Fort Ross Vineyard

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure olive oil

8 skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons anise seeds

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Salt

1 cup shelled fava beans

1/2 cup fresh peas, preferably English peas

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound button mushrooms, halved

8 scallions, thinly sliced 

2 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

One 12-ounce bottle Belgian beer

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

1. In a small skillet, toast the anise seeds over moderate heat, shaking the skillet, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let the anise seeds cool slightly, then crush with the side of a knife.

2. In a mini food processor, combine the toasted anise seeds with the chopped garlic, saffron, paprika and cayenne. Add the lemon juice and puree. Transfer the mixture to a large, shallow bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt and the fava beans and cook for 1 minute; using a slotted spoon, transfer the fava beans to a small bowl and let cool slightly. Add the peas to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes; drain. Peel the fava beans and add to the peas.

4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, scraping off the excess. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken thighs to a platter.

5. Wipe out the casserole, add the butter and heat until melted. Add the halved mushrooms, sliced scallions and thyme and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the beer and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the casserole.

6. Return the chicken thighs to the casserole and season with salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Add the cream, fava beans and peas, increase the heat to moderate and cook uncovered until the sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Serve the chicken stew in shallow soup bowls, sprinkled with the parsley.

Pair with 2018 Chardonnay »

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

6 hot Italian sausage links, pricked with a fork

2 large (13-ounce) fennel bulbs, cut in half lengthwise, cores removed, bulbs cut into 1-inch wedges, fronds reserved

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

4 teaspoons pink peppercorns

2 cups chicken stock or lower-sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup hummus

Lemon zest and lemon wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a straight-sided 14-inch skillet over medium-high. Add sausages; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate. Add fennel wedges, cut sides down, to skillet; cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes and 30 seconds per side. Transfer to plate with sausages.

2. Add fennel seeds, peppercorns, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove half of the spice mixture from skillet, and reserve for garnish.

3. Add stock to skillet, stirring and scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Return sausages and fennel wedges to skillet; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until fennel wedges are tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.

4. Spread hummus smoothly on a platter. Top with sausages and fennel wedges; spoon sauce from skillet over platter. Garnish with lemon zest, lemon wedges, reserved fennel fronds, and reserved spice mixture.

Pair with 2019 Top of Land Pinot Noir »

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried morel mushrooms (about 26 medium morels)

4 cups hot water

½ cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), divided

2 cups finely chopped yellow onion

⅓ cup finely chopped carrot

2 ¾ cups finely chopped fresh cremini mushrooms

½ cup finely chopped celery

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste and for garnish

¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

½ cup (4 ounces) dry white wine

2 thyme sprigs

2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

4 quarts water

12 ounces uncooked bucatini pasta

1 medium bunch dandelion greens or spinach, trimmed and roughly chopped (about 3 cups)

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon, plus tarragon leaves for garnish

1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated with a Microplane (about 1 cup)

Instructions:

1. Place dried morel mushrooms in a large heatproof bowl; add 4 cups hot water. Place a plate on top of mushrooms to keep submerged. Let stand until mushrooms are plump, about 30 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid, and squeeze gently to remove excess liquid. Reserve liquid in bowl; finely chop mushrooms.

2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large (12- to 14-inch) skillet over medium. Add onion and carrot; cook, stirring often, until carrot is tender, about 8 minutes. Add cremini mushrooms, celery, garlic, and chopped rehydrated morels; cook, stirring occasionally, until cremini mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle mixture with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often and scraping bottom of skillet, until liquid has evaporated and vegetables start to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Add wine and thyme sprigs; stir to release browned bits from skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until wine has completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Carefully pour reserved mushroom soaking liquid into skillet, leaving any sediment in bowl. Add broth to skillet; bring to a vigorous simmer over medium. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, 40 to 45 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. Cover and keep warm over low until ready to use.

3. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high. Add remaining 1/4 cup salt, and return to a boil. Add bucatini; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, adding dandelion greens during last minute of cooking. Meanwhile, return ragù in skillet to a simmer over medium-high.

4. Using a spider or fine wire-mesh strainer, lift pasta and greens from cooking liquid, and add to ragù in skillet. Cook over medium-high, tossing to coat pasta with sauce. Add pasta cooking liquid as needed, 1/4 cup at time, until sauce is creamy and clings to pasta, about 4 minutes. Stir in mustard and remaining 1/4 cup butter until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in tarragon.

Divide pasta evenly among bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan. Garnish with tarragon leaves and additional pepper. Serve immediately.

Pair with 2019 Bicentennial Pinot Noir »

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 pounds boneless veal shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup dry white wine

5 cups spinach leaves, chopped

5 cups sorrel leaves, chopped

1 head of romaine, chopped

1 bunch of watercress, chopped

1 leek, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped tarragon

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

1 cup crème fraîche

Steamed rice, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in the oil. Season the veal with salt and pepper. Add it to the casserole and cook over high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 12 minutes. Add the wine, cover with a sheet of parchment paper and the lid and braise in the oven for about 1 hour, until the meat is nearly tender.

2. Add the spinach, sorrel, romaine, watercress, leek, parsley, tarragon, chives and crème fraîche to the casserole. Stir well; season with salt and pepper. Cover again with the parchment and the lid and braise for 30 minutes longer, until the greens are wilted and the veal is tender. Transfer the stew to bowls and serve with rice.

Pair with 2019 Mother of Pearl Chardonnay »