Category: Wine

Ingredients

Dijon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic, minced
Big pinch of salt
Black pepper, to taste
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta Salad
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper and salt, to taste
2 tablespoons salt for pasta water
1 pound medium pasta shells
1 pound cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup coarsely chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 small red onion, cut into small dice
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Directions

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the first five ingredients, then slowly whisk in the oil for a thick consistency. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid to transport it to the picnic.

Adjust oven rack to highest position and turn broiler on high. Toss zucchini and bell pepper with olive oil, salt and pepper, and arrange on a large baking sheet with sides. Broil eight to 10 minutes, until spotty brown, turning zucchini slices and pepper halves once. Set aside in a large bowl to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 Tbs. of salt to boil. Add pasta; boil using package times, until just tender. Drain thoroughly (do not rinse) and dump onto the baking sheet. Set aside to cool.

Put vegetables, pasta and remaining ingredients (except dressing) in the bowl or a gallon-sized zipper bag (can be refrigerated for several hours). To serve, add dressing; toss to coat.

Ingredients

1/2 cup club soda
1 cup white wine

Directions

Pour wine into glasses, and top off with club soda. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

2 (6 ounce) flat iron steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms

Directions

Allow the steaks to come to room temperature.

Stir together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, ground paprika, salt, mustard powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl to make a paste.

Prick steaks all over with a fork and rub them well with the spice rub paste, working the rub into the meat.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat oil until it just begins to smoke and quickly sear the steaks until the outside has browned but the center is still blood red and just warmed, 2-3 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 115 degrees F (46 degrees C).

Remove steaks from skillet with tongs. Pour the dry red wine into the skillet, and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the sliced portobello mushrooms, and cook and stir until mushrooms are cooked and have released their liquid, about 5 minutes.

Return steaks to the skillet on top of the mushroom-wine sauce. Reduce heat to LOW and cook until sauce reduces and thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove steaks to serving platter and pour mushroom sauce over steaks to serve.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 pound assorted mushrooms, cut into pieces
1 cup port wine
1/4 cup coarse-ground Dijon mustard
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cold butter (optional)

Directions

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the shallots, and cook for 2 minutes to soften slightly. Add the mushrooms, and continue cooking until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are tender. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and set aside.

Pour the port wine into the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the port has reduced and is almost syrupy, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in the mustard and beef broth. Dissolve the cornstarch into the water, and whisk into the boiling sauce. Stir until the sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat, and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until it has melted into the sauce. Stir the cooked mushrooms back into the sauce and serve.