Earth Pasta

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes, easy to make and delicious

Earth Pasta, by Chef Tamara Frey

I’ve always loved the flavorful combination of dessert wines and cream boiled down to a sauce. In culinary school most of these rich and fabulous sauces they teach are from concentrated meat stock bases. I wanted to develop a sauce that was vegetarian and easy to make, but still used the classic French technique of reduction. I came up with Earth Pasta when I developed the first menu for the newly opened Daily Planet Restaurant in the early 1980s.

I remember my father loved cooking with mushrooms and onions sautéed in olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper. He enjoyed it over steak, but the combo works for many dishes, and I included them in this Earth Pasta.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS (May I suggest you use organic ingredients if you can, to help out our planet, and small farmers)
20 snow peas, leave them whole
4 cups sliced mushrooms (packed in)
2 cups sliced onions
1 cup Frey Dessertage Port (or Madeira sweet wine)
2 cups heavy cream, enough to make a nice sauce for the veggies at the end
linguini for 4 people, cook al dente. Add a dash of salt and a splash of olive oil to the water while pasta boils

Sauté snow peas, mushrooms, and onions with your favorite cooking oil (I recommend unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil, or extra-virgin coconut oil). When they’re done, turn up the heat and pour in the Dessertage Port (or Madiera, which was used in the original recipe and it would flambé over a gas stove; Frey Dessertage Port did not flambé for me when I used it for this recipe, but it still tastes great in this dish). Reduce the spirits so the alcohol burns off and the essence remains, then add the heavy cream and bring to a boil and simmer, until thickened to desired consistency for pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh finely grated Romano parmesan or Asiago cheese, fresh-chopped parsley, scallions, and fresh cherry tomato-halves if in season.

This dish goes great with Frey Organic Pinot Noir, one of our lighter red wines.

Vegan alternatives:
Instead of cream, use coconut creamer or soy creamer. I tried it with coconut creamer and it tasted great, but I have yet to try it using soy creamer, which may curdle. You may also try it using a thick miso broth as a cream alternative.

Instead of the cheese garnish, try a vegan parmesan made by Eat in the Raw.

(Chef Tamara Frey is working on a cook book about cooking for large groups. We'll announce it here when it's released!)

(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 20111. All right reserved)

Roasted Beet Salad with Frey Tannat Vinaigrette

I created this salad to take advantage of a totally new, superbly rich wine here at Frey Vineyards: our just released Organic Tannat, vintage 2010.  Balsamic vinegar reductions are one of my favorite ingredients to make from scratch, so I had to try the same reducing technique with this tasty tannat and its thick-as-ink texture.  I was most surprised and pleased.  The best flavors of the wine permeated the vinaigrette, along with its gorgeous color.

Roasted Beet Salad with Frey Tannat Vinaigrette.

The vinaigrette is added to a roasted beet salad, with red butter lettuce, fresh avocado and strawberry slices, a touch of onion, and raw chopped almonds.  Enjoy with a warm baguette and a glass of Frey Organic Tannat wine.

I use all organic ingredients when possible.
Serves 4

1 large beet
1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 large head of red butter lettuce
1 large avocado
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup raw chopped almonds
4 slices red onion
3/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan cheese)

3/4 cup Frey Organic Tannat wine (a deep red wine)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Let’s start with the beet.  Cut it into 1/4" thick strips, just like French fries but healthier!  Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper.  Roast in a 350F oven until soft (approx. 20 min. to 1/2 hr.). Let it cool.  Then toss with 2 teaspoons of the Tannat vinaigrette, which you will make soon. Set aside.

Roasted beets with Tannat vinaigrette added.

Now on to the main salad ingredients.  Keep each separated for now, and handle some ingredients carefully as later you will use some for garnish.  Wash and dry the red butter lettuce and tear into pieces by hand (otherwise you will have to eat the salad with the help of a knife, which I prefer not to do).  Slice up the avocado and strawberries.  Chop up the raw almonds (I prefer the almonds raw, as they are more nutritious and I love the flavor, but you may toast if you prefer).  Separate the rings from the red onion slices.  Shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano (I use a potato peeler which makes paper-thin translucent slices that are beautiful). 

Slicing Parmigiano-Reggiano with a potato peeler.

Time to make the Frey Tannat Vinaigrette!  Put into a sauce pan the Tannat wine, balsamic vinegar and the orange zest.  Bring to a boil, then let it simmer until it reduces to around 1/4 cup, which takes about 15 minutes.  Important: keep an eye on it because it’s possible to reduce it to thin air!  Let cool a few minutes, then pour into a blender.  Add the salt and pepper and maple syrup.  With the blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a thin stream.  It will thicken nicely (emulsifying technique) and the color will turn to a shade of purple.

