INGREDIENTS

  • One 5-lb. boneless leg of lamb, rolled, tied
  • Lemon half
  • 1 handful fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 large sprig fresh thyme, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 2 yellow onions, chopped
  • 6 large carrots, chopped
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • ½ fennel bulb, chopped
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups lamb or veal stock, or chicken broth
  • 1 cup Pinot Noir
  • ¼ cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
  • Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Add chopped cherries to Pinot Noir, set aside.

Rub lamb all over with lemon, squeezing juice out, and season generously with salt and pepper. Stuff garlic, chopped rosemary and thyme into cut slits all around roast. Place lamb in oven and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook for 30 more minutes.  Check lamb temperature with meat thermometer.  When internal temperature reaches 124 degrees, remove lamb from oven, tent with foil and set aside.

Pour fat off from pan; add chopped vegetables and roast at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through. While pan is in the oven, pour the Pinot Noir and dried cherries over vegetables, scraping the bottom of pan to remove particles. Reduce liquid by half.  Remove the roasting pan from oven and place on top of stove. Add the stock and cook over medium heat until reduced by half. Strain sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Remove string from lamb roast, tent with foil and let rest before carving.  Slice into ¼-inch slices, place on a serving platter and ladle sauce over top to serve.  Delicious with tomato, eggplant, potato tian and Lazy Creek Pinot Noir.

Serves 6 –8

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup olive oil, divided throughout recipe
  • 6 fresh chorizo sausages
  • 10 chicken thighs, with skins and bones, trim fat
  • 2 tsp. each dried rosemary, thyme, oregano
  • 1 tsp. sweet hungarian paprika
  • 1 very large white onion
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups fresh plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups fresh peas, or thawed frozen english peas
  • 5 pequillo peppers, sliced
  • 1 ½ lb. uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups clam broth
  • 1 chicken boullion cube
  • Generous pinch of spanish saffron
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • ½ cup white vermouth or sherry
  • 8 oz. serrano ham, sliced in narrow strips
  • Fresh parsley
  • Lemon wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large sauté pan, heat a portion of the olive oil over medium heat. Add sausages and saute until cooked through, transfer to large bowl. Salt and pepper chicken, season with rosemary, thyme, oregano and paprika, and working in batches, saute chicken thighs until nicely browned on all sides and cooked through.  Transfer chicken to bowl with sausages.

In another saute pan, add onions and cook until translucent.  Add garlic being careful not to burn, then add the tomatoes, peas, peppers, and bay leaves and stir together.  Transfer vegetable mixture to another large bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring combined chicken and clam broth to a boil and stir in bouillon cube and saffron.

In previous large saute pan where you cooked your vegetables, add olive oil over medium high heat, add rice and sherry and saute until translucent.  Pour in your combined broths, stirring well.  Add vegetable mixture and transfer rice into a paella pan, or wide shallow pan.  Add uncooked shrimp. Cut the chorizo sausage on the diagonal and combine with chicken; add to the paella pan to finish cooking.  Tightly cover with aluminum foil and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until rice is al dente and all the liquid has been absorbed. Add serrano ham.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately in paella pan with lazy creek pinot noir and crusty french bread. Enjoy!

Serves 8 – 10

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 loaf crusty country bread, preferably whole grain
  • 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
  • 2 medium shallots, sliced
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • ½ cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  • Chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Sprig of thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut bread into thick slices, place on a cookie sheet and toast on one side in oven, being careful not to burn.

Place a cast-iron skillet over high heat. When it begins to smoke, add the mussels and thyme. Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the mussels open, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mussels to a shallow bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.

Simmer the mussel juices in the skillet for 2 minutes to concentrate, then whisk in 6 tbsp butter and white wine to make a rich sauce.

Meanwhile, turn bread slices over to toast both sides, on toasted side, add Gruyere cheese to melt.
Pour mussel butter wine sauce over mussels that have been kept warm, garnish with crumbled bacon, black pepper, parsley and thyme sprig.

