Recently in Vegetable Category

Recipe by Chef Andrei Litvinenko
Kendall-Jackson Winery

Heirloom Black Bell eggplants are sliced thin, brushed with garlic olive oil and grilled. We then layer our roulade with roasted sweet Italian heirloom peppers, sun dried tomato pesto, sweet basil leaves and Matos Family St. George cheese. The combination of the concentrated flavors and smokiness of the vegetables with the aged cheese pairs well with the rich tannins and complexity of the Highland Estates Grizz Ridge Merlot, as well as our Stature Merlot.

You will find Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Toasts on page 23 of "Mustards Cookbook," the acclaimed winner of the James Beard Award for the Best Americana Cookbook. Chef Cindy Pawlcyn is well known though out the United States, but can be mostly found at her signature restaurant, Mustards Grill, in Yountville and at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena (CA).

Grilled Plums, Pickled Fennel, Pecan Crusted Chèvre

Mixx Restaurant & Bar
Executive Chef : Dan Berman
Sous Chef : Bridget Pollock
Line Cook : Patrick Hickey

Herb Crème Fraîche, Fennel-Red Onion Slaw,
Four-Minute Quail Egg and Caviar

A feast for all the senses, the Wente Vineyards Restaurant's open architecture allows the kitchen's rich, savory aromas to greet you at the door. Vineyards and gardens surround the restaurant, reinforcing the Wente philosophy of using the best possible seasonal ingredients. The restaurant and the winery are wonderful showcases for a re-emerging and vigorous Livermore Valley wine region.

You can do this with just about any veggies that you happen to have and any type of cheese that melts. Try Fontina or Gruyère, you and your family will be begging for more.

Ingredients

• 4 medium (about 3 inches in diameter) portabella mushrooms, dark gills scooped out
• 1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
• 1 yellow bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
  
• 4 slices medium to large zucchini, cut into rounds
• 4 slices medium eggplant, cut into rounds
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella
• Olive oil
  
• Salt (preferably kosher or sea salt) and freshly ground pepper
  
• 1 cup Roasted Tomato with Balsamic Savory Condiment
• 4 rosemary branches 4-5 inches in length, bottom two-thirds of leaves removed

Chef Tom Hudgensen
Moosse Cafe

We are lucky to have a company that grows delectable fresh shiitake mushrooms in our area--the Little River Mushroom Company. They deliver a big basket to us each week. We usually grill them with other vegetables to be served over creamy polenta with a shallot cream sauce and a scattering of fresh herbs for a meatless entrée. The following Savory Mushroom Tart makes a great appetizer or light entrée--and tastes wonderful with Syrah.

BY ROBERT CURRY | WINE SPECTATOR GREYSTONE RESTAURANT

The first appearance of local sweet corn is the inspiration for this heavenly soup. Capturing the fleeting flavors of summer, Chef Curry likes to create layers of interest in his food by creating both complementary tastes (that of the corn and the crab) and those flavors that act as contrasts (the sweetness of the corn and the smokiness of the bacon). The herbal undertones suggest the verdantness of the garden and the lightness that is life in the Wine Country in July and August.

Grilled Hanger Steak with Potato Roesti, Charentais Carrots, and Cabernet Reduction

This recipe comes from our Executive Chef, Kelly McCown, to pair with the newly released 2002 Rubicon.  Like skirt steak, it is full of flavor but requires careful preparation to remain tender.   A Cabernet reduction provides a simple and elegant backdrop that will pair beautifully with the 2002 Rubicon.

Submitted by St. Francis Winery Chef, Todd Muir

Salt, Pepper and Dijon! Add zip and zest to spring with this Lamb delight. Chioggia beets and turnips turn into a heavenly wonder when paired with thyme and honey. Enjoy Chef Todd Muir's specialties when you visit St. Francis Winery.

Try this simple warm salad from Fort Bragg's Mendo Bistro at home. The warm dressing just wilts the leaves, and makes for a savory, decadent start to any WineCountry meal. Pair with a Gewurtztraminer, like the local Navarro 2004 Gewürztraminer, Estate Bottled.

Roast Half Guinea Hen, Green Garlic Spaetzle & Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Recipe by Chef Darren Robey
Harmony Restaurant

The light and delicate flavors of this dish are a perfect combination to usher in spring. The mild but flavorful hen is plated atop robust garlic spaetzle, verdant broccoli rabe and tangy sun-dried tomato pesto. The combination of bold and sweet flavors pairs beautifully with the fruit and slight spiciness of this Italian varietal wine, which is similar to Zinfandel.