New recipe, May 31, 2011

Today's delicious new recipe was the Sunny Side Up Lentil Salad, another offering from Epicurious.com. This salad is really wonderful. The lentils are flavorful, and the mustard vinaigrette on the salad takes it up a notch. Then there is the sunny side up egg on top, and some wonderful aromatic fresh tarragon on top. The aromas alone are fascinating, and the flavors sublime. A bit of whole wheat pita was a nice side. Winner!

By the way, it is hard to see, but that is a double yolked egg on the far plate. Isn't that good luck?

The wine was the Glass Mountain 2008 Chardonnay, chosen because of the mustard in the vinaigrette, and the aromatic fresh tarragon. Great match!

New recipes, May 30, 2011

Tonight, we are back to Evan Goldstein's first book, Perfect Pairings. We had Pasta with Greens, Chickpeas, Toasted Breadcrumbs and Pecorino.

The wine we had was a 2007 Chateau Peyruchet Sauvignon. Goldstein says this recipe was intended for an herbal, grassy Loire style Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is from Bordeaux, but still has an herbal character, along with a little citrus like grapefruit. It worked very nicely with this dish.

New recipes, May 29, 2011

We decided to continue the theme of choosing the dish for a specific wine. Tonight, we used Evan Goldstein's newest book, Daring Parings. This book takes 36 additional grape varieties that weren't in Perfect Parings, and has a recipe to match each.

Our wine tonight was a Nebbiolo, and the recipe is Braised Duck Leg in Ragù with Chestnut Polenta and Green Olives, from Nate Appleman of Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria. We served it with a simple bibb lettuce salad.

The dish has 1 1/2 cups of Nebbiolo in it. Since I wasn't about to pour half a bottle of a Barolo into the dish, I used the Rivetto 2005 Nebbiolo d'Alba for cooking, and we had a 2004 Damilano Lecinquvigne Barolo as the main wine, but we were able to taste both with the dish. They were both good, but the oakiness and subtlety of the Barolo won. Nice that there was more of it!

New recipes, May 27, 2011

We headed to the hills this evening, for a holiday weekend of cycling and getting ready for the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. Before we left, Carl made a delicious Shrimp and Andouille Pot Pie from Epicurious.com. One of the fun things about cooking something new every day is that we are not only learning new recipes, we are also learning techniques that are new to us. Neither of us had made pot pie before, but Carl has all sorts of ideas for other pot pies, now that he has seen the basic technique!

No wine, as we were driving, but Carl added in a yummy Watermelon Granita from Food and Wine. It is very simple, and a delicious dessert!

New recipes, May 25, 2011

Tonight was our 10th anniversary as a couple! Since we met in China, of course the dinner had to have a Chinese theme! These recipes all come from Barbara Tropp's wonderful China Moon Cookbook. Sadly, she died in 2001, so the China Moon Restaurant is no more.

We started with Wok Seared Tuna with a Watercress Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette. Lovely appetizer!

The main course was Tea Smoked Duck Breast, with Orange Pickled Carrot Coins, and Chili-Orange Cold Noodles.

This was a wonderful dinner! Since it was spicy, and there was some orange in almost everything, we served it with the Carod Freres Tradition Clairette de Die, a sweet sparkling wine from south east France. It was a perfect choice!

New recipe, May 22, 2011

This evening, we started again with the Black Pepper Shrimp with Watermelon and Lime Salad from Floyd Cardoz. I added more pepper and chat masala to the watermelon, and it was even better than the first day. We still had some of the Guigal 2007 White Côtes du Rhone, so we had them together again. Yum!

Our main course was a Coconut Red Lentil Curry, from Epicurious.com. As we were reading about what wine might be good with this, several different options came up, so we decided to taste it with a variety of wines. We had the Pesquie 2007 Viognier, a 2006 Alamos Torrontes , and the Glass Mountain 2008 Chardonnay. We also opened a Chenin Blanc, but it was corked so we didn't taste it at all.

They were all good. The Vigonier is a lovely fruity wine, but seemed a bit too light for this curry, which had a little spiciness to it. The Torrontes has great fruit, but didn't have quite enough in common with the dish to really work with it. The Chardonnay has a nice fruitiness, and the butteriness blended well with the coconut flavor. It isn't highly oaked, so the spiciness wasn't a problem--in fact, the vanilla flavor also did well with the coconut. A fun experiment.

New recipes, May 28, 2011

We started this evening' meal with a new cocktail, a Watermelon Cucumber Margarita from Epicurious.com. It also has mint and lime juice in it, and was fantastic.

