White Wine

Jackson Square Salad

, , ,

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

Return to Food Pairings

Pecan-Onion Swirls

, , ,
  • 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

Return to Food Pairings

Sunshine Spread

, , ,
  • 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

Return to Food Pairings

Rock Cod with Scallop Bechamel

, , ,
  • 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

Return to Food Pairings

Red Snapper with Ginger Sauce

, , ,

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

Return to Food Pairings

Crispy Baked Snapper

, , ,
  • 4 red snapper fillets
  • 2 c. Rice Chex, crushed
  • ¼ c. olive oil
  • ¼ c. parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest, grated
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine crushed Rice Chex, olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, and salt. Pat filets dry. Press fish in coating mixture, covering both sides. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and lay prepared filets atop it. Bake 14-16 minutes until browned; cooking time may vary with thickness of filets. Serve with lemon wedges.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

Return to Food Pairings

Chevre Crostini

, , ,

Serves 8

  • 1 baguette, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tblsp. olive oil
  • 11 oz. chevre, softened
  • 3 Tblsp. olive oil
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 2/3 c. marinated artichoke hearts, sliced thin
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the crostini: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly with 2 Tblsp. olive oil. Bake 10 minutes; let cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)

For the topping: stir together: chevre, 3 Tblsp. olive oil, green onions, artichoke hearts and seasoning. (If made ahead, refrigerate until ready to use. Soften at room temp before continuing.) Spread on crostini slices and enjoy!

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

Return to Food Pairings

Cheese Pairings – Viognier

, , , ,

Suggestions sourced from Whole Foods in the course of several wine and cheese classes we have done together over the past few years.

Fiscalini San Joaquin Gold – A raw cow’s milk cheese made in Modesto, a winner in domestic and international competitions!

Brigante Pecorino Pinna – A semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese from Sardinia. Remove the very thin plastic coating; serve at room temperature.

Les Trois Comtes Morbier – A semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from the Haut-Jura region of eastern France with a grey-green layer of ash running through the middle.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Viognier

Return to Food Pairings

Pecan-Crusted Salmon with Dijon Chili Cream

, ,

Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed

Coating:

  • 2 cups plain corn tortilla chips
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Sauce:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced

Soak plank for 60 minutes. Combine Marinade ingredients in large bowl; place salmon in the marinade, turning to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven or grill and plank to 400°F. Toss tortilla chips and pecans in shallow dish. Remove salmon from bowl and reserve remaining marinade. Roll salmon in chip mixture, coating well. Place salmon on plan; roast for 20-30 minutes – until fish just begins to flake. While salmon is roasting, combine cream and remaining marinade in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until thickened and reduced by one-third. Stir in green onions. Drizzle over the salmon.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Viognier

Return to Food Pairings

Parmigiano-Reggiano Puffs

, , ,

3 dozen

  • 1 c. shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1⁄2 c. mayonnaise
  • 1 green onion, minced
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Dash cayenne
  • Purchased melba toasts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together cheese, mayonnaise, onion, lemon zest, and spice. Top each piece of melba toast with 1 teaspoon cheese mixture, spreading to edge. Bake until tops are golden, 8-10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Chardonnay

Return to Food Pairings