Food & Wine Pairings

February – Pacific Quartet

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Salmon:

3 tbsp each soy sauce and maple syrup

2 tbsp each brown sugar and lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

4 (6 oz) thick, boneless salmon fillets

Pea Purée:

4 cups frozen baby peas

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/4 cup 35% whipping cream

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp lime juice

1 tsp finely grated lime zest

1/2 tsp each sea salt and freshly ground pepper (approx.)

Method:

Salmon: Bring soy sauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, lime juice and garlic to a boil in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Simmer for 4 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup; cool slightly.

Preheat broiler to high. Arrange salmon on an oiled, foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Measure out 2 tbsp glaze; brush evenly over salmon. Place on centre rack; broil, basting often with remaining glaze, for 7 to 9 minutes or until salmon has just a hint of coral in the interior.

Pea Purée: Meanwhile, bring peas, broth and ginger to a boil in a medium saucepan; cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or food processor to purée until creamy but not completely smooth.

Stir in cream, butter, lime juice, lime zest, salt and pepper. Serve salmon on a bed of pea puree.

Tip: To prepare salmon on the barbecue, preheat grill to medium and grease well. Grill salmon, without turning and basting with marinade twice, for 7 to 9 minutes.

Pair with: LE2013 Pacific Quartet

Custom recipes for the 2011 Limited Editions created exclusively by Food Network host Anthony Sedlak. Download the full recipe book here.

Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak with Blue Cafe de Paris Butter

Serves 4 persons

THE WINE

Washington Meritage – Limited Edition January 2011

THE FOOD

Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak with Blue Café de Paris Butter

ABOUT THE DISH

Quintessentially French, Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak with Blue Café De Paris Butter brings home a taste of Paris Bistro fare without the hassle of customs. The full and balanced tannins of the wine complement and penetrate the richness of the steak and blue cheese combination.

THE TIP

Flank steak is prized as one of the top cuts for flavour amongst those ‘in the know’ of the culinary scene. It benefits greatly from a marinade both to impart flavour and additional tenderness. The optimum doneness for this cut of meat is medium-rare to medium. Cooked further it can suffer from a slight bite or toughness. With intense red wine flavour it is best pair with simple sides such as garlic and buttermilk spun potatoes and roasted root vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

Washington Meritage Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak

• 1 ½ cups Washington Meritage
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 4 – 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 lbs Canada Prime or “AAA” center cut flank steak
• kosher Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste 

Blue Café de Paris Butter

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup Gorgonzola blue cheese
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, grated on a fine rasp
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
• a dash of ground cayenne pepper
• juice of a fresh lemon
• kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

Blue Café de Paris Butter

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Next place two overlapping pieces of plastic wrap across the length of a cutting board. Dollop the butter mixture onto the center of plastic wrap and fold the plastic over itself lengthwise. Gently roll the butter into a tight log. Twist both ends of the plastic wrap and tie off. Place the finished Blue Café de Paris Butter into the fridge or freezer. Slice the finished butter into 1 cm pats as needed. Be sure to remove the plastic wrap from each slice.

Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak

Combine all ingredients (excluding the flank steak) in a medium sized mixing bowl. Next place the flank steak into a shallow, wide baking dish (if there is more than one piece of flank steak make sure they are separate and not overlapping to encourage even marinating). Pour the marinade over top of the flank steak and marinate for 3 – 4 hours. Remove the flank steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towel. Lightly brush both sides of the steak with olive oil and season generously with kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper. Place the steak on a clean, preheated BBQ set to high. Brushing the grill lightly with olive oil will prevent sticking. Cook the steak for 3 – 4 minutes, flip and continue grilling for 5 – 6 minutes to achieve a medium-rare doneness. Remove the steak from the grill and place it into a dish to rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain and on an angle to achieve optimum tenderness. Garnish with pat of Blue Café de Paris Butter while the steak is still warm.

LE 2011 – January Red from Maverick Video Group on Vimeo.

These hearty tacos are flavourful and satisfying. They will appeal to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. For an impressive pairing, serve with Vintners Reserve Diablo Rojo.

Recipe

1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Egg, beaten
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
2 T Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup Chili sauce (you can substitute ketchup)
1/2 cup Onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup Carrots, finely chopped
1/2 cup Mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup Red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup Canned fried onion strips
1 lb Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup Milk
3 T Sour cream
2 T Butter

Directions

Prehaet your oven to 375 degrees. Pleace your peeled cubed potatoes in a loarge pot of cold water over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (about 8-10 minutes after water boils depending on the size of the cubes).

In a large bowl combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, onions, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper, fried onions and salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands until combined. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. Mold your meatloaf mixture into cupcake sized balls and place in muffin pan. You’ll get about 8-10 cupcakes. Place in oven and cook at 375 for about 25-30 minutes.

Drain your potatoes and return to pan. Pour in your milk, sour cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Using a hand mizer, whip your potatoes until smooth and set aside to cool a bit. Take a large plastic Ziploc bag (or a pastry bag) and cut a small hole in the bottom corner. Spoon your mashed potatoes into the bag then pipe out the potato ontop of the meatloaves to look like frosting on a cupcake. Serve ’em up hot, who doesn’t love cupcakes? Especially for dinner.

Meaty Morsel: Decorate the tops of your cupcakes with BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, or anything you or your kids can think of. Let them have fun with this, they’ll have more fun eating it!

A Merlot, such as Selection Original Series Merlot, works wonderfully with the Meatloaf Cupcakes.

(Recipe from: Alex Fitzpatrick)

 Custom recipes for the 2011 Limited Editions created exclusively by Food Network host Anthony Sedlak. Download the full recipe book here.

Mediterranean White Bean Salad

Serves 4 persons

THE WINE

Spanish Matador Trio Red – April

THE FOOD

Mediterranean White Bean Salad, Marinated with Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano & Fine Herbs

ABOUT THE DISH

Mediterranean fare showcases the simplicity of combining a handful of vibrant ingredients into one dish. The combination between the Spanish Matador Trio Red and this simple salad is the perfect start to a top shelf meal. The softly rounded tannins of the wine with complex aromas have a playful mingle with the garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

THE TIP

This easy and elegant salad is a perfect make-ahead and served best at room temperate. Lovely on its own, it is also the perfect side to chargrilled Italian sausages or a simple herb salad. For a savory addition, try adding diced and pan fried crispy bacon to the salad or a sweet drizzle of white balsamic glaze.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can butter beans (381ml)
• 1 can cannellini beans (381ml)
• 1 can white navy beans (381ml)
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 6 – 8 artichoke hearts, (canned) roughly chopped
• 1 ½ cups finely grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1 clove garlic (large), grated on a fine rasp
• ½ cup finely chopped chives
• ¼ cup chopped dill
• ¼ cup finely chopped spring onions
• ¼ cup finely chopped curly parsley
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp white truffle oil
• the juice of 1 lemon

PROCEDURE

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper and toss to combine. Allow the salad to marinade for 1 hour at room temperature.

LE 2011 – April Red from Maverick Video Group on Vimeo.