For dinner, we decided to start with the wine and pick the recipe. We used Evan Goldstein's wonderful book Perfect Pairings to choose a recipe to complement a fruit forward new world Pinot Noir: Pork (Tender)loin Glazed with Pomegranate and Orange. We had it with an Arugula and Heirloom Tomato Salad, and Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Epicurious.com.
Wine: Miura Vineyards Silacci Vineyard 2005 Pinot Noir. Goldstein says that Pinot Noir has not only tart red fruit (like cherry) flavors, but also some hints of pomegranate. This recipe had pomegranate molasses and orange juice and zest, and it really was one of the best food-wine pairings we have had ion a long time! I would not have picked pomegranate out of Pinot Noir, but it really is there. Yum!

New recipe, May 26, 2011

After last night's extravagant dinner, we went for something a little simpler, the Butter Lettuce Chicken Cherry Salad from Epicurious.com. But don't let simpler fool you--this is an excellent, delicious summer salad, and it showed off the wonderful cherries that are starting to show up in the market. We loved it!

Wine: Leitz Out Rheingau Riesling 2009--the off dry character of the wine and its fruitiness made a nice match with the salad!

New recipes, May 24, 2011

Tonight Carl prepared two new recipes from Epicurious.com: Chicken and Dumplings, and Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Ginger Cassis Dressing. Southern boy though he is, Carl hadn't made Chicken and Dumplings before, but they were delicious, for dinner as well as for lunch the next day! The salad didn't make it to the next day--it is one of the best salads we have had, and I definitely recommend it!

Wine: Oak Grove Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Reserve--nice match!

New recipe, May 23, 2011

Tonight, Carl made an Andouille Sausage and Potato Omelette, from Epicurious.com. It was served with sliced tomatos.

Wine: Bodegas Ercavio Tempranillo Roble 2003. We were looking for something that would complement the andouille, and this worked very nicely!

New recipes, May 21, 2011

We were intrigued by Floyd Cardoz' Kama Sutra Shrimp on the most recent Top Chef Masters. The presentation on the show was a little different, but I was pleased to find the recipe, Black Pepper Shrimp, Watermelon and Lime Salad on line. It is a wonderful combination of sweet, hot and salty flavors! It paired very nicely with a Guigal 2007 White Côtes du Rhone.

The main course was a Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Indian Spiced Mushrooms, with Grilled Herbed Potatoes, both from Epicurious.com. We just oven roasted the potatoes, then added the herbs--it was just fine! These were rich, flavorful, full of umami. They paired beautifully with a 2007 Finca Flichman Oak Aged Malbec.

New recipe, May 20, 2011

Tonight's new recipe was a Moroccan Beef Stew from Epicurious.com. It was really delicious!

The wine was the Oak Grove Petite Syrah 2009--the fruitiness of the wine was nice with the raisins in the stew, and the spicey clove flavor lined up nicely with the cinnamon in the stew.

New recipe, May 19, 2011

It was a busy day with a really engaging play at the Curious Theatre, "A Number." So tonight's new recipe is a cocktail, the Amaretto Cranberry Kiss from Epicurious.com. A lovely way to end the evening. Very tasty!

New recipe, May 18, 2011

That is a photo of our guests from France, Cat and Pier, with tonight's dinner. Pier and Cat spent a day and a half with us before heading off on a grand tour of the southwest. Bon voyage!!

For dinner, we repeated an old favorite of ours, Olive Chicken, from Italia Magazine--sorry, no recipe online. The new dish was Cucumber with Mustard Dill Vinaigrette, from Epicurious.com.

The wine was a 2007 Terredora Diapaolo Aglianico, which is always a great match for the citrus and olives.

New recipe, May 17, 2011

Tonight we had Shrimp and Rice with Essential Chopped Tomato and Serrano Salsa, and the new recipe was Sweet and Sour Cucumber Dill Salad, from Epicurious.com. The salad is such a simple recipe--distilled white vinegar, sugar, salt, dill and ground pepper--but it vastly exceeded our expectations. Definite something we will do again!

No wine--we went to see Billy Elliot at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It was great!

New recipes , May 16, 2011

We had a great day today--a 71 mile ride out to Golden and back. The weather was cool but not bad. Needless to say, it left us hungry!

We had Asparagus Gruyere Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce, and a Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Ginger Soy Dressing. The ravioli came from Costco, and we choose the sauce from Orble.com to complement the asparagus, which it did nicely! Carl made up the salad with what he found in the fridge (wish I had that talent like he does!). They worked reasonably well together. The lemon linked the 2 dishes pretty well--the ginger definitely separated them. But it was a very enjoyable meal all together!

