Moroccan Olive Bread & Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Soup

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/moroccan-olive-bread

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/moroccan-chicken-and-couscous-soup

Both of these were delicious and they did taste great with Merlot. 3/5/2019

Chocolate Cover Strawberries

Great video from Michael and Laurie Forester

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_vEM_zfkqo

Chocolate Covered Strawberry wine pairing ideas

Banyuls
Red Zinfandel
Sparkling Rose

match bolder, darker chocolates with bigger wines and lighter, sweeter chocolates, like white or milk, with lighter wines

Recipe to try Grilled Pineapple Prosciutto Arugula Pizza #Sundaysupper

http://familyfoodie.com/grilled-pineapple-prosciutto-arugula-pizza-sundaysupper/

I am thinking Rose may be a good pairing
Want to try Pat's Pineapple Ginger sauce with this.

Pineapple Ginger Sauce

Recipe from Chef Patrick Moran

This makes a ton so cut it in half or even in thirds.

Ingredients
3 whole pineapples, diced.
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup red wine
1/2/cup soy sauce
4 T grated fresh ginger
3 green peppers finely diced
1 T Cinnamon
1 T nutmeg
cornstarch
2 cups finely diced tomato
1 cup chopped parsley

Directions
Dice the pineapple.
Saute the finely diced green peppers, when almost done add the pineapple slices.
Add all the liquid ingredients.
Add sugar to taste.
Along with the cinnamon and nutmeg
Create a corn starch slurry and add to thicken the sauce
Cool slightly
Add 2 cups of finely diced tomato and 1 cup parsley
After cooled, blur mix it slightly

It's 3whole pineapples diced 2cups pineapple juice I cup red wine vin 1/2 cup soy4tbsp grated fresh ginger. Start with sauté 3 he pepper. Add all liquid sugar to taste 1tbsp ea cinnamon and nutmeg corn starch slurryto thicken. When cooling add 2 cups fine diced tomato and 1cup chop parsley. After cooled burr mix it slightly.

Broiled Salmon with Miso Glaze

This recipe comes via Jacques Pepin in his cookbook Heart  & Soul in the Kitchen. I love this cookbook. The recipe is super simple.  I cook the salmon the way Jacques recommends, I broil it. I purchased red misso paste the first time I made this recipe. Apparently it keeps forever in the refrigerator.

There are so many great wines to pair with Salmon. One of my favorites is Rose.

Marinade
1 T red misso paste
1 T maple syrup
2 t. tamari or dark soy sauce
2 t. rice vinegar
1 t. hot chili sauce such as Sriracha
4 skinless salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each and about 1 1/4 inches thick)

For the marinade: Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, preferably non stick. Put the salmon on a plate and using a spoon, spread the marinade all over the fillets. Place the fillets on the lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to overnight.

At cooking time, position an oven rack so it is 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler. place the pan of salmon on the rack and broil for 4 minutes, until the salmon is nicely brown but still pink inside.

Serve the salmon on warm plate, drizzling any juices over it.  Can also serve with some of the marinade.

Blue Cheese & Bean Salad

This recipe is from "A Passion for Tapas" Love Food, Parragon Books, UK, 2007

I first made this for my friend Karen on December 3, 2018 and then again from my wine study friends on December 6th as we studied Spanish wines. Spanish Wines: New Exploration

It is easy to make and FANTASTIC. I love the way the blue cheese compliments the creamy beans and sweet dressing.  They paired well with a milder red wine such as the 

• 2016 Honoro Vera Organic Monastrell from Jumilla, Spain
• 2015 Evandria Imperalis Graciano from Extramedurra
• 2015 Montsant Mas Marer DO

Serves 4 as part of a tapas meal. I made a double batch of beans.

Ingredients

• scant 1 cup small dried great Northern beans, soaked for 4 hours or overnight. (I used cannellini beans)
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 TBSP Spanish olive oil
• 2 TBSP sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp. clear honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 2 TBSP toasted slivered almonds
• 7 oz/200g Cabrales or other blue cheese, crumbled

Drain the beans and place in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Pour in enough water to cover, then add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Drain, then turn into a bowl and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk the oil oil, vinegar, honey and mustard together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the beans and toss lightly. Add almonds and toss lightly again. Let cool to room temperature.

Spoon the beans into individual serving bowls and scatter over the cheese before serving. I like serving with a wedge of blue cheese on top.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Finger Lakes Riesling

I love butternut squash soup.  This is my new favorite.

Link to recipe from allrecipes Magazine, October/November 2018

1 (2#) butternut squash, halved
2 T. butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper plus more for garnish
1/2 cup unsweetened light coconut milk, plus more for garnish
2 T honey (optional) NOTE: I added.
roasted squash seeds or pepitas (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a large foil-lined baking sheet with cooking oil spray.
2. Put squash, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast until easily pierced with a knife, 35-40 minutes. Scoop squash from the shell with a large spoon.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a 2-3 quart sauce pan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Stir in broth, cooked squash, curry powder, salt, cumin and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir coconut milk and honey into the squash mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Use an immersion blender or transfer  half the soup to a blender or food processor; puree, covered, until smooth. Repeat with remaining soup. Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of coconut milk, cayenne and roasted squash seeds.

Hands down the best pairing for this soup is a dry Riesling. Try any Finger Lakes Riesling.