A large grill, with red-hot coals under the grate, atop which sit glistening, browning lamb chops and a whole leg of lamb

SPRING

Moroccan Lamb Brochettes with Cumin Salt

Braised Pork Ribs with Blood Orange, Fennel, and Black Olives

Chicken Mole Verde

Tarragon Chicken with Drop Biscuits

SUMMER

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Chimichurri

Narsai’s Assyrian Lamb with Pomegranate Marinade

Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Fondue

Grilled Bone-In Ribeye Steak with Garlic Sauce

FALL

Short Ribs Braised with Red Wine and Ancho Chiles

Braised Chicken with Cipolline Onions and Carrots

Peppered Venison Loin with Zinfandel Huckleberry Sauce

Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Sweet Peppers, Capers, and Green Olives

WINTER

Seared Duck Breasts with Endive Choucroute

Spiced Beef Brisket with Dried Fruit

Fennel-Brined Pork Chops with Quince Chutney

New York Strip Steak with Celery and Blue Cheese Salad

Moroccan Lamb Brochettes with Cumin Salt

Moroccan Lamb Brochettes with Cumin Salt

The spring release of Rubaiyat, our red wine blend, is a festive occasion at the winery. We invite our wine-club members to come sample the new release, and we set up several food stations in our courtyard. If the weather cooperates, the day is as much fun for the culinary staff as it is for our guests. Brian devises dishes expressly for the featured wines—not just Rubaiyat but other current releases, too. These juicy lamb kebabs, scented with North African spices, were a hit one year with Cakebread Cellars Syrah. Accompany with Carrot, Fennel, and Green Olive Slaw.

SERVES 4

1 pound ground lamb, preferably from the shoulder

1 yellow onion, coarsely grated

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon ras el hanout (see Note)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

CUMIN SALT

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons kosher salt

4 lemon wedges for serving

Put the lamb, onion, parsley, mint, ras el hanout, and salt in a bowl. Mix with your hands until blended. Fry a small amount of the mixture in a nonstick skillet to taste the seasoning. Adjust if necessary.

Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions, each weighing roughly 2 ounces. With lightly oiled hands, mold each portion around a 12-inch bamboo or metal skewer, forming a neat sausage shape about 6 inches long and squeezing the meat so it clings to the skewer. You can assemble the kebabs several hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.

For the cumin salt: Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet constantly until the seeds are fragrant and beginning to smoke. Pound them fine in a mortar, then stir in the salt.

Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high. Lightly oil the grill with a rag dipped in vegetable oil. If you are using bamboo skewers, prepare two doubled sheets of aluminum foil that you can position underneath the exposed ends of the skewers so they don’t burn. Place the skewers on the grill so that the exposed ends rest over the foil. (If you are using metal skewers, you don’t need to take this precaution.) Grill, turning as needed, until the lamb is firm to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes.

Serve 2 skewers per person, accompanying each portion with a lemon wedge and a small ramekin of cumin salt.

NOTES: Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend available from well-stocked spice merchants such as Whole Spice.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Carneros Syrah or another substantial red wine.

Spice Valley

UNTIL SHULI MADMONE entered our lives, we relied on the bountiful fresh-cut herbs in the winery garden and on a conventional spice pantry for seasoning.

But in 2008, when Shuli and his wife, Ronit, opened Whole Spice, their tantalizing shop in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market, Brian became one of their most avid customers and students. The shop’s vast collection of spices and seasonings in big glass jars was as alluring to him as candy is to a kid, and his discoveries began to infiltrate winery menus. He seasoned ground lamb kebabs with Moroccan ras el hanout; rubbed za’atar on roast chicken and Indian coriander on fresh tuna; and substituted the more fragrant Aleppo pepper from Syria and espelette pepper from France for cayenne. Shuli’s seasoned salts, such as truffle salt and hibiscus salt, expanded our flavor world, too.

Brian invited Shuli to participate in the Workshop and help introduce participants to a broader range of seasonings. Whole Spice always provides a selection of unusual spices and spice blends, like zhug, a fiery mixture from Yemen used to finish dishes. In tastings at the winery, we have found that warm spices, used judiciously in our cooking, can bring out aromatic components in the accompanying wine. Brian’s Indian Lentil Soup highlights the toastiness of our barrel-fermented Chardonnay, a reminder that many possible wine and food affinities remain unexplored.

Braised Pork Ribs with Blood Orange, Fennel, and Black Olives

Country-style ribs, from the shoulder end of the pork loin, turn succulent with long, slow braising. In late winter and early spring, when California’s blood orange harvest is peaking, Brian adds their tangy juice to the braise, along with fennel wedges and kalamata olives. Like many braises, this dish reheats well. Serve with wide ribbon noodles, such as pappardelle.

