Here is a selection of recipes from Iron Horse Chef Ruben Gomez

This is a soup that I made for our last event. I called it bisque before the event; but then made some changes the day of the event and left the rice out to thicken the soup. By using fresh roasted pumpkin the soup had great texture without the rice. I then finished the soup with coconut milk instead of heavy cream to keep the finish light and silky.

Roast Pumpkin Soup

3 qt chicken stock

1 cup yellow onion

3 cups roast pumpkin (run through a food mill)

1 each bell pepper

1 each Anaheim chile

2 each Serrano chile

3 Tbsp garlic

2-3 Tbsp ginger

2 Tbsp curry powder

½ tsp cumin seed

3 each clove

1/3 tsp fennel seed

½  tsp cinnamon

1½ Tbsp dill chopped fresh

2 Tbsp cilantro chopped fresh stems and leaves

1 Tbsp marjoram chopped fresh

2 tsp thyme chopped fresh

2 cups coconut milk

2-4 Tbsp honey

Salt and Pepper to taste

              To roast the pumpkin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and cut the pumpkin into large hand size chunks and remove the seeds. Place the pumpkin chunks into a large baking pan and coat with about two tablespoons of oil, season well with salt and pepper. Roast off the pumpkin for about 15-20 minutes. You will want the chunks to brown and the pumpkin to be soft enough to penetrate easily with a fork. Remove the pumpkin when proper doneness is achieved and allow to cool. Once the pumpkin has cooled take a pairing knife and peel the skin from the pumpkin. Pass the cooked pumpkin through a food mill and you will end up with pumpkin paste which you can use for this recipe, pies or even add to risotto, or potatoes. If you don’t have a food mill you can mash the pumpkin with a potato masher or flake it out with a fork. I also will on occasion put the chunks in a bowl and mash the pumpkin by hand which creates a wonderful texture.

              Place the clove, cinnamon, cumin in a spice mill and grind them until they are a fine powder. Place the onions and chile peppers in a food processor and pulse to chop into small chowder size pieces. Place the onions and peppers in a large soup pot with a small amount of oil. Sauté the vegetables over medium high flame stirring with a wooden spoon to slightly brown the vegetables. Place the ginger and garlic in the food processor, and mince them and place them in your soup pot. Sweat the garlic and the ginger with the vegetables and then add the curry powder and the ground spices. Pour the chicken stock into the soup and bring to a boil. Once the soup has begun to boil, add the pumpkin, the fresh herbs, and the coconut milk. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and some of the honey. Taste the soup and season again if necessary with the salt, pepper and the honey. Allow the soup to simmer for an hour over a low to medium flame. The soup should thicken slightly while the pumpkin cooks. Season again if necessary and serve .

Thanksgiving  Oyster Stuffing

½ cup bacon, cut into small dice

½ cup shallot, minced

½ cup fennel, minced

½ cup celery, minced

1 cup green onions, minced

3 Tbsp garlic, minced

1½ cup mushroom, cut into small dice (boletes or chanterelle, if available)

2 Tbsp flour

1/3 cup sherry

½ cup heavy cream

1½ Tbsp thyme, chopped, fresh

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 qts cornbread, cut into chunks

2-3 cups oysters, shucked, juice reserved

1 cup shrimp, cooked, cut small dice

3 each eggs, beaten well

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large heavy bottomed pot, sauté the bacon until crispy and rendered. Place the mushrooms in the pot, and sauté until golden brown. Place the shallot, green onion, fennel, and celery in the pot and sauté until slightly browned. Drizzle the flour into the pot, stirring and coating the vegetables with the flour not allowing them to burn or stick to the bottom of the pot. Mix in the oysters with juice, the shrimp, the cream, and the sherry, stir well until incorporated.  Now add the Worcestershire, cayenne, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice, as well as salt and pepper to season. The stuffing mix should be slightly salty. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for about ten minutes until the flour is cooked through with no lumps. Remove the pot from the heat and blend in the eggs and then the cornbread. Stir from the bottom of the pot to coat the cornbread well. Transfer the stuffing to a baking pan and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees. Serve hot.

Pair with 2005 Ocean Reserve

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

No-bake Oat Bars

Makes 20 - 24 bars

Adapted from The Cookie Bible

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Grease an 8- by 8-inch baking dish using the butter wrappers. Add vanilla and brown sugar to melted butter and stir until well combined. Stir in oats and cook 2 to 3 minutes until completely combined. Press half of oats evenly into baking dish.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is melted, stir in peanut butter until combined and creamy.

Pour chocolate mixture over oats in baking dish. Crumble remaining oats over the chocolate and press lightly. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before slicing into bars.

I’d like to show you how I appropriate recipes to fit my needs. In this case the recipe is for a simple oat bar recipe. I believe that you gain not only confidence but also knowledge of how to use ingredients. Here are the additions I made to this recipe.

½ cup almonds sliced, toasted

½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

¾ cup dried apricots, sliced thin

I added the almonds and pumpkin seeds to the oat mixture right before you spread the oats onto the baking dish. The apricots where added when the chocolate is layered in. You can also use other dried fruit, or citrus zest, and most nuts work well with this recipe.

