Category Archives: Cooking with Carol

August 18, 2011 · 10:40 pm

Cooking with Carol #7

 

GRILLED POMEGRANATE RABBIT 

2 3-pound rabbits cut into 1/4s

Olive oil spray

Salt and pepper

Marinade:

1 cup Pom pomegranate juice

½ olive oil

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

  1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a Ziploc style plastic bag.  Add the rabbit pieces, close opening and swish them around to make sure everything is well coated.  Refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.
  2. Prepare the grill and bring to a medium hot flame (about 450 degrees).  Remove rabbit from marinade and pat dry.  Add the marinade to a saucepan and reserve.  Spray rabbit with olive oil and dust with salt and pepper.  Place on grill, cover, and allow to brown.  Turn rabbit over and brown on the other side.  Reduce heat and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil and reduce over high heat until slightly thickened.  Strain.  Remove rabbit and place on a platter and drizzle the sauce over it.

If rabbit is not available, chicken thighs or quail are good substitutions.  Cooking times will vary.

FETTUCINE WITH MELON  

12 ounces fettuccine, cooked with about ½ cup cooking liquid reserved

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons tomato paste

4 cups Tucson style melon, peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch cubes

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (approximately)

Salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne

Grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup loosely packed snipped Prosciutto

  1. Melt butter and olive oil in a sauté pan.  Add shallots and cook over low heat until just softened.  Add cream.  Increase heat until cream comes to a simmer.  Reduce sauce in volume by ¾.  Stir in the tomato paste and then the melon.  Return to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes more.  Taste and correct seasoning with lemon juice and salt and pepper.
  2. Reheat pasta in the reserved cooking liquid and then add to the melon sauce.  Taste and again, correct seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

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April 26, 2011 · 6:51 am

Cooking with Carol #6

LOBSTER ROLLS
Cold lobster on a Hot Bun

2 2-1/4 pound live lobsters, cooked, meat removed to yield a pound chopped
¼ cup celery cut into a ¼ inch dice
¼ cup mayonnaise (approximately)
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
Salt and pepper
Paprika
4 hot dog rolls (New England style if possible)
Butter

1. In a bowl, blend the lobster meat with the celery, mayonnaise and lemon zest.
Gently mix together and add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Open the hot dog buns flat without separating the two halves. Butter very
generously.

3. Heat a griddle or skillet and swirl in a little butter without burning. Lay the buns
cut side down and place a weight on top of them (a heavy pan will do). Cook
until they are just golden.

4. Immediately fill with the lobster meat, dust with a little paprika and serve. The
buns need to be hot and the lobster cold.

GRILLED COFFEE MARINATED PORK TENDERLOIN
With grilled Cantaloupe

½ cup freshly ground coffee beans
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon chipotle hot sauce (Tabasco brand)
1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
Salt and pepper
2 pork tenderloins (about 3 pounds total)

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients except the pork.

Process until almost smooth. Transfer to a plastic resealable bag.

3. Trim excess fat from the tenderloins and remove the silver skin. Add them to the
marinade and reseal bag.

4. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

5. Heat a barbeque grill. Remove pork from marinade and pat dry. Spray them
with Pam. When the grill is hot lay the tenderloins on it spray side down. Cook
turning often until the meat reaches 130 to 135 degrees with a meat thermometer.
Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a salsa of
sweet corn, sugar snaps and chopped tomatoes.

Grilled Cantaloupe
1 whole cantaloupe, rinsed, cut in half, seeded, each half cut into ½ in the thick slices
Honey and cayenne pepper.
1. Grill cantaloupes on 1 side until showing frill marks, about 3 minutes. Remove and
brush with honey and dust with just a little cayenne. Serve with the pork.

SWEET CORN, SUGAR SNAPS AND TOMATO SALSA

3 ears of corn, husked and blanched for 3 minutes
30 sugar snap peas, cut crosswise
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small red onion peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper cut in 1-1/2 inch long matchstick strips
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh oregano chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste

1. Remove the corn from the cob and place in a bowl. Combine the corn with the
peas, tomatoes, red onion and bell pepper and set aside. Can be done up to 8
hours ahead of time. Refrigerate until ready to dress.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a glass jar and shake well to combine.

3. Drain any accumulated liquid from the vegetables and toss with the dressing. Let
stand at room temperature for about an hour before serving. If necessary correct
seasoning before serving.

