Gorgonzola Grape Truffle
(recipe from WETM-18 Holiday Food & Wine with Heron Hill Winery)
INGREDIENTS
4oz. cream cheese (softened)
6oz. gorgonzola or blue cheese (softened)
1/4 cup Heron Hill Late Harvest Vidal Blanc
1 cup roasted salted, pistachio nuts, ground but not too fine
1 bunch seedless red grapes
DIRECTIONS
Mix the cream cheese and blue cheese together in a mixer or by hand, until softened. Slowly, pour Vidal Blanc into mixture until blended. Chill for 30 minutes or more. Wash grapes and pat dry. Roll cheese mixture around grapes, then coat with ground pistachios. Chill, then arrange on plate and serve at room temp.
Hint: This can be made a couple hours ahead, but do not assemble too early or nuts will get mushy.
Try pairing with Dry Riesling or Late Harvest Vidal Blanc.
Seasoned Beef Crostini with a Horseradish Cream Sauce
(recipe from WETM-18 Holiday Food & Wine with Heron Hill Winery)
1 french baguette, sliced
3/4 # thinly sliced seasoned rare beef
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
4 oz. well drained horseradish
1/4 chopped fresh parsley (save some for garnish)
1 tbsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp. hot sauce (tabasco)
Slice baguette in an angle. (40 slices per baguette)
Mix together sour cream, mayo, horseradish, hot sauce and pepper, then fold in fresh parsley.
Spread horseradish cream sauce on sliced baguette, top with beef. Doll up more cream sauce on top and garnish with fresh parsley.
Try pairing with Semi-Dry Riesling or Eclipse Red.
White Bean Puree with Roasted Garlic
(recipe from Viva Italia! weekend on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail)
INGREDIENTS
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
2 sage leaves
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 385 degrees F.
Remove the loose, papery outer skin from a head of garlic and cut off the top to expose the cloves. Place the garlic on a large square of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of the oil over the top of the cloves. Fold up the sides to make a sealed packet, leaving a little room for the expansion of steam. Place in oven for 35-45 minutes, until garlic is soft.
In the bowl of a food processor, squeeze out the garlic cloves, being careful not to add any of the papery skin, and then add and puree the beans, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the parsley and sage and process to give the puree a consistency that resembles the texture of hummus. If necessary, add additional oil to create a smoother consistency.
We recommend that you enjoy with a glass of Classic Pinot Noir or Classic Muscat.
Chevre Puff Napoleons over Arugula Salad
(by Mike "Ollie" Oliver from Cheese & Wine Lovers Weekend on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail)
Recommended wines:
Classic Semi-Dry Riesling
Classic Semi-Sweet Riesling
INGREDIENTS
5 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup First Light Roasted Garlic Chevre
2 eggs
¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
½ cup sour cream
1 cup fresh arugula, rinsed and drained
¼ cup roasted red peppers, thinly slice
Balsamic vinaigrette
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
While working with the phyllo, make sure that it stays covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Lay a sheet of phyllo on your counter and lightly brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining layers. Slice phyllo stack into 24 rectangles. Transfer to a sprayed baking sheet or muffin pan (if you would prefer a bowl appearance).
Combine chevre, eggs, chives, and sour cream in a mixing bowl and blend well. Transfer to a pastry bag to pipe or spoon into phyllo. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until phyllo is golden brown and filling is hot.
Assemble the salad by placing a hearty pinch of arugula off center on a plate. Top with peppers and drizzle with vinaigrette. Place the cheese puff on the other side.