Serves 6 (by all means, double this recipe!)

2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1½ lbs lean ground beef (when I double it, I use 2 1/2 lbs and that is still very meaty)
1 T plus 1½ tsp chili powder
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp smoked Spanish paprika
½ tsp to 1½ tsp cayenne pepper
about 1 tsp salt
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup beer (don’t cook with beer you wouldn’t drink – that’s true with beer too, right?   I like a nice amber)
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 can (14.5 oz) pinto or kidney beans, drained (when I double it, I add 3 cans of beans – it goes further and is still very meaty)
sour cream, sliced green onions and grated cheese for topping

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon, stirring until it just begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add onion, lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, 4-7 minutes. Uncover pan, stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute.Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef; break it up with a spoon and stir gently until browned, 6-8 minutes. Stir in spices and 1 tsp of salt and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially and cook 30 minutes.

Add beans and cook 10 minutes, uncovered. Season to taste.

Based on a recipe from Sunset Magazine.

6 servings

1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salt

1 bag spinach

6-8 ounces farfalle pasta

1 26-ounce jar marinara sauce

2 cups water

½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Ground black pepper

¾ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup minced fresh basil

Brown meat in a 12-inch skillet over high heat, breaking into pieces with spoon.  Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt.  Add spinach and stir until wilted.  Add noodles, marinara sauce and water.  Cover and cook, stirring often and maintaining vigorous simmer until noodles are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add a couple of tablespoons water if necessary.

Off heat, stir in half of mozzarella and half of parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Dot heaping tablespoons of ricotta over noodles, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.  Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melt, 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle with basil before serving.

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 ½ tsp. grated onion

8 T mayonnaise

2 T chopped chives

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

4 T parmesan cheese

1 loaf white bread*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine first six ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut bread into rounds using a jigger or aperitif glass (these crimp the edges better than a biscuit cutter will). Mound a teaspoon of cheese mixture on each bread round and spread evenly. Arrange on baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm. Makes approximately 60.  Recipe can easily be halved and freezes very well.

* good ‘ole gummy, American white bread works best.

Boeuf D’Oregon

Serves 8-10

This is our family’s twist on a classic French dish, Boeuf Bourguignon.  Since we make Oregon Pinot Noir, and also import wines from 15 small producers in Burgundy, this dish represents the sum of our passion for pinot, on both sides of the pond!  The preparation could not be simpler, and the results are instant comfort for a hungry crew.

4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup olive oil

3 large yellow onions, sliced ¼-inch thick

1 pound white mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup tomato paste

1 cup Pinot Noir (or more)

2 cups baby carrots

Season meat generously with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Brown the meat on all sides, in batches, remove meat and set meat aside.  Add the onions to the pot and sauté, stirring frequently until they soften, about 10 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, cover the pot, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Return meat to pot, scooping sautéed mushrooms and onions on top of meat.  Add the Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup wine.  Cover pot and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.  Add the tomato paste, ½ cup of wine and carrots, and continue to cook, covered, for another 30 minutes or until fork-tender, checking occasionally to see if more liquid is required.  Serve over rice or polenta.

Dijon Mustard & Panko Oven-Fried Chicken (adapted from Gourmet Magazine)

(1/29/09 – I’m adding a note here having made an adjustment to this recipe last night that we all liked better.  I used skinless, boneless chicken thighs and cut them through so they could lie flat and followed the same preparation.  Delicious, “grown-up” chicken tenders!)

Serves 4

Easy, with delicious results.  We like this with our 06 La Paulée.

¾ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

¾ cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese like Pecorino

¾ teaspoons cayenne

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 chicken legs (with thigh)

½ cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in upper third, and butter a 4 sided baking sheet and set aside.  In a pie plate or shallow dish, mix together bread crumbs, cheese and cayenne, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Drizzle with butter and toss.  Pat the chicken dry and put into a sturdy freezer bag with the mustard and seal.  Gently squish the bag in your hands until the mustard evenly coats the chicken.  Dredge each piece of chicken in the breadcrumbs, place on the baking sheet and roast until browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes.  Serve warm or room temperature.

This is a nice summer side-dish that tastes bright and fresh.  The recipe is tweaked from one from Food & Wine Magazine.

4-6 as side dish

1 cup Arborio rice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/3 cup oil-cured pitted black olives, roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add rice, simmer until tender, about 14 minutes and drain well.  In a bowl, gently stir rice with all remaining ingredients and serve warm or room temperature.

This recipe is merely an idea, since the vehicle, the puff pastry, invites innovation.  Sprinkling the cheese first, and then the vegetables, keeps the pastry from getting soggy.  Serve with a salad for lunch or dinner, or make smaller tarts for a first course or appetizer.

