Entrees

Cornish Game Hen with Wine Sauce

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Serves 2

  • 1 Cornish game hen, halved
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 shallots, chopped
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 2/3 cup dry red wine
  • 2/3 cup frozen raspberries
  • 3 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. ground allspice

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Rinse hen halves and pat dry. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet; add hen halves skin side down and brown, about 6 minutes each side. Transfer to baking sheet and roast in oven until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, add shallots to skillet and cook for a couple of minutes until soft. Add wine and deglaze pan, scraping up browned bits; add broth, raspberries, sugar, and allspice. Boil until sauce thickens to coat spoon, crushing raspberries as you stir, about 12 minutes. Strain wine sauce into small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Serve hen halves with the sauce.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Franc

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Filet with Merlot Reduction

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Serves 2

  • 1/2 c. beef broth
  • 1/4 c. Cooper-Garrod
  • Merlot
  • 1 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 2 beef filets

In a saucepan over high heat, whisk together broth, Merlot, jam, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 1/3 cup. Meanwhile, wrap one slice of bacon around the side of each filet, securing with a toothpick as necessary. Preheat a skillet and sear the bacon sides; continue with the top and bottom of the filet, about 3-4 minutes per side, or longer for desired doneness. Put steaks on warmed plates and spoon sauce over to serve. Salt and pepper to taste.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Merlot

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Cherry Blossom Shrimp Salad

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Serves 2.  (Easily multiplied to serve more.)

  • 5 T. mayonnaise
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • 1 T. + 3 T. olive oil
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 c. cherry or plum tomatoes, halved
  • 4 c. mixed greens
  • ½ lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ¾ c. panko breadcrumbs

Combine mayonnaise and Dijon in medium bowl.  In large salad bowl, whisk together 2 T. of the mixture, 1 T. oil, and 1 T. water with salt and pepper to taste.  Add tomatoes and greens.  Pat shrimp dry.  Toss with mayo mixture in medium bowl to coat.  Put panko in a pie plate and press shrimp to coat both sides with crumbs.  Heat 3 T. oil in large skillet.  Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until golden, crisp, and cooked through.  Toss salad and divide between two plates.  Top with cooked shrimp.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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Ginger Apricot Chicken

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Serves 4

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
  • ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 8 dried apricots, thinly sliced
  • 2 large green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger

Mix flour and coriander in shallow bowl. Pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/2-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Dust with flour mixture, shaking off excess. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add apricots and half of green onions to drippings in same skillet and stir over medium-high heat 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Mix broth and cornstarch in small bowl until smooth. Add to skillet; bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add preserves, honey, soy sauce and ginger. Boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Pour over chicken. Garnish with remaining green onions.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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Polynesian Kabobs

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Serves 4

  • 4 Bruce Aidells Chicken-Mango sausages
  • 1/2 pineapple, cored and cut into chunks (may use canned if fresh is not available)
  • 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
  • 1/3 cup apricot jam
  • 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • Skewers for grilling

If using wooden skewers, soak in water 30 minutes to minimize charred ends. Slice sausage into 1″ pieces. Stir together jam, pineapple juice, and five-spice powder for glaze. Alternate sausage and pineapple on skewers. Brush with glaze to coat. Grill or broil 8-10 minutes, turning at least once.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Viognier

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Lime-zested Salmon

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Serves 4

  • 4 salmon filets
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon peeled, grated ginger root
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

Place salmon in an 8-inch square baking dish. Combine all other ingredients, stirring well. Pour marinade over salmon. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Uncover before baking in the marinade at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily.

 Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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Jackson Square Salad

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Serves 4

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 6 cups assorted greens
  • 2 cups diced, cooked chicken
  • 2/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, diced

Combine greens and endive in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Add remaining ingredients. Drizzle with more dressing; toss gently. Arrange on 4 serving plates and serve with warm, crusty rolls or sourdough bread.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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Sauce “Marchand de Vins”

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  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 3 Tbsp. minced shallots
  • 1 c. red wine
  • 1 tsp. flour
  • ½ c. beef stock, warmed
  • 2 Tbsp. minced parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • ½ tsp. lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

This sauce graces a well-browned cut of beef, such as rib-eye steaks. Brown the meat to desired doneness in a sauté pan; remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour the cooking fat out of the pan. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in pan and cook shallots, stirring, about 2 minutes until softened. Add wine and cook over high heat until reduced by 2/3. Whisk flour into warmed beef stock; add to reduced pan mixture, stirring to cook down again. When reduced and thickened, remove from heat. Whisk in 1 more Tbsp. butter to thicken. Add parsley and lemon juice; salt and pepper to taste. Serve over prepared steaks.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon

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Winter’s Baked Baby Backs

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  • 1 rack baby back ribs, trimmed
  • 5 Tbsp. (packed) brown sugar
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • red wine vinegar
  • your favorite BBQ sauce

Combine all dry ingredients; reserve 1-2 Tbsp. for serving. Sprinkle red wine vinegar on ribs; coat both sides with dry rub. Wrap tightly in plastic; place in Ziploc to refrigerate 8-24 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove ribs from plastic. Wrap tightly with heavy foil. Bake on a cookie sheet 1 hour. Open foil (avoiding steam); add 3⁄4 cup BBQ sauce. Reseal; bake 45-60 minutes more. Sprinkle with reserved rub and serve with BBQ sauce to pass.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Syrah

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Wine Braised Short Ribs

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Serves 4

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 1⁄2 lbs. boneless short ribs
  • Flour for dredging
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery rib, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 750 ml. dry red wine
  • 2 c. chicken stock

Preheat oven to 300 degrees; place rack in lower third. Salt and pepper meat. Dredge in flour; shake off excess. Heat oil in 5-quart Dutch oven and brown meat. Remove; discard cooking oil. Melt butter in Dutch oven. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add tomato paste, then 2 Tbsp. flour; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add wine and chicken stock, stirring to loosen browned bits. Return meat to Dutch oven; stir to cover in liquid. Cover and braise in oven for 2 to 2 1⁄2 hours, turning meat twice, until tender. Remove meat and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain solids from sauce; skim off fat. Return liquid to Dutch oven; boil until reduced to 2 cups. Return meat to sauce and simmer until heated through.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon

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