Napa Rose Blackberry Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs

This is a dish you would pay for in a restaurant (and I have) but can make at home. I learned the techniques in the Napa Rose Cooking School to make this dish. It takes a long time to prep and is a bit expensive (the veal demi-glace is $25) but is definitely worth it. The best part is you can make it in advance, cook it the next day and it tastes even better. It is wonderful with any side dish, but I found that pan roasted sweet corn kernels go particularly well with it.

The recipe calls for a zinfandel and if you substitute a different wine, make sure it is fruit forward and low in tannins. I used Wilson Creek 2006 Estate Zinfandel when I made it. Whatever wine you use, make sure it is one you would be happy to drink.

Autumn Risotto

This risotto variation is perfect for autumn. In fact, you can make the yam and apples as a side dish by itself. Start with a standard risotto recipe. For the protein I used pork brisket but you can use anything you think would go well with the other ingredients (crumbled bacon or left over turkey would do the trick). For the vegetable portion I took a garnet yam (one pound of orange deliciousness) and two apples (I prefer fuji). Cut them both into 1 inch cubes and put them in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, one and a half tablespoons of maple syrup, juice and zest from half a lemon and a teaspoon of fresh thyme. Combine thoroughly and spread in a single layer on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Bake at 425°F for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown (check every 15 minutes and turn mixture over). Finally, I toasted a cup of pecans and coarsely chopped them to add crunch.

The yam and apples are delicious as a side dish in their own right. The roasting brings out the natural sweetness in the produce and the maple syrup aids the caramelizing.

Napa Rose Cabernet Mushroom Sauce

This is a recipe from the Napa Rose Cooking School I attended at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel last May. Although the only meat in it is the veal stock, it has a meaty and earthy taste that goes well with any cut of beef as well as potatoes and mushrooms.

Risotto Rice: Arborio versus Carnaroli

I took a risotto cooking class at Il Forniao in June, had a great time and learned how to improve my risotto cooking technique. The risotto we made in the class was wonderful. The risotto rice that is easiest to find in America is arborio. You can get it in any supermarket in the rice section. What I didn’t know is that there are two other types of rice that make a better risotto: vialone nano and carnaroli. One of the secrets the chef mentioned was that at Il Fornaio they only use carnaroli rice. Armed with this recommendation I decided to see if there was a marked difference.

Chicken Risotto with Pan Roasted Corn

This variation of risotto is perfect for summer. The caramelized corn gives it a hint of sweetness that is accented by the mascarpone cheese. I roast the corn in a skillet but there isn’t any reason you can’t grill the ears of corn and then take the kernels off. Finally, I suggest you use white corn if it is available as it is sweeter than yellow corn.

Servings: 6

Its Summer and That Means Grilled Pizza

I’ve been making grilled pizza for over a year, but, the trend really seems to have caught on this year. Every week my wife and I find a few more recipes for this wonderful summer dinner.

This recipe is based on one that I saw on Chef Anne Burrell’s
Food Network show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. It makes a crispy thin crust pizza that is great with any topping. Use whatever toppings you want but make sure you don’t put too much sauce on. I like mine with fresh diced tomatoes, sausage and a combination of shredded mozzarella and fresh parmegiano reggiano cheeses.

Makes 2 pizzas.

San Diego County Fair: The Results Are In

We went to the fair last Sunday to enter the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship. I entered Double Chocolate Shorties (recipe to follow) but they didn’t win. However, we did find out which of our entries did win (all but two). If you make any of my recipes, please let me know how they turn out or how you improved them.

Double Chocolate Shorties

These shortbread style cookies definitely need a glass of milk to go along with them.

Makes two dozen cookies.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

This is another Alton Brown recipe from the Food Network. If you would rather have breadsticks just cut each rope in half and don’t twist into a pretzel shape. You can also create your own toppings if you would rather have something other than salt (I like toasted sesame seeds).

Makes eight pretzels.

Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

These cookies are more like miniature cakes that you can pop into your mouth.