Gougeres with Lobster, Apple, and Vanilla Crème Fraiche

Serves 8 to 10

Gougeres

1 cup water

1 teaspoons salt

4 ounces unsalted butter, diced

1 cup all purpose flour

4 large eggs

1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated

Lobster Apple Mixture

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

½ vanilla bean, split

8 ounces lobster tail, cooked and diced

3 tablespoons granny smith apple, minced

1 tablespoon celery, minced

1 tablespoon shallots, minced

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

Gougeres

In a heavy bottom saucepan, bring water, salt and butter to a strong boil. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until dough pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed with a paddle for 2-3 minutes to cool mixture slightly. With machine running, add eggs one at a time, waiting for each egg to be incorporated before adding the next. Add cheese and place in a pastry bag with a round number 6 tip.  Pipe into small mounds, about 2 inches apart, on sheet trays lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated 400º oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Lobster Apple Mixture

In a mixing bowl add the crème fraiche and mayonnaise.  Split the vanilla bean and scrap out the inside with a pairing knife into the mixing bowl.  Whisk into the crème fraicheand mayonnaise.  Add the lobster, apple, celery, shallots, tarragon salt and pepper. Mix well.

To serve slice Gougere in half but not all the way, leave a hinge. Place a generous spoonful of the lobster apple mixture in the middle as filling. Close, place on a platter to serve. Repeat with all the gougeres. You will have extra gougeres to snack on.

Pair with chardonnay

Pan Seared Diver Scallop, Braised Radishes and English Peas, Coriander Carrot Puree

Spring Menu 2013

All dinners come with a selection of three passed hors d ‘oeuvres

Three Course Menu

*choose one item from each course selection*

appetizer

Asparagus with sauce gribiche and fine herbes salad

Sunchoke and spring garlic soup with fromage blanc

Pan seared diver scallops, meyer lemon buerre blanc, carrots and English peas

entrée

Slow roasted Niman Ranch eye of rib-eye with truffle jus, potato gratin

with Sausalito watercress and shaved fennel

                                       Pan seared Heritage pork loin chop with sun-dried cherry and black pepper sauce

with radicchio and seven grain salad

Don Watson Napa Valley spring lamb, fricassee of spring vegetables and natural jus

dessert

Individual strawberry and rhubarb galette with whipped crème fraiche

Pistachio cake with apricots and mascarpone cheese

 chocolate truffle cake with espresso Anglaise

Winery Chefs offers cheese course for all styles of wines, please feel free to include a cheese course as one of your option

Four Course Menu

choose one item from each course selection*

first

Sunchoke – spring garlic soup with fromage blanc and Meyer lemon olive oil

Spring lettuces with Serrano ham, artichokes, Spanish almonds and piquillo peppers

Baby carrot and pea tendril salad with Sky Hill farms feta,

fava beans with preserved lemon –tarragon  dressing

second

Pan seared black cod with brandade puree and Spanish clam chowder

Soy Braised pork belly “steak” with poached cherries sweet and baby bok choy

Country fried Bandera quail with wild mushroom fricassee

third

Grilled N.Y strip loin with mignonette sauce, red wine glazed spring onions, heirloom carrot salad, crispy polenta,

Pozzi Ranch lamb loin and rosemary jus, parmesan risotto stuffed grape leaves, fava beans and morel mushrooms

Pan seared five spice rubbed squab with rhubarb compote, sunchoke two ways-fried and pureed and braised mustard greens

fourth

Goat milk panna cotta with tart cherry sauce and almond cookie

Sweet ricotta crespella with kumquats and strawberries

E. Guittard bittersweet pot au creme, chocolate sea salt cookie

Winery Chefs offers cheese course for all styles of wines, please feel free to include a cheese course as one of your options

