SPAGHETTI WITH PINOT GRIGIO AND SEAFOOD
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cup COUGAR Pinot Grigio
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds clams, washed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta
and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally,
about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
Add the shallots and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until tender but
not brown. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add
the wine, shrimp, and clams. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat
and simmer, covered, until the shrimp are pink and the clams have opened,
about 7 minutes.
Add the spaghetti to the seafood mixture. Add the salt and pepper and
stir to combine. Add the arugula. Stir gently and place on a serving platter.
Serve immediately.
Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:-- Cook
Time:15 minLevel:
-- Serves:
4 main course servings.Ingredients
Four 4-ounce skinless sole or flounder fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dredging
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Directions
Preheat 2 medium non-stick skillets over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, lay the fillets on a piece of wax paper, parchment, or a baking sheet and blot dry with paper towels. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. (If the fillets tapers down to a very thin tail, fold the tail back to make a more uniformly thick fillet.) Put the flour on a plate. Dredge the rounded-sides of the fillets in the flour and shake off any excess.
Raise the heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of butter to each skillet. When the butter stops foaming, add 2 fillets to each pan, rounded-side down, and cook, lightly shaking the skillets occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, flip the fillets with a spatula, and let the fillets finish cooking in the residual heat in the pans, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to 4 warm plates and cover loosely with foil.
Add the lemon juice and water to one of the skillets. While moving the skillet in a circular motion, add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, little by little, until melted and a smooth, creamy sauce is formed. Stir in the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon some of the sauce over each fillet and serve immediately.
Pairs with Cougar Vermentino – Enjoy!
Crab, Avocado and Papaya Sushi Roll
Ingredients
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons light brown sugar
5 cups cooked Sushi Rice, recipe follows
4 toasted nori sheets*
1 Haas avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 papaya, peeled and cut into thin slices
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin slices
1/4 cup black sesame seeds*
Directions
*Can be found at specialty Asian markets
Serving suggestion: wasabi, sweet picked ginger, soy sauce
Special equipment: a bamboo sushi mat
In a medium bowl, mix together the crabmeat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and sugar.
Place a piece of plastic wrap on the sushi mat. Using wet fingers, spread 1 1/4 cups of the rice evenly over the plastic wrap to form a rectangle slightly smaller than the sushi mat. Lay a sheet of nori over the rice. Arrange 1/4 of the crab mixture along the center of the nori leaving a 2-inch border at the top. Top the crab mixture with 1/4 of the avocado slices, 1/4 of the papaya slices, and 1/4 of the red bell pepper slices. Using the sushi mat as a guide, fold the rice over the filling and roll into a cylinder. Remove the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle each roll with the black sesame seeds.
To serve, using a sharp, damp knife, slice each cylinder into 6 pieces (re-wet the knife after each slice). Arrange the crab rolls on a serving platter and serve with wasabi, sweet pickled ginger and soy sauce.
Cook's Note: For spicier rolls, substitute the red bell pepper with 2 seeded and thinly sliced jalapenos.
Yield: 24 crab rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Sushi Rice:
2 cups short-grain sushi rice (recommended: Kokuho Rose)*
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
*Can be found at specialty Asian markets
Place the rice and water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the vinegar over the rice and mix with a fork. Transfer the cooked rice to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Allow the rice to cool completely before using.
Enjoy with a glass of Pink Cougar, the ultimate
sushi wine.
2 tablespoons Salt
1/2 pound pancetta, cut into medium-to-large
chunks
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 medium head cauliflower, 1 inch
florets plus leaves and core
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound orecchiette pasta
1 cup ricotta salata or other soft
sheep's milk cheese, grated
In a spaghetti pot place 6 quarts of water, add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil.
Place the pancetta, olive oil, garlic and cauliflower pieces into a 14 inch saute pan over medium heat. Cook until the cauliflower is just soft, stirring regularly, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chili flakes.
Cook the pasta and set aside 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss into the cauliflower mixture. Add reserved pasta water, place over high heat and cook until the liquid is just evaporated, about 1 minute.
Remove the pan from
the heat, add half of the grated cheese and toss. Divide into 4 servings
and serve immediately with the remaining cheese on the side.
Enjoy with a glass of 2010 Primitivo!