These recipes were featured at Celebrate Earth Day in Green Valley

Farro Salad with Grilled Spring Onions and Sorrel

I have been asked “How do you get the flavor you get from your recipes?”  Well, outside  of the special powers from my magic hands, I believe in magic of reinforcement of flavors in recipes. This means try to use the basic flavor in a recipe twice on the same ingredient. For example to cook the faro I make a vegetable stock from the same ingredients used to season the faro. This theory of repeating and reinforcement of flavors works with many different recipes and is worth the effort in flavor and utility.

1             carrot

1             leek-cut where the green and the white separate and save both

1             fennel- cut where the bulb and the tops start and save both     

                the stems of the herbs used in this recipe

2 qt, 1c    water

1½ c        farro

8               green onion-grilled and cut into ½ inch pieces

6               sorrel leaves

1 Tbsp      lemon zest

1 cup        feta cheese

¼ cup       lemon juice

1/3 cup     cider vinegar

1 Tbsp      garlic

½ cup       extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp         thyme- leaves only

½ tsp        rosemary –leaves only

For the vegetable stock

Take the carrot, the green of the leek, and the fennel tops into a bowl. Please make sure all ingredients are thoroughly rinsed before they go in the pot. Cover the vegetables with cold water and bring to a boil. Once the stock comes to a boil, skim any scum that rises to the top, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let simmer slowly for 45 -60 minutes, and then strain saving the stock and discarding the solids.

Cooking the farro

Dice the fennel and the white of the leeks and sauté in a small amount of olive oil, over medium heat. Once the vegetables begin to sweat ,add the farro to the pot then add 3 cups of vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Once the farro boils, reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Allow the farro to cook for 18-22 minutes or until to stock is consumed and the farro has cooked through. Spread the farro out on a sheetpan, and allow to cool.

Making the salad

In a large bowl mix the lemon zest, lemon juice. vinegar, garlic, thyme, rosemary;then drizzle the olive oil into the mix and season with salt and pepper. Cut the sorrel into thin strips(chiffonade). Add the sorrel to the dressing then mix in the rice to coat then mix in the green onions and the feta. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

 Asparagus and Ginger Puree

2 cups               asparagus

½ cup                leeks-white only cut into half moons and rinsed completely

1 Tbsp               garlic-minced

1 cup                 apple-chopped and cored

1 cup                 potato- peeled and chopped

1 quart              vegetable stock

1 Tbsp               olive oil

2 tsp                  thyme- leaves only

                          Salt and pepper to taste

Take the leeks and sauté in the oil; allow the leeks to cook slowly until clear. Do not let the leeks brown. Add the garlic, apple, potato and vegetable stock, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Once the potatoes are cooked through, bring the soup to a boil and add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Remove the soup from the heat immediately. Now while being extremely careful place the hot soup into a blender, I do this by placing the blender cup in the sink and ladling the hot soup into the blender. Remove the blender cup from the sink and place on the blender. Place the lid on the blender and open the top to allow hot gas to escape. Place a towel over the lid and begin to slowly to liquefy. Once the soup is pureed completely, season with salt and pepper. This soup is quite wonderful hot or can be served cold.

Citrus Salad with Pickled Red Onion and Arugula

This salad is very simple and refreshing. I use a variety of citrus for this salad but you can use one or two kinds of oranges as well. The best and simplest way to pickle the onions is the day before in the fridge.

1             Grapefruit

2             Cara Cara oranges

2             Murcott Mandarins

2             Blood Oranges

1 qt.        arugula

½           red onion- sliced into thin half-moons

1 tsp       pomegranate molasses

½ tsp     salt

½ tsp     sugar

2 Tbsp    rice wine vinegar

2             garlic cloves –minced

1/3 cup   extra virgin olive oil

¼  cup    red wine vinegar

               Salt and Pepper to taste

For the pickled onions

Place the onions in a bowl with the rice wine vinegar, pomegranate molasses, ½  a teaspoon each of  salt and pepper. Stir the onions to coat and separate well with the pickle. Let refrigerate overnight for next day use

For the salad

Begin the salad by cutting the peels off the citrus. I do this with a serrated knife, cutting ends, top and bottom to create a stable base to cut the peels. Then I slice one strip of the peel. Then I follow that cut by cutting inside the pith, following the first cut I made, until I reach the peeled end around the orange. When done peeling all oranges, cut them into wheels, going from one end to the other. I prefer big wheels which are as thick as a finger. Place all oranges in a big bowl, add the garlic, pickled onion, arugula, olive oil, vinegar together and mix gently. Now finish the salad with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

This recipe was featured on the Iron Horse Holiday Greeting video.

Brussels Sprouts Casserole

This is a wonderful recipe that makes a wonderful entrée or can be doubled or more to serve as a side dish for your holiday table. I try to always use fresh Brussels sprouts. I just clean the outside leaves and blanch them until tender in boiling salty water.