Spring 2013

family style menu

choose one

roasted striped bass in fennel, lemon and white wine

Moroccan Spiced spring chicken cooked under brick

horseradish herb crusted pork tenderloin with mustard sauce

grilled Spring lamb with green garlic pesto

grilled flat iron steak with maître d’ butter

                                                                                        choose three

baby spinach and arugula salad with avocado, grapefruit and feta cheese

little gem lettuces with green goddess dressing and parmesan croutons

                                                  asparagus with spring herbs and Meyer lemon aioli

roasted baby beets and carrot salad with goat cheese and candied pecans

fresh mozzarella with English peas, crispy prosciutto and EVO

                                                    ragout fava beans, English peas, wild mushrooms and leeks

roasted sunchokes, spring onion and sage

oven roasted baby carrots, thyme and cured black olive

tagine of spring vegetables, pearl cous cous and dried apricots

potato and spring garlic gratin

Greek potatoes with oregano and lemon

Rancho Gordo cannellini beans with bacon, bay leaves and fennel

orecchiette pasta with brocolini, spring garlic and chili

choose one

rhubarb and kumquat galette

strawberry trifle

Meyer lemon tart

blood orange and pistachio semi-freddo

chocolate croissant bread pudding

bittersweet chocolate decadence cake with raspberry sauce

http://recuerdowines.com/community/blog/torrontes-at-the-table/

http://mammothfoodandwine.org/

http://www.donapa.com/events/special-event/chefs-market

http://winediscoveries.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/a-taste-of-howell-mountain-benefit-2012/

http://twoguysfromnapa.com/2012/06/2012-taste-of-howell-mountain-review/

Here is a great event open to the public and you don’t have to be a wine club member to join us for a Mustard making class at Andretti Winery. The classes are offered through livingsocial.com and the link is below. The dates available are January 21 and 22 as well as February 4. Guest will have the opportunity to make one of four different  mustard recipe that they get to take home. My famous Dutch Mustard Soup will be on hand to warm your soul.

http://www.livingsocial.com/adventures/214520-mustard-making-+-wine-tasting?msdc_id=15-san-francisco

Also in 2011 Chef Richard Haake worked with the Mammoth Lakes Foundation to create the first Mammoth Wine and Food Festival. The event was a tremendous success with plans for the second annual event July 2012. Learn more at www.mammothfoodandwine.org . I want to say a special thanks to David and Mimi Katz for their help with the event. They were a joy to work with and I recommend their products and services at www.panevino-napa.com .

Other events this year included Taste of Howell Mountain, American Harvest Workshop, Napa Chefs Market, Premiere Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Wine Auction the Great Napa Valley Chicken Fry, numerous release parties and wine club events.

2012 is the start of our fourth year in business. We continue to promise our clients quality service, local-seasonal products, innovation in menu and event planning and integrity in everything we do. If you are in the wine industry and need help with events, programs or content do not hesitate to call Richard Haake at 707- 637-7403.
Winery Chefs LLC is the leader in providing culinary services to the wine industry.

The 2011 harvest is winding down and the weather is changing. Now its time to think about entertaining your guest with meals that pair well with the cooler weather. The team at Winery Chefs creates a warm selection of seasonal menus made of fresh local ingredients. Food with integrity that always let’s  the wine be the star of any meal.

Join chef Richard Haake this Saturday as he creates a meal that brings autumn and all it’s glory to the table. Apples are the theme to this meal and the beautiful Cedar Gables Inn will host the event. Hagafen Cellars will provide the wines that will make for a memeorable experience. Contact Susie at Cedar Gables Inn for all the details.

An obvious pairing for Cabernet Sauvignon is  a great piece of grilled steak. The cut of meat you choose is important. I prefer flavorful cuts of meat such as ny strip steak, skirt steak, and flat iron. Here is a recipe to try with your next class of Cabernet Sauvignon

Grilled Shallot Herb Marinated N.Y. Strip Steak with Compound Butter

Serves 4

Steak Marinade:

2 shallots, quartered

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon fresh sage leaves

2 teaspoons black pepper

4 ribeye steaks

salt and black pepper

Compound Butter:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, soften

2 teaspoons shallots minced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Steak marinade

Combine the shallots, mustard, herbs, olive oil, and black pepper in a food processor and puree. Place the steaks in a deep-sided dish, add the marinade covering the meat evenly. Store the steaks overnight in the refrigerator.

Compound Butter

In a food proceesor combine the butter, shallots, thyme, parsley, salt, black pepper. Pulse until all the ingredients are incorprated. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap. Place the compound butter in the middle plastic wrap and roll the butter up into a log shape. Chill te butter in the refrgigerator for 4 hours until service.

Steaks

Light the grill. Remove the ribeyes from the refrigerator and scrap off all the marinade. Clean the grill with a brush and rub the grates with oil. Proceed to grill the ribeyes. Grill the steaks for 5 to 7 minutes a side until done. When the ribeyes are done remove them from the grill onto a resting rack. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Remove the compound butter from the refrigerator. Slice half dollar portions of the butter and remove the plastic wrap. Place the butter on the steak and serve.

Enjoy with a glass of  Cabernet Sauvignon