40 Garlic Chicken

This flavorful chicken dish is for garlic lovers only. Roasted garlic has a sweet, nutty taste, so even though there is a lot of garlic in the sauce, it does not have a garlic bite. A great wine to pair with this dish is Fenn Valley Edelzwicker, Dry Riesling, or Cabernet Franc.

• 1 whole chicken, cut up as described below.
• ¼ cup salt dissolved in 2 quarts of cold water
• 6 heads garlic
• 2 large shallots, peeled and cut into thumb-sized pieces
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tsp dried Thyme
• 3-4 sprigs rosemary
• 4 bay leaves
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup Lakeshore Demi-Sec

Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a boning shears, cut up each side of the backbone and remove. Cut the chicken breast in half. Cut off the wings and the legs, and separate the thighs from the drumsticks. Cut each breast half into two pieces. Remove the skin from all of the chicken pieces and discard. Dissolve ¼ cup salt in 2 quarts of water in a gallon ziplock baggie. Place the chicken pieces in the brine, seal the bag, and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning it over after 30 minutes.

Remove the loose papery shell of the garlic heads. Use a knife to cut off the tip of each garlic clove in the 6 heads of garlic. Wrap the shallots and the garlic heads in foil and drizzle a little olive oil onto the garlic heads so that the oil enters the cloves. Close the foil package(s) and bake in the 400° over for 60 minutes. The garlic should be lightly browned, soft, and have a nutty character. Increase the oven heat to 450°F. When the garlic cools, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the heads into a small bowl.

Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine. Blot the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12 inch oven-proof skillet until smoking. Add the chicken, do not crowd the skillet. Brown the chicken for 5-8 minutes on each side until the chicken is lightly browned. Remove to a plate to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken if needed.

Drain excess grease or oil from the skillet and add the broth and the wine. Deglaze the pan over low heat. Add the herbs, the shallots, and the roasted garlic cloves, and stir to distribute. Tightly nestle the chicken pieces in the broth, with the tops of the chicken pieces exposed above the liquid. Place in a 450°F over and bake until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160-165° and the thickest part of the drumstick/thigh is 170-175°F.

Remove the check to a serving plate and tent with foil. Discard the rosemary and the bay leaves. Skim off any accumulated grease. Bring to a boil and whisk until the garlic is broken up and the sauce is smooth. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, pour over the chicken pieces, and serve with brown rice or with a garlicky marinara sauce and pasta.

Serves 4

Poached Pears in White Wine with Lemon and Herbs

This is a great late fall dessert that is easy to make and can be made several days in advance. Choose pears that are firm, but yield just slightly when pressed. The best varieties for this dessert are Bosc or Barlett pears. Serve with a semi-dry or late harvest white wine such as Fenn Valley Riesling or Late Harvest Vignoles.

• 6 firm, ripe pears - about 8 ounces each
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 bottle Lakeshore Demi-Sec or other semi-dry white wine (about 3 cups)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 8 strips zest from 1 lemon (Use a vegetable peeler, avoid the white pith)
• 8 sprigs fresh mint
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

Peel, halve, and core the pears, using a spoon to remove the core from the pear halves. Immerse the prepared pears in a bowl of water that contains the lemon juice to prevent browning.

Bring the remaining ingredients (wine through cinnamon) to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely.

Drain the pears, discarding the lemon water, and add to the wine mixture. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10-20 minutes, or until the pears can be pierced easily with a toothpick.

Transfer the fruit to a shallow casserole dish with a slotted spoon. Return the syrup to medium heat and simmer until it is reduced to 1¼-1½ cups and is slightly thickened (15 minutes). Strain the syrup through a fine‑mesh strainer, then pour over the pears. Discard the solids. Refrigerate the pears at least 2 hours until well chilled or up to 3 days. To serve, spoon portions of fruit and syrup into individual bowls.

Serves 6

Fall Harvest Vegetable Chili

This vegetable chili, thick with kidney beans and hominy, is deliciously smoky and spicy. Serve it with a smoky Syrah or one of Fenn Valley’s Pinot Noirs or something sweet, like Fenn Valley Party Sangria or Riesling, which helps tame the heat from the chile in the dish.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ pound carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Salt
• One 14-ounce can peeled Italian tomatoes
• 1 canned chipotle in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup canned hominy, drained
• 1 cup canned red kidney beans, drained

Brown rice, chopped red onions, cilantro, sour cream and tortilla chips or bread toasts, for serving.

Directions

In a medium, heavy enameled cast iron casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper, parsnips and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chile powder and cumin and season with salt. Cook for 1 minute.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes and their juices with the chipotle, adobo sauce and water until smooth. Add the mixture to the casserole along with the hominy and beans and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer the chili over moderate heat until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Serve with rice, red onions, cilantro, sour cream and chips.

Mango Grilled Chicken

The mango sauce used as a marinade in this recipe has a definite Thai twist that pairs well with a semi-dry Riesling of Fenn Valley Edelzwicker. The sauce can be prepared up to a day in advance and is perfect for summer since it is fast and easy, and requires no cooking.

