2 cans of Chestnut Puree

5 Shallots

3 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock

1 Clove Garlic

3-5 Fresh Sage Leaves

3-5 Fresh Sprigs of Thyme

Sea Salt

Fresh Pepper

This is really an easy recipe for a delicious healthy winter soup! 

Sauté shallots and garlic in a nice dollop of butter on low-medium heat until translucent.  Add Thyme and sage leaves and sauté 3-4 minutes longer;  Add Chestnut puree and season appropriately, continue sautéing for a further 3-4 minutes.  Cover with Stock and simmer for 10 minutes.  At this point blend in a blender, food processor or use a wand blender to blend soup. Continue to simmer on low heat.  Add more stock or water until desired consistency.

Garnish with crispy fried sage leaf and/or a dollop of crème fraise or sour cream.

Terrific Pairing Ideas:

Wolfberger Tokay Pinot Gris Alsace France

Feudi San Gregorio Fallanghina, Campania Italy

Le Rote Vernaccia San Gimiginano, Tuscany Italy

Monte Tonda Soave, Small Vineyard Import, Vento Italy

Your Favourite Winter Ale 

2-3 tbsp butter

1 onion sliced

¼ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp crushed garlic

2 tsp crushed ginger

½ tsp ground tumeric

1-2 tsp chili powder

1tsp coriander

4 Boneless chicken breasts

½ cup ground almond

Small can of peeled whole tomatoes

Dollop of tomato paste

½ cup plain yoghurt

In a saucepan melt butter until it becomes frothy. Then add onion and cinnamon and stir lightly. When onions are soft stir in crushed garlic and ginger. Add turmeric, chili powder and coriander and sauté over medium heat.  Add chicken and stir constantly to coat with spices.  Pour in almonds, tomatoes and paste and simmer covered for 20-30 mins.  Add yoghurt just before serving over fresh basmati rice.

Pair with …

Chateau de Montfort Vouvray, France $16.99

Vouvray is an area within the Loire Valley.  Vouvray is always Chenin Blanc but comes in many different levels of sweetness.  The Montfort is an off dry style.  This touch of sweet fresh juice will be delightfully complimentary to the spice in the dish.  A viscous palate offers a matching weight in food and wine and loads of tropical fruit to tantalize the taste buds. 

Or for a twist try pairing ….

R&B Brewing Hoppelganger India Pale Ale – 650ml $7.49

The spices and aromatics of the Indian dish will be a matched wonderfully in an equally aromatic, floral and some what spicy beer!  Hoppelganger is malty, assertively hoppy and has a slightly sweet yet crisp finish. 

4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds flank steak,

3 colored bell peppers, sliced thin

1 large onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

12 (7- to 8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Grated cheese, guacamole, sliced lettuce, tomato salsa, and sour cream as sides (corn and black beans are also good here as well)

In a large freezer zip-top bag, combine garlic paste, lime juice, cumin, and olive oil. Seal, shake and flip-flop to combine. Place steak and cilantro sprigs into the bag, squeeze out the air, and turn to coat the meat evenly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight to allow marinade to penetrate.

• Grill steak on hot grill until cooked to desired level (medium rare is what we prefer – about 12 – 15 min on med-high) Once finished let sit for 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
• Place tortillas in warm oven so they are ready to serve.
• In a pan, sauté onions and peppers together with butter until soft. These can be cooked separately if you prefer.
• Place ingredients in large dishes and serve family style allowing everyone to create their own perfect fajita.

Enjoy with..

Cannonball, Cabernet Sauvignon, California

A delicious wine that is easy to drink. This wine has a great backbone of medium tannins and is filled with dark fruit flavours such as plums, blackberries and blueberries.  

La Fin du Monde, Golden Ale, Chambly Quebec

If you haven't had a chance to try this beer yet you will truly enjoy the way it works with food. With a soft mouth texture and perfect balance this beer will perfectly pair with the melding of flavours that these fajitas have. Serve this beer a bit warmer then most so that it aromatics can come alive for you.

1 C chopped mango (usually one large mango)

1/4 C finely chopped red onion

1/4 C finely chopped cilantro

1/4 C fresh lime juice (squeeze 2 - 3 limes)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp olive oil

pinch of salt

Place all ingredients together in a dish and let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Batch can be easily doubled and enjoyed by chips.

Grilling Halibut

Halibut is easy to cook on the grill. Steaks are easiest as they stay together the best when cooking. Oil cooking grate, heat BBQ to medium-high and then plan on 10 minutes per inch for cooking time. Turn once during cooking. (can be done in butter on the stove)

Pair with:

Hardy's Stamp Series, Chardonnay/Semillon, Australia

This wine is filled with tropical fruit flavours and has a medium weight works perfectly  with this dish.

