Crofutland

Winter Chillin'

2012-01-13T10:06:00.003-06:00

The lack of snow this winter is good for the grapes and GREAT for our backs (they got overworked with the shovel last year). Here's something to keep things warm on a cold winter night:

MULLED WINE
1 bottle Crofut Northwoods Red wine
4 cups apple cider
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
3 star anise
4 oranges, peeled, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

Great on a cold January night. Make some this weekend, and keep chillin'!

Purple Viking / MinneSNOWta Sangria Recipes

2011-07-20T10:26:00.006-05:00

The grapes are loving the heat! You can practically watch them growing.

We're celebrating the heat by kicking back and experimenting with different sangria recipes using the new Crofut Northwoods wines. To make a Purple Viking, use two bottles of our Northwoods Red. Or substitute our Northwoods White to make a MinneSNOWta. Both taste fabulous!

2 bottles Northwoods wine
2 cans 7-Up
2 oz triple sec
1/4 cup brandy
1/3 cup sugar
1 sliced orange
2 sliced lemons
lots of ice!

Slice the orange and lemons into a big punch bowl and pour the wine over top. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. (You may want to add more sugar, depending the quality of your fruit.) Add triple sec and brandy, and stir some more.

When you are ready to serve the sangria, add the 2 cans of soda. If needed, add more sugar and stir until completely dissolved.

Add ice to bowl to chill, then put ice in your serving glasses and pour sangria over. On a hot day this will go fast!

-Don

Summer Rubs for Grilling

2011-06-03T10:23:00.002-05:00

I was just playing with some seasonings and wanted to share this one for all of you that may be firing up your grills this weekend. If you're tired of grilling up the typical brats, dogs and burger, try a bone-in ribeye, shrimp or even some Copper River Salmon (now available in most grocery stores). So spice up your weekend try these rubs!

Keep it simple, Keep it Local!
- Richard

Blackened Rub (Shrimp, Steak or Fish)
2 t paprika
4 t thyme leaves
2 t onion powder
2 t garlic powder
1 t brown sugar
2 t kosher salt
2 t black pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t oregano
1 t cumin
1/2 t nutmeg

Sonoran Rub (Southwestern taste great with any grilled meat or veggies)
3 t paprika
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
1 t chili powder
1 t sugar
1 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne

Minnesota “Kind of” Waldorf w/ Crofut Raspberry Dressing

2011-05-13T12:57:00.004-05:00

One of my first food memories was picking wild berries and eating them on damp spring and early summer days. Risking cuts and scrapes of the thorn bushes which they grew only because I could not get enough of what I then determined to be Minnesota's own version of nature's candy.

Keeping that tradition moving forward every year Molly, our three girls and I look forward to berry picking in the late spring and early summer months in and around the forests of the family cabin. Seems like we pick them all day, but none make it back to the kitchen as all are eaten along the way.

This recipe came about because I was asked to make a Waldorf salad. Feeling Minnesotan, I decided to do a little twist. So, I came up with the 'Almost' Waldorf Salad.

Three easy parts to a light salad! Dressing is made first, then the walnuts and finally, toss them all together. Also great with some grilled chicken or shrimp.

Keep it Fresh, Keep it Local!
-Richard

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
2 T. Crofut La Crescent
1 t. Sugar
1 C Olive Oil

Place all in blender pulse until smooth

Candied Walnuts:
1 C Walnuts
2 T Butter
1 T sugar
1 pinch cinnamon

Heat Sautes pan over medium heat.
Add Walnuts to toast for 1 minute. Add butter and keep tossing until butter is melted. Add sugar and cinnamon tossing on heat for one more minute. Than cool

Salad:
1 Apple
1 Pear
1/2 C Fresh Raspberries
1/2 C Fresh Blue Berries
1/2 C Fresh Black Berries
1/2 C Candied Walnuts
1 Bag Mesclun (Spring Mixed Greens)
2 T Minnesota’s own Amablu Cheese

Slice apples and pears and place in dressing. Let sit for five minutes. In large bowl toss the greens, berried, walnuts and apples together. Garnish with Almablu Cheese

Frontenac Ahi

2011-04-15T15:48:00.002-05:00

Here's a quick Friday fish recipe that can't be messed up.

The What:
2 4/5oz portions of sushi grade Ahi Tuna
2 cups Crofut Frontenac wine
1 Tbs Balsamic
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs chopped parsley
2 large Portabello mushrooms
Sea Salt

The How:
Part1:Frontenac Reduction
In saucepan, add two cups Frontenac and Balsamic over medium heat. Let reduce to roughly half a cup (should take about twenty minutes). Meanwhile, complete the steps below. Once reduced, simmer until ready to plat your tuna.

Part2: The Mushrooms
Wash Portabello mushrooms and slice thin. Chop fresh parsley.
In sauté pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Toss in mushroom and parsley. Brown mushrooms on each side adding a little sea salt to the mushroom. Once browned, take off heat.

Part3: The Ahi
Salt & Pepper the Ahi evenly on each side. In sauté pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Carefully add Ahi to oil with tongs and sear for roughly one minute.*** Turn Fish to sear opposite side for the same amount of time. (You can sear to whatever desired temperature. I prefer mine rare)

*** Searing the Ahi depends on two things, the thickness of the cut and of course your desired doneness. One minute is roughly rare to medium rare doneness

-Richard

Frontenac Chicken

2011-04-11T13:44:00.003-05:00

Not that the world needs another chicken recipe but if you want a quick and easy dish for the family, this could be it for you.

Last night we had a few veggies, a chicken, some herbs and a bottle of Frontenac. Found the ceramic chicken cooker. (I have no idea what the proper name of these things are.) Chopped up an onion, carrot, celery and placed it at the bottom of the cooker.

Poured the wine in the center. Rubbed the chicken down with some olive oil, fresh garlic and some Italian seasonings we had in the pantry. Placed it in a preheated oven at 350 for 50 minutes and dinner was served.

Be sure to temp your chicken and make sure it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

This was great with some roasted sweet potatoes, spring carrots and was also great with Frontenac wine. Some might scream “NOOOO!” at the thought of drinking red wine with chicken, but I believe that one should base their wine decision on whatever they feel like drinking.

See you at the Winery!
- Richard

Spring Chicken

2011-03-29T13:32:00.002-05:00

The sound of melting snow and visions of green sprouting from the yard seems to motivate me. The time to venture out of the house, say hello to the “hibernationally” forgotten neighbors (yes, I made up a word), sweep winter away from patio, clean the grill and set up the furniture for what becomes my family's second kitchen. I start anticipating the upcoming farmers markets and look forward to all that spring gives us here in Minnesota all of which is shared with family & friends. See you at the Winery!
- Richard

Now that spring is officially here, let’s start it off with a easy recipe to get the grill going for the season. This recipe has a few parts, though it really comes together and gives a great “spring’ flavor.

Grilled Rosemary & Lemon Chicken w/ Quinoa Salad

Food Note: As of late, Quinoa and other specialty grains seem to be all the rage. Quinoa has found its way into my kitchen (both home and professional) due to its wide variety of uses. Unlike rice and wheat, quinoa packs a balanced set of essential amino acids to form a perfect protein. And it's gluten free, which helps in menu planning for a large group of people.

Rosemary Chicken
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste

   In a food processor, blend together butter, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour about a 1/3 of blended mixture into a small bowl or plastic ziplock bag for marinade. Set the remaining mixture aside.
   Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts in the marinade for 3-4 hours.
   Preheat grill to high.
   Grill chicken breasts 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken breasts from grill and top with small scoops of the remaining topping mixture to melt over the chicken.

Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cucumber, diced
3 scallions
1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper (available in any grocery store)
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons slivered almonds

For serving:
9 cups spring mix greens
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions
Combine quinoa and stock in small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 10-15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Let cool completely.
In mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa w/ remaining ingredients.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
1 T chopped basil
2 cup olive oil

In mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey and basil. While still whisking slowly, add olive oil until complete emulsified.

In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, Heart Lamb Irish Stew

2011-03-15T14:28:00.001-05:00

Here is a quick recipe to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Sure you can sub the Lamb with Beef, but what fun would that be?
- Richard

Irish Stew
1/2 pound thickly sliced bacon, diced
6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cups canned beef stock
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
3 pounds potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme, whole
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup River Valley White wine
Chopped parsley

Using a large pan cook the bacon until crisp. Reserve the fat and the bacon.

In a large bowl place the lamb, salt, pepper, and flour. Toss to coat evenly. Reheat the frying pan. In batches, cook the lamb until evenly browned. Transfer the browned meat to a 10-quart stock pot (being sure to keep some of the bacon fat in the sauté pan.

Add the garlic and yellow onion to the pan and saute until the onion begins to caramelize. Deglaze the frying pan with 1/2 cup of water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the casserole, along with the reserved bacon pieces, beef stock, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, or until tender.

Add the carrots, onions, potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and wine to the pot and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Season to taste and garnish.

Mardi Gras Party! Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Etouffee

2011-03-08T11:07:00.002-06:00

Been awhile since the last blog but it's time to come out of hibernation and get ready for Spring. In Honor of Mardi Gras let’s heat this place up and melt the snow!
-Richard

Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Ingredients

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if desired
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup minced green onions, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 to 3 dashes Tabasco
2 cup chicken stock or clam juice
2 large diced tomatoes
1 large chicken breast diced
1 pound andouille sausage diced
2 pounds large shrimp peeled and de-veined
1/2 stick butter
Diced green onions, for garnish

Make the roux, mix oil and flour in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk flour into the oil to form a thick paste. Continue cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15 to 20 minutes.

To the roux, add chicken and let cook for 5 minutes. Then add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat about 5 minute. Add white pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, green onions and parsley and andouille. Add stock then stir in tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add shrimp and stir. Let shrimp cook for about s-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Whirl in the butter and let melt. Serve over cooked white rice and garnish with green onions.

Artichoke Puffs

2010-12-20T11:09:00.002-06:00

One of the most crowd-pleasing recipes happens to be one of the easiest recipes ever made. Molly suggested this too me and I laughed thinking no customer would ever like such an easy appetizer. So I did these as a joke for a ‘elegant” tasting and much to my surprise, they chose this recipe. I ended up producing about 32,400 of these in a 17-week period. It took almost a year before I was ready to see another one, though everyone keeps asking over and over for this recipe. Every time I get an order for these I hear my wife in the back of my head saying, “ I told you so”.

