Author: Chef Cloud Wine

Ingredients

2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 1/4 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 leek, bulb only, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, finely crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 saffron threads
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions

Place saffron threads in a small bowl, and cover with 1 tablespoon boiling water. Set aside.

Scrub mussels clean in several changes of fresh water and pull off beards. Discard any mussels that are cracked or do not close tightly when tapped. Put mussels into a saucepan with wine and water. Cover and cook over high heat, shaking pan frequently, 6-7 minutes or until shells open. Remove mussels, discarding any which remain closed. Strain liquid through a fine sieve and reserve.

Heat butter and oil in a saucepan. Add onion, garlic, leek and fenugreek and cook gently 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add saffron mixture, 2-1/2 cups of reserved cooking liquid and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, keep 8 mussels in shells and remove remaining mussels from shells. Add all mussels to soup and stir in chopped parsley, salt, pepper and cream. Heat through 2-3 minutes. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired, and serve hot.

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves crushed garlic
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Marinate chicken in salad dressing to cover, for at least 1 hour.

Heat the chicken with Cajun blackening spice in olive oil. Add crushed garlic, bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, wine and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until tender. Add chopped plum tomatoes and chopped fresh parsley to taste. Serve.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 zucchini cut in half lengthwise, then sliced diagonally
5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

Place the flour into a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Shake off excess. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breasts on each side, about 3 minutes per side.

Pour the chicken broth and white wine into the skillet, and scrape any chicken residue from the pan for flavor. Stir in the mustard. Cover, and cook for a few minutes until chicken is ‘springy’, but not cooked through. Add the zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes, then season with garlic and dill weed. Cover, and cook until the zucchini is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a platter, and remove the pan from the heat. Stir sour cream into the pan liquid. If most of the liquid has evaporated, stir in a bit more wine or broth first. Season with salt to taste, and serve chicken with sauce poured over it.

Ingredients

2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions

Place potatoes and water in a microwave safe bowl. Cook potatoes in microwave on high until just tender, about 15 minutes, stirring half-way through. Drain potatoes and allow to steam for a few minutes to dry.

In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, wine, rosemary, and garlic powder. Mix in drained potatoes and toss to coat. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.

Remove potatoes from marinade, and skewer. Grill, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes, brushing occasionally with marinade, turning half-way through. Remove potatoes from skewers and serve hot.