Recipes and wines

Raclette on toasted baguette with cornichon

Cut a French baguette into 1/2 inch slices.Lay them over a cooking sheet.Slice some raclette cheese(Murray cheese, DeCicco's) on each toast.Bake at 425F for 5 mn.Serve with a cornichon.

Domaine des Plageoles Mauzac nature : Click here to buy

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Winter Squash Soup

1 Butternut Squash

½ small Pumpkin

Butter

Maple syrup

1 large White Onion

2 Leeks

3 cloves Garlic

2 Carrots

1 Turnip

1 head Fennel

8 cups chicken stock

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

3 cloves

2 Bay Leaves

Coarse sea salt (Guerande)

Freshly ground black Pepper

1 cup dry White Wine

1 cup dry Sherry

Chopped Cilantro

Crème Fraiche

Cut the Butternut Squash in half, seed it as well as the pumpkin (keep the seeds to grow next year or to roast with a little salt and olive oil: delicious!) , drop a tsb of butter & maple syrup in the cavity and place in the oven (350 deg.) for 30 minutes or until soft. Let the squash cool.Blanch the chopped onion and Leeks with a little butter in a heavy soup pot. Add the chopped garlic and the white wine, cook 5 minutes. Add the chopped Fennel, Carrots, Turnip, cook another 5 minutes.Add the Chicken stock, Herbs, Cloves, Bay Leaves, Salt, Pepper.Scoop the Squah Flesh and add to the soup. Bring to a Boil – Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Add the Sherry.Let cool overnight. All the flavors need time to blend.After removing cloves and herbs and liquid separately, blend the vegetables into a puree. Then add slowly the liquid. The soup should not be too thick nor too liquid.Reheat before serving, add some chopped cilantro and a doll drop of crème Fraiche.

Domaine du Mortier St Nicholas de Bourgueil 2007 : Click here to buy

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 Choucroute garnie

½ lb of sauerkraut / person

Juniper Berries

Caraway seeds

A bottle of dry Riesling or even better, Champagne

Assortment of Sausages ( Natural casing, no nitrites) 
I use Wieners( Beef,S&W), Bratwurst (Veal),Smoked Kielbasa (Pork)

½ lb double smoked bacon

Potatoes

Extra strong French or German mustard

Slow Cook the Choucroute (Sauerkraut)  in a covered dutch oven with the Champagne, Juniper Berries and  Caraway seeds for about an hour, make sure it never gets dry. Add the Sausages, cook another 30 minutes. Serve with peeled boiled potatoes and a strong mustard.

Domaine Binner Assemblage de cepages d'Alsace Saveurs 2008 : Click here to buy

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Tarte tatin

3 apples  - organic / NY state

Pie Dough

Cane Sugar

Make Caramel by cooking sugar with a little water in a heavy pot until it turns brown. Pour at bottom of a 10’ pie pan.  Peel and core the apples, cut into 6 pieces. Place at bottom of pan in a peral, pour a little sugar on the apples, place the dough on top, fold the edges around the apples. Cook at 350 deg.  For 45 minutes. Let it cool for 20 minutes. Flip it upside down on a serving dish.  

                                                                    

Recipes and wines

Warm goat cheese on toasted baguette / Toast de chevre chaud

Hudson valley ash ripened goat cheese HFM

French Baguette HFM

Olive oil, herbes de provence TJ

Cut the baguette into 1/2 inch slices.Lay them over a cooking sheet.Spread the cheese .Pour a drop of olive oil and a pinch of herbs.Bake at 425F for 5 mn.



Vouvray Brut Vincent Careme cuvee "T" 2008
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Shinnecock Bay scallops carpaccio/Carpacio de St Jacques

Scallops Shinnecock Bay LI from Pura Vida Fishery, Hamptons Bay, LI, NY - HFM
Olive oil – President’s reserve – TJ
Chives – MG
Cilantro (Coriander) – Morgiewicz Produce – Goshen, NY – Orange County - HFM
Pink Peppercorns – PS
Fleur de Sel – Guerande, Brittany, FR
Black Peppercorn –PS
Limes – TJ
Mizuna and Greens - Cowberry Crossing – Claverack, NY - HFM

Rinse the scallops briefly. Pat them dry and place 15 minutes in the freezer. Slice them really thin with a good knife. Chop finely Coriander and Chives. Grind the Pink peppercorn. Plate the scallops slices on a bed of greens. Pour a small amount of Lime Juice (not too much or the scallops will cook). Sprinkle the Fleur de Sel, Pepper from the mill, Pink Peppercorn, pour olive oil . Garnish with Coriander and Chives

 Cotes de Duras Haut Lavigne blanc 2008
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Hudson Valley Venison stew/Civet de chevreuil

Deer Meat, cubed  – Upstate, NY
A good bottle of red wine for 2lbs of meat –MC
150grs Smoked Bacon – SW
Cognac- MC 
Flour – TJ (looking for good Local Flour)
Pearl onions - Morgiewicz Produce – Goshen, NY – Orange County - HFM
Carrots - Morgiewicz Produce – Goshen, NY – Orange County – HFM
Crimini Muhsrooms – Bulich Farm, Catskill, NY – HFM
Olive oil – President’s reserve – TJ
Butter (unsalted) – Pulgra – (looking for decent local butter)
Gros Sel – Guerande, Brittany, FR
Black Peppercorn –PSBlue, Red and White Potatoes – Cowberry Crossing – Claverack, NY - HFM

In a Cast Iron enamel Casserole, brown the  meat in a olive oil / butter mix. Pour some cognac and ‘Flambe’ (don’t forget to turn off the range hood). Salt and Pepper to the meat. Add the flour, just enough to coat the meat. Add the wine, cover and cook for 3hrs – until the meat is tender. Slice and cook the mushrooms in a little bit of butter until all the water is gone  - season - put aside. Dice the bacon, brown it in a little bit o butter – discard the fat and pat dry – put aside. Peel and cook the pearl onions very slowly in butter until brown and tender (20 min.) – put aside. In the meantime, boil the potatoes not too long. When the meat is cooked, add the onions, bacon and mushrooms – cook another 15 min. If the sauce is not thick enough, continue cooking with the lid off. You can also add a few squares of dark bitter chocolate. Check the seasoning and serve with the boiled potatoes

Domaine des 2 anes Corbieres les Fontanilles 2006
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New York pears poached in red wine/Poires au vin rouge

Bosc Pears - not too ripe - The Orchards of Conklin, Ponoma, NY Rockland - HFM

A Lemon – An Orange

Nutmeg - PS

Ginger - PS 

Organic Cane Sugar – TD

Black Peppercorns - PS

Cloves - PS

Cinnamon Sticks – PS

Red wine gamay - MC - a bottle for 6 pears

Get zest From Lemon and Orange. Peel the Pears. Boil the wine in a pot under medium heat. Add Sugar, Cinnamon Stick, cloves (3), Black Peppercorns (10), and zests. Dip the pears in the wine and boil very slowly until tender (15 min.) Remove from heat- let cool and keep the pot  in fridge for 12 hour. Before serving, reheat the pot slowly to warm the pears. Drain the warm pears and set aside. Boil the wine and spices until it thickens. Filter the syrup to remove zests and spices. Serve the pears in a plate or bowl and pour syrup on top. Absolutely delicious with a scoop of vanilla Ice Cream

ABBREVIATIONS

HFM - Hastings Farmers market   Click HERE for more information

SW – Schaller & Weber

MC- My Cellar

PS- Penzeys Spices

MG- My Garden

TJ - Traders Joe