SERVES 6

3 pounds bone-in country-style pork ribs or shoulder chops

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium fennel bulbs, cut into thick wedges

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup peeled and chopped plum tomatoes, fresh or canned

½ cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 bay leaf

1 wide strip of blood orange zest

2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds for garnish

Season the pork all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large, wide pot over high heat, then add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter. Add the fennel wedges to the same pot and sear until lightly browned on both cut sides, about 2 minutes. Set the fennel aside.

Return the pot to low heat and add the garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring to release its fragrance, then add the tomatoes, orange juice, and honey. Stir with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Return the pork to the pot, then add the olives, bay leaf, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the pork is fork-tender, about 1½ hours, turning it over in the sauce halfway through.

Transfer the pork to a platter with tongs and keep warm. Discard the bay leaf and orange zest. Add the fennel wedges to the pot. If necessary, add a little water so that the liquid comes about halfway up the sides of the fennel. Cover and cook until the fennel is tender, about 15 minutes. Return the pork to the pot and reheat, turning to coat it with the sauce. Divide the pork and fennel among 6 plates and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with the chopped fennel fronds and serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Benchlands Select Cabernet Sauvignon or another red wine with firm structure and concentration.

Chicken Mole Verde

Brian mastered mole verde under the tutelage of Brenda Godinez, a Cakebread staffer who creates exquisite flower arrangements for the winery. Brenda taught Brian that a proper mole requires many steps: almost every ingredient needs to be fried or toasted first to deepen its flavor. The mole verde, or green mole, relies on fresh chiles, tomatillos, and cilantro for its emerald color. When well made, the mole is velvety smooth. This recipe features chicken, but we sometimes use duck legs or pork. Truly, the spotlight is on the sauce. Serve with rice and a salad.

Note that this recipe makes twice as much mole (the sauce, not the chicken) as you need to serve six people. But why make mole in small amounts? It freezes well, giving you a running start on the next dinner.

SERVES 6

CHICKEN

3 bone-in chicken breasts and 3 leg-thigh quarters

1 white onion, thickly sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons kosher salt

MOLE

¼ cup sesame seeds

3 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds

¼ cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed

3 tablespoons raw peanuts

Pinch of ground ginger

Pinch of ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

½ ripe plantain (from a plantain cut crosswise), peeled and halved lengthwise (see Note)

2 whole serrano chiles, stemmed

1 large poblano chile, quartered and seeded

½ white onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 pounds tomatillos, husked

1 corn tortilla

½ small head butter lettuce, or 1 romaine heart, coarsely chopped

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 small or ½ large avocado, pitted and peeled

1½ teaspoons sugar, or to taste

For the chicken: Put the chicken parts in a large pot and add enough water to cover the meat by 2 inches. Add the onion, garlic, and salt. Bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming off any foam, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the meat begins to pull away from the drumstick and the thigh joint feels loose, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the broth, then strain and reserve the broth and chicken separately.

For the mole: Toast the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds together in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until the sesame seeds are golden brown and the pumpkin seeds have started to darken and pop, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the ¼ cup oil to the skillet and return to medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the peanuts until golden, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer the peanuts to the bowl with the seeds, leaving the oil behind. Add the ginger, allspice, and cloves to the seed mixture.

In the same skillet, in the oil remaining, fry the plantain over medium heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, then set the plantain aside. Add the serrano and poblano chiles, the onion, and the whole garlic cloves and fry until the chiles blister all over and the onion and garlic char in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside. Add the tomatillos to the same skillet and cook, turning, until they char and blister in spots, about 5 minutes. Set them aside.

Toast the tortilla directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until it blackens in spots and becomes crisp, about 1 minute. Let cool, then tear into pieces.

Put the seed mixture in a blender and blend on high speed, adding enough of the chicken broth—about 1 cup—to make a paste that is as smooth as possible. Transfer to a small bowl.

Working in batches, put the tomatillos, plantain, chiles, onion, garlic, tortilla pieces, chopped lettuce, 1 cup cilantro, and the avocado in the blender and puree until smooth. (Put the tomatillos in first to have enough liquid to engage the blender.) Transfer to a bowl.

Put any leftover frying oil in a large pot and add enough additional vegetable oil to make 2 tablespoons. Set over medium heat and add the seed paste. Cook, stirring, until the paste becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatillo puree and bring to a simmer. Add 5 cups of the reserved chicken broth and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 1¼ hours to develop flavor. Add the sugar and season with salt. Remove half the sauce (about 5 cups) and freeze for later use.

Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Cut the leg-thigh quarters in half at the joint. You should have 12 pieces. Place the chicken parts in the mole and simmer until hot throughout. Thin with more chicken broth if desired.

Divide the mole and chicken among 6 warm bowls or plates. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

NOTES: A ripe plantain has a golden or even black exterior; unripe plantains are greenish outside.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc or another crisp and herbaceous white wine.

Tarragon Chicken with Drop Biscuits

Chef Danielle Custer, who attended the 1997 Workshop, devised this modified potpie to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey. She wanted to make a version of the freezer-case classic but without the traditional bottom crust or the peas. Brian has added a California touch: asparagus from the winery garden, transforming the modest all-American potpie into a dish suitable for guests. Tender drop biscuits scented with chives take the place of a pastry crust.

SERVES 6

QUICK CHICKEN STOCK

1 whole fresh chicken, about 4 pounds

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

1 celery rib, thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

½ teaspoon mixed pickling spice

¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon fennel seeds

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, cut into small dice

One 6-inch piece of leek (white and pale green part only), cut into small dice

1 large carrot, cut into small dice

1 celery rib, cut into small dice

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and pale green parts only

2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

1½ cups asparagus, sliced on the diagonal about ½ inch long

DROP BISCUITS

1 cup all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

For the quick chicken stock: Cut up the chicken to yield 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 breasts, 2 wings, and a back. Put the parts in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming off any foam. Add the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, pickling spice, peppercorns, fennel seeds, rosemary, and salt and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool. With tongs, lift the chicken from the stock and strain the stock. Set aside 1 quart; refrigerate or freeze the remaining stock for another use. Remove the chicken meat from the bones, shred the meat by hand, and discard the skin.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir until blended. Add the reserved 1 quart chicken stock and bring to a simmer, whisking. Simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 5 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Whisk in the cream. Stir in the shredded chicken, scallions, and tarragon. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and boil for about 30 seconds, just to remove the raw taste. Drain and transfer to ice water to chill quickly. Drain well and add to the chicken mixture. Transfer to an 8 by 12-inch baking dish, or a dish of comparable size.

For the drop biscuits: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, egg, and chives. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just to moisten evenly; do not overmix. Drop 6 mounds of biscuit dough onto the chicken mixture, spacing them evenly.

Bake until the biscuits are lightly browned and the chicken mixture is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay or another medium- to full-bodied white wine.

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Chimichurri

Eduardo Pria, a 2002 Workshop participant and Mexico City native, is probably the most passionate chef we have ever had at the Workshop. He was overjoyed to be at the winery and expressed it with frequent hugs for all, usually coupled with an enthusiastic “I love you, man!” The Argentinian chimichurri sauce that Eduardo made for Don Watson’s lamb was as exhilarating as he is. Brian has used the sauce frequently over the years, adapting it along the way. Prepared quickly in a blender, it is a vivid emerald green and like pesto in texture, with a fresh, zingy taste. It complements almost any grilled red meat—from leg of lamb to hanger steaks, flatiron steaks, or pork chops. Add roasted fingerling potatoes and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes for an ideal summer meal. We also like chimichurri with grilled summer vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, and peppers. You can make the sauce a few hours ahead, but plan to use it the same day. It loses zip with time. Note that the lamb needs to marinate for at least two hours.

SERVES 8

1 boneless, butterflied leg of lamb (about 3½ pounds)

4 cloves garlic

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

CHIMICHURRI

1 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves

2 cloves garlic, mashed with the side of a chef’s knife

1 jalapeño chile, seeds and veins removed, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Trim external fat from the lamb, or ask the butcher to do so. Mince the garlic to a paste with the salt. Mix the garlic paste with the olive oil and several grinds of black pepper. Put the lamb in a shallow dish and rub all over with the garlic mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or, preferably, overnight.

For the chimichurri: In a blender, combine the parsley, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and salt. With the motor running, add the olive oil gradually, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the jar. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to develop flavor.

Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high. Bring the lamb to room temperature. Grill the meat directly over the coals or flame, turning once with tongs, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the muscle reaches 125°F (for medium-rare), 10 to 15 minutes per side. The muscles on a butterflied leg of lamb are not evenly thick; to prevent overcooking, test the thinner section first and remove that section when it is done by cutting between the muscles. Let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to settle. Carve across the grain into thin slices and serve with chimichurri.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon or another red wine with firm tannic structure.