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February 18, 2011 · 11:56 pm

Cooking with Carol #5

Our Spring 2011 Wine Club shipment features two beautiful wines, 2008 Damaris Reserve Chardonnay and 2009 Spring Hill Pinot Noir.  Both wines are perfect accompaniments to fresh spring ingredients.  The Damaris is a 58% Flocchini Vineyard, 42% Sangiacomo Vineyards blend.  Delicate citrus notes, with a hint of toasty oak.  Only 800 cases produced.  Spring Hill is a new addition to our family, located in the prized Petaluma Gap area of Sonoma Coast .  This Pinot exhibits blackberries and boysenberries on the nose and finishes long with hints of tobacco.   

In this episode of Cooking with Carol, Carol pairs the wines with a couple easy spring dishes.  The Pan-Seared Salmon Salad can be served warm or cold, but please chill the Damaris, :) .  With the Spring Hill, Carol cooked a sheared duck breast with a orange jus.  Enjoy! 

 

PAN- SEARED SALMON SALAD WITH FENNEL WITH A CITRUS DRESSING

6 4-ounce portions skinless, boneless salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper

Olive oil spray

8 ounces baby greens

1 medium bulb fennel trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper

DRESSING

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons tangerine juice

1 teaspoon tangerine zest

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

1/3 cup dried sour cherries

½ cup good quality olive oil

Salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar

  1. Toss the sliced fennel with the lemon juice, salt and pepper and set aside.  Arrange greens on 6 salad plates.
  2. In a glass jar, combine all the dressing ingredients except the salt and pepper and sugar and shake vigorously until well combined.  Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.  Set aside.  This can be done earlier in the day and refrigerated.
  3. Sprinkle the salmon fillets with olive oil and then dust with the thyme, salt and pepper.  Spray a skillet large enough to hold the fillets with olive oil spray and heat pan until hot.   Add salmon and cook over medium- high heat until it has browned on one side and then flip the fillets over and brown the other side.  It should be barely cooked through. 

Lay the fennel over the salad greens and then place a fillet on top of each.  Drizzle the dressing over each plate and serve immediately.

DUCK BREAST WITH ORANGE, SHALLOT AND CAPERS

3 pounds duck breast, skin and fat removed

Salt and pepper

6 tablespoons Wondra instant flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons minced shallots

2/3 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

4 tablespoons capers, drained

  1. Lay breasts skin side up on cutting board.  Angle the knife diagonally to the breast and make vertical slices about 1/3 inch thick.  Arrange the duck breast on a sheet of plastic wrap and lay another sheet on top of them.  Pound slices until about ¼ inch thick.  Remove top plastic wrap and dust with the flour.  Turn them over and dust the other side.  Shake off any excess.
  2. Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet until hot.  (You may need to work in two batches.)  Place the duck in the skillet taking care not to crowd them.  Sauté 60 to 90 seconds or until lightly browned.  Turn and brown other side.  Don’t overcook, they should be served medium-rare.  Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet and keep warm.  If working in batches, add remaining olive oil and cook the rest of them.  Dust them all with salt and pepper.
  3. Remove skillet from heat, add half the butter and then return to high heat and stir in the shallots and cook until softened.  On high heat add the orange zest, zest, vinegar and capers.  Cook, stirring, to include the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet, until the sauce has thickened slightly.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Off heat and stir in the rest of the butter.  Add the duck to the skillet and coat with the sauce on both sides.  Remove to 6 plates and serve. 

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October 27, 2010 · 6:20 pm

Cooking With Carol #4

The upcoming Winter 2010 release features two stellar single vineyard wines, 2008 Lorenzo Chardonnay and 2008 Saltonstall Pinot Noir.  Lorenzo Vineyards has been our marquee chardonnay vineyard for well over a decade.  This beautiful crisp Russian River wine is the closet chardonnay we produce to a true White Burgundy.  The 2008 Lorenzo is paired with a lovely Sea Scallop dish.

Saltonstall is the newest addition to our portfolio.  It is a Sonoma Coast vineyard that sits about 9 miles from the coast.  That is about as close as a vineyard can get and still expect to ripen fruit.  This leads to an extremely complex Pinot Noir, with bright fruit and nice acidity.  Unfortunately, Saltonstall is an extremely small production wine (112 cases), so if you want more, I would get your orders in now.  Saltonstall is paired with Whole Roasted Quail  and Sweet Potatoes Anna.