2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
14 FRESH SEA SCALLOPS (DRY WELL)
2 BLOOD ORANGES, SEGMENT WITH JUICE
½ MEYER LEMON, JUICED
1 BUNCH OF PEA SHOOTS
LEMON PEPPER
In a sauté pan over high heat, add the olive oil. Add the scallops
sprinkle with lemon pepper and cook until browned on 1 side. Flip the
scallops, sprinkle with lemon pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Add the
blood orange segments and both juices. Place on 4 serving plates. Garnish
with pea shoots
Serve with warm French bread and salad.
Enjoy with a chilled bottle of Cougar Bubbly
New York Steaks with Gorgonzola-Walnut “Butter” paired with the Cougar Meritage
4 New York steaks
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespool chopped fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly groung black pepper
“Butter”
8 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon white-wine Worcestershire
2 teaspoons green peppercorns
¼ cup lightly toasted walnut halves
1 ½ tablespoons minced chives
6 drops Tabasco
Place steaks in a glass dish. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, vinegar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Marinate in refrigerator covered for 2 to 3 hours. Remove steaks from marinade when ready to grill.
To make “butter”, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process for about a minute until mixed thoroughly. Can be refrigerated, but plan to serve room temperature.
Prepare a hot fire and grill steaks for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked to desired doneness. Shortly after turning, sprinkle a mound of Gorgonzola butter on steaks and allow it to melt slightly while the steaks finish cooking. Serve with coucous and additional Gorgonzola butter in a small dish on the table.
Enjoy with a nice glass of Cougar Meritage. Serves 4
KEFTEDES
(Greek Hamburger)
1 lb ground chuck beef
1/2 lb lean ground pork
1 onion, grated
2 eggs
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp crushed mint leaves
1/2 tsp oregano 3 slices bread, moistened
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup of Cougar Aglianico
sauce:
drippings from meat
2tsp flour
1/4 cup water
1 cup tomato sauce
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup Cougar Aglianico
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
2 tblsp grated kefalotyri cheese (Parmesan or Romano will work too)
Combine the meat, onion, eggs, tomato sauce, and seasonings. Tear the
moistened bread in pieces and add. Dissolve the baking soda in the wine
and add. Mix together well and shape into round patties. Fry in frying
pan.Drain drippings and reserve for sauce.
Transfer meat drippings to a saucepan. Make a paste of flour and water
and add to drippings along with all other ingredients. Cook, stirring
constantly, until sauce is thick. Serve over baked meat patties. Serves
6.
Enjoy with a bottle of Aglianico.
COUGAR LASAGNA
Ingredients
2 pounds dried lasagna noodles
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 pound ground Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups Cougar Miscuglio del Circulo
2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 quarts ricotta cheese, (2 containers)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
Grated Parmesan and mozzarella, for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.
Coat a large skillet with olive oil, add beef and sausage and brown until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano. Process until pureed, add to the pan with the ground meat and stir to combine. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and add the heavy cream and the cinnamon.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the parmesan. Stir in the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan with olive oil. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. This forms a collar that holds in the corners. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a spatula. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, ricotta, sauce, and cheeses. Top last layer with noodles, sauce, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.
PAIR WITH COUGAR Miscuglio del Circulo
Antipasto Pasta Salad
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 4-5
Serve this great starter dish with our Estate Sangiovese.
ingredients
1/2 pound rotini or fusilli (corkscrew-shaped pastas)
1 garlic clove
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 ounce (1/4 cup) sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in
hot water for 5 minutes and drained well
1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces canned garbanzos, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 ounces sliced hard salami, cut into julienne strips
5 to 10 bottled small pepperoncini (pickled Tuscan peppers)
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, minced
In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the rotini until it is tender
and drain. Refresh the pasta under cold water and drain well.
In a blender blend the garlic, the mustard, the vinegars, the water, the
oil, and salt, to taste, until the dressing is emulsified.
In a very large bowl toss the pasta well with the dressing and stir in
the sun-dried tomatoes, the mozzarella, the garbanzos, the salami, the
Tuscan peppers, the red pepper flakes, and the parsley.
Chill the salad, covered, for 1 hour. The salad may be made 2 days in
advance and kept covered and chilled.
Crab Stuffed Lettuce Wraps
3 (6-ounce) tubs fresh lump crab
meat from fish counter of your market
1 1/2 cups chili sauce
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon hot sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
3 ribs celery from the heart with their greens, cut into chunks
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chunked
1 clove garlic, cracked from skin
1 medium yellow onion, cut into chunks
Coarse salt and black pepper
Oyster crackers, for garnish
1 large head iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 wedges
Place crab in a bowl and run fingers
through it to check for pieces of shell. Break up crab a bit with finger
tips but leave several large pieces. Add chili sauce, lemon zest and juice,
parsley, hot sauce and
Worcestershire to the bowl and toss to combine.
