Fruity Winesicles by Niagara Mist

Niagara Mist has come out with fun, fast summer drink recipes and we thought we would share them here, for your convenience. Try Fruity Winesicles! Recipe is below or you can click on the image above if you would rather view a video of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1 cup your favourite Niagara Mist wine
• 3 cups Niagara Mist wine
• Thinly sliced fresh fruit pieces such as sliced peaches, kiwi, nectarines, mango, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries

Steps:

• Make simple syrup by whisking sugar in boiling water until dissolved.
• Cool to room temperature. TIP: Syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Combine wine & simple syrup. Stir well to blend.
• Place a few pieces of fruit in each popsicle mold. TIP: Use complementary or contrasting fruits for a pretty effect.
• Top up popsicle molds with wine mixture. Insert sticks.
• Freeze for at least 8 hours, or until solid.

Additional Tips:

For a two-toned effect, purée 3/4 cup fresh or frozen fruit and blend with half the wine mixture. Fill molds halfway with wine-fruit puree; insert sticks and freeze for 3 hours. Add pieces of fruit and remaining wine mixture to fill molds. Freeze for remaining 5 hours.

Try with your favourite Niagara Mist wines and an endless combination of fruits!

Makes about 6 to winesicles, depending on size of molds.
Enjoy!

Misty Freeze by Niagara Mist

Niagara Mist has come out with fun, fast summer drink recipes and we thought we would share them here, for your convenience. Starting with our favourite - Misty Freeze! Recipe is below or you can click on the image above if you would rather view a video of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen fruit, such as strawberries, peaches, mango, mixed berries, or cherries
• 2 cups your favourite flavour of Niagara Mist wine
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

Steps:

• Combine fruit, wine, and syrup in a blender.
• Blend until smooth. TIP: If using berries with seeds, strain before proceeding, if desired.
• Pour into 2 ice cube trays.
• Freeze at least 4 hours, or until firm. TIP: 'Wine cubes' can be transferred to a zip top bag and stored in the freezer for up to 1 week.
• Transfer 'wine cubes' to blender and blend until slushy. TIP: Add a splash of Niagara Mist wine to adjust consistency to taste.
• Pour into stemmed glasses to serve. Serve with straw or spoon if desired.

Additional Tips:

For a granita-style slushy, pour the mixture into an 8-inch square, baking dish. Freeze for at least 6 hours. Use a fork to scrape into a slushy texture. Spoon into glasses. Serve with a spoon or top with additional wine for a drinkable dessert.

For a two-tone slushy, combine half each of the wine and syrup with two contrasting fruits (such as blueberry and peaches or mango and strawberry). Freeze each combo in an ice cube tray. Blend cubes in batches and alternately pour into glasses.

Try an endless variety of fruit & Niagara Mist wine combinations!

Makes 4 servings.
Cheers!

Drunken Cheese Bread

INGREDIENTS

1/2 baguette, sliced in 2 inch slices
1/2 small yellow onion
450 grams cooked ham, thinly sliced
3/4 cup White Wine
1 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Pinch Black Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400F. Grease a 9 inch baking dish with butter and place bread in buttered pan. Scatter ham, onion, and garlic over bread. Pour the wine (I used Pinot Grigio, but feel free to use any dry white wine) over the bread and top with pepper and Gruyere cheese.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes until cheese has melted and the edges brown. Serve hot. Just put out plates and let people dish themselves. Easy!

Originally published in The Wine Cellar, May 2016.

Coq au Vin

INGREDIENT LIST

4 pounds chicken legs, split
Pinch Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
1 1/2 cups dry Riesling
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
4 thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Finely chopped tarragon, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 300°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil. Add half of the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until browned, 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining chicken, then pour off the fat and wipe out the casserole.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil in the casserole. Add the onion, carrot, celery and shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits from the pot. Add the chicken stock and thyme and bring to a boil.

Nestle the chicken in the casserole; cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour, until tender.

Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, without stirring, until well browned, 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the solids; skim off the fat. Return the braising liquid to the casserole and boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the crème fraîche and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and chicken to the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes.

Garnish with tarragon and serve. Enjoy!

Originally published in The Wine Cellar April 2016.

