by Melissa Michaels, Contributor
We could all use a little extra comfort during the winter—especially this year! These flavorful winter comfort foods from our Culinary Series guest chefs will have you feeling cozy in no time, especially when paired with our 2Hawk wine recommendations. Start planning your holiday menu today with these jolly recipes!
1) Soup: Black Cardamom Prawn Ballotine & Celeriac Sunchoke Bisque
Black Cardamom Prawn Ballotine and Celeriac Sunchoke Bisque
Ingredients
Prawn Ballotine
- 1 lb. white fish e.g., halibut
- 2 lbs. prawns peeled, deveined, & tails removed
- 1 egg
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1½ tsp. ground black cardamom
- 2 tbsp. salt
- 1 lb. pork caul fat
Tarragon Oil
- 1/3 cup neutral oil e.g., grapeseed
- 1 bunch fresh tarragon
Celery-Compressed Opal Apple
- 1 opal apple thinly sliced
- 2 cups celery juice
Celeriac Sunchoke Bisque
- 4 lbs. celeriac peeled, cleaned, & cubed
- 2 lbs. sunchokes thoroughly washed & cubed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- filtered water to cover
- ½ lb. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. champagne vinegar
- 2 medium shallots finely diced
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- salt to taste
- frisée for garnish
- dried lavender for garnish
Instructions
Prawn Ballotine
- Place the caul fat in a bath of cold water and let sit for 1 hour (this helps remove any impurities and makes the webbing more pliable).
- Preheat a water bath to 145°.
- Place prawns, fish, cream, salt, black cardamom, and egg in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds, then leave running for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides every so often until a smooth paste is formed.
- Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a clean cutting board. Shape a 9x10" rectangle of caul fat on top of the plastic wrap. Spread a quarter of the prawn mixture down the middle of the sheet of caul fat. Roll the caul fat, plastic, and prawn mixture until a large tube is formed. Twist the plastic wrap and make a knot at both ends. You should end up with a large, tight tube. Place tube in preheated water bath and cook for 40 minutes.
Tarragon Oil
- Blend a neutral oil such as grapeseed oil with tarragon on high in a blender.
Celery-Compressed Opal Apple
- Vacuum-seal opal apple slices in a food-safe bag with celery juice.
Celeriac Sunchoke Bisque
- Using a peeler and small utility knife, peel and remove both the outer skin of the celeriac and any folds that contain dirt or small pebbles. Then dice the celeriac into rough cubes and place in pot.
- Wash the sunchokes thoroughly, making sure to remove any bits of dirt. Dice into pieces roughly the same size as the celeriac and place into the pot.
- Add the shallots and cream. Pour in filtered water until the liquid covers over half an inch.
- Turn on medium-high heat and simmer until root vegetables are tender.
- Reserving the liquid, strain the vegetables and place them in a high-powered blender. Add the butter, vinegar, and reserved liquid, pulsing until silky smooth. Use a spoon to test (should completely coat spoon when dipped and removed from bisque). Add white pepper and salt to taste.
- Serve bisque topped with tarragon oil, celery-compressed apple, frisée, and lavender.
Notes
Servings: 8
Chef: Billy Buscher
Partner Organization: Lark’s Kitchen & Cocktails
Wine Pairing: 2017 Darow Series Chardonnay
In 2017, we were fortunate to harvest exquisite Chardonnay that we felt was particularly well-suited to barrel fermentation and aging. Following indigenous yeast fermentation, the wine received regular battonage (stirring of the yeast lees) in barrels until being transferred to stainless-steel tanks for six months to facilitate integration of flavors and texture. This wine shows a balance of fleshy ripeness with an elegantly lifted finish that defines Rogue Valley Chardonnay. Pure white peach and quince aromas blend with lime rind and toasted marshmallow flavors on the finish. We think this will hit its stride from 2020 to 2023.
2) Salad: Beet & Endive Salad
Beet and Endive Salad
Ingredients
Pickled Roasted Beets
- 4 medium beets any type & color
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp. black peppercorns
- 3/4 tsp. coriander seed whole
- 1/8 cup kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- filtered water to cover
Whipped Goat Cheese
- ½ lb. goat cheese
- 2 tbsp. crème fraiche
Herb-Candied Pine Nuts / Herbs de Provence Hazelnuts
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- ½ tbsp. white sugar
- ½ tbsp. herbs dried or fresh
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 lb. nuts
Salad
- 4 large endive leaves
- fresh dill
- 4 medium radishes thinly sliced
Instructions
Pickled Roasted Beets
- Place all ingredients in large oven-safe dish with high sides.
- Add water until the beets are just covered.
- Cover and place in 350° oven for 90 minutes or until tender.
Whipped Goat Cheese
- Let goat cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Place both the goat cheese and crème fraiche in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Herb-Candied Pine Nuts / Herbs de Provence Hazelnuts
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place the nuts on a sheet pan and roast until they are golden brown, checking every few minutes to ensure they don’t burn.
- Transfer roasted nuts to a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir to coat the nuts with honey.
- Add the herbs and mix well. Finally, add the sugar (sugar keeps them from sticking to each other).
- Once fully mixed, transfer nuts to a large sheet pan and let cool.
- Transfer to a jar, seal, and leave in dry storage.
Plating the Dish
- To serve, place beets, whipped goat cheese, candied nuts, fresh dill, and radish in an endive leaf.
Notes
Servings: 4
Chef: Billy Buscher
Partner Organization: Lark’s Kitchen & Cocktails
Wine Pairing: 2018 Viognier
The 2018 vintage proved once again what a natural site–climate-variety match our Rogue Valley vineyard site is to Viognier. The Indian summer ripened the fruit to perfection, making our job of turning the exceptionally uniform berries into wine both satisfying and pressure-packed. When fully ripe, Viognier reminds us of lemon-infused honey, and we successfully delivered those aromatics and flavors to the bottle. The complexities of crushed pineapple, yellow peach, apricot pit, and orange blossom begin to show with air. This wine carries wonderfully balanced acidity with liveliness on the palate despite its weight and concentration, which will allow it to develop additional bottle bouquet over the next two to four years.