Add 2 teaspoons of the vinaigrette to the roasted beets.  Mix until the beets are coated.

One quick note about the remaining vinaigrette.  I added half a cup to the rest of the salad and found that to my liking.  You may prefer to add more or less to your taste.  Adding all of it might be too strong for some.  If you have leftover vinaigrette, you may use some as dip for the baguettes, marinate a steak in it, or save it for tomorrow’s salad!

Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss in the salad bowl, so the dressing coats everything.  Tossing tends to send the heavier ingredients to the bottom to hide under the lettuce.  So for presentation, set aside 4 or 5 beautiful slices of the avocado and strawberries, the onion rings, and some chopped almonds – enough to garnish to your heart’s delight.

Bon Appetite!

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2012. All right reserved.)

Sherried Mushroom Soup

Sherried Mushroom Soup

I’ve been making this wonderful creamy and delicious mushroom soup for years, using wild mushrooms when in season, and shitake when out of season. As always, I try to use all organic ingredients, as they taste better and are better for our health and planet.

This recipe can be made with Frey Organic Dessertage Port or Frey Organic Late Harvest Zinfandel as well.

Vegan alternatives are also provided.

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups shitake mushrooms
2 heaping cups sliced meadow mushrooms
2 heaping cups sliced portabella mushroom (usually 1 large portabella mushroom is enough)
1 large leek
3 Tbls chopped garlic. Which was 3 large cloves garlic
2 Tbls fresh chopped thyme. Or 1 tsp dry
6 Tbls unsalted butter (or coconut oil for vegans)
1 cup heavy cream (or almond milk, or coconut milk, for vegans)
1 cup sherry (or Frey Organic Dessertage Port or Frey Organic Late Harvest Zinfandel)
3 cups vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black or white pepper
Scallions, cayenne for garnishing

Start by slicing the leek down the middle to the white part. Open the stalks under cool water to remove all the dirt which gathers where the green meets the white. Slice up all of the leek, mushrooms, the rest of the vegetables, and set aside

In a large soup pot melt the unsalted butter. Throw in the mushrooms, leeks, thyme, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn up the heat for 10 seconds, or until the vegetables start hissing (but don't let them smoke!), then deglaze by pouring in the sherry. Immediately turn down the heat and let it all simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and ready to puree. Blend the soup very finely. I use a blender for pureed soups. Return the blended soup to the soup pot. Add the cream and mix it in. Add seasoning, salt and pepper to your liking. Bring the soup back to a simmer ready to serve.

Fill up your prettiest bowls with the soup and garnish with slivered scallions and sprinkled cayenne. If you don’t want it spicy-hot use paprika for color. Serve with a fresh sourdough baguette, sweet butter, a salad, and your favorite Frey Organic White wine.

(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 20101. All right reserved)

30th Anniversary Recipe Contest Winner: Italian Lentils

A big thanks to all of you who submitted a recipe for our 30th Anniversary Recipe Contest. We appreciated your response. Several excellent recipes were submitted, each one delicious. It was tough to choose a winner.

After much cooking, tasting and deliberation, we chose "Italian Lentils,” submitted by Katie S. from Elizabeth, Colorado. I used Frey Organic Syrah in the recipe. It was a very hearty and tasty Autumn dish. Wonderful with a sour dough baguette and a glass of Frey Organic Syrah! Here is Katie's winning recipe:

Italian Lentils

7 cups of vegetable broth
2 Tbls of olive oil
1 ½ cups of lentils
1 cup of Organic Frey red wine (any variety works great)
8 cloves of minced garlic
4 cups of diced tomatoes in juice
1 tsp salt (or add salt to taste, especially since your vegetable broth might already have salt added)
1 ½ Tbls dried basil
1 ½ tsp lemon pepper
1 cup of pasta
Sliced green olives

Bring broth and oil to boil. Add lentils and red wine and simmer 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is tender. Top with olives.

Serve with red Frey Organic Wine and a crusty baguette for dipping.

Spinach-Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Solar Cooked

This is a simple and tasty mashed potatoes recipe and popular with my customers. It involves a slight variation of the French technique of flash-heating, where you throw some spinach and garlic into a hot pan, for example, for a quick flavor-enhancing searing. But in this case the raw spinach and chopped garlic are added to the piping-hot potatoes while mashing commences. The heat of the potatoes cooks the spinach perfectly, and leaves the garlic pungent.

