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Create a Romantic Dinner for Valentine’s Day

Stay at home and create a very special Valentine’s Day this year. Grab a couple of bottles of Cultivar Wine – like our 2018 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon or the 2019 North Coast “Gold Label” Cabernet and try making a romantic dinner at home featuring Beef Bourguignon with your partner.

Cheers-ing wine glasses over plates of food

Beef Bourguignon, or Boeuf Bourguignon, was first popularized by Julia Child. It’s a beef stew with braised onions and sautéed mushrooms in a dark red wine sauce. Unlike Julia Child’s traditional recipe, with a couple of ingredient substitutions, you can easily elevate the dish without sacrificing any flavor and even sit down to eat in about an hour. The other plus of this Beef Bourguignon recipe? You only use a 1/2 cup of wine instead of an entire bottle.

Cultivar wine and cooking knives

The key to this Beef Bourguignon meal is the cut of beef you choose. The traditional recipe calls for Chuck Roast, which requires a long braising time before it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. This recipe starts with a tender cut of beef, like beef tenderloin, top sirloin, or strip steak. If you don’t have one of these cuts, this recipe won’t work.

Kitchen Prep for Your Romantic Dinner

A romantic dinner at home calls for a stress-free experience, so you’ll want to do the following before you start cooking:

  1. Open your bottles of Cultivar Wine Cabernet Sauvignon to breathe.
  2. Read through the recipe in its entirety.
  3. Grab any pots, pans, and anything else the recipe calls for.
  4. Assemble all of your ingredients.
  5. Pour yourself a glass of wine and have some.
  6. Prepare and measure out all of your ingredients.
  7. Re-read the recipe in its entirety.
  8. Have some more wine.

Equipment

  • One to two chef’s knives
  • Tongs
  • Wooden spoon
  • Two 1- or 2-cup measuring cups
  • Medium-to-large pot
  • Sheet pan
  • Parchment paper or Silpat baking mat
  • Two timers
  • 3-quart saucepan
  • Colander
  • Potato masher

Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

  • 10-12 ounces beef tenderloin, top sirloin, or strip steak
  • 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon flour
  • 1 Tablespoon cold water
  • 1 pound German butterball potatoes, quartered
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved or a bunch of carrots, halved lengthwise
  • 2 Tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons salted butter or bacon grease
  • 2 bacon slices, diced
  • 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup Cultivar Wine Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1/2 cup pearl onions or shallots
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed from the stems, and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon plus freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Searing the tenderloin

Bacon, garlic, thyme, mushrooms

Instructions (total time: 60 minutes)

NOTE: These instructions assume that two people will be cooking together. If you’re making this meal by yourself, don’t start cooking your bacon and red wine sauce, until you’ve pulled your potatoes from the heat.

You’ll spend about 15 minutes preparing to cook and then about 35 minutes making Beef Bourguignon and your side dishes–olive oil mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts or carrots. Don’t get scared off by 24 steps. We wanted to highlight anything that might get missed or forgotten in more generalized steps. For example, if you don’t mix flour with cold water you can end up with lumps in your sauce.

  1. Take your beef out of the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.
  2. If you haven’t prepared your ingredients, do so now. Quarter your potatoes. Halve your Brussels sprouts (or carrots). Mince your garlic. Slice your mushrooms. Dice your bacon. And chop your thyme. Depending on your knife skills and those of your partner’s, your mise en place could take about 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Mix 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base with 1/2 cup warm water and set aside.
  4. Mix 1 teaspoon flour with 1 Tablespoon cold water.
  5. (Brussels Sprouts or carrots) Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or Silpat baking mat.
  6. (Brussels Sprouts or carrots) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. (Potatoes) Put your potatoes into a medium-to-large pot and cover with cold water by an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Set a timer for 15 minutes. When the timer sounds, check with a fork to see if tender.
  8. (Brussels sprouts or carrots) Coat your halved Brussels sprouts with 2 Tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Put in the oven and set a timer for 8 minutes.
  9. Pat your beef dry with paper towels and cut into 1″ cubes. If you go to sear your beef and it’s wet, you’ll steam your meat, potentially overcooking it. Season with 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and a pinch of pepper.
  10. Heat a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons butter or bacon grease until melted or re-liquefied.
  11. Add your beef and sear 2 minutes, turning with tongs to brown on all sides. Take care not to overcook; your meat will become dry and tough. Transfer seared beef to a plate.
  12. (Brussels sprouts or carrots) After your Brussels sprouts have been in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, stir them so that they brown evenly.
  13. Add your diced bacon to your 3-quart saucepan and cook, stirring frequently.
  14. When you can smell the bacon, about a minute, add your sliced mushrooms, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
  15. (Potatoes) When your potatoes are tender (a fork should slide in easily), remove from heat and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain your potatoes in a colander and then return to the pot, covering with a lid to keep warm.
  16. (Brussels sprouts or carrots) When your Brussels sprouts are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, about 20 to 25 minutes total, remove them from the oven.
  17. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, and thyme to your pan and stir.
  18. Add wine and increase heat. Boil for 1 minute.
  19. Add pearl onions or shallots and broth to the pan and bring back to a boil.
  20. Slowly add flour paste to the pan and cook for a minute.
  21. Return the beef to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the beef, about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
  22. Lower heat to low heat and keep warm until plating.
  23. (Potatoes) Finish your potatoes by adding 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup cooking water. Mash to desired consistency, adding more cooking water for a looser consistency.
  24. Plate mashed potatoes in the center of two plates. Top with beef and place the Brussels sprouts alongside. Serve immediately.

Beef Tenderloin in a dark red sauce

Beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts

Food-Themed Movie Recommendations

Once you have your meal ready, it’s time to sit back and enjoy a movie. The perfect movie for this meal is of course one featuring wine, food, or both!

Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon and a movie

Here are some of our favorites–a mix of romances, dramas, and comedies:

  • Bottle Shock (2008), starring the late Alan Rickman and available for streaming on Amazon Prime, showcases how a California Chardonnay maker established Napa as the premier wine county it is now in a 1976 wine competition.
  • Uncorked (2020), available for streaming on Netflix and featuring the tunes of Hit-Boy, focuses on wine-enthusiast Mamoudou Athie who dreams of being a master sommelier and his father Courtney B. Vance who runs a BBQ joint.
  • A Walk in the Clouds (1995), available for streaming on Starz, offers beautiful views of Napa in the mid-1940s with a romance between Keanu Reeves and Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, the winemaker’s daughter.
  • Wine Country (2019), starring Amy Poehler and Maya Randolph and available for streaming on Netflix, follows a group of women as they reunite for a friend’s 50th birthday.
  • Sideways (2004), available for rent on Amazon Prime and famous for giving Merlot a bad rap, takes viewers through another California wine country—Santa Barbara—as Paul Giamatti takes his friend Thomas Hayden Church whose about to get married on a Bachelor’s weekend. While roadtripping they meet Sandra Oh, a pour girl at one of the wineries, and Virginia Madsen, a waitress.
  • Chocolat (2000), available for streaming on Netflix, is the perfect dessert movie. Root for Juliette Binoche as she opens a Chocolaterie and tempts villagers with her handmade chocolates.
  • The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014), available for streaming on Cinemax, is for food lovers who love both mom-and-pop restaurants and Michelin-star dining. Watch Manish Dayal as he pursues dreams of being a Michelin-star chef alongside Helen Mirren.
  • Julie and Julia (2009), available for streaming on Starz, features Amy Adams as a food blogger working her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook (where you’ll find her Boeuf Bourguignon recipe).

A bottle of wine and a movie

Eden Hemsley Silverstein fell in love with cooking in the third grade and has been bringing people together ever since to share meals. You can follow her on Instagram @RoadToGoodLife, Facebook @TheRoadToTheGoodLife, and her blog, The Road to the Good Life. Learn more about her through her bio on LinkedIn.

