12 ounces spaghetti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
One 2-ounce can flat anchovies, drained and chopped
Pinch of Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large egg yolks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil with the garlic and anchovies and cook over moderately high heat until the anchovies have dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, zest, oregano and parsley, then add the pasta and toss to coat. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, whisk the yolks with the reserved cooking water and add to the pasta. Cook over low heat, tossing until the pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Use any chocolate cake mix and follow the basic directions but replace the required amount of water with D.H. Lesombes Imperial Kir. Pour batter into a well-greased bunt pan and bake at temperature specified on the box. Allow cake to cool completely before removing from the bunt pan. Once you remove the cake and the glaze has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Imperial Kir Raspberry Glaze
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup D.H Lescombes Imperial Kir
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Glaze Directions
Combine the butter, Imperial Kir, and confectioners’ sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool.
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups red pasta sauce, such as portobello mushroom or garden vegetable
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
6 ounces goat cheese or shredded mozarella cheese (1-1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon St Clair Cabernet Sauvignon
¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup roasted red peppers, drained well and cut into strip
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/3 cup of the sauce in the dish. Top with 2 lasagna noodles. In a small bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the goat cheese, and the St Clair Cabernet Sauvignon. Spoon half the mixture over the noodles in the dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with half the red pepper strips. Spoon half the remaining sauce on the pepper layer.
Top with 2 more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and remaining peppers. Add 2 more noodles and the remaining sauce. Dot top with remaining goat cheese and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
Cover with foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Let stand, covered, on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings
For the meatballs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup fine dried breadcrumbs
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1 teaspoon chunky kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
3/4 cups finely diced or grated yellow onion
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
Olive oil
For the sauce
1 small yellow onion
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups DH Lescombes Syrah
1 cup beef or chicken broth
32-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
One 4-inch long sprig fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Veal Meatballs
Pour the milk over the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Stir them together and set them aside for at least 10 minutes for the crumbs to soften.
Mix the pork, beef, and veal together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then add the smoked paprika and cayenne. Stir in the chopped parsley, sage, onion, garlic, and Parmesan. Mix with your hands until these are very thoroughly distributed through the meat.
Stir in the breadcrumbs and milk, as well as the eggs, and mix thoroughly.
Shape and cook the meatballs immediately, or refrigerate the meat for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze the meat (in one big lump or as shaped meatballs) in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Red Wine Sauce
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat a large, deep sauté pan over medium high heat. (It should be large enough to hold the sauce ingredients, as well as most of the meat.) Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until very soft — about 10 minutes, turning the heat down if necessary.
Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a minute or two, stirring until well-incorporated. Pour in the wine and broth and bring to a simmer, then add the tomatoes, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Place the rosemary sprig on top, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 to 60 minutes, covered. When the sauce has developed a deep, rich flavor, turn off the heat and puree with an immersion blender (or in a standing blender) until smooth.
To Cook the Meatballs
Shape the meatballs into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the raw meatballs into the pan of tomato sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover the pan. Cook over low heat for at least 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through and no longer pink inside.
This makes for a very smooth, very tender meatball. If you want a little bit of crispiness to the meatballs in sauce, you can sear them or broil them briefly and then finish cooking them in the sauce.
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
4 beef tenderloin steaks or 2 beef top loin steaks, cut 1 inch thick (1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ cup brandy or beef broth
¼ cup beef broth
½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
Directions
Use your fingers to press the pepper onto both sides of the steaks. If using top loin steaks, cut each steak in half crosswise. In a large skillet cook steaks in hot butter over medium heat to desired doneness, turning once. For tenderloin steaks, allow 10 to 13 minutes for medium rare(145 degrees F) to medium (160 degrees F). For top loin steaks, allow 12 to 15 minutes for medium rare to medium. Transfer steaks to a serving platter, reserving the drippings in the skillet. Keep warm. Remove skillet from burner and allow to stand 1 minute.
For sauce, combine brandy and beef broth (or all beef broth); carefully stir into drippings in skillet, scraping up crusty browned bits. Stir in whipping cream and mustard. Bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, stirring occasionally. Spoon sauce over steaks to serve.
Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over both sides of each steak, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steaks in hot pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add balsamic vinegar and red wine. Cover, and cook for 4 minutes on each side, basting with sauce when you turn the meat over.