3           cups      Brussels sprouts

1 ½       cups      slab bacon, cut into crouton sized dice

½          cup        Iron Horse Chardonnay

½          cup        yellow onion

2            tsp         garlic minced

1           Tbsp     honey

½          Tbsp     thyme chopped fine

1           Tbsp     olive oil

1           Tbsp     bacon drippings (optional)

½          cup        bread crumbs

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven at 5oo degrees F. to begin. Place the bacon in a sauté pan with half a cup of water and bring to a boil. You will continue to cook the bacon after the water is gone and until the bacon is cooked through and crispy. While the bacon crisps make sure to stir the bacon in the pan to cook evenly. Set the bacon on a paper towel to absorb the fat, and if you’d like reserve the drippings.

Preheat a large sauté pan on a medium high flame. Place the oil and bacon drippings to the sauté pan and then add the sprouts. Allow the spouts to brown a bit before stirring them. You can flip one or two of them to judge how quickly they will cook. Golden brown is what we are looking for, not black.  Add the onion and bacon and continue to stir until the onions begin to clear, and then add the garlic, and the thyme.  Once the garlic begins to sweat add the chardonnay, honey and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the flame to simmer for a few minutes, this allows s the flavors to blend and the wine to reduce. Taste the sprouts; are they seasoned? Are they tender? If so then they can be placed in a casserole and topped with breadcrumbs. Place in the oven and bake until the crumbs are golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.

These recipes were featured at the August 2, 2009 "Chef's Table" Wine Club Event.

I use this recipe as my go to recipe when I have a great ingredient like squash blossoms, green beans, or soft shell crab. I also have used this batter in combination with panko crumbs with great results.

Sparkling Wine Tempura Batter

2 cups Corn Starch

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ bottle Sparkling Wine

½ tsp baking powder

½   Tbsp Spanish smoked paprika

1 Tbsp kosher salt

½ Tbsp ground black pepper

Soda water as needed

Pour the sparkling wine into a large mixing bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough, so that you can easily place and turn your ingredient in the batter. Slowly place the flour, then the corn starch, and finally the baking powder. Mix until completely blended well and there are no lumps. Blend in the spices and taste for salt. Next check the thickness of the batter by dipping in a wooden spoon. I like it to coat well, but not be too thick.  If necessary, add a small amount of soda water to thin the batter. If the batter is too thin add a small bit of corn starch.

Sparkling wine Tempura Beans

1 pound fresh string bean tops removed

1 sparkling wine tempura

Frying oil as needed. I prefer grapeseed or rice bran oil

1 Heavy high sided pot to deep fry in

Salt and pepper to taste

3 bamboo skewer

Place enough oil in your pot to cover beans to fry, they must be fully immersed. Place the pot over medium high flame to begin heating your oil. The proper temperature is about 250 degrees F., or you can dip a bamboo skewer in the oil and when it bubbles vigorously proper frying temperature is achieved. 

This recipe is simple but the most important part of this recipe is the beans. It is important that your beans are super fresh. I have used used all varieties of beans which are abundant during the summer months. After washing and topping the beans place a handful in the batter. Remove a couple of beans and allow the excess to drip off. Carefully place the beans in the heated oil. Let the beans fall away from you to avoid splashing, and do not throw the beans in the fryer. If you have a large pot you can add more beans, but do not add so many that your beans begin to stick together. Cook the beans until golden brown and cooked fully through. Season as you like with salt and pepper. Serve immediately while hot with a nice garlicky aioli or roasted red peppers and capers in mayonnaise. 

This is one of the dough recipes that I have used for a number of years. It is perfect for hamburger buns. When you decide the size of your buns, it is best to bake off a tester; the buns for the Grilling demo were scaled off at 1 ounce apiece. Once you have the buns weighed off and shaped you can freeze them for up to 1 month on a cookie sheet and break some off, allow them to rise, and shamwow! You are in the burger business. This recipe has been scaled down from my recipe. I also use a scale for baked items for accuracy.

Milk dough buns

2       cup milk

½      tsp sugar

1½    ounce dry yeast

1¾    pound A P flour

2-3    ounces soft butter

½      tsp salt

Warm milk in a small pot to below boiling, allow to cool until it is slightly warmer than body temperature. Place milk, yeast, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir until yeast has dissolved. Once yeast has begun to bloom(bubbles and smells sweet), mix in the flour and knead until well incorporated at least 5-6 minutes. Add salt and knead in until completely incorporated at least 4-5 minutes. Slowly knead in butter at least 8-10 minutes. This is where you will really notice the difference if you do not spend time kneading the dough to develop the texture, and body of the dough. It is always fine to use a mixer or processor with dough attachments if you have them. Now that you have a beautiful ball of dough place it into a large bowl and let it rise once about 45 minutes to an hour. After allowing the dough to rise punch down the dough. This is when you will decide how big your buns could be, I use 1 to 1.5 ounce buns for min buns and 4 to 5 ounce buns for regular and larger burgers.  Form buns into small balls and place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet allow buns to rise to one and a half to double their size. Paint all the buns with egg wash and dust with sesame seeds. Bake at 375 degrees F. until golden brown about 20-30 minutes turning baking sheets once. 

If you find that you do not want to bake off all your buns, place on a baking sheet wrap in plastic and freeze until you like. On the day you decide to bake them off remove from freezer, spread on baking sheet 1-2 inches apart and place in a warm spot in your kitchen to rise for a couple of hours until about 1 ½  to double their size then bake off at 375.  