4 chicken breast halves

1 fresh, ripe mango cut into chunks

1½ Tbsp Sriracha sauce (more if you want it hotter)

2 Tbsp sugar

1½ Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp lime juice

½ tsp ground cayenne pepper

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp coconut extract

Peel the mango. Remove the stone. Dice into large chunks and put into a food processor. Add the Sriracha and the remaining 8 ingredients. Process until smooth. Taste the sauce and add more sugar if the sauce is too sour or additional fish sauce for more salt, or Sriracha sauce for more heat. Divide the sauce in half, reserving half in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Score the chicken breasts with a sharp knife and pour the remaining sauce over the chicken in a bowl or in a ziplock baggie. Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Grill the chicken, brushing the chicken with the marinade as it cooks.

Just prior to serving, heat the reserved sauce in a microwave oven until hot and serve with the chicken. Serve with a semi-dry fruity wine such as Fenn Valley Riesling, Edelzwicker, or Lakeshore Demi-Sec.

July - Grilled Oriental Flank Steak

This easy recipe is a favorite of our winemaker’s mother. Prepare the marinade in the morning, marinate the meat all day, and grill at night. Serve with an oak-aged red wine such as Fenn Valley Meritage or Cabernet Franc Reserve. If you would like a white wine, serve this with an oak aged Chardonnay such as Fenn Valley Chardonnay Reserve.

• 1 Lb Flank steak
• ¼ cup dry or nearly dry white wine (Lakeshore Demi-sec or Lakeshore White)
• ¼ cup Soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

Combine the white wine and the next six ingredients in a 1gallon zip-lock baggie. Shake until the honey dissolves. Add the steak and zip the bag closed. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours, turning the bag two or three times.

Grill, while basting frequently with the marinade, over medium-hot coals for 8 minutes on a side or until cooked to your liking. Remove the meat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Put the remaining marinade in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce until slightly thickened. Slice the meat at an angle across the grain into thin slices. Serve with the reduced marinade.

Vegetarian Lasagna

This easy recipe can be made even easier by using a prepared spaghetti sauce. The fennel, which is added at the very end when the casserole is assembled, gives this dish a pleasant herbal taste that pairs well with a delicate red wine or a Pinot Grigio.

• 1 medium onion coarsely chopped (1-1½ cups)
• 6 large cloves garlic minced (2 Tbsp)
• 28oz can diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp drained capers
• Olive oil
• 4 lasagna noodles, cooked al-dente
• ¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds (www.penzeys.com)
• 15oz ricotta cheese *
• 2oz fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 4oz shredded mozzarella cheese *

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Using a 12-inch skillet, sauté the onions in olive oil until they begin to become soft and slightly browned. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 30 seconds. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the onion residue from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and the capers. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until reduced and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the whole fennel seeds.

Cut each lasagna noodle into 2 uneven pieces at the “1/3” mark. Cover the bottom of an 8” X 8” X 2” glass-baking dish with the four short pieces and 1 of the long pieces of pasta. Evenly spread ½ of the ricotta cheese on the pasta and cover with ½ of the reduced tomato sauce. Sprinkle the ground fennel evenly over the tomato sauce and cover with ½ of the fresh grated parmesan cheese. Add another layer of the pasta using the remaining 3 lasagna noodles, and spread the remaining ricotta cheese evenly on the pasta. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce, and add the shredded mozzarella cheese. Finally, spread the remaining grated parmesan cheese on the top.

Cover the lasagna pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling. Remove the cover and continue baking at 325° for 10 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes, and cut into serving size pieces. Serve with Pinot Grigio, Capriccio, or other low tannin fruit-forward red wine.

Serves 4.

* If you are counting calories, use non-fat ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

Eggplant Parmesan

This is an easy dish that pairs very well with a light fruit-forward red wine such Cabernet Franc, Chianti, or Fenn Valley Capriccio.

• 1 Eggplant (about 1 Lb) peeled and sliced into ½ inch thick slices
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup flour
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 eggs beaten or ½ cup egg beaters
• 4 oz Mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese *
• 8 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ tsp thyme
• Olive oil

Sprinkle the sliced eggplant with the kosher salt, place in a colander, and allow to sit for ½-2 hours.

Begin the sauce by placing the garlic, the red pepper flakes, and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a deep skillet over med-high heat. Sauté for several minutes until the garlic begins to darken and is aromatic. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, and thyme. Bring to a boil and simmer oover med-low heat until the sauce is reduced to 2½ cups. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Using paper towels, wipe off the salt from the eggplant slices and squeeze out the extra moisture by pressing between the paper towels using the palm of your hand. Put the flour on a plate and stir in the pepper. Put the beaten eggs in a shallow bowl. Put the Panko bread crumbs on another place. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over med-hi heat until it shimmers. Dip the eggplant into the flour-pepper mixture and shake off the excess. Coat with the egg and dip into the bread crumbs to coat evenly, shaking off the excess. Place in the hot skillet and fry until golden, turning once. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Put half of the sauce in a 9 X 9 baking dish, add half of the eggplant, half of the mozzarella, and half of the parmesan cheese. Repeat with the second half of the ingredients. Bake until the contents are bubbling and the cheese is browned. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.

Serves 3 or 4.

(*) The quality of the parmesan cheese will directly affect the flavor of this dish. Use high quality, freshly grated parmesan cheese. Avoid pre-packaged ground parmesan cheese.