Serves 4

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half a 17.3 oz package), thawed

Assorted vegetables, sautéed in olive oil, with salt and pepper.  (I sautéed separately a big handful of rainbow chard, 1/2 pound wild mushrooms, one small yellow squash)

3 oz pecorino Romano cheese, shredded coarsely

Chives or another herb for sprinkling on top 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On lightly floured surface, roll pastry into 11 inch square and cut into 4 equal squares.  Use a paring knife to lightly score (don’t cut through) a ¾ inch border.  With a fork, prick the dough inside the border.  Place squares on a baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then bake until golden, for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle about ½ cup of the cheese on the bottoms of the baked squares.   Divide sautéed vegetables between squares and top with remaining cheese.  Bake 6-8 minutes.  Sprinkle with chives and serve.  

One can certainly debate whether this is “Pinot-friendly” or not – but we had to put it in here anyway, these are just too good! We’re big fans of Oregon’s own Dagoba Chocolate – they’re completely organic, and the chocolate is absolutely fabulous. These are hands-down the best brownies we’ve ever tried, and are second only to Martha’s famous “House Chocolate Cake” as best dessert ever. The original recipe calls for Dagoba’s “Xocolatl” chocolate – which is infused withchiles and spices for some mild heat. We also love ‘em with Dogoba’s “New Moon” 74% Dark chocolate, or their Lavender infused chocolate. The choice is yours – it works just as beautifully any way you want to go.

Generous 1/3 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar

2 1/2 bars of Dagoba Chocolate (flavor of your choice – 5 oz total)

2 eggs

1 teaspon vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Dagoba Organic Cacoa Powder or other unsweetend cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper.

Place butter, sugars, and chocolate in a heavy pan and heat gently, stirring until the mixture is melted, well-blended and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.

Beat together the eggs and vanilla. Whisk into the cooled chocolate mixture.

Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder, and fold carefully into the egg and chocolate mixture using a metal spoon or spatula.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes – until the top is crisp and the edges are beginning to pull away from the pan. The center will still be soft to the touch.

Let cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares and serve – add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired!

The recipe begins with a basic amatriciana pasta sauce from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine.  (You might want to make the sauce again and again, like we do, for pasta, without the shrimp, and toss it with a pound of linguine and 1/3 cup of Pecorino cheese). I added top-quality boiled shrimp from Newman’s Seafood, and served it over garlicky cheese grits.  Shrimp Amatriciana would be terrific over rice, or rice cooked with thinly sliced kale, or over cheddar mashed potatoes, or pasta.  Or in an omelette?  Garlicky grits are great all by themselves, or with ham.  Lots of delicious options!

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces pancetta, cut into inch by half-inch pieces or so (I like the housemade pancetta from Viande Meats at City Market. You can substitute bacon)

1 medium onion, chopped fine

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 ½ cups canned diced tomatoes with juice

Salt

Boiled, seasoned and peeled shrimp, 3-5 per person, depending on size of shrimp and size of appetites

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add pancetta and cook until browned and crispy.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and set aside.  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from skillet.  Add onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes and cook to release flavor, about 30 seconds.  Stir in tomatoes and salt to taste.  Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.  When ready to serve, add pancetta and shrimp to sauce, adjust seasonings and heat through.

For Grits:

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup old-fashioned grits

4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Kosher salt and pepper

In medium pot, bring broth to a boil, and add garlic and grits, stirring.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, until tender, 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese, butter and cream.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Here in Oregon we’re priveleged to have access to an amazing array of wild mushroooms and truffles. This dish brings out the best in the morels and the Pinot. You can use rabbit or chicken in this one – the chicken will of course be fattier – so take care to skim the sauce carefully. Chicken will also cook a little faster. You can make this ahead (a couple of days at most) and reheat …

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 3-4 lb chicken or 1 2-3 lb rabbit, cut into serving pieces (or 4 pounds chicken thighs and legs)

salt & freshly ground pepper

4 shallots – peeled & quartered

2 carrots – peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 oz fresh morel mushrooms – rinsed well

1 sprig fresh thyme

2/3 cup dry white wine

2 cups stock (rabbit or chicken – low-sodium if using canned chicken stock)

1/2 lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the oil in a casserole or deep skillet – medium high for a minute or so.

Add the garlic and brown for about 3 minutes, transfer to a plate, Add the rabbit (or chicken, skin-side down) Season with salt & pepper and brown well on all sides, in batches if needed.

Transfer rabbit or chicken to a plate, pour off fat, reduce heat to medium-low. Add carrots and shallots and cook for about 10 minutes, until they’re soft and beginning ot brown. Then add the morels and the thyme and cook for another minute or two, and then return the rabbit/chicken and garlic to the pan.

Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine and simmer until wine has reduced by at least half. Scrape up any browned bits and dissolve them into the wine.

Add the stock, set heat so the liquid is just simmering, and cover the pot. Cut until meat is cooked thru and tender 20-30 minutes.

Remove the meat and keep it warm. Spoon off any grease in the liquid. Increase heat and simmer until it reduces in half. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, swirl in 1 tablespoon butter, and adjust salt & pepper as needed. Return the meat to the pot, simmer to heat through and serve.

Serves 4