Challah Bread

This traditional Jewish recipe has been enjoyed by our family since the early 1970’s when a dear friend of ours introduced it to us. It was a version of the sacred bread used for the Jewish Sabbath, and passed down from her family. We have always enjoyed this special bread at weddings, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and would like to pass it on to you.

Fresh Challah Bread.

Makes two large loaves

8 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tbsp. dry yeast
3 ½ cups milk
4 tbsp. honey
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts (optional)
5 more cups of flour

In a large bowl, stir together 4 cups of the flour with the salt and dry yeast. Save the remaining 4 cups of flour for later.

Next, place a sauce pan on low heat and mash up the butter, milk and honey. You can use a large fork or a whisk to do the mashing and mixing. Don’t let it get too hot or it will kill the yeast.  When butter is melted and mixed with the milk and honey, remove from heat and add to the dry ingredients. Beat with a whisk until well mixed. This mixture is called a sponge. Cover with a damp cloth. Then place the sponge in a warm draft-free area for 15 minutes to let the yeast activate.

With the mixture still in the bowl, whisk in 3 eggs (as well as the optional 1 cup of walnuts.) Slowly add the remaining flour one cup at a time for the first 3 cups.  Beat well with a wooden spoon after each addition.  As the dough develops it will slowly come away from the sides of the bowl and become less sticky.  At this point take the dough out and put it on a floured surface to start the kneading.  Keep adding the flour in small increments until the Challah dough is smooth, elastic, and forms a ball.  Knead the ball of dough for about 10 minutes more to develop the gluten. This is a great upper-body strengthening exercise!

I was taught that when you pull the dough apart, if it stretch’s thin, and does not break, it’s ready.  (If you used whole wheat dough it will not be as elastic.)

Now, let’s let it rise. Dust a large bowl with flour, or smear with softened butter. Put in the dough and cover with a damp cloth and let sit in a warm place for approx. 45 minutes.  A warm oven works well in cold weather. Let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk.  (When using whole wheat flour, it rises and softens, but does not double in size.)  Punch the dough down back to size, put it back on a board, and knead into a ball. Divide dough in half.  Then divide each half into three. Roll each of the 6 pieces of dough into a long, thin strand. Braid three strands at a time, forming 2 loaves. Place braided dough on a cookie sheet in a warm area and let them rise. After they rise and are soft to the touch, beat an egg in a small bowl and very, very gently brush the egg wash onto the loaves using a pastry brush.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds.  (The risen dough is a bit fragile at this stage when ready to go in the oven.  Don’t jostle it.  If it deflates, knead it again and let it rise again.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the two breads in oven and bake for approx. 35 to 40 minutes, or until Challah is golden brown and sounds hollow when knocked gently with your knuckles.

It’s superb when served with sweet butter!

Challah dough made with whole wheat and added wallnuts.

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2013. All right reserved.)

Roasted Vegetables in a Frey Chardonnay Marinade

This is a simple veggie dish, and both vegans and meat eaters will love it.  It will go perfectly with a pesto pasta or grilled chicken, or even as the main course.  It has no meat, no dairy products, yet has an almost meaty flavor and texture!

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup Frey Biodynamic Chardonnay
4 cloves peeled garlic
1 apple, core removed
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup olive oil

2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
4 portobello mushrooms
3 onions (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 white, if possible)
2 zucchinis

2 fresh tomatoes, or 8 cherry tomatoes

The Marinade: Except for the olive oil, put all the ingredients for the marinade into a blender, (or Cuisinart).  Pour in the Chardonnay, then throw in the garlic cloves, the apple, cayenne, rosemary, bay leaves, honey, Dijon mustard, and the salt.  Blend it for a few seconds.  Then pour in the olive oil very slowly, in a thin stream, with the blender running.  Your marinade is ready!

Chop the Veggies: Chop them up but not too much!  Leave them big and chunky, like large slices of meat.  I prefer red and yellow bell peppers as their colorful hues are not lost to the roasting as much as green peppers.  I also prefer various colors of onions to have in the mix, all of which adds to the visual delight of the final product.  If the bit of stem on the portobellos look dried or aged, you can cut them off, but keep those portobello slices big and thick.  The same for the zucchini slices.

Let’s Marinate!  Put the chopped veggies into a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Stir the veggies thoroughly so the marinade coats every piece.  Let it sit for 4 hours, remixing about every 45 minutes as the marinade tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl.