If the sun is out, use a solar oven to boil the potatoes in a carbon neutral way (see pictures below). We use a Sun Oven, not cheap, but it will pay for itself by reducing your energy bills and keeping your cooking carbon-neutral.

Serves 4 to 6.

6 medium red potatoes. Do not peel. Most of the nutrients are in the vegetable peel. Go organic if possible, as pesticide residue lingers in soil where potatoes grow.
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped.
2 cloves chopped garlic. Add more or less, to taste.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (tasty vegan alternative: extra virgin olive oil)
¼ to ½ cup of whole milk, or half and half, or cream (vegan alternative: save some of the water used to boil the potatoes).
6 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Boil potatoes until soft. Drain the water and start mashing the potatoes until chunky. Mix in the butter or olive oil, chopped garlic, parsley, and chopped spinach. Add the milk or cream to your preferred consistency (if you are vegan, save some of the potato water and use it with the olive oil for the consistency you desire). Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika or cayenne.

Another delicious option is to add a little feta cheese, either to mash into the hot potatoes or to sprinkle on top when serving.
(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 20101. All right reserved)

Organic potatoes cooking in solar oven, well above the boiling point!

Piping hot, solar cooked, carbon neutral, organic potatoes! Yum!

Marinated Goat Cheese Appetizer, Simple & Mouth-Watering

For 6 to 10 people

1 pound softened goat cheese
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (optional)
dash of salt (optional, to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Press the softened goat cheese flat into a platter with a raised rim (see picture). Choose your prettiest platter for best presentation. The cheese should be flattened to about 1/2 inch thick. With your hands, shape the cheese so the rim rises up about a quarter inch. This will prevent the oils from spilling off the top of the cheese. Use a fork to poke holes into the cheese, (this allows the flavors of the olive oil, vinegar, and herbs to penetrate better into the cheese). Be careful not to poke the rim.

Drizzle half of the oils onto the cheese. Then sprinkle on the fresh chopped herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Drizzle the rest of the oils over the mixture. Put the cheese in the refrigerator and let marinate overnight. This allows the oils and flavors to marry right into the cheese. But this dish can also be enjoyed immediately, with no marinating.

Serve with crostini, gourmet crackers, sliced cucumbers, or carrot sticks.

This appetizer was recently served at a wedding at Frey Vineyards to 450 people. We used 5 gallons of home-made goat cheese!
(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2010)

The goat cheese before the topping.

Rosemary & Garlic Butter

This classic butter spread is easy to prepare and a favorite of my customers. Serve it on warm baguettes or fresh sour dough French bread. In fact, it’s delicious on many dishes. Spread it on baked potatoes or mashed potatoes, add it to fettuccini, brown rice, couscous, or quinoa. Also, a fresh tomato garnish goes great with many of the above pairings, though I did not include it in the recipe below. Pair it with your favorite Frey Organic Wine. I especially like it with Frey Organic Sangiovese.

1 pound of unsalted organic butter (the butter should be soft but not melted)
6 finely chopped cloves of garlic
1 heaping tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary
1 heaping tablespoon of chopped parsley (you can also use basil)
¼ cup of extra virgin organic olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor put the butter, garlic, rosemary, and parsley. Blend all the ingredients while adding the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Put the mixture in a bowl and garnish with rosemary and parsley leaves.
(recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 2010)

The ingredients ready to go.

The first bit of olive oil into the Cuisine Art.

The ingredients thoroughly blended.

Organic Rosemary & Garlic Butter – ready to enjoy!

(Recipe copyrighted © Tamara Frey, 20101. All right reserved)

Wine and Herb Pairing

When pairing food and wine the goal is to create a complement of flavors that enhances the taste of each.  Today, many chefs are taking it further by pairing wine to the specific herbs they use in dishes.  French chefs have used herb-infused wine sauces for centuries, creating flavorful classic bistro dishes like mussels steamed in wine and herbs.

Spring is one of the best times of year to harvest and eat fresh herbs, when they are putting out their tender, potent new shoots that burst with flavor.  A foolproof sauce for any combination of wine and herbs is to melt butter (for vegans use a butter substitute like Earth Balance spread or olive oil) in a saucepan and add herbs and wine and salt to taste, cooking it down until it thickens slightly.  Serve over meat or vegetables. 

We recommend the following herb and wine combinations and encourage you to experiment with new ones!