Here is a selection of seasonal recipes from Chef Christopher Greenwald

BDX Braised Baby Back Ribs with Spicy Chili Sauce

2 racks baby back pork ribs

1 stalk lemongrass (minced)

1 bunch coriander roots (washed well)

Juice of 2 limes

½ cup fish sauce

¼ palm sugar

6 cloves garlic

2 red chili’s (optional)

1 cup Iron Horse 2004 BDX-3

Render the racks of ribs by peeling off the membrane on the underneath side of the rack, when this is done set racks aside in a shallow container long enough to hold everything (it is possible to cut racks down to fit vessel). In a blender blend remaining ingredients holding back about ½ cup of wine. Marinate pork in mix overnight. Heat oven to 300 degree. Pat ribs dry and discard marinade. Place ribs back in pan and add remaining wine. Cover and braise for 2 hours. Uncover and keep in oven increasing heat to 350 for 1 hour basting every 15 minutes. These ribs should emerge golden brown and nicely caramelized. If they seem a little less than spectacular, keep them in oven and keep basting with reduced wine in bottom of pan. Cut and serve ribs after a short rest (10 minutes) with chili sauce on the side.

Spicy Chili Sauce

12 Thai red chilies

2 T. palm sugar

3 T. fish sauce

Juice of 2 limes

Place all ingredients in blender and blend; let sit overnight to let flavors mingle. Hot!

 Kampot Pepper Crusted Venison on Fried Wonton with Marinated Cabbage

 4 T. fish sauce (nam plaa)

½ # venison tenderloin

2 T. Kampot black peppercorns (can substitute regular black peppercorns)

¼ cup vegetable oil

24-2 in. square won ton wrappers

1 head Napa cabbage (heart only)

1 small red chili (this is up to you)

¼ t. ketchup

¼ t. palm sugar

2 T. rice wine vinegar

½ t. chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)

In small but deep vessel, marinate tenderloin in 4 T. of fish sauce (setting the other tablespoon aside for later use) for 3 hours in refrigerator. Remove tenderloin and discard used fish sauce. Pat meat dry and crush peppercorns. Coat venison with pepper and place back in refrigerator for at least an hour while you prepare other components of dish. Heat vegetable oil in a shallow frying pan and working quickly in batches, fry won ton wrappers on both sides until puffed and crisp. Set wrappers aside and cool any remaining oil. Shred cabbage into small pieces and set aside. In a small blender or with a mortar and pestle, blend reserved fish sauce, chili pepper (if using), ketchup, palm sugar, vinegar and cilantro. Remove venison from refrigerator and heat remaining oil in skillet. Sear tenderloin until rare and let rest at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. To serve, use just enough cabbage to mix with dressing to make a nice little marinated salad, slice tenderloin as thinly as possible and make some nice tiny sprigs of cilantro. Top wontons with meat, salad and sprig.

Makes 24

Good Luck Eggs with Crispy Shallots and Soy-tamarind Glaze

6 farm fresh eggs

6 small red shallots (peeled and shaved)

Oil for deep-frying

¼ cup soy sauce

4 cloves garlic

1 t. palm sugar

2 T. tamarind paste or concentrate

Hard boil eggs according to common method. Place eggs in pan of cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Place pan on stove and bring water to a boil. At point of boiling, time eggs for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in ice water bath for at least 10 minutes. Peel and set aside. The next step is easiest with a deep fryer but if you are careful, this step can be achieved by heating oil in a saucepan to a depth of 4 inches (making sure the pan is very deep so the oil does not boil over and burn you).  While oil is heating make sauce. Place soy sauce and garlic in small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 20 minutes to infuse garlic flavor. Add remaining ingredients and strain. Reduce if necessary to make a glaze. When oil in deep fryer is 375, add shallots and fry until crispy; drain on paper towels. Then fry eggs whole, a few at a time, until crispy, golden brown. Remove eggs and slice in half lengthwise, top with shallots and drizzle with glaze. Serve warm.

Makes 12 servings

Apple Parmesan and Crispy Onion Salad in Belgian Endive With Honey-almond Vinaigrette

2 apples (chopped)

¼ cup Parmesan (roughly grated)

¼ cup crispy fried onions

1/3-cup honey-almond vinaigrette

12 Belgian endive spears

2 T. chives (minced)

Mix apples, cheese and fried onions with vinaigrette and place in endive spears. Top with chives.

Honey-almond vinaigrette

½ shallot (minced)

½ lemon (juice)

1 T. almond butter

1 T. olive oil

1 T. honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in order. Check for seasoning.

Potato Leek Soup with Pt. Reyes Blue and Port Reduction

4 T. unsalted butter

6 small or 3 large leeks

3 cloves garlic

¼ cup minced celery trimmings

1 cup white wine

1 qt. white chicken/veal stock

1-cup heavy cream

3 Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

 Heat 2 T. butter over low heat in soup pan. Slice leeks and (after making double sure they are clean) add to butter with garlic and celery. Stir until veges are sweated completely. Add white wine and reduce by ½. Add stock and cream. Peel potatoes and cut into manageable chunks and place in soup. Simmer everything together for 30 -40 minutes. Remove bay leaf from soup and puree in batches; strain through a fine mesh sieve and return to heat. Slowly melt remaining butter into soup and check for seasoning.