Dark Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Cream Cheese Icing

INGREDIENT LIST

Dark Chocolate Stout Cake
1 cup Stout beer
1 cup + 1 tbsp   butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups caster/superfine sugar
2/3 cups sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
2½ tsp baking soda

Irish Cream Cream Cheese Icing
4-5 cups sifted icing sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
8oz cream cheese at room temperature
4-6 tbsps  Irish Cream (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

Dark Chocolate Stout Cake
Preheat oven 350°F and butter and line a 9" springform pan.
Melt the butter into the Stout in a saucepan over low heat.
Whisk in the cocoa and sugar and take the saucepan off the heat.
Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl until combined, than add to the beer mixture.
Whisk in the flour and baking soda until combined.
Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for an hour. The middle of the cake may still be slightly wet when you take the cake out, but it will firm up as it cools down.
Leave to cool completely in the pan as it is quite a damp cake and could collapse.

Irish Cream Cream Cheese Icing
Cream the butter and icing sugar together until well mixed.
Add the cream cheese in cubes slowly until incorporated.
Add in Irish Cream  and continue mixing for 5 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.
Dollop lashings of the icing onto the top of the cake to recreate the froth on a glass of a Stout. If you want, you can cut the cake in half and put icing in the center. There will be enough. Enjoy.

Originally published in The Wine Cellar March 2016.

Cheesecake With Red Wine Chocolate Ganache and Strawberries

INGREDIENT LIST

Cheesecake
2 pkg (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese
3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
Pinch salt
3 cups (750 mL) sour cream

Crust
1 cup (250 mL) graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter, melted

Red Wine Ganache
2 oz dark chocolate, chopped into a few pieces
1/2 C unsalted butter
2 oz red wine (I used a Shiraz)

DIRECTIONS

Cheesecake & Crust:

• In bowl, stir together crumbs, sugar and butter until well moistened; press onto bottom of lightly greased 8 or 8-1/2-inch (2 or 2.25 L) spring form pan. Centre pan on large square of foil; press up to side of pan. Bake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese until softened. Gradually beat in sugar; beat for 3 minutes or until smooth and light, scraping down bowl twice. Using low speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl often. Blend in lemon juice, vanilla and salt, then sour cream. Pour over crust.
• Set spring form pan in larger pan; pour enough hot water into larger pan to come 1 inch (2.5 cm) up side of spring form pan. Bake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven for 1-1/4 hours or until shine disappears and edge is set yet centre still jiggles slightly. Turn off oven. Quickly run knife around edge of cake. Let cool in oven for 1 hour. Remove from water and transfer to rack; remove foil and let cool completely.

Ganache:
Place the chocolate and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for 10 seconds and then remove and stir.
Repeat step 2 until the chocolate is all melted.
Slowly pour in the wine and mix thoroughly.
Place in the refrigerator until it hardens enough to easily pour but not too runny, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve with a nice Red Wine like our KenRidge Australian Shiraz.

Originally published in The Wine Cellar February 2016.

Pork and Apple Stew

INGREDIENT LIST

1 ½ lb. pork roast, trimmed and cubed

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

¾ c flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 lg. onion diced

1 ½ c chicken stock

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ c white wine like a Gewürztraminer

1 tsp dry mustard

1 Tbsp dry rosemary, crushed up

3 bay leaves

½ small cabbage, shredded

3 lg. Potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place flour and garlic powder in bowl. Coat cubed pork in flour and add to stock pot with oil on med high heat.  Toss in onions. Cook pork till browned on the outside. Pour in stock and add minced garlic, dry mustard, rosemary and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium low and toss in potatoes and wine. After about 10-15 minutes, add cabbage. Once veggies are very close to being done, put apples in pot and cook for 10 min. Remove from heat and serve with a fresh hot loaf of crusty bread.

Originally published in The Wine Cellar January 2016.

German Style Mulled Wine (Glühwein)

INGREDIENT LIST

2 medium lemons
2 medium oranges
10 whole cloves
5 cardamom pods
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups water
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 Small vanilla pod (crush slightly with back of knife)
2 (750-ml) bottles dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo
1/2 cup brandy
Cheesecloth
Kitchen Twine

DIRECTIONS

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemons and oranges in wide strips, avoiding the white pith as they will add a bitter taste. Place the zest in a large saucepan. Juice the lemons and oranges and add the juice to the pan. Place the cloves, cardamom and vanilla pod in a small piece of cheesecloth, tie it tightly with kitchen twine and add the bundle to the saucepan.

Add the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks, place the pan over high heat, and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about one-third, about 20 minutes.