SCALLOPS WITH SWEET CORN AND EDAMAME

1-1/2 pounds sea scallops

1-1/2 cups dry white wine

4 slices applewood smoked bacon cut into ¼ inch pieces

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

3 tablespoons flour

½ to ¾ cup heavy cream

1 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn

1 cup Edamame (defrosted if frozen)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne or Tabasco sauce

Lemon juice

Toasted bread crumbs or Panko crumbs

  1. Add the wine to a non-reactive sauté pan large enough to hold the scallops in a single layer.  Bring to a simmer and add the scallops.  Return to a simmer and cook them gently until almost cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on their thickness.  Remove and strain scallops, reserving the liquid.
  2. In the same pan, sauté the bacon until it is cooked through, but still chewy.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Pour off all but a tablespoon or two of the bacon fat.  Add the butter to the pan and cook the shallots over low heat until softened but not brown.  Stir in the flour and cook gently for a minute or two, stirring all the while.  Add the reserved scallop cooking liquid, return to a slow boil, stirring to avoid lumps.  Stir in a half cup of cream and continue to cook for several minutes more.  Correct seasoning with salt, pepper, cayenne or Tabasco and lemon juice.
  3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Pam 6 scallop shells or individual gratin dishes.  Distribute the scallops among them and pour the sauce over the scallops.  Dust with the bread crumbs and bake 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned on top and heated through.

ROAST QUAIL FILLED WITH WILD

MUSHROOM DUXELLE

12 whole quail, bone in or semi-boneless

6 tablespoon butter

¼ cup finely chopped shallots

1 cup each finely chopped Chanterelle and Trumpet mushrooms

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons Marsala

Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  450 degrees convection setting is preferred.
  2. In a large frying pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and add the shallots and cook gently to soften.  Increase heat to high and add both of the mushrooms.  Cook, stirring until they have given off their liquid and the pan is dry.  Add the thyme, oregano, parsley and Marsala.  Stir together and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Off heat and when cool enough to handle, fill each quail with a generous tablespoon of the duxelle.
  3. Rub the quail with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, dust with a little salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet and then into the oven.  Roast for about 20 minutes.  The birds should nicely browned.  Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

SWEET POTATOES ANNA

3 to ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled

6 tablespoons sweet butter, melted

8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray completely a 10-inch round pan with cooking spray.
  2. Slice the potatoes into thin slices about 1/8th of an inch thick.  A mandolin works well for this.  Arrange slices of potatoes in overlapping layers on the bottom of the pan.  Drizzle with a little of the butter and then a light dusting of salt, pepper and cheese.  Repeat until all the potatoes are used.  Drizzle a little butter over the top and cover the pan with foil.  Press down firmly on the potatoes.  Can be made ahead and chilled overnight at this point.
  3. Bake in the oven covered for 30 minutes and then uncover and continue to bake until potatoes are brown and crisp on top and edges.  This will take about another 30 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.  Release the potatoes around the edges with a spatula if necessary.  Drain off excess butter and then Unmold onto a serving platter.  Cut into wedges and serve.
  4. While sweet potato skins are edible and delicious, they produce small strings that interfere with its presentation so its best to peel them.  It is also better to try to pick out potatoes that are similar in size if possible as it makes it easier when doing the layer.

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August 26, 2010 · 1:49 am

Cooking with Carol #3

The Fall 2010 wine club release features two beautiful single vineyard wines from Santa Barbara, the 2008 Bien Nacido Chardonnay and the 2008 Solomon Hills Pinot Noir.  To accompany the wines, Carol decided to cook two classic Italian dishes, Polenta with Fresh Corn and Osso Bucco.  Our Winemaker, Eric Stern joins her and adds some important tasting notes.  Both recipes can be found below.

Eric’s Tasting Notes

SOFT POLENTA WITH MASCARPONE TOPPED WITH
WILD MUSHROOMS

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup Chardonnay
1 cup polenta
Salt and pepper
1 cup mascarpone
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Optional:  2 cups for fresh sweet or (or frozen)
Topping:
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
½ ounce each dried morel mushrooms and porcini mushrooms soaked in 2 cups very hot water
for 30 minutes
Salt and pepper
Optional:  truffle oil

Combine the vegetable stock, Chardonnay and polenta in a large saucepan.  Slowly bring to a boil, stirring from time to time.  Reduce heat and simmer slowly, stirring and keep moving it from the bottom and sides of the pan.  Cook until very thick – the spoon will almost stand up in the pan.  This takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
Of heat and stir in the mascarpone, butter and cheese.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Add the optional corn.  Transfer to a serving dish and top with the sautéed mushrooms.
For the topping, heat the olive oil.  Squeeze dry the mushroom and allow to drain on paper towels.  When the oil is hot add the shallots.  Reduce heat and sweat until softened.  Increase heat and add mushrooms.  Cook, stirring, until they are lightly browned.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Garnish the polenta and drizzle with a little optional truffle oil.

