Fort Ross Vineyard

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons good-quality (cask-aged) red wine vinegar

 1 teaspoon cornstarch

 1/4 cup honey

 2 pounds (4 to 6) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

 2 tablespoons olive oil

 3 large shallots, thinly sliced

 6 garlic cloves, chopped

 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus 2 tbsp. whole leaves

 8 to 10 figs, stems trimmed, halved (quartered if large)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, and cornstarch. Whisk in honey and set aside. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

2. Heat a heavy 12- to 14-in. ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat, then add chicken skin side down and brown until skin is deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn over and brown other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

3. Discard all but 2 tbsp. fat from frying pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook shallots until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add cornstarch mixture, chopped oregano, and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper; cook until mixture bubbles and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Set chicken skin side up in frying pan and add figs. Roast in oven until figs soften and caramelize slightly and meat is no longer pink at bone, about 15 minutes. Divide chicken, figs, and sauce among plates and top with whole oregano leaves.

Pair with 2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir »

Ingredients:

1 king salmon fillet with skin (2 to 2 1/2 lbs. and about 1 in. thick; cut from tail end), pin bones removed*

 Zest and juice of 1 large orange

 1 small shallot, thinly sliced crosswise, separated into rings

 1 small, tender fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a diagonal, a few feathery leaves reserved (or use torn carrot tops)

 1/4 to 1/2 cup dry white vermouth, such as Dolin

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

 About 1 tsp. flake sea salt, such as Maldon, divided

 1 teaspoon white pepper

 1 teaspoon ground coriander

 5 juniper berries, crushed with fingers

 Paper-thin radish slices (2 or 3 radishes)

 Dill Crème

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and peeled

 2 tablespoons lemon juice

 2 tablespoons roasted hazelnut oil*

 2 tablespoons dry white vermouth such as Dolin

 1 cup crème fraîche

 About 1 tsp. flake sea salt such as Maldon

 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Prepare the dill crème:

2a. Pulse coriander in a food processor to break up. Add remaining ingredients except for salt and dill; whirl until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Scrape sauce into a bowl and fold in dill.

3. Cut a sheet of 18-in.-wide heavy-duty foil three times as long as salmon and center it on a rimmed baking sheet, letting ends hang over. Set salmon, skin side down, on foil. Sprinkle fish evenly with orange zest, shallot, and fennel bulb. Bring corners and sides of foil up around salmon to make a canoe with 2-in. sides.

4. Pour orange juice into a glass measuring cup and add vermouth to make 3/4 cup. Microwave until steaming (about 170°) and pour evenly over fish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. salt, the pepper, coriander, and juniper berries. Tightly roll ends and sides of foil together to create a pouch.

5. Bake salmon until cooked through three-quarters of the way from edge to center of thickest part (which will still look wet; open foil and cut fish to check), 12 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

6. Slide two long metal spatulas under fish and carefully transfer to a long platter (Murray likes to use a madeleine pan), leaving poaching liquid behind. Sprinkle radishes, about 1/2 tsp. salt, and remaining 1 tbsp. oil over fish. Scatter torn fennel fronds on top. Serve with Dill Crème

Pair with 2020 Bicentennial 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:

3 tablespoons mirin

3 tablespoons sake

1/2 cup white miso paste

1/3 cup sugar

Six 6- to 7-ounce skinless black cod fillets, about 1 1/2 inches thick

Vegetable oil, for grilling

Pickled ginger, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the mirin and sake to a boil. Whisk in the miso until dissolved. Add the sugar and cook over moderate heat, whisking, just until dissolved. Transfer the marinade to a large baking dish and let cool. Add the fish and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Heat a grill pan and oil it. Scrape the marinade off the fish. Add the fish and cook over high heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip the fish onto a heavy rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, until flaky. Transfer to plates and serve with pickled ginger.

Pair with 2018 Mother of Pearl Chardonnay »

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup rosemary leaves

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper

6 garlic cloves, chopped

Four 1-pound pork tenderloins

Salt and freshly ground pepper
 

Instructions:

1. In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the oil, lemon juice, rosemary, red pepper, garlic and pork. Press out any air in the bag, seal and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

2. Let the pork stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400° and preheat a griddle or a very large skillet. Remove the pork from the marinade. Scrape off most of the garlic and rosemary and season the tenderloins with salt and pepper. Set them on the griddle and cook over high heat until browned all over, about 6 minutes. Transfer the tenderloins to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 14 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 130°. Cover the tenderloins loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pair with 2018 "FRV" Pinot Noir »

Ingredients:

Avocado Salsa
3 medium tomatillos, husks removed
1 medium jalapeño, stemmed (seeded, if desired)
1 medium Hass avocado, pitted
1 cup packed fresh cilantro stems and leaves
3 to 6 tablespoons water, as needed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

Jackfruit "carnitas"
3 (20-ounce) cans young green jackfruit in water, drained, rinsed, and squeezed dry
¾ cup neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed), plus more as needed
5 tablespoons fresh orange juice, divided
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Other Ingredients
10 (4- to 6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Pico de gallo, fresh cilantro leaves, and lemon wedges, for serving
 

Instructions:

Make the avocado salsa

1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add tomatillos and jalapeño; cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes.

2. Place tomatillos, jalapeño, avocado, cilantro, 3 tablespoons water, lemon juice, salt, and cumin in a blender. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds, adding up to remaining 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed until a pourable consistency is reached. Season with additional salt to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Make the jackfruit "carnitas"

3. Using a knife, remove non-shreddable core from shreddable outer parts of jackfruit pieces; set aside. Remove any seedpods from shreddable parts, and add seedpods to pile of cores. Place shreddable jackfruit in a medium bowl, and shred with your hands into small pieces. Finely chop cores and seedpods until they are a similar texture to the shredded jackfruit; add to shredded jackfruit in bowl. Add oil, 21/2 tablespoons orange juice, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper; toss to evenly combine. 

4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add jackfruit mixture; using a spatula, press into an even layer. Cook, turning and pressing occasionally, until seared and golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes, adding oil as needed. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice. Season with additional salt to taste.

5. Place about 1/4 cup jackfruit mixture on each tortilla. Top with pico de gallo and cilantro. Serve with avocado salsa and lemon wedges. 

Pair with 2019 The Terraces Pinot Noir »

*Tip from Fort Ross Vineyard: save time by looking for pre-seasoned jackfruit products in the refridgerated section of the grocery store - typically next to the tofu & other meat substitute products!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 small shallot, very finely chopped

1/4 cup diced fennel bulb

Large pinch of ground fennel

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound large sea scallops

1 bunch arugula, tough stems discarded

Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, shallot, diced fennel bulb and ground fennel. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes per side.

3. Mound the arugula on plates and top with the scallops. Spoon the fennel and lemon relish on the scallops and serve with lemon wedges. 

Pair with 2019 Bicentennial Chardonnay »

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 small shallot, minced

1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus 1-inch lengths, for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped drained capers

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 English muffins—split, toasted and buttered

1/2 pound skinless smoked trout fillet, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, shallot, chopped chives, capers and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Spread the English muffins with the caper cream cheese. Top with the smoked trout, garnish with the chive pieces and serve.

Pair with 2016 Sea Stars Blanc de Noirs »