Remove steaks to two warmed plates, spoon one tablespoon of glaze over each, and serve immediately. Pair with DH Lescombes Cabernet Sauvignon
Ingredients
1 cooked, bone-in half ham (about 7 to 8 lbs.)
15 whole cloves
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°. Cut off the tough, leatherlike skin from ham (if it has it; some hams will not), and score the fat in a crosshatch pattern. Stud ham all over with cloves, put in a large roasting pan, and loosely tent with foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part (not touching the bone) registers 135°, about 20 minutes per lb. or 2 to 2 1/2 hours total, basting occasionally with any accumulated juices.
While ham is baking, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, and mustard. Whisk until smooth. When ham has about 40 minutes left to bake (internal temperature will be 120° to 125°), brush generously on all sides with glaze. Continue baking until ham reaches 135° and glaze is well browned.
As you may have noticed, we love chocolate, and the way our Hatch Red Chile wine pairs so well with it makes it only natural to use in our traditional Molé recipe. Perfect for serving with chicken, pork, or in enchiladas.
INGREDIENTS
• 5 Dried Pasilla or Ancho Chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 6 inch Corn Tortillas, or handful of regular corn tortilla chips
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 Medium Onions, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1-3/4 c Hatch Red Chile Wine
• 3 tbsp Chicken Bullion
• 1 3.1oz Mexican Chocolate Disc (such as Ibarra, Abuelita or Taza)
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper
PREPARATION
Rehydrate dried chiles by soaking them in 1-1/2 cups hot water for 15 minutes and drain and set aside.
Toast corn tortillas in a dry skillet until dry, crisp and golden.
Heat oil in the same skillet over medium heat.
Add onions, season with salt and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes, then transfer into a blender along with the chiles, tortillas, peanut butter and oregano.
Mix the chicken bullion and Hatch Red Chile Wine and add to blender and blend with other ingredients until very smooth.
Transfer sauce into a medium saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and once melted, season as desired with salt and pepper.
Use this sauce with shredded or quartered chicken, pork loin, or in enchiladas.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and don’t forget the Hatch Red Chile Wine!
It’s that time of the year again, when we remember what we’re thankful for. Here at GAYOT, we are most certainly thankful for great American wine. Our Top 10 Thanksgiving Wines hail from eight states — California to Colorado, New Mexico to New York — and come in a variety of styles. These exceptional wines showcase both the diversity of the American wine-growing culture and the impressive offerings that can be found the nation over. Best of all, the wines we have selected all pair wonderfully with different parts of the Thanksgiving meal. So give yourself a little more room on your belt and get ready to find the perfect bottle for everyone’s favorite November holiday.
SWEET
St. Clair Winery NV Gewürztraminer
New Mexico
St. Clair winery is now operated by the sixth generation of French winemakers who originally ran Domaine de Perignon in Burgundy. The family began planting in New Mexico in 1981, and the winery has continued to grow ever since. The bouquet of their non-vintage Gewürztraminer displays aromas of lemon, honey and floral notes, with a sweet palate full of cinnamon, pear melon and more honey. It is the perfect companion to Thanksgiving dessert, with its flavors helping to bolster pumpkin pie or ambrosia salad.
LAS CRUCES SUN-NEWS >> It was in 1629 when a pair of monks first planted vines in New Mexico to tease out the sweet nectar and produce wine in what was then a simple, Spanish colony. The men of the cloth started the first vineyard in North America and marked the Land of Enchantment as the first wine-growing region in the new world.
The first grapevines planted in what is now the state of New Mexico were brought to Senecu, a Piro Indian pueblo south of Socorro, by Fray Gracia de Zuniga, a Franciscan, and Antonio de Arteaga, a Capuchin monk. San Antonio de Padua Mission, at Senecu, was located on the east bank of the Rio Grande, slightly north of the present small village of San Antonio. The cuttings brought by the missionaries were a variety of Vitis vinifera, commonly called the “mission grape.” This variety is still grown in New Mexico today. Historians think it is a European variety from Spain, called Monica.
By comparison, St. Clair Winery may seem to be a newcomer, boasting a mere 30 years trimming the vines, pressing the grapes and waiting, patiently, for the fruit to ferment to make a statewide staple.