The wine was a Crane Lake Pinot Grigio 2009, a nice match with both, especially the ravioli.

New recipes, May 15, 2011

Tonight, Carl made Oven Baked Chicken with Lemon Mustard Arugula Salad, from Bon Appétit. We used thighs instead of breast--wonderful flavors, beautifully moist. We enjoyed it with the 2008 Glass Mountain Chardonnay, which was a very nice match. The oakiness worked nicely with the nuttiness of the parmesan, the butteriness of the wine reflected the butter in the chicken, and the fruitiness balanced the mustard in the dish nicely.

For dessert, I made John Broening's Hazelnut Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies, from the Denver Post. Note to self: don't forget that convection is faster than a conventional oven. I managed to brown these more than I should have, but I can say that even with the browning, the flavors are excellent. I will make them again, and I will remember to watch them in the oven instead of just setting the timer.

New recipe, May 14, 2011

Tonight we attended the annual CPMG Celebration Dinner, my medical group's annual event. It was fun as always. But since they cooked, we are having a cocktail tonight--the Pearl Button, from Epicurious.com. It is very tasty and highlights several things that aren't in every liquor cabinet--Cachaça, a Brazilian spirit made from distilled sugar cane, and Lillet Blanc, a French herbed wine.

New recipes, May 13, 2011

The dinner this evening was meatless--Goat Cheese Tarts with Leeks and Apricot Preserves, courtesy of Terry Boyd in the Christian Science Monitor Food Blog, and a Salad of Butter Lettuce, Watercress, Radishes, Smoked Almonds and Feta, from John Broening's column, Short Order, in the Denver Post. Both of these were excellent, and they complemented each other well.

The wine was a Chateau Peyruchet Bordeaux 2007--it has the acidity of sauvignon blanc, and some oakiness that spoke to the fruity sweetness of the apricots and the nuttiness of the almonds in the salad. An excellent match!

New recipe, May 12, 2011

Tonight we had Pork Tamales and Chicken Tinga Tamales we had made and frozen last year, with Salsa de Jitomate and Chile Pequin, a recipe from Chef Ana Garcia of La Villa Bonita Culinary Vacations. We had them with the Topolo "Caesar" Salad from Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen.

Both were delicious! The wine was a Puerta Bonita G5 Garnacha Reserve 2008. Great with the spicy meal!

New recipe, May 11, 2011

Tonight, Carl made Aztec Chicken, from Epicurious.com. Really a richly flavored dish, served with a simple sliced tomato with Alder smoked salt. Carl left the butter out--we think adding a little back in would have made the sherry vinegar and lime juice flavors a little more balanced, but a great dish nonetheless.

No wine--once again at the theater, this time for Five Course Love at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

New recipe, May 10, 2011

We had dinner this evening with an old friend of Carl's, Steve Kozak. We did the African Adobo Rubbed Tuna Steaks again (too good to pass up!), and the new recipe was a Tomato Sambal, both from Epicurious.com. Yum!

The wine was the 2007 Piere Sauvignon Vie di Roman Sauvignon Blanc. It was nice, and I am thinking a Pinot Grigio might have been even better with the richness and mild sweetness of the dishes.

New recipes, May 9, 2011

Tonight's dinner included a fun recipe from Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen, Chipotle Shrimp. The version of the recipe in the link uses several tablespoons of chopped chipotles in adobo, but in the book, Rick also says you can use Essential Sweet-and-Smoky Chipotle Seasoning Salsa, which gives it a whole new depth and sweetness. It was very spicy, and extremely tasty. I would probably use a little less of the finished salsa for the amount of shrimp next time, but I will make this again! I made up a roasted corn avocado salad to go with it--it was nice and creamy, a good foil to the shrimp. A little more avocado and I could have just called it a guacamole.

The wine, which really complemented the dinner, was a 2007 Finca Flichman Malbec Reserve.

New recipe, May 8, 2011

The new recipe today was a Watermelon Salad with Serrano Vinaigrette from Epicurious.com. We served it with a simple grilled, peppered ribeye steak and a baguette. The salad was a great combination of sweetness, herbs, spiciness, and saltiness--really tasty, and it went nicely with the steak.

The wine was the 2009 Oak Grove Petite Syrah. Nice and fruity, went well with both dishes.