3) Side: Maître d’ Potatoes
Maitre d’ Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- pinch paprika
- pinch ground fennel
- 1 tsp. Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °.
- Cut the sides and ends from each potato, creating an evenly proportioned rectangle with most of the skin removed.
- Cut potatoes into 1/8" slices.
- Place 4 groups of slices on a baking pan and slightly fan the potatoes in a straight line, exposing 1/5 of each potato slice.
- Evenly cover potatoes with butter, salt, spices, and herbs.
- Bake uncovered until tender and golden brown, about 40–50 minutes.
Notes
Servings: 4
Chef: Tim Keller
Wine Pairing: 2017 Malbec
The exquisite 2017 vintage gave us our first estate-grown Malbec. As in previous vintages, our goal with this wine was to produce a supple, fruit-driven style of Malbec that can be enjoyed while relatively young. To that end, we blended in a small portion of our estate-grown Merlot and Cabernet Franc in an effort to soften the Malbec without sacrificing short-term cellaring potential. This wine has Malbec’s typically dense scarlet color and subtle wild jasmine-tinged hints on the nose to go along with the abundant blueberry, blackberry, pencil shaving, cedar, and red licorice aromas. There is a cascade on the palate as flavors of ripe black cherry, dark plum, and grilled blood orange unfold from the sip through the mid-palate. On the finish, find ripe berry, roasted coffee, caramel, wet pine needle, and black pepper as the wine’s acidity lifts to a plush end. This robust young wine will age nicely in the near term (through 2021), with another two to five years of enjoyment following.
4) Entrée: Perfect Roasted Chicken
Perfect Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
Brine
- ½ bunch Italian parsley
- ½ bunch thyme
- 5 lemons cut in half
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup local honey
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 gallon filtered water
Chicken
- 1 whole organic chicken
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- salt & pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ bunch parsley
Instructions
- Make the brining solution by combining all ingredients in a large pot.
- Rinse and place chicken in brine and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
- Remove chicken from the brine. Rinse and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Let chicken rest at room temperature for two hours.
- Preheat oven to 475°.
- Rub the chicken inside and out with the unsalted butter and salt and pepper.
- Fill the cavity with the garlic and remaining parsley.
- Truss the bird and bake for 20–25 minutes.
- Lower the heat to 400° and cook for an additional 30–45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
Notes
Servings: 4
Chef: Tim Keller
Wine Pairing: 2017 Tempranillo
Planted to the Tinta de Toro clone, our Block 2 of Tempranillo once again delivered exceptionally ripe and naturally balanced fruit in 2017. We continue to be impressed by this block of young vines and its ability to develop a fully ripe and mature fruit profile at modest sugar levels while retaining natural acidity. This wine shows the vintage’s elegant and refined personality while still providing the fullness of aroma, flavor, and body Rogue Valley Tempranillo is known for. Ripe black cherry, black plum skin, and blueberry fruit drive the aromas with vanilla bean and cinnamon hints. Deep flavors of fruit compote, blackberry, and plum are framed by toasted oak, olive tapenade, and savory spice on the finish. There is no doubt this wine will benefit from short- to medium-length aging and blossom from 2022 to 2027.
5) Dessert: Warm Mixed Berries Hand Pie
Warm Mixed Berries Hand Pie
Ingredients
Hand Pie Crust
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 egg
- turbinado sugar
- powdered sugar
Filling
- 1½ tbsp. cornstarch
- 1½ tbsp. filtered water room temperature
- 12 oz. frozen berries of your choice
- ½ c. sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix water and cornstarch together and set aside.
- Place remaining ingredients in a pot. Bring to a simmer, then slowly mix in cornstarch slurry. Let cool.
- Once mixture cools, place a spoonful into each square of puff pastry and fold over. Crimp with a fork and repeat until all are filled.
- Refrigerate for at least 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to a 375°.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle sugar on top.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
Plating the Dish
- Top with turbinado sugar and brown with torch (or place under the broiler briefly until golden brown).
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
Servings: 4
Chef: Mike Hite
Partner Organization: Alchemy Restaurant
Wine Pairing: 2015 Ruby
Our Port underwent a stylistic change in 2015 to become a ruby- or vintage-style wine. While monitoring this wine as it aged in barrel, we found the fresh blackberry, red plum, and baking spice aromas so compelling we decided to bottle it with only twenty-two months barrel aging. The palate is generous and round with surprising elegance for a wine of such structure. We highly suggest allowing this gem to slumber in your cellar for five to seven years before enjoying it.
Merry Meal-Making!
Are you ready to hit the kitchen? Turn up the holiday music, start stringing popcorn, and get some 2Hawk wine mulling on the stove to set the mood. Above all, have fun and add your own creative touches. If you prefer being served to serving, we warmly invite you to savor our own delectable food and wine pairings in the tasting room when it reopens. If you’d like to see more recipes, keep up on 2Hawk happenings, and discover our new releases, subscribe to our newsletter and you’ll always have the latest news. Do you have any questions about our wines, our vineyard, the winemaking process, or anything else? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Please comment below or reach out to us directly via our Contact page.
Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about our Rogue Valley wines, here are a few ways:
- Want a sneak peek at the 2020 vintage? Read our fall harvest wrap-up to learn about the unique challenges and triumphs we experienced this year—and why we’re excited about the 2020 vintage.
- Visit the tasting room to sample our current wines when we reopen.
- Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the latest happenings.