Tested, tasted, and certified delicious. We’re making your holiday food and wine planning more sumptuous than ever with our series of holiday recipes and wine pairings from Dry Creek Valley Wineries. So no need to fret the details this holiday season: here are two mouthwatering recipes courtesy of Mazzocco Winery and Ferrari Carrano that will put the zing back into your holiday feast and leave your family and friends begging for more.
Mazzoco Winery Lamb Crostini with Chermoula Aioli paired with 2011 Mazzocco Winery Zinfandel Smith Orchard Reserve
When winemaker Antoine Favero’s delicious Zinfandel pairs with Radio Africa & Kitchen Chef Eskender Aseged’s superbly prepared lamb, magic happens. The wine’s spicy pepper and rich dark berry notes bring out the seductive savory qualities of this satisfying entrée.
Serves up to 12 guests
Ingredients:
CHERMOULA
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½ cup of lemon juice
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3 tablespoons paprika
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½ teaspoon cayenne
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3 tablespoons garlic
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3 tablespoons chopped parsley
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3 teaspoons cumin
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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3 teaspoons ground coriander
LAMB
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2 pounds leg of lamb, cut and trimmed into loin style pieces
CROSTINI
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1 long thick sweet baguette
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3-4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions:
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Mix chermoula ingredients together and set aside.
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After the lamb is cut and trimmed, marinate it in 1/3 of the chermoula mixture for 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
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Whisk the remaining chermoula with ¾ cup of organic mayonnaise to create the chermoula aioli. Set aside.
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Preheat grill to 350°
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Cut the baguette into ½ inch slices and toast in the oven at 350° for 4 minutes.
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Grill the lamb, alternating sides, until medium rare, about 6 minutes. Let the meat rest for two minutes and then slice.
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Place meat on top of toast, drizzle with chermoula aioli and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
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Serve with Mazzocco Zinfandel Smith Orchard Reserve $52/bottle.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Eskender Aseged, Radio Africa & Kitchen
Ferrari-Carano’s Dungeness Crab Salad with Pear with a Sabayon dressing made from with 2011 Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay
Start your holiday meal off right with this elegant, first-course salad that’s ideal for the winter months in California when fresh crab is in season and widely available. It’s not only eclectic and flavorful, but a cinch to make!
Serves up to 6 guests
Ingredients for Dungess Crab Salad:
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2 cups cooked Dungeness crabmeat
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1 large Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and diced*
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1 tsp. lemon juice
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2 tbsp. mayonnaise
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2 tbsp. finely chopped chives
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2 tbsp. finely chopped green onions
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1 tsp. mustard
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Lemon zest
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Pinch of salt
Instructions for Dungess Crab Salad:
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Toss the pears gently with the lemon juice in small bowl.
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In a large bowl, add the crabmeat, reserved pears, mayonnaise, chives, green onion, lemon zest, mustard and salt and gently combine, being careful to not break up the crabmeat.
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Cover and refrigerate.
Ingredients for the Chardonnay Sabayon:
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½ cup chardonnay
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2 egg yolks
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½ cup unsalted butter
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2 tbsp. cream
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Dash of cayenne
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Salt to taste
Instructions for the Chardonnay Sabayon:
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Add wine to a stainless steel bowl and set over simmering water.
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Cook the wine and egg yolk over medium heat, whisking constantly, for almost 15 minutes, or until mixture is light and fluffy.
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Meanwhile, melt butter in the microwave.
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In a small saucepan, heat the cream to a boil, remove from heat immediately.
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Gradually whisk the melted butter from the microwave into the fluffy egg mixture until completely incorporated.
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Now whisk in the cream, season with salt and a dash of cayenne.
Serve this first-course salad with fresh winter greens, such as frisée or radicchio. Toss greens with olive
oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Divide over individual salad plates, put crabmeat salad on top, slice pears
in thin wedges and fan around salad in a circular pattern. Drizzle each plate with Chardonnay Sabayon. For a touch of color, add pomegranate kernels.
*In lieu of pears, you can also use mangos with orange instead of lemon.