Artichoke Puffs

1 loaf sliced white bread
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup parsley
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, chopped
1-2 lbs. Shredded cheddar
cookie sheet

Preheat your oven to 400. Slice your bread in 2 inch cubes. Place them on cookie sheet and toast in oven for 5 minutes.

Take "toast pints" out of oven. Set your oven to broil. In a large bowl mix mayo, parm, parsley, onion powder Artichokes and cheddar together.

Turn toast points over and place artichoke mixture on top of the toast points. Place in broiler for roughly 3 minutes. You want the cheese to start to brown and become a little bubbly. Serve immediately

Roasted Pepper Artichoke Dip

2010-12-20T11:07:00.001-06:00

Here is another great holiday recipe idea. Roasted Pepper Artichoke Dip is easy to make and fun to eat. Goes great with some garlic toast points, crackers and even some fried ravioli!

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can or jar (12 to 14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained, not marinated
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder, optional
1/4 cup minced roasted red pepper

Combine all ingredients. Spread in a pie plate or shallow baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve cold or heat in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°.

Keep is Simple, Keep it Local!

Mushroom Caps

2010-12-20T11:03:00.000-06:00

Here is an easy appetizer for any occasion. Great for the Holidays and perfect for a New Years Eve Appetizer!

Cheers!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound large mushrooms
6 tablespoons butter
3 green onions, minced
4 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
4 ounces Jumbo Lump crab (found in most grocery stores)
1 cup fresh fine bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

• Wash and trim the end of stems from mushrooms. Take remaining stem out. Chop stems and set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter to brush over the mushrooms.
• Melt remaining butter in skillet; add reserved chopped stems, minced green onions and red bell pepper. Cook until tender. Combine all with bread crumbs, crab meat, and seasonings.
• Fill each mushrooms, piling up. Sprinkle mushrooms with Parmesan cheese.
• Place in greased baking dish.
• Bake at 350° for roughly 15 minutes or until mushroom caps are tender.

On the 3rd day my True Love gave to me 3 Swedish meatballs

2010-12-14T09:27:00.002-06:00

During the Holiday season one of the most commonly found recipes in any Midwestern celebration is Swedish Meatballs. Some serve as simple appetizers, some as a meal, -though all are a little different. Most are heirloom recipes passed down from generation to generation. I have been handed recipes with Beef, Pork and even Lamb while every grandmother, cook & chef states that theirs is the “real” Swedish meatball. I once had a chef tell me that his original recipe was over 200 years old, though I became suspicious after noticing that the recipe called for Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup.

Some recipes are more complex than others, though all are fun to try. When you are handed a recipe for this dish, you have more than likely been handed someone’s tradition.

Below is an easy Swedish Meatball recipe. I was given this recipe from a friend that claims this too is the “real” Swedish Meatball recipe, though I suspect that somewhere out there the original recipe remains a mystery….

Keep it Fresh, Keep it Local!

Richard

The What:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. finely chopped green bell pepper
2/3 c. milk
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups Half & Half
1 cup Sour Cream
1 small can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine all meatball ingredients in 3-quart bowl; mix lightly. Shape mixture into 18 balls. Place meatballs in ungreased baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven.

Combine all sauce ingredients in medium bowl. Pour over meatballs. Continue baking, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve Meatballs over cooked Egg Noodles, and garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley.

On the Second day of Christmas my True Love gave to me, Two Cornish Game Hens!

2010-12-10T14:53:00.002-06:00

Entertaining or even a small dinner for two, Cornish Game Hens make a perfect meal. They are light, easy to cook, and great to display on a plate -- transforming the novice of cook into the classic trained chef!

Less than a hour to prepare, this recipe will surely be a hit. Great with herb roasted potatoes, a simple rice pilaf or a creamy risotto.

The What:
4 Cornish game hens
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 Orange, quartered
4 Tablespoons dried apricots
4 Sprigs fresh rosemary
3 Tablespoons olive oil
12 Cloves garlic
1/3 Cup Crofut Prairie Blanc wine
1/3 Cup chicken broth
4 Sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish

The How
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Rub hens w/ 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with S&P. Stuff orange wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in of each bird. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange apricots and garlic cloves around hens. Roast in oven for roughly 25 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and 2 tablespoons of oil then pour over the birds. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until the birds are golden brown and juices run clear. (If nervous about the birds being done, place a meat thermometer directly into the thickest part of the breast and be sure it reads 165.)

Transfer hens to a large platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Transfer pan juices and garlic & apricots to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce by half (about 7-8 minutes).

Cut birds in half (lengthwise). Pour sauce over the birds and garnish.

Keep it Simple, Keep it Local!
Richard

Tis’ Season For the Crofut - 12 Recipes Of Christmas!

2010-12-09T09:09:00.003-06:00

On the first day of Christmas my truelove gave to me ...I big hunk of meat called prime Rib! (..Yeah me!!)

The Holidays are always about tradition and what is more traditional in the Midwest than Prime Rib on Christmas Eve? Some people may shy from this mammoth piece of meat, though it is the easiest to prepare of all red meats. All you need is some simple seasonings, a couple carrots, celery and onions on a bottom of a roasting pan and oven. What could be hard about that?

Start off with a raw prime rib. They're often around 16 pounds, but most butchers are more than happy to cut you a specific weight.

Prime Rib Rub

1 c. Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/4 c. Ground Coffee

Simply mix together the coffee grounds and the montreal seasoning. I know that some are hesitant to use coffee, but it intensifies the flavor of the beef in which the manner we are going to roast it.

In a roasting pan larger enough for the beef, place a couple handfuls of large chopped carrots, celery and onions. This is simply just lay the roast upon to not only keep the roast from sticking to the pan, to also give flavor to the sauce which we will talk about later...

Cover the roast with the rub, place in the pan and put it in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes. I call this step “Blasting”. You are simply dry-searing the beef to lock in the juices. After 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 200 degrees for roughly 60 minutes or until the middle of the roast reaches the temperature of 135 degrees. Pull from oven and let rest for a minimum 10 minutes before slicing.

The outer cuts should be a perfect medium and the center should be a perfect medium rare for the die-hard carnivores.

Now lets talk sauce.
Most Prime Rib is served with a simple mixture of half sour cream and half grated horseradish mixed together. (Those of you that know me, know I’m not like most.)

Strain out the veggies and reserve the pan juices. Place a sauce pan on medium high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in a couple tablespoons of flour to create a light roux. To the roux, add pan drippings and 2 cups Crofut North Woods or Frontenac and bring to a boil to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. I like to add a little horseradish to the wine sauce and serve on the side of the perfected cut of meat... Yum!

On A Side Note: Why start a new tradition and purchase your meat from many local farmers and growers listed on the Minnesota Grown Website?

Keep it Simple, Keep it Local
-Richard

What is Booyah?

2010-11-10T14:06:00.002-06:00

Booyah is a super “stick to your ribs” soup-stew made with chicken. While chicken soup is universal and variations of this dish can be found in many cultures world wide, northeastern Wisconsin is the only place in the world where Chicken Booyah is found. It is a favorite at the many festivals, church picnics, bazaars, and any other large gathering in the northeast part of Wisconsin. This chicken soup is typically made in large 10 or 20-gallon batches, cooked outdoors over a wood fire, and worked on by several people at once. Restaurants have their own special recipe. Booyah is lovingly called “Belgian Penicillin.”

The first Belgian immigrants arrived in Wisconsin in 1853. These immigrants were from the French-speaking part of Belgium, with their own language called "Walloon." Walloon is not a version of French. It is a language with its own grammar and vocabulary. Even today, the area settled by these people in Wisconsin, they settled in a corner of eastern Wisconsin near Lake Michigan, is known as the Walloon area. The theory is that the uneducated Belgian could not spell, thus writing down the word he heard.

It is believed that the word “Booyah” comes from the word “bouillon.” Another theory is that the word comes from the French word “bouillir,” but also like the Walloon word "bouyu" (pronounced like "boo-yu" with a "u" between and with the French pronunciation of the letter). For years people have been trying to figure out the origination and what makes it so special. Yannick Bauthière of Gembloux, Belgium sent me the following information:

In history, Walloons spoke Walloon. Only the most educated people (counts, dukes, scholars, monks, etc.) spoke French as a second language. Our people started to learn French when Belgium was created, in 1830. And even then, Walloon remained our main language until World War II. My grand father spoke Walloon much better than French. So, most settlers coming from Wallonia hardly spoke much French. That's why, in my humble opinion, "booyah" doesn't come from French "bouillon" or "bouillir" but from Walloon "bouyon" or "bouyu". But that's just my opinion !!!!

Chicken Booyah - How To Make Chicken Booyah
This is one of those delicious recipes that will make a large quantity. Plan to have family and friends over to help you eat it.

1 (4- to 5- pound) whole roasting chicken, cut into quarters
1 pound beef stew meat, bones included
1 pound pork stew meat, bones included
2 large onions, chopped and divided
4 quarts water, divided
6 carrots, diced
6 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 small bunch celery, diced
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and cut up*
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

* To easily prepare the tomatoes, use a sharp knife and cut the tomatoes while still in the can.

In a large soup pot or cast-iron Dutch Oven over medium heat, add chicken, beef, pork, 1/2 of chopped onions, and 2 quarts water; cover and bring to a boil, Reduce head to low and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until chicken is tender and the meat falls from the bone; remove chicken from the pot to a large bowl and set aside to cool (when cool, take meat from the bones and cut into pieces). Refrigerate cooked chicken until ready to use.

Continue to cook beef and pork approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tender. Remove beef and pork from the pot to a large bowl and let cool (when cool, take meat from the bones and cut into pieces). Refrigerate beef and pork until ready to use.

Strain the stock, place in refrigerator, and let cool. When cool, remove fat from surface of stock. Return cooled and strained stock to soup pot. Add remaining 2 quarts water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add remaining onions, carrots, and potatoes; simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add chicken, beef, pork, peas, celery, tomatoes, salt and peppers; simmer until thoroughly heated. Serve in large soup bowls.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Canned Tuna!!! Are you kidding??

