F-104 Starfighter

Pork Tenderloin with Fig and Blue Cheese

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1 pork tenderloin, butterflied

2 Tbsp. butter

½ c. minced shallot

½ c. finely chopped dried figs

4 oz. Cambozola blue cheese, sliced

1 tsp. dried thyme

8 slices prosciutto

½ c. dry white wine

6 to 8 lengths of butcher’s string

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Soften shallot in butter over medium heat, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.  Stir in figs and thyme; salt and pepper to taste.  Add Cambozola so it melts and combines.

On a large worksurface, lay out butcher’s string and top with sliced prosciutto.  Place butterflied pork tenderloin atop that, pressing to flatten.  Spread the fig/cheese mixture over pork, leaving ½” clear at edges.  Roll up to close and tie the strings.  Place in a small roasting pan and bake 15 minutes.  Pour wine over the meat and bake 15 minutes more.  Remove from oven, baste with juices, and let stand 5 minutes.  Slice to serve, spooning pan juices over.  Serves 4.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot F-104 Starfighter

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Braised Lamb Shanks

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Serves 6

  • 6 lamb shanks
  • 14 oz. frozen petite onions
  • 15 oz. can chicken broth
  • 1 c. + 2 Tbsp. dry sherry
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • Ground black pepper
  • ½ c. minced parsley
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 lbs. parsnips, peeled (cut if large)
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put lamb shanks in large roaster, onions around them.  Pour in chicken broth, 1 c. sherry, soy sauce; sprinkle with pepper. Cover tightly with foil; bake 1 ½ hours.  Meanwhile mix parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.  Cover and chill.  Add parsnips and carrots to lamb shanks; cover and bake 1 more hour.  Increase oven to 400 degrees.  Transfer shanks, parsnips and carrots to rimmed baking pan.  Brush with olive oil.  Bake until browned, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, skim fat from pan juices; measure to 2 ½ c. with onions (add more broth if needed).  Bring to a boil; add 2 Tbsp. sherry.  Serve shanks and vegetables with sauce; sprinkle with parsley mixture.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot F-104 Starfighter

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Seared Lamb Chops with Fresh Mint Pesto

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Serves 4

    • 8 Lamb loin chops, about 1” thick
    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 1/3 c. Fresh mint, chopped fine
    • 1/3 c. Crumbled feta cheese
    • 1/3 c. Flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine
    • 1/3 c. Pecans, toasted and chopped

In a small bowl, combine mint, parsley, pecans, feta, and lemon zest for the fresh pesto. Set aside. Trim fat from chops and rub them with olive oil. Preheat a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat before adding chops. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning once, or until well-browned and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 145 degrees in thickest portion of the meat. Salt and pepper to taste. To serve, sprinkle chops with fresh pesto.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot Starfighter, F104

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Greg’s Ribs with a Rub

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Serves 2-3 per Slab

  • Pork spare ribs
  • (One slab for every 2-3 people)
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • Chili powder
  • Ground sage
  • Ground cumin

Optional:

  • Garlic powder
  • Chipotle powder

Ask for a St. Louis cut on the ribs (rectangular). The night before, trim away excess fat and remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs. Rub red wine vinegar into the meat. Stir together about half Lawry’s seasoned salt and half chili powder with some sage and cumin to taste; adding garlic powder or chipotle powder is optional. Rub the mixture into the ribs; cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Allow about 4 hours grill time at 250 ̊ to 300 ̊ for covered, indirect cooking, adding just a few pieces of soaked hickory (or wine barrel wood) to the hot coals. You can stack the ribs on the grill; just rotate their position in the stack every 45 minutes to an hour when you turn them. Remove from heat and let stand about 15 minutes before cutting apart to serve.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Syrah

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Cheese Teases

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  • 1 ½ c. finely grated Gruyere
  • 1 ½ c. finely grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1 ½ c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano(approx. ¼ lb. of each cheese)
  • 1 ½ c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 c. Crisco oil
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • Dry bread crumbs
  • Butter for greasing pan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9” x 13” baking pan and “dust” with bread crumbs, shaking out any excess. Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl. Mix eggs, oil, and milk in a larger bowl before stirring in grated cheeses. Add flour mixture to cheese mixture, stirring until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Press evenly into prepared pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a cutting board and turning right side up again. Cut into 48 bars or 96 squares (4×12-or-24 pieces across).

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot, F-104 Starfighter

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Brisket Syrah

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  • Brisket (about 5 lbs., trimmed)
  • Pepper
  • Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • Brown sugar (1/2 c.)
  • Lemon juice (1/4 c.)
  • Mustard (1/4 c.)
  • Syrah (2 c.)

Pierce multiple holes in both sides of brisket using pointed fork.  Apply pepper, Lawry’s seasoned salt, and brown sugar liberally over meat.  Massage lemon juice and mustard into meat.  Pour wine into Ziploc large enough to hold brisket; add meat.  Marinate 5 hours minimum in refrigerator.  Grill over indirect heat, turning judiciously.  (Wonderful recipe from a wine-loving Weber master who eyeballs ingredient quantities; the parenthesis are our suggestion.  On gas grills, target 300 degrees and approximately 40-50 minutes per pound.)

Serve with Cooper-Garrod Syrah or F-104 Starfighter

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Blue Cheese Marinade for Steaks

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  • 2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • ¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. coffee crystals
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ c. olive oil
  • 4 sirloin tip steaks (or your choice of cuts)

Pat steaks dry with paper towels and place in a glass container.  Mix marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Pour over steaks, rubbing in.  Cover and marinate 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.  Grill or broil according to personal preference for doneness.

Serve with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon and Test Pilots

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