OSSO BUCCO

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped carrots
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 large leek (white part only) finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
¾ cup dry white wine
1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup chicken or beef stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 slices veal shanks, weighing about 1 pound each
Flour for dredging
Olive oil spray
Salt and Pepper
GREMOLATA: 4 TBL. chopped parsley, 1 TBL. lemon zest, 2 tsp. orange zest, 1 TBL. finely chopped garlic.  Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

Melt butter in a large casserole and add the onions, carrots, celery, leek and garlic.  Sweat over low heat until soft, but not brown.  Off heat and set aside.
Spray a large frying pan with olive oil spray.  Pat veal shanks dry and dust with flour.  Heat frying pan and when hot, add veal and brown on both sides.  Remove veal to the casserole.  Add wine to the frying and deglaze pan over high heat.  Reduce until there is about 3 tablespoons left.  Add the tomatoes, stock and herbs.  Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper
Cover and place in a PREHEATED 350 degree oven.  Cook for about an hour or until meat is tender, but not falling off the bone.  When the veal is ready, transfer it to a warmed serving platter.  Taste sauce and reduce if necessary and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over veal and garnish with Gemolata.

This is a wonderful dish for entertaining.  It be completely cooked several days ahead and just garnished with the Gemolata just before serving.

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April 21, 2010 · 1:13 am

Cooking with Carol #2

With a little more experience and some good feedback, we recently completed Episode #2 of Cooking with Carol.  For those who missed Episode #1,  Cooking with Carol is a new program that pairs Chef Carol Mason’s signature dishes with wines from our Heritage Wine Society releases.  

Since this is our Summer release, Carol designed a light menu that focuses on fresh produce.  The menu requires little cooking, but it is big on flavor.  The watermelon salad sparkles in your mouth.  The Grilled Tri Trip masterfully combines it’s smokey character with the bright flavors of the Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Relish.

Paired with the Watermelon Salad is the 2008 Rodger’s Creek Chardonnay.  Rodger’s Creek is a new single vineyard bottling for us.  The wine shows a beautiful golden yellow color with distinctive honey and pear fruit expression.  The Tri-Tip is paired with the 2008 Steel Plow Syrah.  This syrah has wonderful floral notes that are balanced by hints of spicey cracked pepper.  These wines have a limited production and won’t be released to the general public for months.  However, as a member or our Heritage Wine Society you will have access May 4th.

To download the recipes, click here.  To learn more about our Heritage Wine Society, please visit our website.

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March 28, 2010 · 12:15 am

Cooking With Carol

This Spring we launched a new program that is close to my heart, Cooking with Carol.  Carol Mason is a dear friend of mine whom I’ve known for many years.  Carol is a classically trained chef, who studied at the Cordon Bleu in London.  I met her when she was running her own catering and cooking school in Washington DC.  Fresh out of college, I wasn’t able to afford her classes, but I offered to wash dishes as payment.  Carol agreed and we quickly became friends.  Carol has since moved to Santa Rosa, and I’m fortunate to have her cook for us here at Landmark.

A few years back, I asked Carol if she would like to provide recipes for our wine club releases.  Our releases follow the four seasons and Carol has done a masterful job of not only providing the perfect pairing, but also keeping it seasonal.  Cooking with Carol is taking what we have done for years, and putting it on video so everyone can enjoy.

Our first episode was filmed for our Spring ’10 wine club release.  Unscripted and with only one take, we completed the shoot one sunny morning in early March.  The final product is a little rough around the edges, but being that it was our first attempt, I’m quite satisfied.  We know what we need to work on for the second installment, and we are excited to share the first one with you.  Please let us know what you think.

Cheers,

Mary Colhoun, Propreitor

 

The 2008 Overlook Chardonnay was paired with a Pea Soup with Leeks & Herbs

 

The 2008 Kanzler Pinot Noir was paired with Lamb Chops with Mint Chutney & Barbeque sauce

 

 

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