St. Ambroise, Apricot Wheat Ale, Montreal, Canada

This beer is a favourite to many its soft apricot and peach flavours work deliciously when paired with the fish and mango salsa.

Want a delicious and easy backyard dessert? 

Try putting together 1/2 box of fresh strawberries with 1/2 a small watermelon cubed and toss in a serving dish with 2 oz of white sambucca, crack some black pepper over the fruit and chop in 2 large sprigs of fresh mint. 

Toss the berries till all ingredients are mixed well.  Eat family style using toothpicks to pluck up the fresh berries. (This recipe can easily be adjusted to fit the number of people you are serving)

To pair with wine: Try Borsao Seleccion rose. A bright and lively candied pink colour.  The Grenache aroma’s come through instantly with strawberry, fine white pepper and raspberries.  All aroma’s follow through on the palate with a spicy/fruity style.  

Sweet & Savoury Recipe Version:

Fresh Strawberries tossed with aged Balsamic Vinegar.

Pair with: Batasiolo Moscato D’Asti nicely chilled. You will be amazed at how fantastic this simply is!  Serve after your main course at your next outdoor BBQ!

Crank up the BBQ and throw on your favourite smokie or even better a Bratwurst or two! 

While your out there grilling up a storm in the summer sun what better way to refresh than with an exceptional offering from one of the best white wine producing regions of the world.  Alsace one is a blend of Reisling, Sylvaner, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Blanc.  It is light to medium bodied with lots of tropical fruit notes, hints of flowers and spice and a mouth watering and viscous palate.  Even better would be to top your bratwurst off with some (lots of) sauerkraut and mustard.

• 1 large head of romaine lettuce (cleaned and torn into bite sized pieces)
• 1Tbsp minced parsley
• 1 can drained mandarin oranges
• 1 C chopped celery 
• 2 sliced green onions

Dressing:

• 1/2 C tarragon wine vinegar 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp sugar 
• 1 tsp tarragon leaves (fresh is best if you can find it)
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp black pepper or a grind or two from a grinder

Mix dressing ingredients all together and then add 1 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup toasted almonds (I put more in here then just 1/2 a cup)

Mix together (an old jar is handy here) chill dressing for at least 20 minutes and pour over lettuce. Serves about 6.

Wine Pairing - Prosecco or other favourite sparkling wine is terrific with this salad

1 – Large Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

3 – Cored, peeled Chopped Macintosh Apples

3 – medium Shallots chopped

1 ½ cup Chicken Stock

1 cup table cream

2 Tbsp butter

8 Sage Leaves

2 Sprigs of fresh Thyme

4 strips crispy Bacon finely chopped

½ cup crème fraise or Sour Cream

Salt

Pepper

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Roast Squash and apples in oven sprinkled with 1tbs butter, drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and fresh pepper.  Sprinkle 4 chopped sage leaves and leaves of one sprig of Thyme.  Roast at 375 for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

In a Dutch oven or heavy based soup pot, melt 1 tbsp butter with a drizzle of olive oil.  Sauté shallots on medium heat with salt and pepper, remainder of chopped sage and thyme leaves until shallots are translucent and soft then add squash and apples and sauté lightly for 5 minutes to combine ingredients and flavours.  Add chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add table cream, lower heat and whiz soup to a desired consistency. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Simmer on low heat for up to 30 minutes. 

Garnish soup at service with a swirl of crème fraise and a sprinkle of chopped crispy bacon bits. 

Extra garnish could include a crispy fried sage leaf

Enjoy with Unibroue Ephemere for a delicious beer choice or the Pierre Sparr. Riesling from Alsace France.

4 large sweet potatoes

2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional and by taste)

2 Tbsp of butter

1/2 Tsp of ground ginger

1/2 Tsp of pumpkin pie mix

1/2 C of cream or coconut milk

1/4 C shredded coconut

1 cup mini marshmallows

Butter 2-quart baking dish and preheat oven to 350 F. Cook sweet potatoes by either roasting, steaming or in the microwave until they are very tender and then wait until they are cool enough to handle. Once they are cool then peel them and cut into smaller chunks and then mash. 

Add all of the ingredients and mix/mash until they are well blended. Place in baking dish and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. You can sprinkle a few extra marshmallows and coconut on top if you like. Back until slightly brown on top and piping hot. Serve right away.

Enjoy with a buttery - Kendal Jackson, Reserve Chardonnay is an excellent choice.