Let’s Roast! Put the marinated veggies into a wide roasting pan (such as a cookie sheet or lasagna pan) and spread it out about an inch high.  Put in pre-heated oven at 400 degree.  After fifteen minutes, stir the veggies with a spoon.  Cook for another 10 minutes and check if veggies are done to your liking.  I prefer them al dente, with some firmness still on the insides and not mushy through and through.  Garnish with slices of fresh tomatoes. Enjoy with a glass of Frey Biodynamic Chardonnay!

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2013. All right reserved.)

Below are photos of some of the steps for this recipe:

Portobellos sliced thick.

Pouring in the marinade over the chopped vegetables.

Stirring and coating the veggies with the marinade.

Veggies marinating.

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2013. All right reserved.)

Blood Orange Sole Salad with Dessertage Vinaigrette

This is a wonderful salad topped with a fillet of sole and drizzled with a vinaigrette made with Frey Dessertage Port, a flavorful organic sweet wine.  The sole is best if fresh, when it smells like scallops.

Carolyn Dismuke will be showcasing the creative ways of cooking with Dessertage Port atDrinkThoseWords.com in the coming months. Be sure to check it out!

Pouring on the Dessertage Vinaigrette to the Sole Salad.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb. sole fish (vegan alternative: portobello mushroom, 4 large caps)
salt
pepper, coarsely ground
1 cup & 6 tablespoons Frey Dessertage Port organic sweet wine
2/3 cup & 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large head red butter lettuce
½ cup raw pecans
1/2 red onion
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 blood orange
1 avocado
2 teaspoons coconut oil

Marinating the sole fillets with Dessertage Port.

1.  Let’s get the sole marinating in the Dessertage Port by first laying out the fillets in a dish. (Vegan alternative: use 4 large caps of portobello mushrooms and prepare the same way).  With a sharp knife slice into the fillets about halfway through, each slice half inch apart.  This will allow the marinade to seep in better.  Sprinkle a large pinch of salt, pinch of pepper.  Then drizzle over the fillets 4 tablespoons Frey Dessertage Port, followed by drizzling 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Let them marinade while preparing the rest of the salad.  Return every few minutes to spoon the marinade back over them again.

2.  Now to the head of red butter lettuce.  I like to take a knife and cut out the core from the bottom so the leaves peel off easily.  Rinse and dry in a salad spinner.  Then tear into smaller pieces.  I prefer red butter lettuce leaves about 3 inches long, somewhat big.  Set aside.

3.  Time to toast the raw pecans: chop them up and put them in a dry pan on low heat.  Don’t forget about them because they will burn quickly.  It’s best to stay with them until done, stirring frequently on low heat.  You know they’re ready after a few minutes when they release that distinct toasty aroma, and they darken a little.

Flambéing the toasted oats!

Now, with 2 tablespoons of Dessertage Port at the ready, crank the heat up to high and quickly pour it in to flambé the toasted pecans.  If you have a gas stove, tip the pan so the Port catches the flame and lights up, or use a match.  After the flames die out, turn the heat back to low and simmer off the Port.  The pecans will burn if left on high, so please do turn the heat down!  Stir until the pecans are dry and coated with a sweet layer of caramelized Dessertage.  It will take a few minutes.  Then spread the pecans out on a plate and set aside to cool.

(Remember to take time out now and then to spoon the marinade over the fillets again!)

4.  Now let’s make the Dessertage Port Vinaigrette:  in a pot pour in 1 cup of Dessertage Port, 2 tablespoons minced red onion, and 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger.  We’re going to make the reduction for the base of our Dessertage Vinaigrette by bringing this to a boil and reducing it until there’s about ¼ cup left and it’s syrupy.  It will take a few minutes.

Remove the reduction from heat, let it cool down a little, pour into a bowl with a whisk at the ready, then add 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and a pinch or two of salt.  While whisking continuously, very slowly pour in 2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, just a thin stream.  When the pouring is finished, it should be thick and creamy and take on a gorgeous crimson hue, like a Hawaiian sunset.  You may also do it in a snap using a Cuisinart.  But like the furniture maker who eschews electric tools for the sake of a forgotten art, I often prefer to do these steps by hand.  I practice my old techniques, and it’s good exercise!  Each time I grab a whisk I recall a chef instructor at the California Culinary Academy years ago who would yell out, “Whisk it!  Whisk it good! Whisk it ‘til your arms fall off!”

