Seasons In The Wine Country

Jul 17, 2010
Trevy Thomas

Seasons in the Wine Country - Chronicle Books

A collection of recipes, with wine paring suggestions, from Cate Conniff and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

Seasons in the Wine Country features recipes that highlight the freshest ingredients of each season. The recipes are designed by the expert chefs from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, and there are wine and champagne primers along with pairing suggestions.

Bud Break – Spring Recipes

The recipes of spring feature delicacies at their finest this time of year, such as Chickpea-Encrusted Fried Artichokes (served with a soft-boiled egg tartar sauce that sounds delicious), Minted English Pea Soup, and Asparagus Risotto with Goat Cheese, Dungeness Crab and Meyer Lemon. These recipes are tasty enough to serve whenever the ingredients are available.

Ripening – Summer Recipes

Summer brings on fruits and vegetables only hinted at in the spring, and these delectable treats should be taken while they're ripe. Try old favorites in new ways with Watermelon and Watercress Salad with Ricotta Salata and Sweet White Corn Soup with Crab and Chile Oil.

Harvest – Fall Recipes

As an oyster lover, it's hard not to drool over the photo of Panko-Crusted Fried Oysters, served with a champagne-mustard sauce, and fall is prime time for oysters. The Roasted Beet, Herbed Goat Cheese and Hazelnut Timbales are an impressive dish to serve guests.

Dormancy – Winter Recipes

A Wild Mushroom Lasagna with Ricotta and Crescenza Cheese & Spinach is an elegant version of a winter classic. Seasons suggests serving with a full-bodied, ripe, oaky Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. After that, a nap might be in order.

Summary

Sometimes wine-pairing cookbooks can be dull with unnecessarily complicated recipes, but Seasons in the Wine Country is enticing with the kind of recipes that inspire dinner parties. And at that point, the wine suggestions will be quite welcome. Phenomenal photography, delicious recipes and simple wine advice make this cookbook a keeper.

Title: Seasons in the Wine Country

Author: Cate Coniff

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 2009, 208 pgs., $27.50

Recipe Excerpt:

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Herb-and Mustard Crust

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 racks of lamb (about 1 ¼ pounds each), frenched
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
½ cup coarse fresh bread crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Rub each rack of lamb with one of the crushed garlic cloves, then discard the garlic. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. One at a time, brown the lamb racks well on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Reserve on a plate at room temperature.
In a small bowl, combine the mustard, mint, parsley, rosemary, and thyme with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to create a paste. Rube the paste over the lamb.
On a plate, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roll the lamb racks in the bread crumbs to coat evenly. Place the lamb on a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
Roast the lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 125 degrees for rare or 135 degrees for medium-rare, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Carve the lamb racks into individual or double chops, as desired, by cutting in between the bones, and serve.

Wine Pairing: Syrah