Dinner Menu Paired with Recommended Wine:  Merlot

      Soup or Appetizer - Roasted Eggplant & Garlic Soup

      Entree - Braised Veal with Portobello Mushrooms, Celery Root & Toasted Pecans

      Side Dish - Wild Rice or Buttered Wide Egg Noodles

      Dessert - Carrot Cake

Recipe for:  Roasted Eggplant & Garlic Soup

1 large globe eggplant (about 1 lb.)

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 whole head garlic

Olive Oil

1 3/4 cups chopped red onions

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (1/4 cup dried)

1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (1/2 tbsp. dried)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes

4 1/2 cups chicken stock

Garnish: Basil sprigs, chopped red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 375 °F.  Trim ends of eggplant; leave skin on.  RInse, pat dry, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Place on paper towels for 20 - 30 min. to remove excess water.  Cut the top off of the garlic head and sprinkle lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Wrap in foil, leaving it a little open at top.  Please eggplant and garlic on a lightly oiled baking sheet and roast for 15 min.  Remove eggplant and continue roasting garlic for 35 min. more.  Chop eggplant into 1-inch pieces.  In a large soup pot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, basil, thyme, and pepper flakes and saute′ for 5 - 6 min., or until onions are translucent.  Squeeze garlic out of head, making sure that teh flaky peel does not get mixed in, and add it to the pot.  Add eggplant, tomatoes, and stock and bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from pot and transfer to a food processor or blender.  Puree in batches.  Soup can be refrigerated at this point.  Heat thoroughly before serving.  Season to taste.  Top with basil sprigs and chopped red bell pepper.          (Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as an entree)

The soft, supple quality of Merlot makes it an ideal choice for braised dishes that combine a lot of complimentary flavors, the softer tannins and medium weight of the wine blend well with the savory veal, earthy mushrooms and celery root, and the toasted nuts, as a white wine alternative.  It’s surprising how well the richness of a full-bodied Chardonnay pairs with this dish.

Recipe for:  Braised Veal with Portobello Mushrooms, Celery Root & Toasted Pecans 

1 3/4 lbs. veal stew meat

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/2 ounces pancetta, chopped

2 cups sliced portobello  mushrooms

2 cups peeled and diced celery root

1 cup chopped yellow onions

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tsp caraway seed

1 tsp chevril herbs

1 3/4 cups veal or chicken stock

1/3 cup white wine

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup toasted pecan halves

1/2 cup shredded soked mozarella cheese

Cut veal into 1-inch cubes.  Sprinkle with flour, salt & pepper.  In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute veal in butter and pancetta for 6 - 7 min., or until lightly browned.  Add mushrooms, celery root, onions, garlic, paprika, caraway, and herbs and continue cooking for 8 min.  Add stock and wine and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.  Season to taste.  Spoon veal stew onto plates while very hot.  Top with pecans and mozzarella.  Serve with wild rice or buttered wide egg noodles and sauteed spinach.

Preparing a romantic dinner tonite for your loved one?  Here is a dinner menu to include in your celebration of  Valentine’s Day!  This delicious meal is easy to prepare and sure to please.  Put some candles around the room to create a romantic atmosphere.  

                              Valentine’s Dinner Menu

               Appetizer - Wild Mushroom Phyllo Purses

               Salad - Mixed Greens

               Entree - Pan Seared Pork Chops, accompanied by

               Wine Braised Leeks, Oven Crisped Red Potatoes

               Dessert - Glitzy Chocolate Puddings

This menu goes well when paired with 3 various wine choices; Merlot, Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recipe for:   Glitzy Chocolate Puddings

These puddings may be low-effort, but they’re showstoppers:  Without fail, you can expect a greedy silence to fall over the table as soon as you put them out.

MAKES 8

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

For the glaze:

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate,  chopped

One 1 ½ to 2 ounces toffee candy bar or peanut brittle, pistachio nuts chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350 °. Set eight 1-cup ovenproof custard or coffee cups on a rimmed baking sheet.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chocolate, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand 3 to 5 minutes, or until chocolate is melted.  Stir until blended, and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt until combined.

2.  Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl.  Using electric mixer on high speed, beat together until thickened and pale, about 2 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in melted chocolate until just combined.  Add flour mixture and fold in by hand until just combined.  Spoon into cups, dividing evenly.  Bake until puddings are just set in center, about 25 minutes.  Set on rack to cool.

3.  Prepare the glaze: In the same saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chocolate, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes, or until chocolate is melted.  Stir together until blended, and spoon over puddings.  Garnish with chopped candy or pistachio nuts and serve warm.

These puddings have the texture of a moist brownie and will deflate in the center as they cool. 

For a no-mess method of making the crumbled topping for the puddings, put candy or nuts in a plastic bag and have at it with a rolling pan.  ENJOY!