Very slowly pour in the vinaigrette while whisking.

5.  Before cooking the fillets, let’s get the rest of the salad ingredients ready by cutting four thin slices of red onion, 4 thin slices of blood orange, and slice up completely the avocado.  I like to serve the fillets piping hot over the salad, so let’s now get the beds of lettuce ready, spread out over the four separate plates.

6.  It’s time to cook the marinated sole fillets  Put 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a pan on medium heat to get it nicely coated.  Put in the fillets  They will cook quickly, about 2 minutes.  

Place the fillets on each of the four beds of lettuce. (For the portobello vegan alternative, slice up the cooked mushrooms before laying them on the bed of lettuce.)  Quickly arrange the rest of the salad ingredients to the delight of your artistic whims: the rings of raw onion, the slices of blood orange and avocado.  Drizzle on the Dessertage Vinaigrette.  And finally, sprinkle on the toasted pecans.

Watch out for the bones.  Bon appétit!

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2013. All right reserved.)

Pairing Wine with Spicy Foods

We live in a time where we have access to almost all cuisines from across the globe and wine is no longer being overlooked as a compliment for spicy or ethnic foods.  In the past spicy food wine pairings were limited to white wines but there are wonderful options among rosés and reds.  For spice loving foodies it’s time to start sipping outside the box!

Spicy foods are as varied as the wines they can be paired with.  Low alcohol wines are best for the spiciest dishes, since spice can accentuate alcohol and make high alcohol wines taste hot and abrasive.  Spice can also enhance the astringency of tannins in wine, so heavy red wines are not a good choice with fiery dishes.  The spice of ginger, with citrus and lemongrass, is balanced well by wines with crisp acidity and floral aromas, like Sauvignon Blanc and other aromatic whites.  Savory spice like garlic, onions, oregano, sage and rosemary are right at home with deep spicy reds like Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.   Brown, earthy spice like cumin, coriander and cardamom are best paired with earthy Syrahs and low tannin Merlots.

Below is a list of Frey wines that are best served with spicy fare, and pairing suggestions that will highlight both the food and wine.

Frey Organic Rosé – The floral acidity of our rosé is great with sweet and spicy foods like southern barbeque, Jamaican Jerk spice or Tom Kha Thai coconut soup with lemongrass, galangal (ginger’s spicy cousin) and chilies.

Frey Organic Gewurztraminer – The spicy aromatic nose of gewürztraminer is slightly sweet.  We enjoy it with ginger flavored stir-fries and coconut curry dishes with kefir lime.

Frey Organic Sauvignon Blanc – Our Sauvignon Blanc is grown in a warm climate and has tropical aromas and flavors with not too rigid acidity.  We recommend it with the cilantro, lime and zest of Mexican and Southwest dishes.

Frey Organic Pinot Noir – Wonderful with spicy Baja fish stew (see our recipe below!), chile verde sauce or basil and eggplant sautéed with garlic and hot peppers.

Frey Organic Zinfandel – Zinfandel has a naturally fruity and spicy character that lends itself to ethnic foods.  Great with garlicky dishes like Shrimp Diablo, spicy meat dishes and sautéed pardon peppers.

Frey Biodynamic Chardonnay – The roundness of Chardonnay can cut through the spice and smoke in chipotle sauce.  Since Chardonnay is a full bodied white wine it can stand up well to dishes that include chicken or other poultry.

Frey Biodynamic Syrah – The spicy notes of Syrah go great with Indian and Middle Eastern dishes with warm spices like cumin, coriander, fennel or cardamom. The wine’s earthiness is great with the lentils, chickpeas and potatoes often found in such fare.

Frey Organic Petite Sirah – Petite Sirah is known for its peppery character and is a great choice for heavier, tomato based dishes like spicy tomato gratin, or spicy chutney with grilled lamb.

As with all wine and food pairing, at the end of it all we should drink and eat what we love.  Combine what sounds good to you, and always remember to try new dishes with wine and food – in moderation of course. 

Cheers and Bon Appetite!

(Copyrighted © Eliza Frey, Frey Vineyards, 2013. All right reserved.)

Spicy Baja Seafood Stew

This is a hearty, warm soup for cold winter nights!

Spicy Baja Seafood Stew. Pairs great with many wines!