In a food processor, process the chopped veggies into small bits by hitting
pulse several times. Line a plate
with a few sheets of paper towel. Scrape veggies onto towel to remove
liquids. Transfer chopped celery,
pepper, garlic and onions to the crab. Stir to combine veggies and season
the salad with coarse salt and
pepper to taste. Place crab salad in a serving bowl and top with crackers.
Surround the salad with lettuce
"cups". Spoon the salad into the crunchy pieces of iceberg as
you eat.
Pair with ‘Cougar Bubbly’.Enjoy!
Broiled Talapia with Horseradish and Herb-spiked Mayo
Cooking spray
1 lemon
4 (6-ounce) Tilapia filets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, or more to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preheat the broiler. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Finely grate 1 teaspoon of zest from the lemon and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over both sides of the fish. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper, to taste, and the garlic powder. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet and broil until fork-tender, about 3 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, horseradish, chives, an parsley. Serve the fish with the mayonnaise mixture spooned over the top.
Pairs with Cougar Arneis -- Enjoy!
Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Relish
2 Pork Tenderloins
olive oil
2 teaspoons Tarragon
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 teaspoons Rosemary
1 red onion
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
Rub pork tenderloins with olive oil. Cover the tenderloins with the garlic powder, tarragon and rosemary and marinade for 1 hour. Bake tenderloins at 40 degrees until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let sit.
Chop onion and saute in pan until tender. Add sugar, cherries and red wine vinegar and cook on low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place tenderloins on platter, slice and serve topped with cherry relish.
Enjoy with a glass of Cougar Brachetto Bubbly.
Mini Chicken Sausage Meatballs with Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Prep Time: 15 min, Cook Time: 15 min, Serves 4Salt
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
1 teaspoon, 1/3 palm full, fennel seeds
1/4 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes (available in pouches or tubs in produce section)
1 cup, 20 leaves fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it in your palm
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Pepper
1 pound gnocchi, potato dumplings, from refrigerated or frozen foods section of market
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, 1/2 cup – a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at table
Crusty bread, to pass at table
Bring a pot of water to a boil for gnocchi. Salt boiling water but wait a while to drop in gnocchi.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place chicken in a medium bowl with grill seasoning and fennel seeds. Pile sun-dried tomatoes on top of each other in small stacks then slice into thin strips. Coarsely chop the thin strips and add to bowl. Stack the basil leaves together then roll them up into a log. Shred the basil by thinly slicing the log. Add the half the basil to the bowl. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the bowl. Mix chicken together, roll into mini balls, 1 1/2 inches across, and arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 to12 minutes or until firm and lightly golden.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. To the hot skillet, add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan then the garlic, onions and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and season sauce with salt and pepper.
Drop gnocchi in boiling water and cook 5 minutes or to package directions.
Stir basil into sauce to wilt it. Drain gnocchi and arrange on a platter. Remove balls from oven and add to gnocchi, equally distributing them. Sprinkle cheese over meatballs and hot dumplings then top with sauce by carefully ladling it all over and around the platter. Gently toss to combine then serve with crusty bread and Green Salad.
Pairs with Cougar Lambrusca di Alessandria
Mixed Greens ripped (not chopped)
2 tablespoons chopped cashews
thin slices Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons coconut vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin Cougar Estate Olive Oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
In a high speed blender add together the raspberries, the water, the sugar, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well mixed and the raspberries are liquefied. Next, add the oil and blend until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Place mixed greens in a serving bowl and toss with vinaigrette. Top with cashews and cheese.
Enjoy with a glass of Sangio Rosso!
Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 8 hours, Yield: Serves 4
2 tablespoons Cougar Estate Olive Oil4 lamb shanks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large sweet onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups Cougar Bella Rosso
2 cups Chicken stock
1 sprig fresh Rosemary
2 to 3 sprigs fresh Thyme
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the lamb shanks seasoning both sides with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to slow cooker. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and saute until the onion is tender. Add vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on High for 1 hour. Cook on Low for 8 hours or until lamb is tender.
Enjoy with friends and a bottle of Bella Rosso!