2010-08-06T11:45:00.001-05:00

Imagine you have unexpected guests arriving soon. You look in the fridge and see nothing but half-filled jars of condiments. There's a couple hot sauce packets, some mayo, maybe some assorted mustards that are just sitting on the door panel and of questionable age. You look in the pantry, and see half-filled bags of “stuff” held together with clothespins or an old rubber band, and a bunch of spices you had no idea you owned. What are you going to do??

This recipe may be just what you need. This was given to me by a friend who happens to be one of the biggest food snobs I know. The words “you got to trust me” were spoken upon delivery. I don’t like canned tuna. I don’t like the thought of using it in anything, so why would I get this recipe, much less post it on the internet??

Had anyone else passed me this recipe, I would not have even tried it. But here I am, passing this along to you with the words "You gotta Trust me!"

Please note that this recipe was made for lettuce wraps, pita chips or even a cold slice of cucumber. Do NOT try it on bread like a typical tuna salad, or you'll want to poke me in the eye.

1 can Yellowfin Tuna chunked
2 T Sambal Olek (found in any asian store or any bachelors fridge)
2 T Sesame Oil
2 T Hellmans light mayo
1/2 T Light Soy Sauce
1/2 T kosher Salt
1/2 T Black Sesame Seed
1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 T Honey
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
2 Stalks Green Onion (chopped)
1/4 C Carrot (fine chopped or grated)
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 C Fresh Cilantro (chopped)

Mix it all together in a bowl and it can be kept in the fridge overnight. In fact, it seems to get better the next day...

Bison "French Dip"

2010-08-02T08:37:00.004-05:00

This recipe is as easy as one can be. I like to serve them on the potato rolls. We served it at the July Fun With Wine event at the vineyard, and it was a big hit!

The key note to the Bison recipe is to reserve the juices once the roast is cooked. Serve the juice in a little bowl and dip the sandwiches in like a 'French Dip'. Also Molly made a blue cheese sauce for the Bison. It was simply amablu cheese (a good Gorgonzola will also work), sour cream, little splash of heavy cream and dash of chopped parsley seasoned with a little sea salt and black pepper.

1 Bison chuck roast
1 Onion, chopped
2 cups Northwoods or Frontenac Crofut wine
Salt & Pepper
1 Crockpot

Place chopped onion on the bottom of the crock pot. Season the bison w/ Salt and Pepper (it's ok to be liberal when seasoning). Place the roast on top of the onion, pour in 2 cups wine. Turn crock pot on high for about 5-6 hours. While roasting, it is always a good idea to drive to winery and pick up more wine for dinner....

Caramelized onions
Slice 2 large yellow onions. In a sauce pan melt 1/2 stick of butter. Toss in the onions and stir over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the onions begin to get some color (about 20 minutes), pour in a splash of Frontenac or Northwoods. Let cook for about 5 more minutes. Season with a little salt & pepper.

Wine for Breakfast?

2010-06-30T10:33:00.003-05:00

Chefs and magicians are a lot alike. We get credit and applause for simply making easy things look difficult. Sunday morning I opened up my fridge, saw I had a little of Don’s Essence du Nord, a couple eggs, a few pieces of bacon, some crusty bread and asparagus. Looked at condiments side in the fridge and ten minutes later, magic appeared.

I use the word "magic" sarcastically because food should be simple and fresh. Anyone can toast some bread, poach an egg, fry some bacon and cook some asparagus. Why pay top dollar for a brunch when you can stay at home and create one with what you already have in the fridge? I say we all slow down this summer and enjoy the little things.

Keep it Simple, Keep it Fresh and Keep it Local

Richard

Easy Essence du Hollandaise
Most French chefs will scoff at this version of Hollandaise. This is not made for them; it is intended for the typical cook at home.

2 egg yolks
1 T. stone ground mustard
1 T. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Pinch white pepper
Drop of Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Crofut Essence Du Nord
2 sticks butter (Melted)
Salt to season

Fill the bottom of a double boiler halfway with water. If you do not have a double boiler, fill a sauce pan half way with water and use a mixing bowl that covers the sauce pan. Just make sure that the water does not touch the pan. Bring water to a simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whip together egg yolks, lemon juice, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and wine.

Add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture slowly while whipping the eggs. If hollandaise begins to get too thick you can always add a little hot water to thin it out. Continue to whisk until all the butter is incorporated into the eggs. Take off heat, cover and wait until serving.

Fun w/ Food & Wine 6/27/2010

2010-06-28T08:43:00.002-05:00

Thanks again for all those that came out to the vineyard this past weekend. It was fun to not only see some familiar faces, but it was great to see new faces coming out enjoying the food, wine, scenery and most of all supporting local crowers!

As promised, I will post some of the recipes that were featured though please bear with me as like the Fun w/ Food & Wine events, the recipes are more spontaneous than rehearsed. Controlled chaos at its best!

Any Comments, Suggestions or questions please send us a note to funfoodwine@gmail.com.

Ginger-Teriyaki Shrimp & Miso Cabbage Slaw, Served w/ River Valley White
“What could be better than orange, ginger and teriyaki over grilled shrimp on a summer day? As stated over and over again, Molly and I like to keep these Fun w/ Food & Wine recipes simple so anyone can do at home. Fun w/ Food & Wine is not about the complexity of a recipe, but simplicity as the easier the recipe, the more time to spend enjoying friends, family and great local wine during our short Minnesota summers.”

Shrimp Marinade
8 shrimp
1 orange (sliced wedge style)
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1T Fresh Ginger (Pureed in food processor)
1t. Garlic (Chopped)

Soak wooden skewers in water for about an hour. Stir teriyaki, ginger and garlic together and pout over shrimp. Let sit for hour in the fridge. Skewer shrimp and orange wedges. Grill for 2 minutes per side and serve over miso slaw.

Slaw Dressing:
1/2 cup Mayo
1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1 T. Honey
1 T. White Miso

Tossed w/ Shredded Cabbage

Ahi Steak Sandwich and Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Served w/ Frontenac Gris

“This recipe comes from the beginning of my career in early '90s. This recipe was a popular lunch at the original Pickled Parrot in Minneapolis. Chef Steve Meyer came up with this recipe. I owe my culinary career to Steve for having faith in a long haired kid that brought nothing to the table but drive and passion.”

2 5 oz Ahi steaks
1 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper Taste
1 T. Cajun seasoning
1 Roma tomato (sliced)
Whole Wheat or Wild Rice bun

(For this recipe we used Paul Prudhomme’s “Poultry Magic” as the Cajun seasoning. Odd I know, but it just works...)

Cilantro Pesto
In blender or food processor toss in Cilantro, Garlic, Pumpkin seeds and pulse while slowly pouring in olive oil. Set aside.

Pour a little olive oil over ahi and dredge in Cajun seasoning. Grill until desired temperature. I like it about 3 minutes on each side, so that the ahi has some pink in the middle. Serve on bun, Dollop pesto on top. A little red leaf lettuce and sliced Roma tomato and suddenly your back at the original Pickled Parrot. Only thing missing is one of Sharky’s Bloody Mary’s.

\m/ Richard

It’s Summer! ....Now what?

2010-06-04T10:51:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest dilemmas of summer time is the get together. Let’s face when most are invited to a gathering at the lake, a picnic or even simple “let’s just get together”, we always ask ourselves what should we bring? If it’s Aunt Anne’s Tater Salad, Claire’s Tuna Noodle or even Dennis’ Doritos Slaw (Yes I’m afraid that is a true salad) the first thing to take into consideration is Food Safety.

Summer Safety Tips: Time & temperature is key to providing a safe summer meal and with the heat increasing as the days get longer time provides an even bigger role. When serving outside, following these three simple rules can help ensure a safe summer get together!

1. Keep hot foods hot and cold food cold, though on a 90+ degree day sometimes a potato salad can quickly wear out its welcome.

2. Try to keep waste down by keeping a back-up in a tight iced cooler and refill as necessary.

3. Never let food sit out for more than an hour and once it has been served, be sure to throw away any remaining leftovers!

Here are a few composed salad recipes from back in the day that still work great for the summer outings!

Keep it Simple, Keep it Fresh and Keep it Local!

\m/ Richard

Salad w/ Buttermilk dressing
(an old Martha Stewart recipe that holds its own to this day)

The What
8 slices bacon
half baguette, sliced into 3/4 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced BLT
1 pound romaine hearts, coarsely chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

The How
Preheat oven to 375°. Arrange bacon in a single layer on 1/2 of a rimmed baking sheet. On the other side of the baking sheet, add the bread cubes and toss with the olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing the bread cubes halfway through. The bacon should be crisp and the bread cubes are toasted. Crumble the bacon into large pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add in lettuce, tomatoes bacon and croutons; toss to coat with dressing. Serve immediately.

Easy Three Bean Salad

The What:
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame (8 ounces)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cups thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

The How:
Cook edamame in a 1 1/2 - to 2-quart saucepan of boiling salted water, uncovered, 4 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cumin, stirring, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Pour into a large heatproof bowl.

Add edamame and remaining ingredients to cumin oil and toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Simple Grilled Vegetable Salad

Dressing
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Veggies
20 asparagus spears, each trimmed to 5-inch length
8 green onions, green tops trimmed
4 medium zucchini each cut lengthwise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 large ears of corn, husked
4 medium heads of Belgian endive
2 small heads of radicchio, halved through core
6 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Dressing: Combine first 9 ingredients in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil; season with salt and pepper.

Veggie: Heat Grill to Medium. Arrange all vegetables on baking sheet or cutting board. Lightly brush all vegetables with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill asparagus, green onions, zucchini, and corn until lightly charred and just tender, turning occasionally, All Veggies will be done at different times so cook until desired temp. Place veggies back on baking sheet or cutting board.

Grill endive and radicchio until lightly charred, turning often, this should take about 5 minutes. Place with other veggies. Place tomatoes, skin side down, on grill and cook until just charred. Turn tomatoes; grill until just beginning to soften.

Cut asparagus, green onions, and zucchini crosswise into 1-inch pieces; place in large bowl. Cut corn kernels from cobs; add to bowl. Cut endive in half lengthwise. Remove cores from endive and radicchio. Chop into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces; add to bowl. Coarsely chop tomatoes. Using slotted spoon, add tomatoes to bowl. Let stand at room temperature. Mix dressing into vegetables. S& P to taste!

Keep It Local - Rhubarb Strawberry Cream Pie

2010-05-26T22:05:00.006-05:00

Recently Molly and I decided to head to Minneapolis and roam around the Minneapolis Farmers Market. We got in the car and drove the 52 miles only to wonder where all the pineapple farms in Minnesota are? Also, when looking at the signs above each vendor I wondered what “licensed re-seller” meant? Could go to the grocery store, buy a case of avocados and sell them at a farmers market? I’m not bagging on the Minneapolis Farmers Market as local farmers DO get a chance to get up each morning to sell their passions and goods, I am simply wondering... how can we truly support the local farmers and growers within reach of our own community?

I found it. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has its own website with a search engine that lists all the local & CSA Farms (Community support Agriculture), retailers and pretty much anything food stuff by simply typing in your zip code!
www.minnesotagrown.com

I had no idea that I have 95 options of supporting my local farmers and retailers within 20 miles from my house. I knew New Prague and Prior Lake had great farmers markets, though I had no idea Lakeville, Apple Valley and even Burnsville have local farmers markets too.

It is all in the website. Check it out and keep it Local!!

Speaking of keeping it local... Working in a professional kitchen I am fortunate to work with some pretty amazing people and even better cooks. This recipe was given to me by a friend who has a passion for baking and keeping it simple.

I can not pretend that this is my recipe as I have stated many times in the past that I do not & can not bake! Give me a grill, a sauté pan or a broiler and I can do some cool things, but give me a measuring cup and an oven and I will wreck what ever I try though even I can make this dessert! Top it with some Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!

Rhubarb Strawberry Cream Pie
That’s Right... I said Cream Pie. As soon as you try this, you will see what I mean! Yum!

The What
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten 4 cups chopped rhubarb
3 cups halved fresh strawberries
2 Pillsbury 9 inch pie crust
1 egg white

The How
1. Set oven to 400
2. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Stir in eggs. Fold in rhubarb and strawberries making sure to coat well. Pour mixture into pie crust. Place second crust on top being sure to cut slits into it to vent steam. Brush egg white on top crust.
3. Bake roughly 50 to 60 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and crust is golden.

\m/ Richard

Fresh Herbs

2010-05-17T12:06:00.002-05:00

In the past year or two, patio herb gardening has become all the rage. It’s easy, it’s fresh and it gives home cooks spontaneity. Instead of searching through the stores looking for expensive small portioned herbs, we now have them freshly growing throughout spring and summer right outside our kitchen windows. Whether we want to snip chives for a garnish or add fresh basil to diced tomatoes for quick Bruschetta, gardening fresh herbs are as easy to grow as they are wonderful to use. I do not have a green thumb by any means yet I have been successful at growing fresh herbs by doing something I do best… Forget about them!

Get a flower box, a little soil, some of your favorite herbs, plant, water and let them do all the work! Thyme, Chives, Rosemary, Basil, Tarragon, Parsley and even Lemon Grass have all found its way to my patio. Nothing is more fun for me than having opportunity to improvise in my cooking by being able to walk three steps from the grill and have all these fresh herbs available. Besides, we eat with our eyes first and what better way to serve food in our homes than adding a little garnish!

Here's a recipe to give you a simple taste of spring using your fresh herbs. I tried this one the other day and it was great!

See you at the winery,
\m/ Richard

Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Tarragon Pesto

The what:
1/4 cup (packed) fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 teaspoons chopped shallot
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for brushing
4 tablespoons pine nuts, divided
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin
1 5-ounce package mixed baby greens
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
1 cup thinly sliced cucumbers

The How:
Place 1/4 cup tarragon leaves parsley, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and shallot in blender; chop coarsely. With machine running, gradually add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season w/ Salt & Pepper.

Whisk 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon, remaining 4 teaspoons lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl.

Brush chicken breasts on both sides with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until grill marks form, skin is crisp, and chicken is cooked through, roughly 8-10 minutes.

Place greens, radishes, and cucumbers in large bowl. Toss with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut grilled chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange 1 sliced chicken breast atop salad on each plate. Drizzle pesto over chicken. Garnish with toasted pine nuts

Time to Ramp up Spring!

2010-04-20T13:10:00.007-05:00

Ramps, other wise know as wild leeks or wild onions are the true sign that spring is here and we can now speak of winter in past tense! Each spring I wait for my produce guy to give me a call, letting me know that they here! Their onion appeal and garlic like taste amplify any recipe!
\m/ Richard

Below is a recipe that was past on to me from another chef. I tried it and LOVED IT!

Seared Salmon w/ Pasta & Ramp Pesto

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided

2/3 cup thinly sliced trimmed ramp bulbs and slender stems plus 3 cups thinly sliced green tops

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/3 cup almonds

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

12 ounces fettuccini

6 salmon steaks

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup ramp bulbs and stems to skillet and sauté just until soft but not browned, reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning, about 5 minutes. Transfer sautéed ramps to processor. Add green tops, cheese, almonds, and tarragon to processor; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil and puree until almost smooth. Transfer pesto to bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in large pot el dente

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.

Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add all but 1/4 cup pesto and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates. Top with salmon. Spread remaining 1/4 cup pesto over fish and serve.

Northwoods Red Roast Beef Au Jus Sandwiches

2010-03-05T10:23:00.002-06:00

Who said great food can’t be easy?
When Minnesota weather starts to get nice we all want to enjoy it and not have to spend hours in the kitchen. Here is a quick crock pot recipe we did the other day. Throw in the pot and forget!

Northwoods Red Roast Beef Au Jus Sandwiches
1-4 lb rump roast
1 can beer
1 pouch French onion soup mix
1 cup Northwoods Red
1 (8 ounce) can beef broth

Put all ingredients in a Crock Pot and cook on low 7 - 8 hours. Shred with a fork.

Onions
1 T butter
1 sliced Vidalia or Sweet Yellow onion
1 splash of Northwoods Red Crofut wine

In skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions and stir. Turn heat down to medium and stir until onions caramelize. Turn heat on high and deglaze with wine.

Serve Roast beef on toasted dinner roll, onions on top and side of Au Jus. Yum!!!

Feeling Minnesota? ….Set the Winter Blues on Fire!

2010-02-15T14:58:00.004-06:00

As much as I love Minnesota and its people, I cannot help but wish I lived somewhere a bit warmer in the winter. Spending years in the southwestern deserts and getting used to having sunburn rather than frostbite in mid-February, my mind can’t help but wander out of winter mode and into a “‘Caliente” mindset.

Those that know me understand the influence the southwest and its cuisine have had on me and my cooking. It's understandable that when I look out the window and see my grill buried in the snow, I tend to get a little antsy for some heat. Grill season is a little more than a month away, yet March seems an eternity to me and all backyard chefs and grill enthusiasts.

I have learned that a good way to set the winter blues ablaze is to start adding words like Ancho, Pasilla, Guajillo, Chipotle, New Mexico Red and Chiltepin to your home menu. Most Minnesotans tend to fear the chili rather than embrace, simply because they are unaware of the total variety and the uniqueness each chili has and what they can bring to the simplest of recipes.

When starting, a general rule is the bigger the chili, the lower it ranks on the Scoville Scale. (This is the method for measuring the Capsaicin level in each pepper. Capsaicin is what gives peppers & chilies their bite!) The higher the measure on the Scoville Scale, the hotter the chili. The dried Ancho chilies that you see in most grocery stores are a great chili to start on your journey towards the Southwest. They have a dark, almost smoky flavor that brings out the southwest in most any dish. They have minimal heat with maximum flavor. What more can you ask from a chili?

Simmering an Ancho pepper in my favorite soups and stews instantly brings me back to the mountains of Arizona and the vision of Pinion Pines and Prickly Pears. Below is a recipe that I have used many times over the years not only because it is good, but it is fast when you need to have dinner ready on the fly. Simply purchase a rotisserie chicken from your favorite grocery store, pull the meat from the bone, and toss in the soup. Not only does it save time, but the flavor of a whole roasted chicken simply adds another dimension to the soup. …and you don’t have to worry about raw chicken around all your fresh ingredients.

Hope this recipe melts the blues and heats things up!
\m/ Richard Dollarhide

Ancho Chicken Soup

The What:
6 white corn tortillas – cut into strips and fried
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Ancho Chili (chopped)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 carton (32 oz size) chicken broth
2 tomatoes (Diced or a large can of Diced Stewed Diced tomatoes)
1 pound shredded chicken
Chopped avocado
Lime sour cream ** Recipe below
Chopped fresh cilantro
Shredded Cheese

The How:
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ancho pepper, garlic, cumin and bay leaves. Add broth and tomatoes and shredded rotisserie chicken. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves
Top with avocado, Lime sour cream, tortilla strips and cilantro, if desired. For additional heat top with your favorite hot sauce

**Lime Sour Cream
Simply squeeze the juice of one like to ½ cup of sour cream.

Show her you love her!

2010-02-01T08:49:00.002-06:00

Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year. Instead of going out, stay in. What would start a perfect Valentine Sunday than breakfast in bed?

This recipe is for the guys! Not for the eating but for the making. Show her you care and you can cook. Here is a spin on a classic that is made to impress. In fact I made this recipe for my in-laws back when I was still trying to impress them!! Not only was the recipe such a hit, but they let me marry Molly. I thought it was for all my charm and wit, but later I found out the crab cake that was the decider in their blessings!
\m/ Richard

Crab Bennies a la Dollarhide
4 Crab Cakes (see below)
4 Poached eggs (see below)
1/2 cup Hollandaise Sauce (see below)

Crab Cake:
1 lb. lump crab meat, (Phillips brand is good and can be found at most grocery stores in the seafood station)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Use Real Mayo for this one. Nothing says 'I love you' more than Fully Loaded!)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 T whole-grain mustard
1 tsp Old Bay Season
a touch of Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Mix the mayo, sour cream, mustard and egg in a mixing bowl. Gently fold in the crab until just combined. Shape the mixture into patties and place on baking sheet. Bake the crab cakes for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Run a spatula under them once or twice to make sure they're not sticking. Place them under the broiler for a minute or so until golden brown.

Hollandaise Sauce:
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup warm clarified butter
1 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dash hot red pepper sauce (optional)
Salt and ground white pepper to taste

Place in the top of a double boiler or in a large stainless-steel bowl set up as a double boiler. Off the heat, whisk the egg mixture until it becomes light and frothy. Your arm may feel like it is going to fall off, but I assure you it won’t, besides remember your doing this for 'Love'.

Place the top of the double boiler or the bowl over, not in, barely simmering water and continue to whisk until the eggs are thickened, 2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the eggs get too hot. You don’t want to “cook the eggs. You are just heating them.

Remove the pan or bowl from over the water and whisk to slightly cool the mixture. Whisking constantly, very slowly add butter, then whisk in lemon juice, pepper sauce and salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water.
Assemble with Crab cake on bottom, Poached egg on top and sauce on top of the egg.

Perfect poached egg!
Fill sauce pan full of water and bring it to just boiling. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Carefully crack your eggs and drop in water. Turn the water off. Gently fold the whites towards the yolk. Let cook for roughly 4 minutes until the egg white is cooked. With a slotted spoon, take out of water and place on the cake.

Add Hollandaise, garnish with a little flat leaf parsley and serve with a smile!

Starting off the New Year Right!

2010-02-01T08:45:00.001-06:00

In the age of Big food coming from Big factories being over seen by Big lobbyists, I cannot stress enough the importance of buying local and getting to know the people behind what you eat and drink.

Recently I was lucky enough to watch the documentary Food, INC and it brought to light the importance of sustainable food and taking care of the local farmers, growers and producers. The simple fact is, we are what we eat and we need to educate ourselves on what we put in our body. My New Years resolution was to simply eat “Clean”. Clean by ways of knowing where my food comes from and what steps were taken to bring it to my families table. Doing so is not as challenging as it seems when dealing with local people.

Besides, how cool is it to know the farmer who produced your dinner and the maker who created the wine you drink? In my mind there is nothing better. I look forward to another year and hope to see you all at the Winery!

Local produce in Minnesota winter, who woulda thunk?
Purchasing local produce in Minnesota during the heart of winter is not as hard as you think. Due to improvements in storage and such most of the potatoes, carrots, radishes, mushrooms and even apples we consume in the winter are produced by farms in Minnesota.

Some of the big producers such as Bushel Boy, in Owatonna are even producing live basil and lettuce packs in our grocery stores. Fresh basil from home in the heart of winter sounds pretty good to me. Another cool thing is all the cheese that is being produced locally. Sure, we are far behind Wisconsin in the cheese department but like our football team we will always be ahead in quality. (Sorry, I could not resist a poke at the Packers).

Most of the cheese makers provide tours and better yet, tastings year round. To find some of the local cheese maker visit http://www.sfa-mn.org/cheesemaking.php.

Heavenly Leg of Lamb

2010-01-05T11:14:00.002-06:00

Hello Crofut Family Winery,

I visited your winery for the first time last June. I'm originally from Minnesota, but have lived in Maryland/DC for the last 11 years. I was home visiting my folks who live in Jordan and they were very high on paying a visit to your vineyard. I picked up a couple of bottles to bootleg back to Maryland, as our wine & liquor laws remain in the dark ages. This past weekend, I opened up a bottle of your 2008 Frontenac Rose to pair with a leg of lamb we were making for Sunday dinner as we cleaned up from over 24 inches of snow here in the Washington DC suburbs.

The leg of lamb last night was HEAVENLY. We paired it with your Frontenac Rose and it was truly a blessed union, the flavors were so complementary, we could have used a couple of bottles. The recipe, which is in English measurements, is below.

In addition to converting the measurements, we slightly altered some of the ingredients, like using Lingonberry jelly for the Red Currant jelly. Of course some of the Crofut wine was included in cooking up the Lamb Gravy as well as enjoyed during the consumption of the meal!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3940/leg-of-lamb-cooked-with-potatoes

Thank you for offering such a delicious wine and adding to such a wonderful meal!

--- Corey
Rockville, MD

Gourmet done easy…. But tell them it took all day!!

2009-11-17T12:49:00.003-06:00

A friend of ours just got back from an Alaskan fishing trip and returned with fresh-caught wild salmon. I usually am not a big salmon eater unless it is Alaskan or Pacific, simply because I prefer over its mushy cousin know as farm-raised Atlantic. I did not have much to work with - some local carrots (Anoka, MN) and whatever I had in the fridge.

I rubbed the salmon with a little olive, added some salt and pepper and grilled. Sliced the carrots and did the same. Rubbed some of the simple sauce, while both were cooking then twirled some carrots with a channel knife to garnish. Needed a little green for the plate and found I had one piece of sage tucked in the corner of the fridge. Total time 15 minutes...

Simple Crofut Grill Sauce
½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
¼ cup Crofut Frontenac
1 Chipotle pepper (minced)

Mix well. Rub on Veggies or Meats while on the grill… Yum!

\m/ Richard

November Cranberries

2009-11-10T09:56:00.003-06:00

Some people do not like what November is about to bring, though my mouth starts to water when I see the corn plowed off the fields, the first snowflakes start to fly and the first holiday lights in the store fronts. While most people are thinking of winter traffic jams, I’m thinking of oven baked sweet yams! I get excited when I think of all the food-themed festivities about to come my way. One food that represents fall and the coming holidays is the cranberry. Whether fresh, dried or even jellied the cranberry seems to be at every holiday and family meal. I remember my grandmother's cranberry jell-o mold and the not-so-gourmet looking cranberry sauce being served on her best china while still retaining the ridges from the can. It seems to go with all things fall and all things holidays. Best part is it goes with another favorite holiday item …..Wine!!

November is national cranberry month and what better way to celebrate our bitter-sweet little comrade than with food and wine? Here is an easy recipe to prepare with your friends and family. This goes well with Minnesota squash such as Acorn, Butternut and my favorite Spaghetti Squash.

Keep it local!

-Richard

The What
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons whole almonds, toasted and chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (toast them crushing for a great aroma)
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Four 2-inch-thick rib pork chops
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup Frontenac wine
• 1 cup canned chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

The How
Place fruit in a small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over the fruit and set aside for 10 minutes. This helps soften the dried fruit. Drain, reserve the soaking water. Mix the fruit with the nuts, butter, fennel and half the shallot. Season with salt and pepper.

With a small paring knife, make a pocket starting from rounded side of each chop. Spoon the stuffing in the pork chops.

Preheat the oven to 350. Season chops with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown one side of the chops until well browned about 3-4 minutes. Use tongs to hold the chops and sear the edges of the chops. Turn and brown the other sides of the chops, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chops to a baking sheet and bake until chops reach 135. This should take about 15 minutes.

Chops are in the oven, and now it’s time to make the sauce. Drain the oil from the sauté pan. Off the heat, add the Frontenac and the remaining shallots. Return the pan to the heat and cook over high heat until the alcohol is reduced by half and is slightly syrupy (the alcohol may flambé so be careful). Add the broth and the fruit soaking liquid and boil down until the liquid is reduce by about a third. Add the cream and continue to simmer until it thickens slightly. Whisk in the mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once chops are done add any of the juices left on the pan. Arrange chops on platter and pour the sauce over the chops.

Another Gift of Minnesota

2009-10-15T10:45:00.000-05:00

One of the best gifts Minnesota has to offer is its great apple orchards. To be surrounded by the fruit trees and the colored leaves is a true fall experience. Some apples are great for pies, some are great for baking and some are best simply being enjoyed right from the tree. The best part is not only enjoying the orchards and its fruits, but also keeping it real by keeping in local.

For a complete list of Orchards visit : http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard/mn.htm

Something about fall makes me crave pork shops on the grill. Simply letting them sit in a bath of olive oil, rosemary, garlic, a little salt and fresh cracked black pepper for an hour or so before grilling to your liking. And again, nothing is better with pork that those Minnesota apples. Here is a quick recipe using sweet potatoes and apples which rocks with pork chops. It is also great w/ Salmon.

\m/ Richard

Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients
5 bacon slices, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion
3 medium-size sweet potatoes, chopped
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon chopped thyme (fresh whenever possible)
1/4 teaspoon chopped sage (fresh whenever possible)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
In a large skillet sauté bacon in hot oil until brown. Add onion, and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in sweet potatoes, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in apple and next 3 ingredients, and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes and apple are soft. Garnish with the pecans and parsley

Southwest Summer Recipes

2009-08-17T14:28:00.002-05:00

I may be from Minnesota, but I am a desert rat at heart! I first lived in the Southwest as a kid, then in my early 20s as a culinary adventure which lasted almost 6 years. Honing my passion and learning skills and was lucky enough to work with some great Chefs of the Southwest. Due to the global market and the popularity, many ingredients from the dishes of the Southwest are now available here.

I can’t wait to share these culinary adventures!
-Richard

“Sonoran Seasoning a true Essence of the Southwest”
This basic Sonoran seasoning can be made using cups, teaspoons, tablespoons or quarts. Again, most of the recipes I do were given to me from traditional cooks whom don’t really measure a thing.. It is a basic seasoning for pork, chicken and even beef to be grilled on an open flame. It truly is a taste of the Southwest.

Just mix together and keep on hand for spur of the moment BBQs:
1 part dark chili powder
1 part cumin
1 part sugar (white)
1 part black pepper
1 part salt (I like kosher or sea)
3 parts paprika
¼ part cayenne pepper

Mix and store and store for up to 4 months.

Grilled Salmon & Blueberry Salmon

2009-06-02T11:58:00.003-05:00

Another evolution of a recipe… It all starts with a thought and a couple of ingredients (I hope)

As I have stated many times before...I have the best job in the world as I get paid to play with food.

June is National Blueberry Month so I wanted to come up with a light recipe using blueberries as the focus. I used a couple of other ingredients I had in the kitchen and came up with this… Again Keep it Simple

Grilled Salmon & Blueberry Salad
2 lbs grilled salmon (cut in four)
1 handful of baby greens
1 granny smith apple (cut)
pint of blueberries
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 T sugar
2 c. Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Grilled piece of Ciabatta

Dressing:
Toss half pint of blueberries in mixing bowl and mash.. Add sugar and balsamic. Whisk in olive oil. Toss the sliced apples in dressing and set aside.

Toss greens with dressing and apples and lightly mix. Place greens on the serving tray and Salmon on top and garnish with remaining blueberries... Done...

Weekend Walleye

2009-05-22T12:46:00.001-05:00

Someone gave me this recipe and I had to share. I played with this yesterday and it was awesome! Thought it would be good for all the Fishermen & Fisherwomen this long holiday weekend.