It's a very easy stew to make with minimal prep and cook time, about 30 minutes.   A wine friendly dish!  The fish and spice make it a great match for a young chardonnay, rosé or aromatic white wine, while the tomato and herb components pair well with a light to medium red wine like our organic Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.

Serves four to six.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 large potato
1 green or yellow bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 quart fish stock, canned or homemade
½ cup Frey Organic Pinot Noir or Biodynamic Chardonnay
1 quart diced tomatoes with sauce
¼ cup tomato paste
6 large sustainably harvested prawns
1 ½ pound fillet of cod
Optional clams or mussels
Few pinches dried oregano
Few pinches dried basil
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Three cloves minced or pressed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with sliced avocado, lime wedge and cilantro

Directions:
Put the oil into a large thick-bottom soup pot with the onions and simmer until the onions are translucent, about 5 min. 
Chop sweet peppers into small cubes and jalapeno into small pieces.  You can remove the seeds from the jalapeno if you want the soup to be mild, or leave a few in if you want to turn up the heat. 
Cut the potato into large cubes. 
Add the chopped peppers and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are barely tender. 
Add the fish stock , tomatoes, tomato paste and wine and cook until potatoes are tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, shell the prawns and cut the fish into large chunks.
Once potatoes are tender, add prawns, fish, oregano, basil, pepper flakes and garlic.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until the prawns turn pink and the fish is flaky and opaque.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced avocado, lime wedge and cilantro.
Serve with crusty toasted bread with olive oil, or quesadilla and green salad with citrus dressing.
Enjoy with your favorite Frey Organic red or white wine, as this dish goes well with both!  We recommend Frey Organic Pinot Noir, Biodynamic Chardonnay or Zinfandel.

Wine & Mushroom Pairing: Portobello Mushroom Roulade with Frey 2010 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon

When the autumn nights start to turn chilly, we love cooking savory mushroom dishes to pair with our red wines. Red wine and mushrooms are a unique marriage of complex flavors; some wild mushrooms, like black trumpet mushrooms, can bring out the earthy notes of a delicate Pinot Noir, while some fuller-bodies reds can bring out the meatiness of other mushrooms, like porcini and portobellos.

This Portobello Roulade recipe comes from Carmelita, a wonderful vegetarian restaurant in Seattle, Washington.  We paired it with our Frey 2010 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon and found that the flavors in both complimented each other beautifully (we conveniently used the Cabernet for the one cup of wine called for in the recipe).  This recipe has many steps, so plan on making the preparation part of your feast, but the results are stunning and well worth your efforts for a special occasion dinner.  This dish is vegan, and can be gluten-free if made without the panko.

Serves 6
Here's what you need:

For the Roulade
6 Portobello mushrooms, roasted
Salt and pepper, to taste
9 asparagus shoots, roasted
2 onions, chopped and caramelized
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup Frey Dessertage Port or Frey Late Harvest Zinfandel
2 red bell peppers, roasted and julienned

For the Potato Cakes
6 Yellow Finn potatoes, quartered and boiled
2 yams, peeled, chopped, and boiled
1 onion, diced
1 leek (white only), diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 cup panko or bread crumbs

For the Mushroom Demi-Glace
Gills and stems of Portobellos
1 onion, chopped
8 whole cloves garlic
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp thyme, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup Frey red wine (we used the Frey 2010 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon)
3 cups water
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Here's what you do:

For the Roulade
1)Remove gills and stems from portobellos. Place them on an oiled sheet tray along with the asparagus and  salt and pepper and put into a 400-degree F oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

2) To caramelize onions, place chopped onions in a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and cook until translucent (about 8-10 minutes).

3) Deglaze with 1/2 cup Frey Dessertage or Late Harvest Zinfandel, lower heat, and cook until tender and sweet, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.

4) Place cooled mushrooms on a clean working surface, stem side down, and with a sharp knife, butterfly each mushroom, opening them flesh side up. Leave 1/2 inch at the end, and open the mushroom like a book. To fill each mushroom, place 2 tablespoons of caramelized onions at the center, followed by roasted peppers and asparagus. Roll the mushrooms around the filling ingredients. Each should look like a fat cigar. Tie each roulade with a thin strand of the leek tops.

For the Potato Cakes
1) After boiling potatoes and yams separately, sauté diced onions and leek with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Drain potatoes and yams, combine, and add onion mixture and panko. Mash ingredients together.  The potato mixture should be rustic, not mashed potatoes. Season as desired. Remove from mixing bowl and form into six 1” thick cakes.