Chardonnay – tarragon, lemon, lemon thyme, basil, lavender
Frey Natural White – tarragon, marjoram, thyme, chervil
Sauvignon Blanc – dill, lovage, mint, cilantro, ginger, lemongrass
Pinot Noir – sweet basil, oregano, mint
Frey Natural Red – basil, thyme and sage
Sangiovese – garlic, sage, basil, rosemary, oregano
Syrah – sage, basil, rosemary, chocolate mint
Petite Sirah – chives, rosemary, oregano, black pepper
Cabernet Sauvignon – rosemary, chives, black pepper, mustard, chocolate mint
Merlot – basil, oregano, white pepper
Zinfandel – chipotle peppers, cumin, coriander

Raw Lasagna with Bay Laurel Olive Oil and Red Wine “Syraw” Marinara

This “lasagna” is made with all raw ingredients, a perfect summertime entrée that is a great way to showcase some fresh garden veggies. The recipe seems long, but is quite simple. You will need a potato peeler and a food processor. Remember to use fresh, organic ingredients whenever possible.

The lasagna can be prepared in a casserole dish up to 24 hours in advance, or can be layered to individual plates and served, as shown in the photos. Either way it is a healthy, hearty dish that will please seasoned raw foodies and novices alike. Enjoy!

Makes one 8x12 casserole or six pieces of Lasagna

Bay Laurel Olive Oil
1/2 cup extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
3 Bay Laurel leaves

Make your infused olive oil 1-2 days before preparing the lasagna for maxium extraction. Finely chop or tear the bay leaves and put them into the oil, cover and let stand at room temperature, strain before using.

“Noodles”
2 medium zucchini
12 large swiss chard leaves
2 wide heirloom tomatoes

The zucchini and chard “noodles” can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance, they are tastier if allowed to wilt for a while.

Cut each chard leaf into 2-4 pieces, depending on the size of the leaf. Using a rolling pin or glass jar, firmly roll the leaves until you see that they are bruised (you can also use a mallet or the base of a glass and pound them until bruised). Bruising the leaves softens the tissue and makes them tastier and easier to digest. After they are well-bruised, place them on a plate, sprinkling a little vinegar between each leaf, set aside.

With a potato peeler, “slice” the zucchini across its mid section. The result is a wide and flexible “noodle”.

With a serrated knife, slice the heirloom tomato into several thin rounds.

“Syraw” Marinara
4 paste tomatoes, such as Roma, (or any other tomato, but the sauce will be more watery)
1/3 cup Frey Organic Syrah wine
1 red or green bell pepper
1 fresh cayenne pepper
1/2 cup roughly chopped onion
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
nutritional yeast (optional)
sea salt to taste

Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Nutritional yeast can be added if the sauce is too liquid.

Olive Pine Nut Paste
3/4 cup sun cured black olives
3/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup goji berries or date meat

Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add a little water, wine, or oil if the mixture is too dry.

Herbed Cashew “Cheese”
1 1/2 cup soaked raw cashews
3 Tbs. Thyme
3 Tbs. Fresh parsley
3 Tbs. Fresh Basil
sea salt to taste

Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add a little water, wine, or oil if the mixture is too dry.

Layer the noodles, marinara, olive paste and cheese, drizzling the infused olive oil between layers. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. Enjoy!

Note: Numerous variations of this recipe are possible. Some like to make a mushroom or walnut pate instead of the olive paste. Carrots also make nice noodles if sliced with the peeler. You can use any herbs or make it spicier by adding more pepper or garlic. With fresh organic ingredients, you can’t go wrong!

Organic Chardonnay Chicken in Tarragon Mushroom Sauce

This elegant chicken dish is easy to prepare and never fails to impress. It’s a versatile recipe that tastes delicious with potatoes, rice or pasta. Serves 4-6.
 
Organic Chardonnay Chicken in Tarragon Mushroom Sauce
4 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp olive oil
1 T butter
1 large shallot, minced
17 fresh tarragon leaves
Salt and pepper
¾ cup Frey Organic Chardonnay wine
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp arrowroot
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

Rinse the chicken, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a large skillet and cook the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides (about 15 minutes). Remove chicken and set aside.
 
Next, lower heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter, the minced shallots and tarragon. Sauté, stirring frequently for about a minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and increase the heat to medium high, stirring occasionally until they appear medium to dark brown in color.
 
Push the mushrooms around the edge of the skillet and return the chicken to the center of the pan. Pour the wine over the chicken, and adjust heat to simmer lightly for 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken.
 
Meanwhile, mix the cream, arrowroot and mustard. Turn the chicken, pour the cream mixture into the pan and simmer lightly for another 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately.