Wine country recipes for successful entertaining - recipes

Sunset, August, 1993 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

RELIABLE RECIPES make entertaining easy. These are favorites that the busy winemakers pictured on pages 78 through 86 turn to.

Fish with Herbs

2 pounds skinned and boned

striped bass or sole

fillets 1/2 cup dry white wine

About 1/2 cup regular

strength chicken broth 1/3 cup minced shallots

1 tablespoon chopped

fresh tarragon, thyme, or

sage leaves

6 to 8 thin lemon slices

Fresh tarragon, thyme,

or sage sprigs

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Salt and pepper

Rinse fish, pat dry, and arrange, overlapping slightly, in a shallow 9- by 13-inch casserole. Pour wine and broth over fish; sprinkle with shallots and chopped herbs. Lay lemon slices and herb sprigs on fish.

Bake, uncovered, in a 375[degrees] oven until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in thickest part (cut to test), about 15 minutes.

Tilt dish, and ladle or siphon pan juices into a 1- to 2-quart pan; keep fish warm. Boil juices over high heat, uncovered, until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water, and stir into pan juices. Stir over high heat until sauce boils. Pour a little sauce over fish; pour remainder into a small bowl. Season portions with sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Serves 6. --Karen Melander-Magoon, Guenoc Winery, Middletown, California

Per serving: 163 cal. (20 percent from fat); 27 g protein; 3. 7 g fat(0.8 g sat.); 3.9 g carbo.; 111 mg sodium; 121 mg chol.

Chicken with Rattouille

2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large (about 1/2-lb.)

onion, thinly sliced 1 medium-size (about 1 1/4-lb.)

eggplant, stemmed

and cut into 3/4-inch

cubes 3 large (about 1 1/2 lb. total)

bell peppers (use 1 color

or a mixture of red,

yellow, and green),

stemmed, seeded, and

cut into 3/4-inch cubes 5 medium-size (about 1 1/4

lb. total) zucchini, end

strimmed and cut into 3/4-inch

cubes 4 medium-size (about 2 lb.

total) firm-ripe tomatoes,

peeled, cored, seeded,

and chopped 2 cloves garlic, pressed or

minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh

or 1/2 teaspoon dried

thyme leaves 1 teaspoon minced fresh

or 1/2 teaspoon dried

rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon chopped

fresh or 1 teaspoon dried

basil leaves 6 boned and skinned

chicken breast halves

(about 5 oz. each)

Salt and pepper

In a 6- to 8-quart pan, stir 1 teaspoon oil and onion over medium heat until onion is limp, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very soft when pressed, about 30 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil. Boil, uncovered, over high heat until all the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes; stir often. Keep ratatouille warm.

Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12 inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, cook chicken in 1 teaspoon oil, turning once, until meat is white in center (cut to test), 8 to 10 minutes total.

Spoon ratatouille equally on dinner plates. Slice chicken, lay equally on ratatouille. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6.--Dolores Cakebread, Cakebread Cellars, Rutherford, California

Per serving: 278 cal. (14 percent from fat); 37 g protein; 4.2 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 25 g carbo.; 114 mg sodium; 82 mg chol.

Goat Cheese Ravioli with Cilantro Pesto

1/2 pound unripened goat

cheese 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped

parsley

3/4 teaspoon minced lemon

peel (yellow part only)

Ground white pepper

36 won ton skins

Cilantro pesto (recipe

follows)

2 tablespoons drained oil-packed

dried tomatoes,

cut in slivers

2 tablespoons toasted pine

nuts (see cilantro pesto

recipe, following)

Mix cheese, parsley, and lemon peel with pepper to taste. Place about 2 1/2 teaspoons cheese mixture in center of 1 won ton skin (keep remaining skins covered with plastic wrap). Brush skin around filling with water. Lay another skin on top of filling; with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch-wide biscuit cutter, cut to make ravioli round; discard scraps. To seal, press skins close to filling with fingers.

As ravioli are cut, place on a floured 10- by 15-inch pan and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat to fill remaining wont on. (If making ahead, chill, covered, up to 6 hours.)

Equally spoon pesto onto 6 salad plates; spread slightly.

Meanwhile, bring 2 1/2 to 3 quarts water to boiling in a 5-to 6-quart pan on high heat. Add ravioli; cook, uncovered, until skins are tender to bite, 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, lift out ravioli, drain briefly, and place 3 on each plate., Garnish with tomatoes and nuts. Makes 6 first course servings.--Dolores Cakebread

Per serving: 343 cal. (47 percent from fat) 16 g protein; 18 g fat(8.8 g sat.); 32 g carbo.; 592 mg sodium; 34 mg chol.

Cilantro pesto. In a 6- to 8 inch frying pan, shake 6 tablespoons pine nuts over medium heat until golden. Pour from pan.

In a 3- to 4-quart pan, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Immerse 2 cups (about 3 oz.) lightly packed coarsely chopped spinach and 1 cup (about 2 oz.) lightly packed coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) into water; cook just until they turn bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and let cool. Press out excess water.

In a food processor or blender, smoothly puree spinach, cilantro, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup of the pine nuts, and 1 clove garlic (optional). Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. (If making ahead, cover and chill up to 6 hours.) Save extra nuts to garnish ravioli.