Keep it reel (get it? Fishing.. …reel)

\m/ Richard

Ingredients
1 walleye fillet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour, for dredging
2 tablespoons butter
1-ounce sliced white mushrooms
1-ounce diced tomatoes
Garlic Wine Sauce (recipe follows)
6 ounces linguini, cooked
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions
Season both sides of the walleye with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Coat both sides of the walleye fillet with flour, tapping off the excess. Heat the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the walleye on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Turn the fillet over and cook until fish is opaque and cooked through. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add the sliced mushrooms and diced tomatoes to the fish pan and cook until mushrooms are golden and any liquid has evaporated. Add some of the garlic wine sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the fish over linguini and top with the pan sauce. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Garlic Wine Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces chopped garlic
6 cups hot water
2 ounces clam base (bouillon)
1/4 cup Crofut Northwoods
3 tablespoons lemon pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the water, clam base, white wine, and lemon pepper, and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.

The recipe that changed my life….

2009-04-21T14:57:00.002-05:00

Most my blogs are random thoughts that just sort of come in and out of my mind as do so many other things in this life; this blog however, thanks to the age of info-saturation and social networking came to me from a friend that I had not seen in over 17 years.

I can honestly tell you that this simple recipe changed the direction of my life and I owe all that I have to a simple little artichoke.

As I grow older and remember the people that have come and gone in my life, one person that sticks in my mind was Joey. It was during that 18ish part of life when we are not exactly sure what we want to do or what we want to be, but through pressures from those around us, a decision has to be made. Joe was my friend that always seemed to help me avoid any such serious decision making and focus on having fun at all expenses. …mostly others'...

You see, I always knew that I could cook and knew it was something I liked to do, but never thought that it was something I would build my life upon. I was going to be a rock star, but after I realized that I could not play an instrument nor knew how to sing I started getting a little nervous on where my life was going. Until one day, I walked into Joe’s house and headed towards the kitchen.

This was like no kitchen I have ever witnessed in my life. It was an Italian kitchen! The aromas of the sauces that had been simmering all day on the stove, fresh breads, the steaming kettles for pasta and all that it comes with. When asked by his mother if I would like to stay for dinner, I said, “of course!” Before I could dive into the pasta, I was served an appetizer. After having to ask what it was, I found it to be a stuffed Artichoke. ???

In my house the appetizer was the bag of chips I ate two hours before dinner. This was a green spiny looking thing that I had no idea on how to even approach, much less eat. I remember first thinking that there is no way that I would like this thing. Watching Joes father peel off a leaf and take a bite off the end, I figured I would take a try.

…Now I could go on and on about what was going through my mind and the new sensations that my taste buds were going through, but the fact is looking back I realized that at this one moment in time was when the direction of my life changed. I no longer was worried about my future and what I was going to be, for I knew right then that food was going to be my life.

A few years later, Joe and I lost track of each other like friends do as life changes its seasons, but working in a kitchen, I can honestly say not a day goes by when I do not think of that recipe. Whether I am making pasta or doing inventory of my dry storage goods; every time I see an artichoke, I remember that particular artichoke and wish I had the recipe.

I ran into Joe and his sister a few years back and told them the story of how I became a chef and how their mother's cooking inspired me. Mary shared the recipe so I could share it with you. The recipe is not a hard recipe, but it reminds me that in life, it is important to stop once in a while and look around at all we have.
Hope you all have a great Spring and a wonderful Summer and I hope to see you all in the Vineyard!

Stuffed Artichoke per Mary (Joe’s sister) in her words:
Remove stem from choke so they can stand upright in the pot.
Turn choke upside down and hit a couple of times on the board to open
Remove thorns and any discolored outer leaves - remove the fuzzy inner stuff with a spoon - dig in!

It's a good idea to rub the choke with lemon juice - prevents them from discoloration.

Make a mixture of Italian breadcrumbs and parm cheese - I just eyeball it. Obviously more crumbs than cheese . Sprinkle into the chokes.

Stand chokes in pot - add water half way up - drizzle olive oil over chokes - add a little olive oil to the water - I also add two/three cloves of garlic to the water for extra flavor.

Sprinkle a little parm over each choke - makes a nice top crust.
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. For large chokes - about a half hr. I just pull a leaf to test.

Erick's Pork Chop Recipe

2009-04-16T17:05:00.003-05:00

Here is my recipe for prefect pork chops made with Crofut Frontenac Rose'.

1. Turn grill all the way up.
2. Place butterfly porkchops on the grill.
3. When one side is dark and crispy, turn.
4. When the other side is almost black, remove from grill.
5. Open a bottle of Frontenac Rose, chilled, and serve.

PERFECT!

--
Erick Christianson

Don's note> Can't wait to hear Richard's reaction to this!

Troy Eykyn Recipe for Spring Fish

2009-04-06T08:14:00.002-05:00

Last night I was hanging at the Trailside Wine & Spirits Spring Club tasting and Troy Eykyn, our local Quality rep scribbled this recipe down between tastings. Try this simple yet effective recipe for any kind of fish, and River Valley White "the walleye wine" will match well. Hence Troys scribbling the recipe down for me. He said it works well with walleye, halibut, or any kind of firm fleshed fish.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cube your favorite fish (walleye, halibut etc.) into 1 inch squares.
Crush finely 2 tubs of Ritz crackers
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Minced garlic you decide how much (I usually use a teaspoon)
Pinch of salt and pepper.

Mix above in bowl.

Melt 1-2 sticks of butter (to creamy consistency) Roll fish cubes in butter and then into dry mix.

Turn oven up to broil
Place fish on cookie sheet and broil 3-5 minutes.

I am so ready for spring...fishing.

Don

Beef Short Ribs

2009-04-06T08:09:00.002-05:00

This is not my recipe, but I made this last night and it was awesome!! I had to share. Nothing like down home country cooking on a Sunday!

2 bottles Crofut Frontenac
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
2 onions, peeled and cut into large dice
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large dice
2 stalks celery, cut into large dice
1 leek, white part, cut into large dice
12 garlic cloves
6 sprigs thyme
2 quarts beef stock

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, add wine. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until reduce by 1/2.

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottom sauté or roasting pan. Season beef short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Brown beef well on all sides, remove, and set aside. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Add vegetables, garlic, and thyme cook until lightly browned. Add beef short ribs back to the pan, add reduced wine and cover with beef stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until tender..

Reduce liquid to a light sauce consistency, add beef short ribs and gently heat, and carefully remove beef short ribs to a heated platter. Serve.

\m/ Richard

Can't wait for Spring

2009-04-03T16:46:00.004-05:00

The concept of a chef is simple. We buy groceries, prepare them, and then sell them. Sounds simple? …Not always.

Some recipes are better than others and sometimes things don’t always go as planned. Many factors go into a perfect dish. The most important part of any dish is the ingredients. I know that sounds like an obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people preparing a recipe that calls for fresh basil or rosemary only substitute some dried out old herbs they had laying around some kitchen cabinet for a couple years. Then wonder why the recipe just did not taste what they thought it should be like.

Sure, fresh is always best and I understand that sometimes you need to substitute dried herbs for fresh. So, fresh is best also goes with your dried herbs and spices. If you have some chili powder sitting in your kitchen and you have not made chili since the last time the Vikings have been in a Superbowl, chances are that chili does not have the same kick it had back then. General rule, change your dried herbs and spices every few months and never keep them for more than 10. Some people and chefs may argue, but the fact is, herbs and spices are not like wine; being that they do not get better with age.

Here is a recipe I played around with using recently bottled Crofut I tossed the sauce with pasta and people went crazy for it.

Crofut Ragu

1 pound spicy Italian Sausage (Byerly’s, Lund’s and Cub have good versions)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 8oz cans chopped tomatoes
2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
½ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
2 tablespoons chopped onion
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup Crofut Frontenac

The How To:
In heavy sauce pan, heat up oil. Brown sausage and strain any grease. Add onions and garlic. Cook until garlic starts to brown. Add balsamic and cook for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and turn down heat to medium. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for at least two hours. The longer you simmer the more intense the flavor.

Side note: Molly and I were lucky enough to get to try some of the wines that Don and his crew have been bottling for the past couple weeks. One thing I can tell you after tasting is that this year is going to be a great one!! ..And another thing I can tell you … after a couple glasses of wine, Don is easy to beat at Wii tennis!

This one is not Baaaaaaaaaad (<- sad attempt at Lamb joke)

2009-03-18T10:23:00.001-05:00

Spring is finally Springing!!

When I think spring, I think the beginning of grill season. Why wait until summer to spark up the fire when spring gives us the beginnings of what is to come?

Nothing goes better on a grill than lamb chops. Not only are they delicious, they are a great grill warm-up as they are simple to make (just in case your grill skills have become rusty over the long winter). They go great with simply grilled asparagus and perhaps some grilled red potatoes. As a wine note I have to suggest Crofut Rose'. I love this wine and it is great with all that is spring.

Grilled Lamb Chops

The Need
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 lamb chops

The How:
Chop garlic, rosemary and thyme and place in bowl. Drizzle your olive oil in the bowl and toss in your salt. Place the lamb chops in the bowl and place in the fridge for about an hour or two.
Before grilling take the chops out and let them come to room temperature. About a ½ hour.
Place chops on a high heated grill. Cook about 2 minutes on each side for medium rare (my liking) or about 3 minutes per side for medium.

I may just have to bring these to the vineyard this weekend and help Don and his family bottle up this year's gifts of the grapes!

\m/ Richard

A Quick (yet Fancy) Taste of Summer in the Winter

2009-02-12T09:39:00.001-06:00

I was walking through the grocery store the other day and noticed that the mussels were on sale for about $5 buck per pound. I don’t know about any of you, but I love these mollusks. Not only for personal consumption; as a chef this is one of the easiest items to prepare while impressing your guests.

1pound Mussels
1 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Clove Garlic (chopped)
2 sprigs Fresh Tarragon (chopped)
½ cup Sundried Tomatoes (Julianne)
2 cups Crofut Prairie Blanc
½ pound butter (room temp is the best)
Salt & Pepper to taste

In Sautee pan heat olive oil and garlic. Add Mussels, Sundried Tomatoes, Tarragon and Vino. Bring to a boil and reduce the wine by half. Doing this allows plenty of time for the mussels to open without becoming over cooked. Once reduced, add butter while swirling the pan so the butter melts in the wine. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour in large serving bowl, allowing the sauce to cover the mussels. Discard any un-opened mussels. Serve with crusty bread and drink the remained of the wine….

Easy-peasy!

\m/
Richard

rdollarhide@hotmail.com

Valentine Dinner for Two

2009-02-09T10:20:00.002-06:00

Now that we have a winter thaw going on outside, I can take off my gloves (Molly told me “real men don’t wear mittens”) and start posting on this blog again.

With a chill in the air, I wanted to heat things up and what better day to do so than Valentines Day? In honor of Valentines Day I decided to put together a “dinner for two” using easy-to-follow recipes that are influenced by many of my culinary friends. These are a little spicy, but this is the holiday when things should get spicy.

Though some of these may seem hard to the novice cook, I assure you that they are easy to make and what a better gift to give your Valentine that something you created rather than bought?

If you have any cooking questions or comments and ideas please feel free to drop me a note at rdollarhide@hotmail.com

\m/ Richard

Valentines’ Menu
Spanish Citrus (Frontenac Gris)
Sizzling Shrimp Diablo (Le Crescent White)
Spicy Truffle (for most I would recommend La Crescent Sweet though I have to tell you, I like this with the Frontenac Red it just adds to the power! )

Spanish Citrus Salad
2 cups arugula, torn into pieces
1 cup mandarin orange, sections
8 radishes, thinly sliced
10 black olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper

In a bowl whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, cinnamon and cayenne. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in to a shakable container and let dressing sit at least 20minutes before serving.
In large serving bowl, lay out arugula on bottom of plate in single layer. Then layer oranges. Then layer, radishes. Top with the olives, Pour dressing and serve.

Again.. I like to serve most salads at room temperature. It really gives truth to the flavors

Shrimp Diablo
8-10 large shrimp, deveined, tail on
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
1/2 cup yellow onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced with seeds
2 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine (I like La Crescent in this one)
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
Grated parmesan cheese
1/4 lb linguine, cooked

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat.
Sauté onion and jalapeno about 3 minutes.
Add garlic, crushed red pepper and shrimp and cook until shrimp is opaque, about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, lemon juice and white wine and reduce until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

Spicy Truffles
3.5 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter
Small Pinch cayenne pepper
2.5 tablespoons cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Truffle Coating
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Pinch teaspoon ginger
Pinch teaspoon cinnamon

Melt chocolate, butter and cayenne in a double boiler, or a bowl in the microwave. Stir well.
Remove from heat. Mix in cream and powdered sugar. Stir well. (The sugar will stick together in small lumps if you aren't vigorous about it.) Cover, and chill overnight.

Coating: Scoop out the chocolate, one tablespoon at a time (I like to use a melon baller). Mold it into ball then roll in the powder mixture to coat them.

Keep Cool until ready to serve

The Perfect Holiday Steak

2008-12-24T09:39:00.002-06:00

I remember growing up with traditional turkey or ham being served every holiday. I remember anticipating the dinner and the goodies that followed, which this “Husky” kid could not pass up. I was an odd kid, as I always looked forward to the meals on Christmas Eve before wondering what Saint Nick would leave for me Christmas morning. When most kids lay in bed counting sheep, I would count lamb chops with a light garlic and rosemary glaze. Let’s just say I was destined to become a cook.

Asking my friends and colleges what they are serving for the holidays; it seems that beef tenderloin has become the choice holiday feast of this generation. So I decided that I would share this recipe with you.

Here is a great steak rub that I use for almost any event. Pair this with Crofut Frontenac and you will have the perfect steak.

Dollarhide Espresso Steak Rub
8 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
1 tablespoon dehydrated garlic
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried fennel
4 tablespoons ground espresso

Happy Holidays
The Dollarhides

Oh Deer!

2008-12-03T09:22:00.000-06:00

My favorite gifts are those of food. Whether its’ venison from one of my brother-in-laws hunts or pheasant from my uncle Craig, the gift of food is always the best. These gifts do come with an alternative motive, being that Molly and I have to cook for them, though this motive is a good one as not only do we get the gift of cuisine but the gift of family and the story of how the feast came to our table.

Venison bites “Minnesota Style”
This is the easiest recipe I have ever tried (I tend to say this a lot). It makes for a great appetizer for the football game or even just sitting around the house on a cold day watching movies or playing video games (all of which Molly tells me is me being non-productive). This is also a great recipe to introduce venison to a first timer.

For this recipe I use a sauce I found at the Prior Lake farmers market earlier this fall. It is based out of Eagan and called “Spooky All Natural Hot Sauce”.

2 pound cubed venison roast (about 1 ½ inch thick)
1 cup flour (seasoned with a little salt and pepper)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 cup hot sauce
2 cups Frontenac
A little patience

The how:
In a large skillet heat the oil. Dredge the cubed venison in the seasoned flour. Toss the floured venison in the skillet and brown each sides of the cubed meat. Once these are brown add the wine, hot sauce & garlic. Bring to a boil for one minute then turn the heat down to a simmer for ½ hour.

The smokiness of the wine and the sauce make for a great combination.

\m/ Richard

P.S. I found the website for the sauce. Keep it local!
http://www.spookygourmethotsauce.net/index.html

Fondue and Tapenade

2008-11-20T12:33:00.001-06:00

Due to popular demand I was going to sell these on eBay, but I decided to share it with you all instead!
\m/ Richard

Molly’s Fondue
In a medium sauce pan melt 1/2 cup Butter and1/2 Cup Flour. Whisk until thick then start adding 2% Milk a little at a time until medium consistency is reached.
Add any of the following cheese blends, just make sure they are shredded: Sharpe White Cheddar, American, Gruyere, Fontina, Herb Gouda and - maybe for something different - a little Blue Cheese.
When whisking in the cheese, only have the milk at medium heat so it will not scorch. Once you have reached a creamy pancake-like consistency, take it off the stove and add a few dashes of the following, one at a time: Crofut Frontenac Gris, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice salt & White Pepper.
When reheating, I recommend either keeping it in a crock pot or double boiler so it does not burn.

Frontenac Tapenade
2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
2 Cup Black olives
2 tablespoons capers
3 anchovy fillets
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1/2 cup of olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup sundried tomatoes
1 cup Crofut Frontenac

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except tomatoes. Pulse until until well combined (You want it a little chunky.) Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Evolution of a Recipe.. Not so hard!

2008-11-11T10:22:00.002-06:00

Here's how a chef comes up with a recipe... we all want to believe that being creative is hard work but the fact is, Great things come out of nowhere!

This morning I was playing with new Ciabatta bread that our bakery made for us. I looked around and found a rarity - a half drank bottle of River Valley White. Why it was half empty? I do not know, yet it is not a crime when you find something wonderful to do with it.

I simply grilled a piece of Ciabatta bread and slapped a couple of pieces of bacon on it. Grilled a little Pacific Salmon (not that farm-raised stuff!), then sautéed some Shiitake and Button Mushrooms with the Crofut wine until the mushroom became dry. I put the mushrooms on the salmon and topped it with some Boursin Cheese. Placed everything under a broiler for two minutes then topped it with a little spinach tossed in Balsamic. ..Done

Yum!

\m/ Rock on!

Richard
rdollarhide@hotmail.com

Trick and Treat all in One Recipe!

2008-10-28T13:42:00.001-05:00

Molly’s Pumpkin Soup

6 cups chicken stock
2-3 cups pared pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
5 peppercorns
1 medium pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a covered saucepan, heat the stock, cubed pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt, thyme, and peppercorns to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.
Remove 1/2 cup of the pumpkin with a slotted spoon; reserve.

Simmer remaining pumpkin mixture, uncovered, 20 minutes longer; transfer to a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Cut the top off the pumpkin and remove the seeds.
Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes; set aside in a warm spot.
Puree 2 cups of the pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; return pureed mixture to the pot.
Repeat with remaining pumpkin mixture.
Heat pureed mixture to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Stir warm cream and reserved pumpkin into soup.
Place the warmed pumpkin on a platter; ladle the soup in and garnish with parsley.

Don's Note: River Valley white worked really well with the soup!

Crofut Risotto

2008-09-25T10:53:00.002-05:00

Three years ago, my neighbor Joe introduced me to the most addictive thing in the world. Not cigarettes, not drugs, not gambling but duck hunting! I never thought I would look forward to waking up at 5am on a cool and sometimes downright cold, autumn Saturday morning to sit in water wearing rubber boots waiting for my favorite fall entrée to fly above me. Being careful to not wake my wife and children, I sneak down stairs, put on my camouflaged rubber outfit. Wake up my “not so smart” dog and head to the lake. I sit and wait for the first light of the morning to start blasting at every wing I see fly above me. For every 50 shots I fire I somehow miss 55 ducks, yet I promise myself that I will keep going back until I get one. I’m Elmer Fudd with an apron. Bottom line, I’m better cooking than I am at hunting! Yet, I still go out each weekend to try my luck. Some say it is a passion, though I say it has become an addiction.

\m/ Richard

Simple Jerk Seasoned Duck w/ Mushroom “Crofut” Risotto
Serves 4

Duck
2 Duck breasts
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place the duck aside. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss the Duck in the bowl and let marinate for one to two hours. Grill the duck for roughly three to four minutes on each side until medium rare. Remember though it is a bird, it is not a chicken. It tastes great at medium rare/medium…

Crofut Risotto
8 to 9 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound fresh Portobello, Oyster & Shittake Mushroom, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (River Valley White)
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 onion and 1 clove garlic, stirring while cooking until translucent. Toss in the fresh mushrooms, all the herbs & butter. Sauté until lightly browned then season with a little salt & pepper. Take off the heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan add 2 Tablespoons oil. Sauté the rest of the garlic and onion. Add Arborio and stir quickly until it is well-coated for one minute. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

Add 1 cup of the warm broth with a ladle while stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Keep adding broth 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, cook and stir, cook and stir giving the rice time to absorb all the broth before adding the other cup. Does this take time? Yes, but it is well worth the wait. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy.. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture then stir in the cheese, cook until cheese is melted into the risotto. Garnish with the sliced grilled duck breast and a little parsley. At this point you can feel like a celebrity chef and yell BAM!

Beurre Blanc or Beurre Rouge

2008-09-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

The other day, on my way home from work Molly called me and asked me to pick something up from the grocery store. I quickly learned that if you are wearing a chef coat in the grocery store you are going to get asked a lot of questions. One question; “what is a quick sauce for fish”? Answering her question I could have stayed there forever asking, what are you going to serve with the fish? How are you going to cook the fish? What sort of side will be with the fish?

