Food & Fenestra

Tuscan Bean Soup

by Carol Syriani, Gimanelli’s Deli

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 /4 cup olive oil
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 /3 cup pearl barley
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup Fenestra’s 2007 Chardonnay

Directions

1. Sautee the onion, carrots and celery with olive oil for 10 minutes on medium-high heat, add cabbage and rosemary and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until the cabbage is wilted.

2. Add the cannellini beans, chickpeas and barley. Stir well, then add the wine. Let it boil for a few minutes then add the stock and cover the pot. When soup begins to boil, lower the heat and let it simmer.

3. Cook until the barley is tender for about 30 minutes.

Serve with Fenestra Chardonnay!

Chicken & Mushroom Soup w/ Tarragon

By Fenestra Winery

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter or margarine

4 shallots, finely chopped

6 cups (about 1 lbs.) mushrooms (mix of wild and button), finely chopped

1 cups chicken stock

½ cup Fenestra’s 2007 Chardonnay

1 cup 2% milk

1-2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

2-3 cups cooked, chopped chicken

salt and ground black pepper

Optional: sprigs of fresh tarragon, and/or chopped fresh mushrooms, to garnish

 

Instructions:

1)    Melt the butter or margarine in a pan, add the shallots and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Add the stock, Chardonnay and milk.

2)    Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in the tarragon and season to taste.

3)    Allow the soup to cool slightly, then puree in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return to the rinsed-out pan, add chicken and reheat gently.

4)    Garnish and serve.

Pair with Fenestra Chardonnay!

Pear and Gorgonzola Soup with Caramelized Pears

By Marla & Warren James, Fenestra Winery Tasting Room Staff

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

¾ cup yellow onion, chopped

3 pears, peeled, cored and chopped into ½ inch chunks

1 1/3 cups vegetable stock

1/3 cup Fenestra’s 2007 Viognier

½ tsp of paprika

juice of ½ lemon

6 oz Gorgonzola cheese

salt and ground black pepper

Watercress sprigs to garnish (optional)

 

Carmelized Pears:

¼ cup butter

2 pears, halved, cored and cut into wedges

 

Instructions:

1)    Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft.

2)    Add the pears, Viognier and stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes until the pears are soft. Stir in the paprika, lemon juice, cheese and seasonings.

3)    Cool the soup slightly and puree it in a food processor until smooth, then pass it through a fine sieve (strainer). Return the soup to the pan.

4)    To make the caramelized pears, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the pears. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden.

5)    Reheat the soup gently, then ladle into small, shallow bowls and add a few caramelized pear wedges to each portion. Garnish with tiny sprigs of watercress and serve immediately.

Pair with Fenestra's Viognier!

Chili

By Lynne Bartling, Fenestra Winery Tasting Room Staff

Ingredients:

1 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 pound hamburger

1 15.25 oz. can kidney beans, un-drained

1 15 oz. can black beans, un-drained

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 7 ¾ oz. can El Pato brand tomato sauce

½ cup Fenestra 2005 Barbera, Livermore Valley

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

3  TB. ground cumin

3  TB chili powder or to taste

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, lightly sauté onion in olive oil (enough oil to cover bottom of pan).
2. Add hamburger and cook until done, crumbling hamburger as it cooks. Spoon off excess fat.
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

Topping Suggestions:

Corn Chips or Crumbled Tortilla Chips

Grated Cheddar or Jack Cheese

Finely Diced White Onion

Pair with Fenestra's 2005 Estate Syrah!

Note: A visitor to the winery said they used this recipe in a chili cook-off and won first place!

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

By Caryl Syriani, Gimanelli's

Ingredients:

¼ cup of olive oil

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 carrots, peeled and cut

1 large parsnip, peeled and cubed

1 small rutabaga, peeled and cubed

2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 celery stalks, cut up

2 leeks, thickly sliced

1 large onion, quartered

4 thyme sprigs (or ½ tsp of dried thyme)

3 rosemary sprigs (or ½ tsp of dried rosemary)

1 cup of Fenestra’s True Red

7 cups of vegetable stock

salt and fresh ground pepper

 

Instructions:

1)    Toss the prepared vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper and herbs and spread them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Roast them in 400ºF for about 45 minutes, turning them occasionally to make sure they brown evenly.

2)    Remove the vegetables from the oven. Disregard the herbs and transfer to a large pot.

3)    Add the True Red wine and vegetable stock to the vegetables and bring to boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

4)    Puree the mix with a hand blender until thick and smooth. Season and serve.

(Optional: serve with a swirl of sour cream and/or sprig of thyme to garnish.)

Pair with Fenestra's True Red!