/ Food, Recipes, Wine

Caspar Estate Wins Double Gold at SF Chronicle Wine Competition

The winners of the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition were announced the week of January 16th, 2022! Cultivar Wine and Caspar Estate were among the honorees, with five award-winning wines among the judges’ top choices.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, sponsored each year by San Francisco’s leading newspaper, started as a northern California tradition in 1983. Back then, it was known as the “Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition.” Since that time, it has grown to become the largest competition of North American wines in the world.

In fact, this year’s competition featured approximately 5,800 wines from over 1,000 wineries in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Of all the wine competitions in the United States, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition remains the most popular because of its focus on celebrating wines from exclusively North American wineries.

And The Winners Are…

This year, Cultivar Wine entered three varietals in the competition, while Caspar Estate entered two. The result? Every one of our entries brought home a medal!

2019 Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Double Gold Medal

2019 Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

The accolades keep coming for the latest release of our Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted by winemaker Julien Fayard (Wine Spectrum’s 2021 Winemaker of The Year). A Double Gold is awarded when every judge on the panel independently awards the wine a Gold Medal.

2017 Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon

Gold Medal

2017 Cultivar Wine Cabernet Sauvignon, Leaky Lake Vineyard, Napa Valley

Another stunning wine made by Julien Fayard, the Leaky Lake Cabernet Sauvignon is Cultivar Wine’s only vineyard-designate Cabernet. Situated in the rocky terrain above Rutherford, the Leaky Lake Vineyard is a beautiful example of the uniqueness of Napa Valley terroir. The 2017 is one of the February selections for our Cultivar Wine Club Members.

2019 Cultivar Pinot Noir

Gold Medal

2019 Cultivar Wine Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

This is classic Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, swirling with aromas of cherry, mushroom, earth, cola, mint, and eucalyptus.

2020 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc

Silver Medal

2020 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

From our Caspar Estate vineyard on the mountainside of the Mayacamas Mountains, our 2020 Sauvignon Blanc impressed the judges with its steel tank primary fermentation and gentle touch of neutral oak aging – another technique used with exquisite results by winemaker Julien Fayard.

2019 Cultivar "Gold Label" Cabernet Sauvignon

Silver Medal

2019 Cultivar Wine “Gold Label” Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast

We’re thrilled to see our most popular wine in restaurants across America become an award-winning favorite as well. Another Wine Club selection for February, our Gold Label wine is a Cabernet you can enjoy any day of the week.

How the Awards Are Judged

Each wine submitted to the competition is categorized by both varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, etc.) and price group. This way, red wines and white wines are judged separately, and Zinfandel doesn’t go head-to-head with Merlot. Similarly, a $100+ wine is not put in the same category as a $10 wine.

The 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition invited over 50 judges to participate this year. Many of these judges represented winemaking, wine education, and wine trade. But there were also judges from hospitality, culinary, media, and other wine & food sectors. This helped to create a greater sense of diversity and background in the judging.

“We’re thrilled with the results,” says Gingy Cable, co-founder of Cultivar Wine and Caspar Estate. “When you consider the number of wineries in the competition, and how the judges come from all facets of our industry, these awards feel like a real pat on the back. We’re proud of our whole team, and so excited to share these wines with our customers.”

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Caspar Estate Winemaker Julien Fayard Named “Winemaker of The Year” by Wine Spectrum

Caspar Estate is proud to announce that our very own Julien Fayard has been named as Wine Spectrum’s Winemaker of the Year for 2021. Known as the “terroir whisperer,” a 100-point winemaker, winery owner, and avid surfer, Fayard is one of Napa Valley’s most respected consulting winemakers. His two decades of winemaking experience have had an enormous impact on Caspar Estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, from where the vines are planted to how the wine is made.

Julien Fayard was awarded this same honor in 2016, making him one of the few two-time winners. The quality, consistency, and breadth of wines Fayard crafts made him a stand-out once again. He’s considered a “master blender” and continues to show his winemaking prowess through his own labels as well.

“We’re excited to honor Julien Fayard as 2021’s Winemaker of the Year. Julien’s wines are highly sought-after and a pleasure to taste.”