Serve with country bread to soak up the juices. Enjoy with a delicious glass of LCV Gewürztraminer!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp. canola oil
  • 4 tbsp. green chives, minced
  • 1 lb. sea scallops, minced
  • ½ cup water chestnuts, minced
  • 1 tsp. chinese chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp. garlic sauce:  mix 1 minced garlic clove, pinch of salt and pepper, ½ tsp.sugra, ½ tsp. white vinegar, ½ tsp. rice wine, and 1 tsp. corn starch
  • ½ cup diced mandarin oranges (optional)
  • 16 ice berg lettuce leaves, cut and shaped into large cups
  • plum sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat wok or wide deep-sided fry pan with oil and heat until smoking.  Add the garlic and chili sauce to the wok with the minced ingredients and stir-fry until all ingredients are well mixed, about 5 – 10 minutes.  Transfer scallop mixture to bowl, gently add oranges.  Arrange lettuce cups on platter, place plum sauce in small condiment bowl.  To serve; scoop scallop mixture into lettuce cups and dollop with plum sauce.  Roll, eat and delight in the exotic flavors of the east with a glass of LCV Gewurztraminer.

Note:  minced chicken can be substituted for the scallops

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 racks of lamb, chine bones removed, Frenched and meat trimmed of fat
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parlsey
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. culinary lavender
  • 3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Dried Cherry Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 3 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
  • 2/3 cup Pinot Noir
  • 1 cup veal demi-glace
  • ¾ cup veal stock or chicken broth
  • ¼ cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Combine garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, lavender, Dijon mustard, olive oil. Stir to mix well. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Put lamb meat side down and hold with tongs to sear to a nice brown crust. Turn and do this on all sides to sear.  Remove meat from skillet and brush the meaty side of the rack with prepared garlic-herb paste.  Transfer racks to a roasting pan and cover rib bones with strips of foil so they do not burn, Roast until medium rare — about 25 minutes — until internal temperature reaches 124 degrees. Let racks rest for at least 5 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile make the sauce:
Heat a medium skillet; add honey and cook over moderate heat until caramelized, being careful not to burn. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for only 10 seconds, then add the wine and cook for about 5 more minutes to reduce. Stir in demi-glace and stock. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes.  Add the dried cherries.  Correct seasoning.  (Sauce may be made up to two days ahead.)

Carve rack of lamb and arrange on serving plates. Serve immediately with Dried Cherry Sauce.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 large prawns, with shells
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
  • ½ cup dry rosé wine
  • 6 Italian plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
  • ½ cup cream*optional
  • 8 Boston lettuce or radicchio leaves
  • Extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare grill.  Wash and dry shrimp, butterfly by slicing open along the inside curve, leaving shells on.  Brush shrimp with oil, season with salt and pepper.  Place on grill, split side down for 3-4 minutes.

While shrimp are cooking, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in medium-size skillet.  Add garlic and cook lightly, do not brown, add herbs and wine.  Bring to a boil and cook for approximately 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes; add cream and cook an additional 2–3 minutes.  Adjust seasonings.  Remove from heat and arrange prawns on lettuce leaves, top with sauce and serve immediately.  Drizzle a little olive oil on top.

Soak up the sauce with a slice of grilled olive oil garlic crusty bread while you savor a glass of LCV Rosé wine.  Doesn’t get any better than that.

INGREDIENTS

  • 25 fresh basil leaves
  • ½ cup chunky peanut butter
  • ¾ cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce, or to your taste
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 –inch-long piece of ginger, peeled
  • ¼ – ½ tsp. red chili flakes
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 lb. boneless pork shoulder or loin, cut into 1-inch cubes (also may use swordfish, prawns or chicken)
  • Bamboo skewers soaked in water
  • Lime wedges, slivered scallions and fresh cilantro to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

In a blender, combine all the above ingredients, except the pork, and process until they become a smooth paste. Correct seasoning to your preference. Set aside ½ cup to be used for dipping.

