Category Archives: Wine Pairings

Lavender Rosemary Goat Cheesecakes

Posted on by February 4, 2016

I perfected these Lavender Rosemary Goat Cheesecakes some time ago (read: a really long time ago) for a fabulous dinner party but for some reason, I’ve been holding out on you. My friend was serving some very special wines, including a dessert wine that had been bottled in the 1920’s. It was an amazing, Spanish Sherry, caramel-y and rich with a hint of orange. It turned out that these little cakes were a perfect pairing, because they are not too sweet and they are full of rich goat cheese. All in all, great for pairing with dessert wine, since they’re almost like a little cheese course in a crust. So if you’re thinking of trying something new this Valentine’s Day, then forgo the champagne (or who am I kidding- just commit to an extra indulgent meal) and buy a dessert wine to serve with these Lavender Rosemary Goat Cheesecakes. They’re creamy and smooth with herbaceous and floral notes. And the honey. Oh man, the honey. I try hard not to send you on wild goose chases for specific ingredients, but this honey is serious business and absolutely makes the cheesecakes all that extra special. If you’re not going to track … Continue reading →

Canlis Parsnip Soup Hazelnut Gremolata

Posted on by October 29, 2014

This lovely Canlis Parsnip Soup Hazelnut Gremolata came from, you guessed it, Canlis Restaurant in Seattle. It also came with a lovely story. I was first exposed to Canlis a few years ago now, when my dear friend Andrea was married in Seattle. It was a gorgeous October weekend with fall leaves, sunshine, and lots of amazing food. Since everyone came from out of town, they planned the entire weekend for us and we had a lovely tour of the city on a double decker bus. We had dinner at Matt’s in the Market after the rehearsal and it was excellent. We caught up with friends, enjoyed several cocktail hot spot, and then, after a beautiful ceremony, we were treated to dinner at Canlis for the reception. It was absolutely lovely. We had the entire upstairs to ourselves complete with a gorgeous view of the Sound and of course an amazing meal. The evening started off with pink bubbly, toasts, and a jazz band. A paired wine dinner followed and while each course was absolutely excellent, for me, it was the Canlis Parsnip Soup Hazelnut Gremolata, which was paired with an amazing Sancerre that stole the show. Part of it … Continue reading →

Blue Ridge Mountain Benedicts

Posted on by January 22, 2015

This Spring, one of our mini adventures was a weekend trip to Charlottesville, VA. It’s a gorgeous town, situated at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains for which my Blue Ridge Mountain Benedicts are named. It’s a tiny town, but it’s packed with art, music and great food. We had lots of awesome meals, but the one I knew I had to recreate, and I dare say best, was a breakfast sandwich from the Bluegrass Café. It was a sweet little breakfast place that’s so good at what it does that it can afford to yell, “No Substitutions” at you. That said, if you’re famous for made from scratch biscuits and you’re located in the South, you should serve your breakfast sandwich on that, and not a store bought English muffin. Since there were “No Substitutions,” I ate it as recommended, but was wishing I had a biscuit all the while. So, when last Sunday night turned into a little party to toast, and well-wish, and “Bon Voyage!” some dear friends moving to California… I had a hankering of what to make: Blue Ridge Mountain Benedicts. And then they sealed the deal. “We’ll bring bubbles” they said. “All we … Continue reading →

Two Bottle Boeuf Bourguinon

Posted on by February 8, 2015

Want to hear a Dirty Laundry Kitchen dirty secret? I’ve been struggling to cook and write the past couple of weeks. The oscillating temperatures, my intense need for Spring and sunshine, travel for work and for fun, none of this has been conducive to time in the kitchen to think creatively. And that’s sad, because there’s been lots of inspiration. Furthermore, being away from my kitchen meant that I didn’t do a Mardi Gras menu (which I’ve been itching to do for ages) and you’re stuck with last year’s ideas on St. Paddy’s. The good news? It’s so cold and windy today in Philly that I’m inspired to share my take on the French classic Boeuf Bourguinon. So here it is, in all its two kinds of onions, two kinds of meat, two bottles of wine, rich and hearty glory. Two Bottle Boeuf Bourguinon is all about slow food. And cold days. And tender meat and root vegetables. It’s about red wine that you drink while you’re cooking and buttered bread. Two Bottle Boeuf Bourguinon is satisfying and savory and every carnivore in the cold should know how to make it. Of course, Two Bottle Boeuf Bourguinon is based on … Continue reading →

Salmon with Lingonberry BBQ Butter

Posted on by November 16, 2015

Once upon a wine pairing, my sister Heidi challenged me to make one dish to pair with both a chardonnay and a pinot noir; this Salmon with Lingonberry BBQ Butter turned out to be just the dish. I thought quite a bit about different proteins that I thought would be up to the task, and one of the most versatile proteins I know is salmon. Once I decided on Salmon, lingonberries started calling to me. In fact, it was the lingonberries that inspired a slightly Scandinavian meets California feel that runs throughout this menu of kale and potato salads with salmon. But plain lingonberry glaze would be way too sweet to put up next to these rich wines, so I started thinking about how to pair lingonberries with salmon in a more savory way. This led me to think of my time waiting tables in college. I was reminded me of a barbeque butter sauce we used to serve on a shrimp and rice appetizer at Davis Street Fish Market. It was rich and buttery, sweet and savory all at once and inspired me to head straight to the kitchen. This Salmon with Lingonberry BBQ Butter is the happy result of … Continue reading →

Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds

Posted on by November 10, 2015

Sometimes, I find kale salad boring, there, I said it, but this Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds is anything but boring. I really like all of the crunchy seeds and nuts against the substantial kale. And raw kale is usually just a bit too tough for me. I like it roasted, or as in this case, blanched just for a minute to tenderize it and give it a chance to absorb a little salt if you so choose. The blanching also intensifies the gorgeous green color, so all in all, the little extra step makes this Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds all the more delicious. And don’t even get me started on the slightly sweet, silky dressing that is a nice contrast to the savory seeds and nuts. Any yogurt will do, but I really love sheep’s milk yogurt if you can find it because of it’s slightly sweeter taste and higher fat content. Just a little extra fat is nice for this otherwise quite virtuous salad. You don’t want to be too virtuous after all. This Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds is also a great excuse to make some extra lemon-toasted … Continue reading →

Red Potato Salad & Whole-grain Mustard

Posted on by September 23, 2014

Red Potato Salad & Whole-grain Mustard is the side for a wine pairing I just completed for MacRostie winery’s May release. I’m posting it here, just a little out of order, but the whole meal should be up by next week. And in the meantime, enjoy. This salad can stand on its own. I couldn’t decide whether to use redskin potatoes or sweet potatoes for this salad. Heidi and I ended up making it both ways during our ipad cooking day. The sweet potato went really well with the pinot but wasn’t as great with the chardonnay, so we ended up suggesting the redskins for their versatility. But honestly, both were great and you can’t go wrong with this Red Potato Salad & Whole-grain Mustard. 2 pounds small redskin potatoes; in bite-size pieces ¼ cup red onion; diced fine 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon marmalade 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 7 stalks of fresh marjoram; just the leaves; rough chopped ¼ cup sunflower seeds; roasted and salted ½ cup alfalfa sprouts Bring water to a boil. Salt it. Drop in the potatoes and cook until fork tender but not mushy. When cooked through, remove to a … Continue reading →

Clementine Pork with Rapini

Posted on by April 9, 2014

This playful dish is a nod to the classic Orange Peel Beef. Lighten up! it extolls. And that’s what makes pairing it with MacRostie’s most playful wine (Pinot Noir Rosé) so much fun. The bitter rapini, which is common in Southern Europe and China (believe it or not) also ties wine to Asian cuisine in a uniquely Californian sort of way. The thin-skinned clementines, once gently cooked, become quite edible and it is this tartness of the skin combined with the bitterness of the rapini that contrast the fruit notes of the wine and the sweetness of the chili sauce and the fivespice. Serves 4 1 pound boneless pork loin chops; sliced into small pieces 3 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon sesame oil; divided 1 tablespoon olive oil; divided 2 tablespoons minced ginger 4 small clementines (skin on); cut into 8 pieces each ½ cup sweet chili sauce 4 tablespoons soy sauce ½ teaspoon five spice powder salt and pepper 1 bunch rapini; chopped into small pieces Brown Rice 1 cup brown rice 1 ½ cups water 1 tablespoon butter Bring rice, water and butter to a boil. Stir once. Reduce to lowest temperature and cover. (It’s always best to the … Continue reading →

Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd’s Pie

Posted on by March 11, 2013

This is one recipe that I tend to make at some point every winter. It’s that good. And I’ve tinkered a little, but in general, I make it almost as I read it a few years ago. I roast the eggplant instead of sauté it as I like the flavor and texture better. I lose the whole milk because it definitely doesn’t need it. I use bone-in lamb because it enhances the flavor of the gravy. I often change up the cheese and sometimes I add mushrooms, but I can’t take credit for dreaming this one up. filling 1 ½ pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into ¾- to 1-inch cubes sea salt olive oil 3 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into ½ – 1-inch cubes; reserve bones flour 3 cups diced onions 1 or 2 large portabella mushroom caps; diced 1 cup dry white wine 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes in juice 3 cups beef broth 8 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon dried oregano topping 2 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced or a teaspoon of paste ¾ cup milk 6 ounces grated sheep’s milk cheese – go Greek with … Continue reading →

Deep Caramel Truffles with Sea Salt

Posted on by November 23, 2015

Exciting news for Dirty Laundry Kitchen, aside from this fabulous recipe for Deep Caramel Truffles with Sea Salt! My sister is the head winemaker at MacRostie Winery and Vineyards in California and we are teaming up to bring you a recipe and wine pairing now and again. Heidi and I will cook and wine taste together and apart, then I write the recipe and she writes the wine notes. This month, MacRostie’s Pinot Noir is what is pouring. And it’s almost St. Valentine’s Day. Rather than buying some cheap, junky chocolate, I recommend that you make these wonderful Deep Caramel Truffles with Sea Salt and enjoy them with a delicious Pinot and forgo the traditional champagne. The truffles are surprisingly easy and best of all, you can do all of the chocolate steps in one bowl, so even though it looks a little complicated, you don’t need to dirty many dishes. Store these Deep Caramel Truffles with Sea Salt in the fridge, but serve them at room temperature. if they last long enough to need storage, that is. … Continue reading →