Category: Wine

Ingredients

2 quarts mussels – cleaned and debearded
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat, and cook until it is just beginning to turn brown. Add the onions and celery to the pan, and cook just until the onions are clear.

Place mussels in pan, and stir. A few minutes after the mussels start releasing their juice, pour wine over them. Add the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaves; stir, then add salt and pepper. Continue to cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Once all of the mussels are open, stir two large spoonfuls of creme fraiche into the sauce. Divide mussels and sauce between four bowls, and add a bit of parsley and another very small spoonful of creme fraiche for decoration.

Ingredients

1 cup peach preserves
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chile paste
4 boneless pork chops
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white wine

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together the peach preserves, Worcestershire sauce, and chile paste. Rinse pork chops, and pat dry. Sprinkle the chops with ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chops for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, and set aside.

Pour white wine into the pan, and stir to scrape the bottom of the pan. Stir in the peach preserves mixture. Return the chops to the pan, and flip to coat with the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook the pork chops for about 8 minutes on each side, or until done.

Ingredients

1/3 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup fruity white wine, such as Gewurztraminer
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

Directions

Mix the apricot preserves, wine, and ground ginger together in a small bowl; set aside.

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until brown on each side, and no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chops from the skillet. Reduce heat to medium low. Using the same skillet, pour in the apricot preserves mixture and simmer until thickened, about 4 minutes. Return pork chops to the skillet, turning to coat each side in the sauce; cook 1 minute.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 shallots, minced
2 pounds ground lamb
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/4 cup wine
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 dash ground cinnamon
toothpicks

Directions

Melt the 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the shallots in the skillet until tender. Transfer to a large bowl.

Mix lamb, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, and lemon zest into the bowl with the shallots. Season with marjoram, salt, and pepper. Let stand 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Form the lamb mixture into small meatballs, and cook in the skillet in batches until evenly brown. Do not drain skillet. Drain meatballs on paper towels, and place in a serving dish.

Mix tomato sauce, wine, garlic, and cinnamon into the skillet. Cook and stir until well blended and heated through. Drizzle over the meatballs in the dish. Serve with toothpicks.