Fort Ross Vineyard

Ingredients:

5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 2 1/2-in. pieces

1 sweet apple, peeled and cored

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-in.-long piece fresh ginger, peeled and thickly sliced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and trimmed

1 1/2 pounds purple-top or Tokyo turnips (see Tokyo Turnips, below), peeled and trimmed

6 green onions, divided

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Put ribs and 5 cups water in a wide 8- to 10-qt. pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat (ribs will not be completely covered). Skim any foam that rises to the top and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 hour, partially covered and stirring occasionally, skimming any foam and fat that rise to the top.

2. Coarsely shred apple and add to pot with soy sauce, sherry, sugar, pepper, ginger, garlic, and shallot. Continue to cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until ribs are tender when pierced with tip of a small knife, about 1 hour; skim fat during cooking.

3. Meanwhile, cut carrots into 2-in.-long pieces. Cut purple-top turnips in half, then into 1-in.-thick wedges (leave Tokyo turnips whole). Cut 4 green onions into 2-in.-long pieces and thinly sliver remaining onions; set slivered onions aside.

4. Add carrots, turnips, and the 2-in. pieces of green onion to pot. Continue to cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Carefully tip pot and skim off as much fat as possible from liquid with a wide metal spoon.

5. Stir in sesame seeds and sesame oil. Serve sprinkled with slivered green onions.

Recipe notes:

Make ahead: Through step 2 up to 1 day, chilled; lift off and discard fat before reheating.

Tokyo Turnips: These sweet, tender little globes, available at farmers' markets, are starting to show up in grocery stores.

 Pair with our 2021 Pinot Noiir »

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, sliced

1 bulb of fennel, sliced

1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

8 oz cremini mushrooms,sliced

4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

4 oz maitake mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 cup white wine

2 cups heavy cream

3 qt vegetable stock

4 oz unsalted butter, cubed

1 bunch chives, chopped

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste

Crème friache for garnish

Instructions:

1. Over medium heat in a large stockpot, sweat the onions, fennel, and cauliflower in the butter for about 15 minutes until vegetables are soft. Stir often to avoid browning the vegetables

2. Add mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Sweat for another 10 minutes, stirring often

3. Deglazed with white wine. Let wine cook off for 1 minute

4. Add stock and cream and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Purée the soup with either an Immersion blender, or regular blender.

6. Season to taste

7. Pour soup into a bowl, and top with crème fraiche and chopped chives. Enjoy!

 Pair with our 2021 The Terraces Pinot Noir »

Ingredients:

Black garlic tahini:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 medium garlic cloves, grated

3 peeled black garlic cloves (such as CalPAC)

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup tahini (such as Soom)

3/4 cup ice water

Sumac onions:

1 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon ground sumac

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Za'atar chicken:

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar

Black Garlic Tahini

Instructions:

Black garlic tahini:

1. Combine lemon juice and grated garlic in a blender; let stand 15 minutes. Using flat side of a knife, smash black garlic cloves on a cutting board, and scrape to form a paste. Add black garlic paste and salt to blender; puree until mostly smooth and black garlic is very finely chopped, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Place tahini in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Decrease speed to medium, and slowly drizzle in black garlic mixture. (Mixture will thicken but will smooth out again after adding water.) With mixer running, slowly drizzle in 3/4 cup cold water until fully incorporated. Increase speed to high, and beat until mixture is smooth, glossy, and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Za'atar chicken:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F, and line a large baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place chicken, backbone side up, on baking sheet. Using kitchen shears, cut along each side of backbone; remove and discard backbone. Flip chicken breast side up, and push down on breast to flatten. Season both sides of chicken evenly with salt. Roast chicken, breast side up, in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan after 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sumac onions.

2. Toss together onion, vinegar, sumac, and salt in a large bowl until onions are well coated. Set aside until ready to serve.

3. Remove chicken from oven. (Do not turn oven off.) Tilt pan slightly to collect rendered juices into a baster or large spoon. Baste chicken skin with drippings, and sprinkle with za’atar. Return chicken to oven, and roast at 450°F until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 155°F, 5 to 10 minutes. Let chicken rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve with sumac onions and black garlic tahini.

 Pair with our 2021 Chardonnay »