For the Mushroom Demi-Glace

1) Place mushroom stem and gills in a baking pan along with onions, garlic, carrots, and herbs. Sprinkle with oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

2) Remove foil, add 1 cup of red wine and continue to roast another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, reserve wine, and place solid ingredients in a blender with water (do this in several batches). Blend well, until you achieve a watery paste. Pass blended mixture through a fine sieve. Finally, put strained sauce in a pan with reserved red wine and reduce to a syrup-like consistency. Season sauce well.

Final Preparation and Serving
1) Place roulades and potato cakes on a sheet tray and place in a 350-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm mushroom demi-glace. Place a ladle of mushroom demi-glace in the center of each plate. When potato cakes are hot, place one on top of the sauce on each plate and place a roulade on top of each cake.

Enjoy!

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Frey Vineyards, 2013. All right reserved.)

Make your own organic herb infused wine

The practice of infusing wine with herbs goes all the way back to ancient times, and today it’s still a fun and tasty way to enjoy and enhance the flavors of your favorite wines with the benefits of herbal extracts.

Organic white and red wine infused with herbs.

Herbal infused wines have a long history throughout the world.  The Egyptians used wines as a carrier for herbal remedies. Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania analyzed ceramics from Egyptian wine containers and found herbal residues dating back to over 5000 years ago!  The herbs they identified included lemon balm, coriander, sage and mint.

In tenth century Europe, Saint Hildegrad Von Bingen recommended herbal infusions in wine and vinegar for a variety of ailments from weak heart to congestion. Many contemporary North American Herbalists recommend wine infusions as a simple and enjoyable way to incorporate herbs into your diet.

If human beings made herbal infused wines for millenniums, we had to try it too!  Infusing a wine is very simple. Harvest a small handful of herbs for each bottle of wine to be infused.  Make sure the herbs are clean and dry.  Roughly chop them and blend together.  Place herbs in a clean glass bottle or jar and pour in the wine and close lid tight.  Let sit for 5 to 14 days in a cool dark place.  The wine can last for up to two weeks once infused. 

The wine takes on the flavors and characteristics of the herbs very quickly.  I recommend trying the wine after one day, and continuing to try it over the course of a few days to see how it tastes and how the concentration of the herbs increases over time. When the taste is right, strain out the herbs and enjoy.  You can also pour off a portion of the wine and leave some in the herbs to extract more flavor.  Don't overdo it with the number of herbs for each infusion.  Keep it simple and find out what you like best. 

After the wine has been strained you can store it in the refrigerator or a cool dark place.  I think it’s best to drink the finished product within about two weeks of infusing.

It's simple, healthful fun and the results were wonderfully tasty!  Below are more pictures of the steps we took.

The herbs laid out, ready for chopping up, and some fresh lemon zest.

Oregano and rosemary for the red wine, lemon balm and fresh lemon zest for the white wine.

Pouring Frey Biodynamic Cabernet Sauvignon into oregano and rosemary. Five days later, a tasty herbal infusion!

Learn in 3 minutes how to pair Frey Organic Wine with fine cheeses!

Barrie Lynn at the Cheese Impresario has some great tips to share with you on pairing your favorite Frey wine with fine specialty cheeses.  She pairs Frey Organic Chardonnay with mouthwatering Gruyère, Frey Organic Sauvignon Blanc with some creamy goat cheese, and Frey Organic Cab with aged cheddar.  Try one of the combinations at your next holiday party!  The videos can be found here on YouTube.

Holiday Fruitcake with Bitter Chocolate Sauce

This recipe for a classic holiday fruitcake is lightly sweetened with real honey and the fruit is soaked and simmered in Frey Organic Dessertage Port. It's easy to make and certainly will disappear quickly at your holiday party! I use organic ingredients whenever possible, to help organic farmers and the planet.

Holiday Fruitcake with Bitter Chocolate Sauce, made by Chef Tamara Frey.

Recipe makes one cake.