But don’t, for a heady moment, think the New Mexico vineyard, winery and bistros that comprise the St. Clair brand haven’t made the most of toasting one of the state’s signature agricultural crops and one of our favorite refreshments.
“We are passionate about growing grapes in New Mexico,” said Hervé Lescombes, the owner and patriarch of the winemaking family that traces it’s roots in the business back many generations. “We feel that the citizens of New Mexico are one of the reasons for our success and we want to give back to them. The way we celebrate with our family is with great food and wine — we want to share that with our customers and guests.”
Carlos Javier Sanchez Sun-News Molly Martin interacts with a costumer at St. Clair Winery in Las Cruces on Tuesday, November 11, 2014.
The senior Lescombes is the fifth generation winemaker of the Lescombes family. His grandparents, originally from Prussia, immigrated to Algeria in 1846 and made a living by operating vineyards and making wine to sell to France. Hervé and his brother followed the family tradition and became grape farmers in Burgundy, France in 1962. It was there where he met his wife, Danielle, had three children and built a successful vineyard and winery business.
He saw great opportunity in southwest New Mexico, and made the area his family’s home. The climate and terrain is similar to that of his native Algeria. In 1981, Hervé began his venture with a small vineyard that produced the harvest that would eventually be crafted into his first New Mexico vintage in 1984. The small operation soon expanded and grew to become the largest winery in New Mexico. Winemaking duties have since been turned over to Hervé’s son Florent Lescombes, who oversees the winery operations, while his oldest son, Emmanuel Lescombes, manages the vineyard.
“New Mexicans have been talking to us for years about our wine,” Florent Lescombes said. “We do our best to listen, give them what they want and in turn we make better wine and have become a better business. It’s time for us to appreciate them.”
“Cheers to another 30 years,” added Emmanuel Lescombes.
The label now boasts several locations in addition to the Las Cruces bistro at 1720 Avenida de Mesilla. The first Las Cruces bistro opened in 2007 before moving to the current location in 2012. The Albuquerque bistro opened in 2005 and another in Farmington opened in 2009. They join the original vineyard in Lordsburg and the winery and tasting room in Deming.
Squeezing the nectar from the grape was not always easy in the Land of Enchantment.
The Rio Grande and the weather were formidable adversaries of the early New Mexico vineyards. By the turn of the century, the Rio Grande had deposited enough sediment along its bed to elevate the channel above the surrounding terrain. Floods occurred frequently and the groundwater reached the surface of the soil, converting once fertile land into a swamp. Grapevines developed root-rot, and alkaline deposits coated the vines, lowering yields.
From a high of almost a million gallons a year, wine production fell to 296,000 gallons in 1890, 34,208 in 1900, and 1,684 in 1910.
The rebirth of the New Mexico wine industry began in 1978, said St. Clair spokeswoman Lori Paulson. New Mexico now has 42 wineries and tasting rooms, producing almost 700,000 gallons of wine a year. The state’s wine industry is once again well established.
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, St. Clair has bottled a commemorative wine called La Clairette. It is a throwback to one of the winery’s first bottles that was released at the grand opening.
They are also offering rewards for shoppers who purchase St. Clair at any one of the many statewide retailers.
Carlos Javier Sanchez Sun-News Sheila Robinson takes a food order from a costumer at St. Clair Winery in Las Cruces on Tuesday, November 11, 2014.
And, through the month of November, the winery will be offering one-day offers on their Facebook pages and website, with 30 percent discounts on specially selected items, treats from St Clair Winery & Bistro, and other surprises.
Times have changed since the first issue of Las Cruces’ first newspaper, the Rio Grande Republican — now the Las Cruces Sun-News — which reported in May 1881: “The Mesilla Valley grape has no equal in the world and wine growing is the principle industry of the people. It seems unreasonable, but it is nevertheless true that every five acres of land in this whole valley, if put into grapes, is capable of supporting handsomely a family of five persons. The product is already famous under the name of El Paso or “native” wine. The population of Las Cruces was about 2,000 then, augmented by about a hundred families in Mesilla and Mesilla Park. The largest cash crop in the Mesilla Valley was grapes. Wells Fargo carried almost a half-million baskets of grapes at $10 each in 1894 with two hundred casks of wine per week.”
The quantity may have changed, but the quality remains and, like any fine bottle, grows better with age.
You must be logged in to post a comment.