—Glenn Siegel, President & Founder Wine Spectrum

French Sensibility in Napa

Originally from France, Fayard began his winemaking career producing quality rosé at his family’s winery in Provence. He worked at some of Bordeaux’s most noble wineries, including Lafitte Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte before relocating to Napa Valley. In Napa, he became Philippe Melka’s Director of Winemaking for eight years before launching his own projects and consultations. Fayard established his reputation as a winemaker with a light touch. He has an old-world sensibility, believing the soil, the climate, and the grapes should speak for themselves.

Julien Fayard’s Approach To Cultivar Wine

Julien Fayard is also the winemaker for Cultivar Wine’s only vineyard-designate wine, the Leaky Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. A 100% cabernet grown above the fog line of Rutherford, Leaky Lake wines are a perfect match for Fayard’s winemaking sensibilities.  “The cabernet we grow there is extraordinary,” Fayard says. “I saw it rivals any of the mountain appellations in Napa—Howell Mountain or Diamond Peak—for boldness and character.”

Winemaker Julien Fayard standing at a bin of freshly harvested grapes

Fayard presses whole clusters of fruit for Cultivar’s Leaky Lake Cabernet Sauvignon. He then transfers to 100% French oak for at least 24 months before bottling. “Even then, it’s good to allow the wine to develop in the bottle for another two years, just to bring out the aromatics,” Fayard says.

This is one reason why the 2016 Leaky Lake Cabernet is our newest release. And at a mere 90 cases, it’s one of our most limited releases as well.

Caspar Estate: Winemaking Done in The Vineyard

“As a winemaker, my job is to bring out the best qualities that the vines have provided. I don’t seek to make a style of wine but more so to make wine that sings of its place, its history, and its uniqueness,” says Fayard. “That’s my goal as a winemaker, to make wines that are pure expressions of their environment and not mask it. Wines with an identity.”

The Caspar Estate vineyard rests on a hillside overlooking Napa Valley. Planted above the Rutherford Appellation with an exposure 20 degrees off north. The site sees sun from early morning until late afternoon, ensuring even ripeness of the grapes. Cool nights help to develop firm tannins and fresh acidity creating remarkable structure and balance in the finished wines. Our rocky serpentine soils benefit from a mineral deposit rich in iron and magnesium. This distinctive mineral deposit provides layers of complexity and flavor to wines unique to our site.

Caspar Estate & Cultivar Wine is proud of all of Julien Fayard’s achievements. And with one sip of Caspar Estate wine, you’ll taste exactly why.

Caspar Estate wines are available by allocation only. To become an Allocation Member, click here for more information.

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Gifts To Share Under $100

With all that has happened the last 2 years, we are feeling very grateful for so many things that we used to take for granted. We are grateful for electricity, for rain, clear skies, sunshine, clear air, for firefighters, for our health, for the healthcare workers, for the grocery store workers, for the restaurant workers and for our team, our family and all of our blessings.

Show your gratitude to all the people who make a difference in your life. We’ve created a wide selection of gifts for under $100, so showing your appreciation has never been easier.

Everyone loves our Caspar Estate Honey and our Caspar Estate extra virgin olive oil. Wrap them up with a bow and spread the cheer! It’s perfect for teachers, postal workers, family doctors, and anyone who has gone the extra mile for you.

Olive Oil and Honey

Available in a gift box together ($50.00) or as individual items.

Need to up the game a bit but still don’t want to give wine? Check out our Caspar Estate Collection of Honey, Olive Oil and a Candle. $69.00

Casper Olive Oil and Honey Candle

Have a Napa Valley wine lover on your list? We have many options. The Napa Pair is the perfect introduction to Cultivar Wine. One bottle each of our 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, and 2016 Field Blend, Napa Valley, in our iconic Farmer’s Plow gift box. $55.00

Napa Pair

One of my favorite gifts this year is the Port Wine Gift Set. It’s perfect for the dessert wine lover! Two bottles of our 2014 Alexander Valley Port in a beautiful embossed gift box. Featured in 750ml bottles, it also makes an exquisite gift for chefs who love to create reductions, salad dressings, desserts, and more. $85.00

Port Gift Set

The one thing all of us are hearing is that we need to ship our gifts and wine for the holidays early. Here are our deadlines. Cheers!

