Sunday, the 25th of October, I will be at Miraflores Winery doing a food and wine pairing............here are the recipes and the wine pairings for this event.

Butternut Squash Soup with Chorizo and Dried Fruit Salsa

Ingredients:1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves 

1 lb. chorizo, chopped

virgin olive oil

 1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoons red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock 

3 lbs of roasted butternut squash (you can also use frozen) 

1 lb of roasted sweet potatoes,

chopped1 chipotle chili,  chopped

 Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 ¾ cup of heavy cream

I like to start with a rondo, heating the oil then adding the onion and garlic cooking it until it becomes somewhat translucent. I then add the thyme, chorizo, cumin, paprika, chili flakes,  chipotle, and slowly simmer in the olive oil in a covered pan for 8-10 minutes, stirring every so often. Add about 1 cup of the stock, and continue to simmer for an additional 8 – 10 mins. Continuing to stir the mixture. Add the rest of the stock and the squash, and sweet potatoes and adjust heat to low, cover and continue to cook for an additional 45 mins, checking and stirring as needed. With an emersion blender on low, begin to blend the mixture. You may want to do this repeatedly over a period of about 5 mins until all the ingredients are completely smooth. Add the heavy cream and mix. Simmer for a few more minutes and serve. You can garnish with sour cream, tabasco, or cilantro. 

Dried Fruit Salsa

5 oz each or dried apricots, dried pineapple, golden raisins and pears

8 oz cilantro

2 tablespoons of salsa

Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until mixed well but not over processed.

Paired with Muscat Canelli

Seared Scallops over Vegetable "Pasta" and Beurre Blanc

Ingredients:

6 – 8 large scallops

1 zucchini squash,

2 yellow squash,

1 red pepper,

1 yellow pepper

2 large shallots

1 stick of unsweetened butter

1 lemon

2/3 cup of white wine

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt to taste

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

Mode:

I think the most important thing about this dish would be to make sure your scallops are very dry before you cook them and,  that the beurre blanc is a little tricky…….but worth the effort.Finely chop the shallots, and place in clean dry sauté pan. Over a medium heat, add the white wine, sugar, and juice from the lemon.  Stir the mix to incorporate all the ingredients and let stand until all moisture is absorbed into the chopped shallots. Pull pan and put aside to cool.Take all the vegetable and slice them lengthways, then take the individual slices and “julienne” them and place them in a bowl of cold salted water.After the shallots are cooled and liquid absorbed, take the butter and cut into small cubes, place the pan back on medium low heat, melt the butter one cube at a time, constantly whisking well. When all of the butter is melted…….ad mixture to a blender with the heavy whipping cream and pulse a couple of times but do mot pulverize.In a pre heated stock pot of salted  water lower the vegetables and blanch and then drain. Take the scallops and place them into a hot skillet with a few drops of olive oil, sear on both sides about 1 and a half mins, possibly 2 depending on size. Place vegetables in individual serving bowls or plates, scallop in the center and drizzle with sauce.

Paired with Pinot Grigio  

Baby rack of Lamb with Fruited Cous Cous and Balsamic Syrup

Ingredients:

2 racks of Baby Lamb, (about 8 pieces per rack)

1 ½ cup of cous cous

2 ¾ cups of water

1/3 cup of each: dried cranberries, raisins, mango, sundried tomatoes, and apricots

1 tablespoon cumin

Chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup of sugar

1 1/2 cube of butter

 ½ cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste.

Mode:

For the Lamb:Take the lamb and trim off excess fat, and clean the bones. Rub with a little olive oil, sprinkle with the cumin, paprika, rosemary and salt and pepper. Allow to marinated overnight in a covered dish or baking pan in the refrigerator. Roast in a pre heated 400 degree oven for about  20 mins. For the last minuet turn oven to broil, but watch the lamb as the fat is flammable. 

For the Cous Cous: In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add salt and butter stir. Add couscous and remove from heat, cover  and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.

Couscous should be light and fluffy, not gummy. Be sure to allow the couscous to absorb the water.For the Balsamic Syrup: Over medium high heat, bring to a boil 1 cup of the balsamic and ¾ cup of sugar. After mixture come to a boil, lower heat reducing to a syrup.

Paired with Syrah Methode Ancienne

Tenderloin of Beef / Gorgonzola Potatoes & Red Pepper Coulis

Ingredients:

16 oz tenderloin of beef, trimmed

½ cup of balsamic vinegar

½ cup olive oil

2 – 3 sprigs of rosemary

2 lbs of small yukon gold or red potatoes

2 cubes of butter

¾ - 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

½ - ¾ cup of gorgonzola (crumbled)

5- 6 red peppers

4 oz of cream cheese

Salt to tasteFor the beef

Mode:

Sear the cleaned loin in pre heated fry pan with olive oil and about 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Place in baking dish with the rest of the balsamic, olive oil, rosemary about about ½ cube of butterBake at 325 for approx 20 mins or until you register 110 – 120 on your meat thermometer, allow to rest

For the potatoes:

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until the potatoes literally start to fall apart, drain and add to mixing bowl. Add the butter, gorgonzola and the cream and mash or “smash” with a potato masher.

For the Red pepper coulis:]Roast the red peppers at 325 until the peppers are very soft…….clean and place in mixer or food processor, add cream cheese, and about 1/3 cube of butter, blend well and stain through strainer. 

Paired with 2007 Meritage ( Cabernet ) 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with, Poached Pears and Orange Coulis

Ingredients:

12 ounces French bread or baguettes, torn into small pieces, about 5 cups

 2 ½ cups half-and-half, or half milk and half cream

4 large eggs

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

 2/3 cup brown sugar

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree  

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mode:

Pre heat oven to 350 and place the pieces of bread in the baking dish, bake the bread pieces about 15 mins or until nicely brown and crisp. Allow to cool in another bowl, combine eggs, sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, spices, and vanilla; blend well. Pour pumpkin mixture directly over the bread into the baking dish and allow the bread to absorb the mixture but do not let it get to “soaked” and soggy. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until set. Serve with a vanilla cream ice cream and poached pears. Serves 8.

Paired with "Princesa"