Toss pork cubes in the marinade until well coated. Thread onto skewers; don’t crowd.
Prepare grill and cook pork until brown on all sides. Transfer to platter lined with butter lettuce and serve with dipping sauce, lime wedges, slivered scallions and cilantro.

Serves 4 – 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 thick slice of Applewood bacon, or pancetta, coarsely chopped
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into thick slices
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp. Gewurztraminer wine
  • 12 chicken apple sausages, sliced in half horizontally, grilled
  • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 cup apple cider juice
  • Splash of apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

In sauté pan, melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium high heat.  Add apple slices and sauté, until soft and tender.  Add lemon juice, zest and continue to cook.  Add the wine to deglaze pan.  Remove apples, set aside and keep warm.  In same sauté pan over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp. remaining butter and bacon/pancetta, onions and fennel and cook unitl soften and golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle sugar and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until caramelized. Pour apple cider juice and vinegar in pan and simmer over medium heat until all the liquid is evaporated and the vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper.  Keep warm.

Grill sausages, until brown on all sides.  To serve, arrange sausages on platter and spoon the apple slices around the platter with the caramelized fennel and red onions.  Serve on a crusty French roll or baguette with your favorite mustard and a glass of Lazy Creek Gewurztraminer.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

Kebabs:

  • 24 large prawns
  • 2 cups of pineapple, cut into wedges
  • 2 tbsp. mirin
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • ½ tsp. cardamom
  • 1 tbsp. finely-grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. white pepper
  • 4 green onions, cut white part of stalks 1-inch long

Risotto:

  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • ⅓ cup white onion, finely chopped
  • 1½ cups quinoa (washed and drained in cold water)
  • ⅓ cup Gewürztraminer wine
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and devein prawns.  Place the mirin, curry powder, cardamom, ginger, oil, salt and pepper into a bowl.  Add prawns and pineapple wedges, toss to coat.  Thread 2 shrimp, 2 pieces of green onion and 2 pieces of pineapple each on wooden or metal skewers.  Refrigerate.  Meanwhile make the risotto, prepare grill for kebabs.

The preparation of quinoa risotto is very similar to a classic risotto which uses Arborio rice.

In medium-size saucepan, heat chicken broth to keep warm.  In large, wide pan, add olive oil and butter to melt.  Add onions and sauté to translucent, stirring to not burn. Add the quinoa and allow to brown for about a minute.  Add wine, allowing to evaporate.  Start adding heated broth one ladle at a time. Keep adding remaining stock to cover quinoa, adding the cinnamon and the raisins.  Cook until quinoa is done.   Salt and pepper to taste.

Grill kebabs, turning once, until prawns are cooked through.

To serve, place risotto on a large serving platter.  Sprinkle with the peanuts.  Place skewer in a spoke pattern over the risotto.  Can add cilantro for green garnish.  Serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS

  • One 2 ½ – 3 lb. chicken, cut into pieces
  • 1 /4 cup olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large tomatoes, fresh or canned diced
  • 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 2 inch slices
  • 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 10 button domestic mushrooms, caps only
  • 5 carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Pinch of grated fresh nutmeg
  • 3 whole cloves
  • Two, 2-inch strips orange peel
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp. Herbs de Provence
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
  • 2 medium-zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 8 small red potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Salt and pepper chicken pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottom wide pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and brown until skin is brown and crisp. Do not burn. Remove to plate. Wipe pan out with paper towel if there are any burnt pieces left in pan. Add a little more oil; add onion, leek and celery, and sauté until golden. Add carrots, garlic and tomatoes and continue to cook. Add the mushrooms and the chicken. Add the bay leaves, nutmeg, cloves, orange peel and Herbs de Provence; mix well. Mix the tomato paste and flour together in small bowl adding a little of the wine if necessary, then add mixture to the pan, stirring to make sure you do not get any clumps. Add the rest of the wine and the chicken broth and cover with a lid. Adjust salt and pepper. Add the zucchini and potatoes and simmer slowly until the potatoes are tender; about 30 minutes. Maybe made a day ahead, refrigerate and reheat the next day for intense flavors.