I decided to give her a choice of two classic “gourmet” sounding though easy to make.

Beurre Blanc or Beurre Rouge.

Just because the names are French, don’t get intimidated on making this at home. These are by far the easiest pan sauces one can make. (Traditional French would strain the shallots, though I like the added bite) These both can be served with chicken, pork or fish. They heighten a dish as well as give great added flavor.

Beurre Blanc
Ingredients:
8 oz Crofut Le Crescent
1-1/2 oz white wine vinegar
2 shallots, chopped
1 lb cold butter, cut into small pieces
Salt

The How To:

Combine Wine & Shallots in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Reduce heat to low; add butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring with a whisk. (Do not overheat or sauce will separate.) Season to taste

Beurre Rouge
Ingredients
8 oz Crofut St. Croix
1-1/2 oz red wine vinegar
2 shallots, chopped
1 lb cold butter, cut into small pieces
Salt

The How to:

Combine Wine & Shallots in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Reduce heat to low; add butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring with a whisk. (Do not overheat or sauce will separate.) Season to taste

\m/ Richard

Tuh-MAY-toh or Tuh-MAH-to?

2008-09-15T19:55:00.001-05:00

Doesn't matter how you say it, what matters are they are all around us this time of year! I love hearing is my friends telling me that they have “too many tomatoes” in their gardens. One thing I found is there is no such thing “too many tomatoes”. Tomatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables (or fruit …depending who you ask) in the world. Sauces, Salads, Appetizers and Entrees always seem a little better with a little tomato.

-Richard

Crofut Bruschetta

2 pounds Fresh Tomatoes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
salt & pepper
¼ cup Crofut St. Croix

The How To
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Coat the tomatoes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes to concentrate the flavor and burst the tomatoes.
In a bowl, lightly mash the roasted tomatoes and combine with basil, garlic and wine.

Serve with Grilled Bread you can’t go wrong!

Crofut Marinara

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 8oz cans chopped tomatoes
2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
½ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped onion
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Crofut St. Croix

The How To:
In heave sauce pan heat up oil. Add onions and garlic. Cook until garlic starts to brown. Add balsamic and cook for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and turn down heat to medium. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for at least two hours. The longer you simmer the more intense the flavor.

VINEYARD UPDATE: THE HEAT IS ON!

2008-08-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

Veraison (augusting or turning) has started and the grapes are turning black, blue and lighter shades of green. Ripening has started, and harvesting will start in September.

Want to pick?
Email us at info@crofutwinery.com to tell us you want to participate.

Get ready for Don's cooking in September!
You pick, Don preps family foods, and you enjoy family food and wine after a MN morning harvest. Harvest is THE best time of the year, and the food is hearty! Email us at info@crofutwinery.com & let us know which Saturday morning you want to help make world class wine!

Chef’s on the road

2008-07-25T10:00:00.002-05:00

On “kid-less” days, Molly and I enjoy getting in the car and going to where ever the road leads. Our roadway adventures usually lead us to some small town to what some would call the middle of nowhere. We venture into a local pubs chatting to the locals and discovering the heart’s of their community. One thing that I love about these excursions is not only spending time with my wife (two chefs with three kids in the family does take up a lot of time) is going to the local farmers markets. Seeing what the communities’ farmers and gardeners are bringing in during the dog days of summer is not only fun but meeting the actual people who grow your food is to me, the coolest thing one can do.

One of my favorite summer recipes is one of the first recipes I was taught. Not only does it make a great side dish it can be a light meal on the hot summer nights.

Enjoy,
The Dollarhides

Need help finding a local farmers market? Try the site below
mda.state.mn.us/food/minnesotagrown/farmersmarkets.htm

“Crofut” Ratatouille
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium eggplant, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1 medium yellow squash, cubed
1 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
½ cup Frontenac Red (Crofut, of course!)
1/2 bay leaf
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

The “How to”
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Toss in onions and garlic then cook until tender

In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the zukes in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic.

Sauté all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sautéed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2.

Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf , thyme and WINE! Cover the pot. Cook over medium low heat for 20to 30 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.

Pour your self a glass of wine and reap the benefits of living in Minnesota and having local food from great people!

Fun in the Sun!

2008-07-21T10:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we had a lot of fun in the vineyard. Molly and I had a lot of fun meeting everyone and it is always fun to hear Don talk about his wine. The humidity was a little high but that just made the wine go down better. The day was awesome! We would like to thank all for coming and hope to see you back soon. We promised to get some of the recipes from yesterday. Like we said yesterday, the easier the recipes the better. It leads to more time drinking wine and talking to friends.

- Richard

p.s. If you ever have a cooking question / comments or need a recipe please feel free to contact us at Chefdollarhide@gmail.com

Citrus Shrimp Skewer (4 Servings)
16 larger shrimp (I just love saying large shrimp… anyways..)
1 orange sliced
1 lime sliced
½ cup orange juice concentrate
1T honey (always get your honey locally!)
1tsp. Cayenne pepper

Skewer shrimp w/ lime wedge another shrimp then an orange wedge. Mix together the orange juice concentrate, honey & cayenne. Spray your grill with nonstick spray before placing the skewers on the grill. As you grill the shrimp rub the orange juice mixture on the shrimp. Cook shrimp roughly three to four minutes on each side.

Stuffed Pork

1 pork tenderloin
½ cup of sundried tomatoes
1 clove garlic
¼ cup fennel (shaved thin)
Sat & pepper

Cut the tenderloin down the center being careful not to cut all the way through. Spread the tenderloin open and sprinkle with a little sat & pepper. Place your sundried tomatoes, fennel and garlic in the loin and fold loin. You can tie the loin or use skewers to close.
Grill on medium heat until 150 degrees and let rest for ten minutes before slicing.

All American Hamburger

2008-06-30T12:19:00.002-05:00

Nothing says 4th of July more than the all American Hamburger. Sure, the history of the burger goes back to 12th century Genghis Khan and the 19th century Germans played a hand in it’s history too, but us Americans tasted and liked it so much that we climbed up that sesame bun and - like the moon - placed our Red, White & Blue Old Glory on it and called it our own! Even before Raymond Albert Kroc brought us McDonalds, the Hamburger has became the American past time (don’t tell that to the Hotdog lovers).

The Burger has seen many variations. Some are great and some …not so great. Take the meatball looking thing on white bread I was fed as a child…

Years of cooking I have come across a ton of recipes, all claiming to be the best recipe ever; Canadian Bacon & Pineapple to Gorgonzola and Vidalia Onion all focusing on the toppings rather that the meat. Some topped so high with lettuce, tomato and other items that I have even found myself asking “where’s the beef?”

My favorite recipe is simple. I figure the more simple the recipe the more time we have outside enjoying the short summers in Minnesota.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 splash Tabasco sauce
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
1 splash A1 sauce
Little salt & pepper

Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Shape your burgers
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat and Grill to desired doneness.

Now the question always is; what Crofut wine do you pair with burgers? So we go back to the toppings again. Bottom line... Base your wine on the toppings. Examples (Again I am not a wine expert, just a wine lover)

Grilled Pineapple: Frontenac Gris
Onions, Mushrooms: St. Croix (Yum!)
Pickles & Mustard: Defiantly the Frontenac Rose’
Basic Lettuce, Tomato & Onion: Crows Nest or Prairie Red
No Toppings at All: That’s just un-American!

Have a great and Safe Holiday!
\m/
Richard

Chipotle & Crofut St. Croix Red Barbecue Sauce

2008-06-23T13:23:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Crofut St. Croix
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Crushed Fresh Garlic
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin
2 Chipotle Chilies w/ Adobo Sauce

PREPARATION:
In a medium saucepan, add olive oil, garlic, chipotle powder, and cumin. Allow to heat through, while stirring, for 1 minute. Add red wine and brown sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add in soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce and let simmer for another two minutes.

Richard “Dickie” Dollarhide

Simplified Grilled Copper River Salmon

2008-06-23T13:11:00.000-05:00

Why the hype about Copper River Salmon?

The Copper River in Alaska is about 300 miles in length... Rushing waters, strong currents and natural diet make for some pretty tasty fish. Unlike Atlantic farmed raised salmon, Copper River Salmon are strong fish full of natural oils and body fat due to the climate in which they live. The good thing about our strong fat fish friends is not only do they taste awesome; they are good for you as they are bursting with Omega-3 oils, which are recommended by the American Heart Association. Your ticker is not the only part that benefits from these fish: studies have also found that fish oil can help combat such ailments as psoriasis, arthritis, breast cancer, migraines and taste buds that have been yearning for something fresh!

One word comes to mind when I think about hot summers and Copper River salmon. …Simplify

I never understood why a chef would take such a great ingredient and mask it with a thick sauce. Thick sauces on salmon should be left to those species of fish which need it (take our mushy farm raised salmon from the east coast for example). Again, Copper River salmon feed naturally, live naturally and most importantly they are recommended as sustainable seafood by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch! (http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch.asp)

My favorite recipe for Copper River is simply grilled and paired with a great wine; it simply can not be beat.

Simplified Grilled Copper River Salmon

2 6-8oz Fillets of Copper River salmon (Coho, Sockeye or King)
Pinch of Old Bay Seasoning
1T Olive oil
½ cup Crofut River Valley White

Mix together Oldbay, Oil and River Valley White. Pour over fish and let sit for about 5 minutes. Then on a hot grill, place each fillet ands cook on each side for about 6 minutes per inch of thickness of the filet.

Nothing gets better in the first part of summer then Great Fish, Great Wine and Great Friends!

Relax and enjoy the summer,

The Dollarhides

Thick Cut Gorgonzola Pork Chops with Fennel and Vidalia Onions

2008-06-23T11:56:00.000-05:00

4 thick cut pork chops
Pinch of Rosemary, basil and salt
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese1
bulb fennel
1 vidalia onion
1 Tbs olive oil
4 toothpicks
fresh parley garnish

Chop vidalia onion, slice fennel and saute in olive oil. Cut pocket in chops, insert gorgonzola and squeeze lemon over chops and seal with toothpick.Cook chops with herbs, cover with fennel and onion and garnish.

- From Chef Richard Dollarhide