Red Wine

Sauce Framboises

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  • 3 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/ 4 cup crème de framboises (raspberry liqueur)
  • 3/ 4 cup Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Franc
  • 12-16 oz. raspberries (can use frozen in off-season)
  • 1/ 4 teaspoon almond extract
  • toasted sliced almonds and fresh raspberries for garnish

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir sugar and cornstarch together until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in crème de framboises and Cabernet Franc. Add raspberries and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Serve warm over ice cream, cake, even select fruits, sprinkling with toasted sliced almonds and garnishing with fresh raspberries.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Franc

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Reine de Saba

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Serves 8

  • 5 oz. fine quality baking chocolate, semi-sweet
  • 2/3 c. butter
  • 2/3 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2/ 3 c. ground almonds
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 drop almond extract
  • 1/3 c. flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8″ round cake pan, and line bottom with a piece of parchment, trimmed to fit atop the buttered surface. Melt the chocolate in a water bath. Add butter and sugar; whisk smooth. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and whisk in the eggs, ground almonds, and flavorings. Fold in the flour. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in a water bath for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. To serve, turn out onto a doily and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Lovely accompanied with raspberries and whipped cream, or even Creme Anglaise!

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot, F-86 Sabre Jet

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Pork with Orange Cranberry Sauce

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  • 4 boneless center-cut pork chops, pounded to 3/ 8″ thickness
  • 2 tsp. butter
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 c. beef broth
  • 2 Tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • Y4 c. dried cranberries (Doris sometimes uses dried cherries instead!)

Melt butter with olive oil in a 10″·12″ nonstick frying pan. When butter sizzles, add pork and cook, turning once, until both sides are well browned and center is no longer pink (cut to test), 4 to 5 minutes total. Remove meat to a platter and keep warm. Mix beef broth, orange juice concentrate, Dijon, and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in dried cranberries. Add to pan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil until slightly thickened, about 1 minute, then pour over pork. From “The Quick Cook” section in Sunset magazine.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Franc

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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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Herbed Mushrooms

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Serves 2 as a side dish, 4 as garnishment

  • 8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir to coat lightly but thoroughly. The skillet may seem quite full, but mushrooms “shrink” as they cook! Add spices and continue to stir frequently as mushrooms brown. Add wine in last 5 minutes of cooking, continuing to stir until liquid is evaporated.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon

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Happy Holidays Chocolate Bark

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  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup unsalted pistachio meats, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate-infused Craisins®, chopped

Use the best quality chocolate chips available and combine in a 4-cup glass bowl. Microwave on half power one minute; stir. Microwave another minute on half power; stir to smooth. (May need another half minute.) Line a sheet-cake pan with parchment and spread melted chocolate mixture evenly. Sprinkle with prepared nuts and fruit. Cover with wax paper and press toppings lightly into chocolate; discard wax paper. Chill about 20 minutes, or until firm enough to break into bark pieces.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon

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Fresh Herb & Wine Vinaigrette for Romaine and Roquefort Salad

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Serves 8

  • 2 tablespoons Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed, spun, and torn
  • 4 oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Combine first 10 ingredients in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss vinaigrette with lettuce and divide among 8 salad plates. Sprinkle with Roquefort and serve. (Attributed to the Pleasanton Hotel)

Made with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon

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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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Baked Camembert with Macerated Strawberries

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  • 8 oz. wheel Camembert
  • 1 c. sliced strawberries
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir together strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar; set aside. Place Camembert in a baking dish with sides and some extra space; bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon strawberries over hot cheese and drizzle with some of the remaining marinade. Sprinkle pistachios over the top. Serve warm with water crackers.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Test Pilot F-7U Cutlass

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