Food & Fenestra

Italian Sausage Minestrone

by Caryl Syriani, Gimanelli’s Deli

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs Gimanelli’s Italian Sausage

1 16 oz can of garbanzo beans

1 16 oz can of cannolini beans

½ cup peeled fresh garlic, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

5 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 bunch green Swiss chard, washed and chopped

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice

3 pints chicken stock

1 cup Fenestra Syrah

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon each dry basil, oregano, thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

• Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove sausage from casings, and add sausage to pot, cooking 12-15 minutes.
• Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery and carrots. Cook 8-10 minutes.
• Add Swiss chard and cook 4-5 minutes
• Add wine, tomatoes and juice, chicken stock, both beans and any or all dry spices or herbs.
• Lower heat, cover partially with lid and simmer 25-30 minutes.

Serve with Fenestra's Syrah!

Country Pea Soup

by Nancy Calhoun Mueller

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dried green split peas

6 to 7 cups of water

¼ cup Chardonnay

1 leftover ham bone or ½ pound of bacon

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 to 4 potatoes, coarsely chopped

4 to 5 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Pince of cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions:

• Rinse the split peas in a strainer. In a large soup pot over high heat, combine the peas, water and Chardonnay and bring to a boil.
• Add the hambone (or bacon), garlic, onion, potatoes, carrots, parsley, cayenne, bay leaf, and cloves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Remove the hambone and shred the meat from the bone, discarding any excess fat.
• Return the meat to the soup. Taste, correct the seasonings and serve.
• (Serves 6 people)

 

Serve with Fenestra’s Chardonnay

Chili Con Carne

by Matthew Box, Blue Sage Catering

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 yellow onion, diced and sautéed

3 oz of soy sauce

3 oz of Worcestershire

2 oz of white vinegar

2 medium size cans of tomato sauce

2 medium cans of diced tomatoes

4 oz of chicken stock

1 Tablespoon of salt

1 Tablespoon of pepper

4 oz of chili powder

1 oz liquid smoke

2 oz white pepper

1 oz hot sauce

1 tsp. celery salt

1 oz cumin

1 small can of sliced olives

2 cans of white beans

2 cans of kidney beans

1 pound of hamburger

1 hot sausage link

8 oz of pulled pork

1 Guinness Stout beer (optional)

4 oz of Fenestra’s True Red

 

Sautee onions, meat and spices.  Add beer and wine and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add additional ingredients and let simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  (Serves 8 – 10 people)

 

Serve with Fenestra's True Red!

Cabbage and Potatoes Soup

by Caryl Syriani, Gimanelli's Deli, Pleasanton

 

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups coarsely shredded cabbage

3 cups vegetable broth

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups diced potato

½ cup Fenestra’s Chardonnay

 

Directions:

• In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Cook onion and garlic until golden in color. Add wine and reduce.
• Stir in flour until well blended, add potato along with the broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, reduce heat to low.
• Add cabbage. Cover and cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
• Taste and adjust seasonings, add more salt and pepper as needed.
• (Serves 6 people)

Serve with Fenestra’s Chardonnay