1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of fresh pineapple chunks
2 large avocados, peeled and sliced
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 medium sweet red onion, sliced thin

Directions

Combine olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, and sugar in a blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to this mixture to taste.

Lightly toss the lettuce, pineapple, and red onion together.

Pour on the oil and vinegar mixture until everything is well coated. Adjust the amount used to your own preference, more or less.

Garnish individual salads with several avocado slices lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime juice.

Cuban Dinner: Sherried Black Bean Soup with Grilled Shrimp


Sherried Black Bean Soup with Grilled Shrimp




Served With


John & Monique
2010 Chamelin Rueda Verdejo
Estate Grown White Wine, Spain
Doug & Peggy


Cuban Dinner: Empanadas: 2 Ways


Empanadas: 2 Ways






Served With:


Canchancharra
Jean and Dale

2011 E1 Spanish Red Wine
Dave Phinney Winemaker.  Spain
Mark & Dorte

Cuban Dinner: Crispy Arepitas


Crispy Arepitas with Chorizo and Mozzarella



Served With: 

Canchancharra
Jean and Dale

2011 E1 Spanish Red Wine
Dave Phinney Winemaker.  Spain
Mark & Dorte


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Cuban Dinner: Canchanchara



Canchanchara Cocktail



By: Jean and Dale
Adapted from: 3 Guys from Miami

Ingredients

1 part Honey
1 part Lime Juice
3 parts White Rum
0 to 1 part Water
Crushed Ice
Lemon Grass stick

Directions

Combine honey, lime juice, rum, and water (if using). Stir.
Add crushed ice.
Garnish with lemongrass stick.

Serves 1


Notes:

Used a mild clover honey

Monday, March 4, 2013

Cuban Dinner

Cuban Dinner

March 2, 2013
Hosts: Mark and Dorte



Starters:
  • Arepitas Stuffed with Mozzarella and Chorizo

  • Empanadas:
    • Empanadas de Carne y Cebolla (Meat & Onion)
    • Empanadas de Pollo (Chicken)



Wines:
Chanchanchara
Dale & Jean
2011 E1 Spanish Red Wine
Dave Phinney Winemaker.  Spain
Mark & Dorte




1st Course:

  • Sherried Black Bean Soup with Grilled Shrimp


2010 Chamelin Rueda Verdejo,
Estate Grown White Wine.  Spain
Doug & Peggy




Main Course:

  • Ensalada de Aguacate y Piña (Avocado & Pineapple Salad)
  • Coco de Pollo (Coconut Chicken)
  • Vaca Frita (Crispy Beef) 
  • Arroz Moro (Cuban Beans & Rice)
  • Chimichurri Tradicional (Traditional Chimichurri)
Malbec, Estate Grown, Red Mountain
Dale & Jean
Mendoza, Argentina
Doug & Peggy




Dessert:

  • Cuban Banana Rum Custard Tart


Wine:
Late Harvest Riesling, Columbia Valley
John & Monique

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Dried Apricot Tart



Dried Apricot, Peach, and Pecan Tart




Tart Crust
1 1/8  cups all –purpose flour
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/8 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup cold water

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Black and Bleu Ahi with Duo of Sauces


Black and Bleu Ahi with Wasabi Butter, and Candied Ginger-Kiwi Sauce





Candied Ginger-Kiwi Sauce
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
1 TBS rice wine vinegar
2 TBS lime juice
2 tsp brown sugar
1 ½ TBS peeled ginger, sliced into 2” julienne strips
½ cup orange juice
2 tsp sugar

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Beef Barley Soup



Beef & Barley Soup with a Southeast Asian Twist






Ingredients:
2 TBS peanut oil
1 lbs stewing beef
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
¼ cup pearl barley
2 star anise
½ cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 tsp chipotle powder, or to taste
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
5 cups water
2 TBS fish sauce, or to taste
1 TBS fresh lime juice, or to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the beef and cook for about 10 minutes, until browned on all sides.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the pan and place in a bowl.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the celery, onion, ginger, and barley, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until onion is softened and golden.  Add the star anise,  cinnamon stick, cloves, and chipotle powder and cook for about 2 minutes, until aromatic. 

Return the beef to the pan, add the beef stock, water, and fish sauce, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1-1.5 hours, until the beef is tender.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the pan.  Cool slightly, then shred the meat.  Return the beef to the pan and cook to heat through.  Add the lime juice.  Taste and add additional fish sauce or lime juice if needed.  Stir in the cilantro, mint, and scallions.  Spoon into soup bowls and serve.

Serves 4

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce


Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

John and Monique
Adapted from: Into the Vietnamese Kitchen




Ingredients

Rice Paper Wrappers
Rice Stick Noodles
Carrots, peeled and julienned
Cucumber, julienned
Fresh Mint leaves
Fresh Basil leaves
Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
Butter Lettuce Leaves

Sauce Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
1/2- 1 Teaspoon Red Chile Flakes
2 Teaspoons Tomato Paste
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Hoisin Sauce
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cornstarch dissolved in a little Water
Roasted Peanuts, Chopped
Toasted Sesame Seeds

Directions

Place rice stick noodles in heatproof bowl. Pour water brought to a boil over them. Let stand for 5-6 minutes, until noodles are tender. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

Lay out ingredients assembly line style starting with rice paper wrappers.
Pour almost boiling hot water in a dish that will fit the rice paper wrappers (I use a pie plate). Place one rice paper wrapper in the water, swirl around a little till the wrapper is pliable. Take the wrapper out of the water and place on your work surface.

On the bottom third of the wrapper place a lettuce leaf (or part of one depending on the size of the lettuce leaf). Top with some rice noodles, carrot sticks, cucumber, and herbs to taste. 

Roll burrito style - bring up bottom of wrapper over fillings, fold in sides, continue rolling into cylinder shape.

For the sauce:
Heat oil in small saucepan over medium high. Add Garlic and Red Chile Flakes. Once fragrant add Tomato Paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water.

Stir in Peanut Butter. Once incorporated add Hoisin Sauce and Fish Sauce. When mixture comes to a boil, add in Cornstarch and water mixture. Bring back to a boil and stir for 1 minute. 

Remove from heat, let cool. Top with chopped peanuts and sesame seeds. 

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam


Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night

January 12, 2013
6:00pm
Hosts: Jean and Dale

A slightly different format with wines provided by the hosts and the rest of us bringing the food.






Wine: Wedge Mountain 2009 Lemberger (Columbia Valley)


Sherried Mushrooms on Toast (Peggy and Doug)





Jeraboam: Zaca Mesa 2002 Syrah


Andouille, White Bean and Kale Soup with Garlic Croutons and Emmenthaller (Peggy and Doug)
Spanish Tortilla with Garlic Aoli (Peggy and Doug)
          Wasabi Butter
          Candied Ginger Kiwi Sauce
Korean Short Rib Tacos with Asian Pear and Celery Slaw (Monique and John)








Wine: Wedge Mountain's Crested Butte Tawny


Dried Apricot Pecan Tart (Dorte and Mark)
Vietnamese Coffee Slushy (Monique and John)

Molten Chocolate Cake (Peggy and Doug)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Monique and John)