Port Reduction

1 375ml. bottle ruby port

1/2 stick butter

Reduce port by half in saucepan. Let cool and add butter slowly melting to incorporate.

Assemble soup by topping with blue cheese and drizzling with port reduction.

Smokey Pork Rilletes

2 # cooked pork shoulder

1 cooked smoked ham hock

2 shallots (minced)

2 heaping Tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 T. fresh thyme (minced)

1-1/2 cups pork fat, olive oil, or a combo

Salt and pepper to taste

Shred pork shoulder and ham hock into bowl of food processor. Add shallots, mustard and thyme. Pulse meat mixture until extra coarse paste forms. There should be still visible chunks of meat. Make sure fat is liquid but not hot. While pulsing add fat in a steady stream until pate consistency is formed. Check for salt and pepper remembering that when cold, salt won’t taste as strong. Pot meat in terrine of choice and cover with about 1/8 inch layer of fat. This will protect rilletes.

Braised Short Rib Sliders with Horseradish Cream and Green Onions

Braised Short Ribs

5 # Boneless Beef Short ribs (English cut about 2inch)

1 T. olive oil

1 onion (chopped)

2 ribs celery (chopped)

1 carrot (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 t. tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine (cabernet sauvignon)

Fresh bay leaf

Sprig thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat ovenproof deep sauté pan with fitting lid over medium high heat on stove. Add oil to pan. Salt and pepper beef all over and brown in oil until nice and caramelized. Remove meat from pan and set aside. Add all vegetables to pan drippings and sauté until nicely browned and caramelized. Add tomato paste to veges and sauté until a rusty brown, add wine and bay leaf and thyme scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and incorporating them into the sauce. Return meat to pan along with any accumulated juices. Place lid on pan and braise in oven for approx. 3 hours. When meat is done (fork tender, not mush) remove from sauce, strain sauce and reduce until nape (coats the back of spoon). Roughly shred meat and add to sauce. Check for salt and pepper.

Horseradish Cream

½ cup yogurt

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup fresh horseradish (grated)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place yogurt in cheesecloth covered strainer and set over a bowl. Cover the entire thing with plastic wrap   and place in refrigerator over night. This will thicken the yogurt. Discard liquid in bottom of the bowl in the morning. Mix thickened yogurt with sour cream, horseradish and seasoning.

Put it together

Get some good, small rolls and slice almost in half, stuff them with warm, braised short ribs in jus and top with the horseradish cream and thinly sliced green onions.

Should make about 12-15.

Chilled Corn Soup with Crème Fraiche and Tart Apples

1 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

1 white onion

1 small bunch celery

6 cobs of yellow corn

2 quarts of light vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

3 egg yolks

Salt and pepper to taste

6 t. crème friache

1 tart green apple (like granny smith)

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. grapeseed oil

½ pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Place a large soup pot over medium heat and add oil and butter. Roughly chop onion and celery and add to melted fat. Begin to gently sweat aromatics as you remove all corn kernels from cob. When onion and celery have softened, add kernels and cobs to pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then add stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce soup to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. After time is up, remove cobs with tongs and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle (using a towel or clean pot holder makes this faster) scrape whatever corn flesh there is still clinging to the cobs back into the pot. This is important, there is a lot of flavor here! Discard cobs and bay leaf and puree soup in batches at high speed in a blender. Pass pureed soup through a fine mesh sieve and return to stove. In a large bowl, whip egg yolks until pale and slightly thick. Slowly ladle hot soup, a little a time, into the yolks as you whisk vigorously until tempered. Add yolk mixture back into soup and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until soup begins to thicken. DO NOT LET SOUP BOIL! This will make scrambled eggs. Soup will thicken and become silky as it cools. Check for seasoning, knowing that it will take more salt when cold. Use white pepper if you don’t want black specks in your corn soup. For the apples: julienne before serving and toss with lemon juice, oil and nutmeg. To serve place soup in bowls, top with crème fraiche and apples.

White Peach Bellinis

2 ripe white peaches

1 bottle Iron Horse Classic Vintage Brut

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add peaches and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove peaches to a bowl of ice water and cool. Peel and stone peaches and blend until smooth. Add 2 T. of puree to a flute and fill with Classic Vintage Brut.

Grilled Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

4 large heirloom tomatoes

4-5 peppers

1 red onion

2 cucumbers

¼ loaf of day old sour dough bread

2-3 cloves of garlic

1-pint vegetable stock

¼ cup sherry vinegar

½ cup olive oil

3 sprigs of basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Light a mesquite charcoal grill. Core and cut tomatoes horizontally and place on grill cut side down. Cut peeled onion into 1-inch thick discs and place on grill with tomatoes. Place peppers on grill. Peel, seed and cut cucumbers into 1-inch dice. Cut crust off bread and cut or tear into small pieces. When vegetables on grill are nice and charred place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and serve with a touch more olive oil on top as garnish.

