White Wine

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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Summer-ripe Salad

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Serves 4

  • 1/4 c. canola oil
  • 2 T. white wine vinegar
  • 2 T. honey
  • 1/4 t. onion powder
  • 1/4 t. garlic salt
  • 1/2 t. poppy seeds
  • 3 large peaches
  • 2 c. diced cooked chicken
  • 1/2 c. diced red onion
  • 6 c. salad greens
  • 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, honey, onion powder, garlic salt, and poppy seeds. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. In the same bowl, cut up 2 peaches into bite-size pieces. Add chicken and onion. Toss to coat. Cover and chill up to 2 hours. At serving time, arrange salad greens on plates. Top with chicken mixture and walnuts. Slice the remaining peach as garnish. (You can double the dressing and pass on the side.)

Serve with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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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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Pecan-Onion Swirls

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  • 1 sheet prepared puff pastry, thawed (Pepperidge Farms works well)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • ¼ c. finely chopped pecans
  • 3 tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • Flour for dusting

Set out frozen pastry to thaw. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, stir to mix with oil, and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently as onions caramelize in color. When golden, remove from heat and drizzle with honey. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured pastry board, unfold puff pastry. Cut the two fold lines, creating 3 sections of dough. Lightly roll each section to about ¼ inch thickness. Spread 1/3 of onion mixture along each strip, leaving ½” on one of the longer sides ungarnished. Sprinkle each strip with 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. chopped pecans, topping with 1 tsp. thyme. Moisten the ½” ungarnished dough and roll up from the opposite side, sealing the edge over the roll. Place on a tray in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing into 3/8” rounds. Place the rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets; bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temp.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Viognier

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Sunshine Spread

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  • 11 oz. chevre, softened
  • 1⁄4 c. + 2 Tbsp. sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp. melted butter
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 7 dried apricots (14 pieces if already halved)
  • 1⁄4 c. finely diced red onion
  • 2 Tbsp. sunflower seeds, toasted
  • 1⁄4 tsp. salt
  • Dash cayenne
  • 1 tsp. finely sliced chives

Cut apricots in half (if whole) and then into fine dice. Mix chevre, sour cream, butter, and honey until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients, combining well, before putting in serving dish. (Optional garnish: additional toasted sunflower seeds.) Serve with your favorite crackers or crisps.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Viognier

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Rock Cod with Scallop Bechamel

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  • 6 Tbsp. butter, divided
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 c. whole milk
  • 1/3 c. chopped shallot
  • 1/2 lb. bay scallops
  • 1/4 c. dry white wine
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 lb. rock cod filets

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Whisk in flour until smooth, bubbly, and light gold. Add milk in a steady thin stream, whisking. Continue until sauce thickens; remove from heat. In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add shallots; stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Add scallops; sauté another 3-5 minutes, stirring. Add wine, stirring to deglaze pan, and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Combine with béchamel sauce, adding lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Melt last 2 Tbsp. butter in same skillet. Pat fish filets dry; season with salt and pepper. Cook in the skillet 2-3 minutes before turning; cook second side until filet is cooked through and flakes easily. Serve to plate and top with scallop béchamel sauce – which is also nice atop pasta!

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

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Red Snapper with Ginger Sauce

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Serves 4

  • >4 red snapper fillets
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. mirin
  • 1 green onion, sliced
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • 1/4 c. sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp. butter

While red snapper soaks in milk, make ginger sauce. Whisk together: rice wine vinegar, mirin, green onion, ginger & sugar. Set aside. On a plate, mix together flour and sesame seeds. Drain the fillets and dredge in dry mixture. Heat oil in a large sauté pan; add butter to melt. Brown filets on both sides. Serve with ginger sauce.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Viognier

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