/ Gifts, Wine

Hanukkah Dinner With Cheese? It’s More Traditional Than You Think

For this year’s Hanukkah dinner recipe, we turned to our good friend Eden Hensley Silverstein, whose Passover dinner recipe earlier this year was a huge success. You can follow Eden on Instagram @RoadToGoodLife, Facebook @TheRoadToTheGoodLife, or her blog The Road To The Good Life.

 

When you think of Hanukkah dinner, latkes, sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts), and maybe brisket probably come to mind. But, Hanukkah doesn’t have to mean oil and heavy fried foods. So, if you haven’t yet added cheese to your celebrations, it’s time.

Why cheese for Hanukkah? Because of Judith. Her tale, less known than that of the Maccabees also involves an invading army. The short story is that Judith lived in a town under siege. She went to the enemy camp, met with their general, and offered him cheese and drink. When he passed out, she cut his head off with his sword, inspiring the Israelites to attack and causing the Assyrians to flee.

Pierogis, arugula salad, and Russian River Pinot Noir from Cultivar

We love a good wine and cheese pairing, so we’re embracing the tale of Judith and her amazing cheese for Hanukkah dinner this year. We’re serving a family-style meal of traditional Polish dishes paired with a few favorite Cultivar wines. On this year’s menu is a Golden beet with Fried Apples and Arugula Salad paired with a 2019 Cultivar Muscat, Anderson Valley, and Barszcz (a sour Polish beet soup) and Pierogi (Polish dumplings) both paired with a 2019 Cultivar Pinot Noir, Russian River. If you want a different pairing for your Pierogi, you could pair it with a 2019 Cultivar Bordeaux Blend, Napa Valley. We preferred the Pinot as the earthiness of the mushroom wasn’t overpowered. (We chose to have the 2019 Cultivar Bordeaux Blend, Napa Valley with our slow-cooker brisket.)

Best thing about this Hanukkah dinner meal? It’s completely vegetarian, so everyone will leave your table satiated.

Hanukkah runs for eight nights, which means six weeknights and one weekend. Depending on when you want to celebrate with family and friends, the first night, Shabbat (Friday night after sunset or Saturday before sunset), or a weekend, you won’t have enough time to make all courses of this menu the same day. (The pierogies are very labor-intensive, but so worth it!)

2019 Cultivar Muscato with arugula salad

Golden Beets with Fried Apples and Arugula Salad

Ingredients (Serves 4 people)

  • 1 1/2 pounds of golden beets
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon hazelnuts, chopped
  • 2 apples, any kind, sliced with the skin on
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice, ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Caspar Estate Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions (Prep time: 35 minutes; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes)

  1. Position your oven rack in the middle of your oven if it’s not already there, and then preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Rub each beet with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil, then put on a sheet pan.
  3. Place your sheet pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until tender.
  4. While the beets cook, toast hazelnuts. Be careful not to scorch them, stir constantly. Put aside when done.
  5. Over medium heat in a non-stick skillet, melt butter.
  6. When your butter has melted, add sliced apples, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they’re nicely seared and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  7. When the beets have cooled, peel the skin off and dice.
  8. In a medium bowl, toss arugula with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.
  9. When your arugula is dressed, add roasted beets, fried apples, hazelnuts, and feta.

2019 Cultivar Russian River Valley wine with Barszcz

Barszcz (Polish beet soup)

Ingredients (Serves 4 people)

  • 1 cup dried chanterelles
  • Enough boiling water to cover the chanterelles
  • 4 medium carrots
  • 1 medium parsnip
  • 1 leek
  • 10 cups water
  • 2 Tablespoons salt, divided
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 whole allspice
  • 4 large beets
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 apple, any kind, sliced with the skin on
  • 1/4 teaspoon marjoram, dry
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar, divided
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • (optional) 2 teaspoons sugar
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions (Prep time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 60 minutes; Total time: 75 minutes)

  1. Place dry chanterelles in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for five minutes.
  2. Rough chop carrots, parsnip, and leek and add to an 8 1/2 quart pot with soaked mushrooms. Cover with 10 cups of water; add a Tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and  allspice, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
  3. Peel beets and slice into 1/2-inch slices.
  4. Toss beets, garlic, apple, remaining Tablespoon of salt, marjoram, 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar, and lemon juice in broth and bring back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another half hour uncovered.
  5. Add remaining vinegar.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper as needed.
  7. Discard all of the vegetables and use a strainer to serve your Barszcz into bowls.