Mesquite Grilled Cole Slaw

2 heads cabbage (green, red, or Savoy)

3-4 T. grapeseed oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

2 T. sugar

1 T. salt (plus possibly more)

1/3-cup vegetable oil

Pepper to taste

 Light a charcoal grill and wait until the mesquite is 75% white ash. Wash and dry cabbage and cut (with core intact) straight down into 4 or 5 large slices. Oil the cabbage slices and place on grill until nicely charred on both sides but not cooked through. Remove from grill and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette by mixing the remaining ingredients. When cabbage is cool enough to handle cut out core on necessary pieces and chop roughly. Mix cabbage with dressing and serve.

The Greatest Summer Sandwich of All Time:

Grilled Chicken on a French Roll with Alabama White BBQ Sauce and Pico de Gallo

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (trimmed)

1 T. dry thyme

1 T. chili powder

1 T. garlic powder

2 T. salt

3 T. olive oil

½ cup mayonnaise

2 T. prepared horseradish

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

½ lemon (juice only)

1 T. cider vinegar

1 T. crushed black pepper

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

3 roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

½ white onion (minced)

2-3 jalapeños (minced)

1 lime (juice only)

Salt to taste

4 large leaves of romaine lettuce

4 French rolls

Light charcoal grill. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine chicken and next 5 ingredients. Set aside and let marinate until ready to grill. In another bowl combine mayonnaise through optional pinch of cayenne. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Make salsa by mixing tomato, onion, pepper, limejuice and salt. When grill is ready, cook chicken until done and let rest while prepare sandwich. Spread bbq sauce on both sides of bread, top with lettuce, then chicken and finally pico de gallo. Eat at once. Makes 4

Grilled Apples with Caramel and Cream

5-6 small tart apples

2 T. grapeseed oil

¼ cup + 3 T. sugar

1/3-cup chardonnay

½ cup caramel

½ cup heavy cream

Light a mesquite charcoal grill. Cut apples in ½ and core. Toss apples with oil and when grill is ready, place apples cut side down and cook at least 5 – 6 minutes or until good grill marks appear. Remove apples and place in a casserole dish, sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar and chardonnay, cover and place back on grill or 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile whip cream with remaining sugar and heat caramel slightly. Remove apples when done and drizzle with caramel and top with whipped cream

Ground Sonoma Lamb Pastries with Potato, Harrisa and Cilantro Cream

2 # Ground Sonoma Lamb (preferably 100% Shoulder meat, coarse ground)

1 T. Olive oil

1 yellow onion (finely Diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 Russet potato (peeled)

3 T. Harrisa Paste

1t. Cinnamon

1t. Dried thyme

½ t. ground fennel seeds

½ lime (juice only)

¼ plain yogurt

1 egg

2 9-inch pie shells (1/8 inch thick)

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup Bellwether farms crème fraiche

1 bunch cilantro (minced and for garnish) 

Heat oil in a sauté pan over high heat.  Add lamb in batches as to not overcrowd pan and get even carmelization. Sauté meat until well browned and cooked through, mashing it a little with a spatula to maximize surface area and increase browning. Lightly salt and pepper and remove lamb from pan and set aside to cool. Drain all but 1 T. Fat from pan and add onions, cook until brown and add garlic. Cook garlic with onions just until fragrant then add to lamb off the heat. Cover potato with salted water and boil until just tender. Meanwhile, add Harrisa, cinnamon, thyme, fennel seeds, lime juice, yogurt and egg to lamb and onion mix. Drain and cool potato then break cooled into large chunks with hands and add to lamb mixture. Gently fold potato in and check for seasoning adding salt and pepper as needed. Divide mixture between two pie shells and fold each over into half moons, crimp edges of pastry and make two tiny slashes sin each to vent. Preheat oven to 425 and bake for 20-30 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve warm with crème fraiche and minced cilantro.

Makes 8 servings

Spicy Red Singapore Chili Crab (deconstructed)

Serve with Iron Horse UnOaked Chardonnay

Ingredients:

2 T. canola oil

2 shallots

2 oz. fresh ginger root

1 stalk of lemongrass

3 cloves of garlic

½ t. cayenne

½ cup 2005 Iron Horse Unoaked Chardonnay

½ cup chili sauce

2 T. minced cilantro

3 T. unsalted butter

1 pound Dungeness Crab (picked meat from claws and body)

Mince shallots, ginger, lemongrass and garlic very, very finely. Heat oil in a 12 inch sauté pan over medium heat. When starting to shimmer add vegetables and sauté to release flavors. Add cayenne and cook for 30 seconds more. Add white wine and reduce by one half. Add chili sauce and stir. Add cilantro, butter and crab and blend just until butter melts and crab is warm. This is served best in Chinese style spoons or very small plates. Also goes well with mooshoo wrappers.