1 cup thinly sliced dried apricots. (organic Turkish apricots are usually not too dry and perfect for this)
1 cup thinly sliced dried figs
1 cup Frey Organic Dessertage Port (Mendocino dessert wine)

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (vegan alternative: coconut butter)
1 cup honey
4 eggs (vegan alternative: an egg-replacer found at health food stores)
1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups whole spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh ground nutmeg is best by using whole nutmegs and rough-grating them on a cheese grater)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
For the Bitter Chocolate Sauce and garnish:
¾ cup heavy cream (vegan alternative: just leave out the cream and simply melt the chocolate as-as; it will only leave the cooled chocolate on the brittle side)
1½ cups chopped bittersweet chocolate
½ to 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 300F and generously butter an angel food cake pan (vegan alternative: coconut oil).

In small saucepan, combine the apricots, figs, and Frey Organic Dessertage sweet wine.  Simmer until wine is almost boiled off, which takes 10 to 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  In large bowl beat the butter with electric beater until creamy.  Add honey and beat until blended.  Add eggs (or vegan egg-replacer) one at a time, and beat well after each addition.  Add vanilla and mix that in.  Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cranberries, almonds, and walnuts.  Then gently mix in the apricots and figs by folding. Spoon it all into the buttered (or oiled) angel food cake pan.  Bake approx. 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean.  Let it sit 15 minutes, then extract it out of its mold onto a cooling rack.  While it cools, bring the cream to a simmer (for vegans, skip to the next step).  Add the chopped chocolate.  Let melt a few minutes.  Stir, then let it cool but not so much that it cannot pour out.  Place the cake on serving platter, pour over the chocolate sauce, then garnish with the chopped macadamia nuts.  Surround with pine boughs or other seasonal decorative.

A slice of Holiday Fruitcake!

(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2011. All right reserved)

Glazed Pumpkin with Maple Walnuts

In front of the Frey Vineyards winery this fall were several pumpkins lined up in a row upon which the oak trees settled their orange-hued leaves.  The pumpkins were just harvested from the vineyard gardens and that scene inspired this tasty Thanksgiving side dish.


Glazed Pumpkin with Maple Walnuts, by Chef Tamara Frey.

Pumpkins are usually used for pies in the U.S.  But the humble pumpkin is a winter squash after all and certainly can be prepared as such.  So after some experimentation I came up with this dish in which the texture and taste of this famed North American squash is newly revealed in sweet & spicy tenderness.  Serve it as a side dish with your next Thanksgiving dinner!

Serves 6 to 8

There are 2 steps for preparing the pumpkin.  It’s first cooked in an oven, then glazed in a sauté pan.  For vegans, coconut oil may be used instead of butter.

For the Pumpkin in the Oven:
1 medium pie pumpkin of about 4 lbs.
½ cup Frey Gewurztraminer
6 whole cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
  
For the Pumpkin in the Sauté Pan:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
½ cup Frey Gewurztraminer
2 tablespoons maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

For the Maple Walnut Garnish:
1 cup walnut pieces (do not chop)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pumpkin in the Oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds.  Lay the pumpkin halves face down on a cutting board.  Cut off the skin with a knife, slicing downward and rotating as needed.  Cut up the skinned pumpkin halves to ½ inch chunks.  Spread out the chunks onto a baking dish.  Toss on the cinnamon sticks.  Before sprinkling on the cardamom, first crush the pods using a knife held flat against a cutting board.  Now drizzle on the ½ cup Frey Gewurztraminer.  Add the maple syrup and the unsalted butter or coconut oil.  Mix the ingredients together a bit and spread out across the baking dish.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.  Stir about every 15 minutes.  Pumpkin chunks will be al dente.

Walnut Garnish
While the pumpkin is baking, toast the maple walnuts for the garnish.  In a smaller baking dish throw in the non-chopped walnut pieces and add the maple syrup and cinnamon.  Mix them up well so the walnuts get a real soaking from the syrup.  Then spread it all out on a baking dish and toast in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Set it aside.  It will be used as the garnish in the final step!

Pumpkin in the Sauté Pan
Fresh from the oven now, throw in the baked pumpkin chunks into a sauté pan of medium-high heat along with 2 of the 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil (you’ll be adding the other 2 tablespoons shortly).Pour in the Gewurztraminer and maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and cook down a minute, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil.  Swirl and stir till melted and incorporated into the sauce.  Then put the glazed pumpkin into your favorite serving bowl.  Garnish with the Maple Walnuts spread over the top.  Be sure to arrange the cinnamon sticks with an aesthetic and personalized touch!

A cinnamon stick ads the final touch!

(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2011. All right reserved)