New recipes, May 7, 2011

We made 2 new things tonight. The Spicy Bell Pepper Salad from Epicurious.com is not hot, but is very flavorful. We also had a grilled flank steak quick marinated in Worcestershire sauce with some garlic, serrano pepper and lime zest, served with Rick Bayless' Essential Chopped Tomato-Serrano Salsa, from his Mexican Kitchen. The salsa was great with the steak (a suggestion in the book after the salsa recipe). I am embarrassed to say we had not made this salsa before, but we certainly will again!

Once again no wine, as we had another play to attend--the closing night of Superior Donuts, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. This is one of the best plays we have seen there in years.

New recipe, May 6, 2011

Tonight we had Sauteed Sea Scallops with Curry, another Epicurious offering. That is roti chapati on the side. It was a rich preparation (with cream), but really nice flavors.

Another night without wine, this time so we could get to the fabulous Opera Colorado production of La Cenerentola.

New recipe, May 5, 2011

This evening Carl adapted a recipe from Epicurious.com for Thai Chicken Coconut Soup. We didn't have a wine, as we were heading out to see 9 to 5 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It is a remake of the movie, with a lot more music, and I have to say was pretty entertaining. The soup was delicious as well.

New recipe, May 4, 2011

Carl is almost home!

Tonight I wanted something quick and new, so I winged it. I liked baking a "grilled" cheese sandwich, so this one, on a baguette, had aged cheddar, capocollo, and some Vin Cotto. What is Vin Cotto? It is an unfermented must--ie the concentrated grape juice that could be fermented into something like balsamic vinegar. The sandwich was quite tasty! I had a simple green salad on the side, and the wine was the ever delicious 2009 Infinite Monkey Theorem Petit Sirah.

New recipe, May 3, 2011

Carl gets home tomorrow!

This evening's meal was Lamb with a Bread Salad. I really just made this one up, having some lamb that I wanted to use, and some Foccacia Rolls. The salad had cucumber, celery, tomato, scallions, capers, and from the garden, fresh thyme, parsley and tarragon. The dressing was olive oil, homemade beaujolais vinegar, salt and pepper. It was quite tasty!

What is bread salad? I had not heard of it til the last couple years, but at least in Italy it is a time honored way of using stale bread, with fresh vegetables and a vinaigrette. As I try new versions, I think of it as a chance to have a wonderful fresh salad with LOTS of croutons! It is really satisfying even as a meal, and the herbs and vinaigrette can be tailored to whatever else you are putting in it.

The wine was the same as yesterday (had to finish the bottle!)--2006 Las Rocas Garnacha Viñas Viejas de San Alejandro. The fruitiness worked nicely with the lamb and the saltiness of the capers.

New recipe, May 2, 2011

2 more days til Carl gets home!

This evening I made a Grilled Brie, Prosciutto and Apricot Sandwich, from the Christian Science Monitor Food Blogs. Of course, I had to adjust the recipe a little--different bread, peach instead of apricot preserves, and a different more pungent soft cheese. But it was easy and fabulous! I had it with a mixed green salad with orange bell pepper, mango, avocado and a little smoked paprika.

The wine is a 2006 Las Rocas Garnacha, Viñas Viejas de San Alejandro, which turned out to be a great match with the sandwich.

New recipe, May 1, 2011

3 more days til Carl gets home!

This morning I had brunch with an old friend from medical school, Lainie Friedman Ross. It was nice to see her! We were able to get a table at Rioja, in downtown Denver, where they have a very nice brunch. I enjoyed a Veloute of Spring Ramps (never had ramps, really wanted to try them) and a Duck Confit Hash.

Tonight I made spaghetti with a Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Sauce, from Sally Griffiths' Great Pasta Sauces. The sauce has some shallots, chicken stock and wine, but is mostly melted goat cheese, with prosciutto added at the end. Such a lovely aroma! I agree with the author that it would have been beautiful on green pasta (which I did not have)--the sauce is very white. In appearance it made me think of Chipped Beef, but the flavor was much better than that! It needs to be piping hot, as the cheese starts to solidify again as soon as it cools. I had an arugula salad on the side.

The wine was a 2009 Estancia Pinot Grigio, given to me by my friend and colleague Amber Bisgard. The wine was very nice, but of course I was ignoring all the advice in the world by not pairing the goat cheese with a sauvignon blanc. I still thought they went together very nicely!

New recipe, April 30, 2011

4 more days til Carl gets home!

As you might surmise from the photo, today's new recipe was Dried-Cherry Scones, from Epicurious.com. I did make an ill considered change to the recipe-not having cake flour, I used whole wheat flour. They came out quite heavy and rather dry, not the moist scones the recipe described. So I wouldn't make them again the way that I did, but I would consider trying them again when I have some cake flour at home.