Makes enough for about 24 1 oz. portions

Chinese Style Chicken Salad with Vegetables, Crispy Won Tons and Creamy Sesame-Soy Dressing 

Serve with Iron Horse Viognier

1 head Napa cabbage

1 large carrot (peeled)

1 red bell pepper

1 bunch of scallions

½ package small square wonton wrappers

¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro

2 T. black sesame seeds

1-cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sesame soy sauce

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

3 T. sesame oil

1½ T. sugar

2 whole chicken breasts (wings attached)

Black pepper

*Special equipment: deep fryer or equivalent

Wash and dry all of the vegetables. Shred cabbage into ¼ inch ribbons, julienne carrot and pepper and slice onion on a bias 1/8-inch thick. Slice wontons ¼ inch thick and fry at 375 degrees just until crispy and golden, about 1 minute. Drain fried wontons on paper towels and lightly salt; then cool. Place vegetables, fried wontons (keep some out for garnish) and cilantro in a large bowl; set aside and keep cool. In a medium size bowl mix together mayonnaise, half the soy sauce, half the vinegar and all of the sesame oil. Mix in sugar and check for balance between salty and sweet with enough acid and body. Refrigerate dressing until ready to use. Light a mesquite charcoal grill. Use other half of soy sauce and vinegar to marinate chicken while coals are heating. When grill is ready, cook chicken until done. Let chicken rest while tossing salad with dressing (you may not need all). When finished, the chicken can be chopped and mixed in, topped with wontons and served, or salad can be plated first, toped with half a chicken breast and then topped with fried wontons.

Serves 4 as main course salad

Chinese BBQ Pork Sloppy Joe

1 pound of ground pork

1 T. canola oil

1 yellow onion

2 ribs of celery

1 green bell pepper

4 cloves of garlic

1 cup ketchup

1cup 2002 Iron Horse sangiovese

1 cup hoisen sauce

Chili flakes to taste (optional)

1 cup beef broth

10 small rolls (potato, white or Hawaiian)

 Heat oil in a large sauté pan and brown ground pork.  While pork is cooking, Chop onion, celery and bell pepper as fine as you can. Mince garlic. Remove meat from pan, leaving drippings behind, and drain on paper towels. Sauté vegetables until caramelized and very soft; add garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add ketchup and cook until a slight rust color forms. Add wine and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Reduce wine by half. Add hoisen sauce and broth. Return meat to pan and stir. Add a bit more broth if needed. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to blend flavors. Check for seasoning and add chili flakes if desired. Heat rolls, slice and build sandwich.

Makes 10

Succulent Braise of Foil Wrapped Lamb

2 pounds of boneless lamb shoulder

2 T. red palm oil

1 yellow onion

2 ribs of celery

1 large chunk of ginger (about 4 oz)

4 cloves of garlic

1 cinnamon stick

3 whole star anise

1 t. red chili flakes

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. soy sauce

2 cups 2005 Iron Horse Pinot Noir

1 qt. lamb or beef stock

1 cup of rice

1 leek

Salt and black pepper to taste

 Start by cutting the lamb into about 2-3 inch chunks and trimming the excess fat. Salt and pepper the pieces all over. Set oven to 325 degrees and heat palm oil in a large Dutch oven. When oil is just starting to smoke, add pieces of meat. While meat is searing, chop onion and celery, mince ginger and garlic. When meat is thoroughly browned, remove from pan and set aside, pour off half of the fat and sauté vegetables and spices including cinnamon, star anise and chili flakes. When vegetables are nicely browned, add tomato and soy sauce. Stir vigorously for about one minute and add wine. Reduce wine by 2/3’s, and then add stock. Bring liquid in pan to a vigorous boil and add meat and all accumulated juices back to braise. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven to cook for about 3 hours.

When meat is tender, remove from oven and let cool before refrigerating for 12 hours or overnight. Take braise from refrigerator and remove fat from top. Heat gently over low flame until hot and add rice. Cook until rice is just underdone and turn off heat. Check for seasoning of dish and wrap meat and rice in parchment lined foil packets. Place packets in steamer and steam until ready to serve. Meanwhile, julienne cleaned leek and deep-fry until crisp. Use leek as garnish when foil packets are opened.

Makes four packets (enough for four main courses or eight appetizers).  

Smoked Chicken Pate With Gravenstein Apple Relish

Recommended with Iron Horse Chardonnay

Ingredients:

1 pound smoked chicken breast, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups Gravenstein apple relish

1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices and toasted until golden

Relish:

2 Gravenstein apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8-inch dice

1/2 red onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice

1/2 clove garlic, minced

3 scallions, tops only, minced

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Yields 24 to 36 appetizer servings

.

In food processor, place cut up chicken, salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped. Slowly add cream until desired consistency forms. With machine running add olive oil.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Pipe or spread on baguette slices and top with relish.

To prepare relish: Mix together all ingredients and serve immediately.

Day Boat Scallops with Ginger Corn Cakes and Cilantro Chimichurri

Recommended with Iron Horse Cuvée R

Ingredients:

2 cobs of corn

1-cup self-rising flour

2 eggs

¼ cup cilantro (minced)

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. baking soda

Pinch of kosher salt

¼ cup spring water

½ t. salt

½ cup cilantro (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 t. fresh oregano (minced)

½ t. freshly ground pepper

½ t. red chili flakes

¼ cup corn oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ t. sugar

6 large day boat scallops

Salt and pepper to taste

2 T. corn oil

Directions:

For the corn cakes:

Place the corn in a saucepan of boiling water and cook until tender. Remove corn kernels from cob. Place the flour, eggs, cilantro, ginger, baking soda and salt in a food processor and process until combined. Add the corn and process again until corn is roughly chopped and incorporated into batter. Spread one tablespoon of batter onto a hot greased frying pan and cook for about one and a half minutes on each side until golden. Keep warm and repeat with remaining batter.