Pierogis with arugula salad

Pierogi (Polish dumplings)

Ingredients (Serves 12 people)

  • 2 pounds (about 8 small) Yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 Tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 2 1/2  cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 16-ounce container ricotta cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon sour cream
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (we used 3 teaspoons salt and about 1 teaspoon pepper)
  • 8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
  • 2 cups lukewarm water

Boiling pierogis

Instructions (Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Total time: 2 hours 50 minutes)

  1. Put your potato in a medium-sized pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. While your potatoes cook, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When the oil shimmers, add your onion. Sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes, and then set aside.
  3. Heat more oil in medium heat in the skillet you just used for the onions. When it shimmers, add your mushrooms in batches. Sauté until the mushrooms no longer release any moisture, about 10 minutes, and then set aside.
  4. Remove your potatoes from the heat. Drain the water and let them cool. When cool, use your fingers to peel the skins.
  5. Using the grater attachment for your food processor, shred your potatoes. Empty and clean your food processor and then process your ricotta. Your ricotta will be light and fluffy after you finish.
  6. Combine mushrooms, onions, potatoes, ricotta, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Set your filling aside until your dough is ready.
  7. Measure flour out onto a clean, smooth work surface.
  8. Make a well in the center of the flour and crack both eggs into the well. Add the butter and mix with your hands. Gradually add warm water, a couple of tablespoons at a time. As the dough becomes more firm, add just a tablespoon at a time.
  9. Knead the dough until it is soft and smooth, approximately 15-20 minutes.
  10. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Cover with the portions you’re not working with a clean, damp dishtowel so that your dough doesn’t dry out.
  11. Roll one portion into a thickness of 1/8 inch. Too thick of a dough will make it harder to press your pierogis closed around the filling, and the ratio of dough to filling will be off.
  12. Cut out circles using a glass or round pastry cutter. Put the excess dough aside in the bowl with the other portions under the clean damp dish towel.
  13. Fill each circle of dough with a teaspoon of filling. Fold dough in half over the filling and pinch the edges together to seal. Place in a baking dish or on a plate and cover with a clean damp wet dish towel. Separate layers of made pierogis with a sheet of wax paper to keep them from sticking to each other.
  14. Continue rolling out the dough, cutting out circles, filling, and pressing into half-moons.
  15. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the pierogi in batches, about 10 at a time, and cook until they float to the surface, approximately 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate in an oven set to warm until ready to serve.

Boiling pierogis

With a little pre-planning, you can make your salad and soup the same day you’re planning on serving it. The Golden Beet with Fried Apples and Arugula Salad served with Barszcz is perfect for a weeknight Hanukkah dinner celebration for two to four people. The pierogi are more hands-on; make the filling and dough a day or two ahead of your weeknight celebration and then roll out, fill, and boil. Making the dough is the most time-consuming aspect of the pierogis; it takes approximately 20 minutes to get the dough kneaded into a ball.

Having more people over mid-week for Hanukkah dinner? You can make both the salad and the Barszcz, with the exception of tossing the arugula with Balsamic Vinegar and olive oil, ahead of time. All you’ll need to do to prep is reheat the Barszcz about 20 minutes before your guests arrive, and toss your arugula with Balsamic vinegar and olive oil before serving. You can also make your pierogi beforehand. To reheat, sprinkle a few drops of water on your pierogi and microwave on medium heat for a minute. Flip over and microwave the other side on medium heat for 30 seconds.

You can follow Eden Hensley Silverstein on Instagram @RoadToGoodLife, Facebook @TheRoadToTheGoodLife, or her blog The Road To The Good Life. She is part of Mom It Forward and Blogloving. Eden’s bio on  linked in profile.

2019 Cultivar Pinot Noir with pierogis and arugula salad

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