Add the red wine and brandy, stir to combine, and bring just to a simmer (don’t let it boil, as you do not want to cook off alcohol). Remove from the heat and remove and discard the spice bundle before serving.

Want to learn more about Glühwein? Click here.

Originally published in The Wine Cellar December 2015.

Rustic Beef Stew with Cabernet Sauvignon

INGREDIENT LIST

1 1/2 Lbs Stewing Beef
1/3 C Vegetable Shortening
3/4 C Flour
1/4 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper
1-1.36L Can Tomato Juice
1 C Beef Stock
1 C Cabernet Sauvignon - Chilean is good
1 Large Onion, Diced
4 Large Potatoes scrubbed not peeled, Diced
4 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced
4 Celery stalks, washed and sliced
Fresh Celery Leaves (approx. 1/4C), finely diced
1 1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Dried Rosemary, Crushed
3 Bay Leaves
1-2 Garlic Cloves, pressed
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Trim any large pieces of fat off the stewing meat, but leave the marbling. In a large bowl combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. In a large stock pot, over medium heat, melt shortening. While shortening is melting dredge meat in flour mix and shake off most of the flour but not all, as this will help to thicken stew. Once all the meat has been added to the pot continue to stir meat so it does not stick to pot. Just brown the outside of meat, or it will be tough and not tender. Add diced onions. Now add the whole can of tomato juice in small increments so no clumps. Stir in stock and wine, if you find sauce is too thick, add more wine or stock. Reduce heat to low and add diced potatoes, celery leaves, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, rosemary, bay leaves, pressed garlic, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally. After approximately 30 minutes, add the carrots, stirring occasionally. Add celery approximately 30 minutes later. Continue to cook till vegetables are cooked. Serve with dumplings if desired and, of course, a glass of wine.

Originally published in The Wine Cellar November 2015.

White Wine Autumn Custards

INGREDIENT LIST

Caramel Sauce
1c Brown Sugar
1/2 c Half and Half
4 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt

Graham  Crust
1/2 c Graham Crumbs
1/4 c Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp & 1 tsp Butter, melted
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg

Custard
2 c  Milk (Homogenized)
2 Tbsp  Corn Starch
6 Tbsp  Granulated sugar
2 Yolks
2 Tbsp  Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt

Poached Apples
2 Large Granny Smith Apples
1 Tbsp  Lemon Juice
2 c White Wine (Off-Dry)
1 c Water
3/4 c Granulated sugar
1/4 tsp  Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Fresh Grated Ginger

1/4 c Pecans, chopped for Garnish


DIRECTIONS

For caramel sauce, combine sugar, cream, salt and butter into sauce pan over medium heat. Stir slowly but constantly until mixture blends and starts to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat to add vanilla, return to heat to allow it to thicken a little more. About 1-2 minutes. Pour into a glass container and refrigerate till ready for use.

For graham crust, preheat oven to 350F. Take a baking sheet and place 4, 3 ½ inch diameter ramekin dish on it. In a small mixing bowl combine graham crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Take 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp butter and melt. Pour melted butter over crumb mixture and blend well. Put 4 Tbsp of graham mixture into each ramekin. Using the back of your tablespoon, press crumbs along the bottom and up to half way up the dish, thinning it as you move up. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool as you make custard.

For the custard, separate egg yolks and put into a medium bowl and whisk in 1/2 c milk. Set aside. Then in a sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in milk a little at a time to avoid lumps. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, bring to simmer and remove from heat. Leave burner on. Spoon 1/2 c of hot mixture at a time into set aside egg milk mixture. Mix well with each addition till no more is left in pot. Return custard into sauce pan and return to heat, stirring slowly to thicken. About 4-6 minutes. Pour custard into each graham crust ramekins and press a small piece of saran onto each custard surface so skin doesn’t form. Refrigerate till ready for about an hour or till ready to serve.

For the poached apples, in a shallow dish pour lemon juice in. Peel, core and slice each apple and toss slices in lemon juice to stop browning. Remove apple slices and  place them in a medium bowl. Pour 1 c white wine over apple slices and let sit for approx. 15 minutes to really absorb the flavour of the wine. Remove apples and pour wine into sauce pan with remaining wine, water, sugar ginger and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add apples, cover and simmer 4 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool.

Take chopped pecans and toss in a warm frying pan. Over medium high heat, toss them until they become toasted. Watch carefully.

Once ready for serving, take saran off custard and top with poached apples, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Originally published in The Wine Cellar October 2015.