For the Chimichurri:

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend just until combined. Serve immediately

For the scallops:

Salt and pepper scallops and sear in hot corn oil in frying pan 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the other. Remove from pan.

Place two corn cakes on each plate and top with one scallop and Chimichurri sauce.

Garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro and freshly cracked pepper

Serves 6 as appetizer

Serve with a refreshing glass of Iron Horse Cuvée R

Spicy Salmon with Green Papaya Salad

Recommended with Iron Horse Rosé de Pinot Noir

Ingredients:

2 4-oz pieces salmon fillet

1 dried cayenn pepper

salt and pepper to taste

oil for sautéing

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

½ green papaya, peeled and shredded

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tablespoon sugar

salt to tast

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

2 sprigs cilantro

Directions:

Crush chili pepper with the salt.  Season the salmon with the chili/salt mix.  Sear the fish to desired temperature.  Combine the papaya, lemon juice and zest, and grapeseed oil with the sugar, salt, and chopped cilantro.

Top the papaya salad with the fish and garnish with the cilantro sprigs. Serves 2.

Serve with a refreshing glass of Iron Horse Rosé de Pinot Noir

Baby Onion, Smokey Bacon and Teleme Tarts

Recommended with Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay

Ingredients:

1 12" x 12" sheet of Puff Pastry
½ lbs. Teleme cheese (cut into 1" pieces)
24 baby spring onions (washed and trimmed and cut into 1" pieces)
1/3 lbs. smoked slab bacon (cut into 1" pieces)
1 egg
1 T. garlic chives (minced)
sea salt

Directions:

Roll out pastry to 1/8 " and place on lightly floured sheet pan. Scatter pieces of cheese on dough leaving at least 1/2 " border in all places Remembering that the cheese will spread generously when melted. Cook bacon until crisp but leaving pieces still slightly juicy and drain. Scatter bacon and onions on dough and brush borders with beaten egg. Refrigerate covered until ready to bake (at least 1 hour and up to 12). Preheat oven to 425 degrees and when ready remove tart from cold and bake till crispy, golden and bubbly, about 15 -20 minutes depending on how thin the crust is. Remove and hit with chives and sea salt to taste just before serving.

Serve with a thirst quenching glass of Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay

Harrisa Crab with Raw asparagus and shaved shallot salad, Olive oil and fried Meyer Lemons

Recommended with Iron Horse 1996 Blanc de Blancs LD

Ingredients:

½ lbs. Dungeness Crab (picked and cleaned)
2 T. fresh mayonnaise
½ t. Meyer lemon juice
Pinch black pepper
1 t. Harrisa
8 stalks ultra fresh asparagus
2 shallots
1 t. kosher salt
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 Meyer lemon sliced 1/8 inch thick on mandolin or by hand
Grapeseed oil or canola for frying
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix mayonnaise with lemon juice, pepper and Harrisa. Gently mix with crab so as not to break up larger pieces of meat. Set aside in refrigerator covered until ready to use. Slice Asparagus (see note) diagonally on mandolin or by hand as thinly as possible. Slice Shallot into rings as thinly as possible and mix with salt. Let sit 10 minutes then rinse and dry shallot. Mix asparagus, shallot and olive oil check for seasoning and set aside. Heat oil for frying in a shallow pan to a depth of 2".

When hot and almost smoking, add lemon pieces and fry until crispy and golden. To plate put three rings of lemon down on salad plate, top with a few tablespoons of Crab salad and top again wit Asparagus salad. Drizzle with best olive oil you can find, fruitier the better. Maybe just a small grind of pepper right before serving.

Serve with Iron Horse Blanc de Blanc LD

Note: when picking asparagus for this recipe look at the bottoms of the stalks, this is the way to tell freshness and time since picked. Look for moist, green cut ends, old asparagus will be dry and cracked even if placed in water and does not work for this salad.

Prosciutto and Rosemary Wrapped Halibut with Black Olive Tapenade

To be served with Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee

Ingredients:

4 slices Parma Prosciutto (from the center of the ham, sliced very thin)
1 T. Fresh Rosemary (minced)
4 pieces fresh Halibut fillet, 4 oz. each (preferably 2" thick and 3"x3" square)
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea salt and Ground black pepper to taste
4 T. Black olive Tapenade

Directions

Light a charcoal grill. Salt and pepper the Halibut and sprinkle with the rosemary. Wrap fillet with ham and rub with olive oil. Repeat with remaining three pieces of fish. When coal is 75% white ash, grill fish directly over hottest part of grill, turning as necessary until cooked through. Remove to plate or serving platter and top with Black Olive Tapenade.

Black Olive Tapenade-

Ingredients:

1 Shallot (minced)
1 Clove Garlic (minced)
2 white anchovy fillets
¼ cup Dry Italian Black olives (pitted)
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. fresh parsley (minced)

Directrions

Place all ingredients in food processor or mortar and pulse or grind to paste. Spoon onto the fish.