Author: Chef Cloud Wine

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup white wine
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Mix in wine and tomatoes, and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix shrimp into the skillet, and cook 5 minutes, or until opaque. Toss with pasta and top with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced into rings
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
12 slices bacon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
36 blue corn tortilla chips
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup whole kernel corn

Directions

In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Using a rolling pin wrapped in plastic, pound out chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch in thickness. In the center of the breast place 2 or 3 slices of jalapeno and 3 tablespoons of cheese. Roll chicken up from the narrowest point to the widest. Wrap with 2 slices of bacon and secure with toothpicks.

Heat oil and black pepper in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken wraps until they begin to brown. Reduce heat, cover and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes, checking periodically, until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from heat, cover and set aside.

Return skillet to medium high heat. To the drippings add flour, stirring to remove any lumps. Slowly add wine, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl combine red bell pepper and corn.

Place a medium sized mound of rice in the center of a plate. Tuck a few blue corn chips along the edge of the rice. Place chicken on rice, spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of red pepper and corn mixture.

Ingredients

12 helix snails, without shells
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons dry white wine
12 puff pastry shells
12 mushroom caps

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Drain escargots; rinse in cold water and drain again.

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, garlic, green onion, parsley, pepper, nutmeg and wine. Mix thoroughly. Place 1 teaspoon of butter mixture into each pastry shell. Top each with 1 escargot, cover with another teaspoon of butter mixture and place mushroom cap on top.

Arrange pastry shells on a 10×15 inch baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients

1 lemon
1 orange
1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry white wine
8 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cloves
4 cardamom seeds
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
6 Bartlett pears, peeled
8 ounces premium dark chocolate
1/2 cup sliced California Almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Juice the lemon and orange. Put juice, wine, water, honey, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, star anise and bay leaf in a wide saucepan. Gently place the peeled pears into the liquid.

Make a circle of parchment paper that is 1/2-inch larger than the pot, and cover surface completely with the parchment paper. Be sure the pears are fully submerged, but not touching the bottom of the pot. Bring the poaching liquid and pears to a boil and then reduce the heat to just below a simmer.

While the pears are poaching, roast almonds in oven until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Cook the pears until fork-tender. Gently transfer pears into a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour enough poaching liquid over pears to just cover. Cover and refrigerate until cool, preferably overnight.

Strain remaining poaching liquid and return to saucepan. Cook over high heat until a syrupy consistency is achieved or the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Chill until the pears are served.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Dip each cooled pear into the melted chocolate and then roll in sliced almonds. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set, approximately 30 minutes. Lightly drizzle with reduced poaching liquid and serve at room temperature.