Narsai’s Assyrian Lamb with Pomegranate Marinade

Narsai David’s lamb marinated in pomegranate juice is famous in the San Francisco Bay Area from his days as a restaurant proprietor and popular caterer. Dennis Cakebread remembers that the first time he ever entertained at home, he prepared Narsai’s lamb. Brian has adapted the recipe slightly, reducing the marinade to create a basting glaze that accentuates the sweet-sour flavor of pomegranate. The dish is elegant and foolproof, so even a novice cook can look like a pro. Allow at least six hours for the lamb to marinate.

SERVES 4

2 cups pomegranate juice (from concentrate), preferably Pom Wonderful brand

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 eight-rib racks of lamb

In a blender or food processor, combine the pomegranate juice, onion, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Blend well. Put the lamb in a nonreactive container. Add the marinade and turn the lamb in the marinade to coat it on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and strain the marinade through a fine sieve into a small saucepan, pushing on the solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Simmer over high heat until reduced to ½ cup.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Set the meat on a rack in a baking sheet. Roast until the lamb registers 130°F (for medium) on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with the reduced marinade. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving into chops.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or another rich and firmly structured red wine.

Savoring Local Lamb

BRIAN BEGAN TO PURCHASE whole lambs for the winery when he met Don Watson and tasted his extraordinary Napa Valley lamb. Don only sells whole carcasses, so Brian had to master the butchery if he wanted the meat.

Don cleverly gets two revenue streams from his animals. He rents the sheep to vineyard owners as mobile and agile weed eaters. (He calls that business Wooly Weeders.) The young lambs graze at their mothers’ sides on vineyard cover crops until they reach market weight, then they are sold to winery chefs and high-end restaurants. The milk-fed spring lamb we receive from Don is so mild and tender that it makes converts of many winery guests who think they don’t like lamb.

Don taught Brian how to break down the carcass, and Brian has developed uses for every part. Typically, he braises the shoulders and shanks; grills or roasts the loins, racks, and legs; grinds trim for meatballs or lamb “sliders”; and makes stock with the bony parts. Insuring that nothing useful gets thrown away is a gratifying culinary challenge. “I’m a better cook for it,” says Brian.

A ewe and lamb standing among other sheet between fences of gnarled branches under a thundery sky

Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Fondue

Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Fondue

Our charcuterie supplier, Taylor Boetticher of Napa’s Fatted Calf, had the fine idea to wrap a pork tenderloin in a cloak of paper-thin pancetta. The pancetta bastes the lean tenderloin as it cooks, so the meat remains moist. A thyme-scented tomato fondue makes a light, summery accompaniment, suggested by 2009 Workshop participant Scott Gottlich. Add some sautéed Blue Lake beans or a slice of Mediterranean Summer Vegetable Gratin to complete the plate.

You can roast only one tenderloin, if you like, but you may need to reduce the heat as you sear it because of the reduced volume of meat in the skillet. Do prepare the full amount of tomato fondue, however. You won’t have enough volume for the blender otherwise, and you won’t regret having extra. Note that the pork needs to marinate overnight.

SERVES 8

30 paper-thin slices pancetta (further directions follow)

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

TOMATO FONDUE

1 pound plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Ask your butcher or deli clerk to place 15 coiled pancetta slices on each of two sheets of deli paper, arranged in three rows of five slices each. The five slices should overlap slightly, and the rows should overlap slightly. The objective is to create two “beds” of sliced pancetta in which to wrap the tenderloins.

Trim the thin silvery membrane, or silverskin, and any external fat from each tenderloin. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Brush mustard all over the tenderloins, then season with thyme.

Place a tenderloin on a bed of pancetta. With the aid of the deli paper, roll the loin to encase it in pancetta. Remove the paper. Repeat with the second tenderloin. Place the pancetta-wrapped tenderloins on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the tomato fondue: Put the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme and drizzle with olive oil. Scatter the garlic cloves around the tomatoes. Bake until the tomatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, discard the skins and seeds. Chop the tomatoes coarsely. Squeeze the softened garlic from the skins.

Combine the butter, tomatoes, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until the tomatoes collapse into a near puree, about 5 minutes. Puree in a blender. Return to the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the tenderloins and sear the pork all over, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the pork registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Cut each loin into 8 medallions. Put 2 medallions on each dinner plate. Put a dollop of warm tomato fondue on top of the meat or alongside. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir or another medium-bodied red wine.

A Passion for Pork

HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM Taylor Boetticher and Toponia Miller make salumi in small batches, using heirloom pork and Old World techniques and recipes. Their Fatted Calf shop in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market is a destination for the area’s foodies, who snap up the porchetta sandwiches they prepare at lunchtime and fill up Taylor’s weekend classes on butchery and charcuterie. They are generous with their knowledge, not proprietary as some chefs are, so we like to give them our business. We have taken Cakebread Cellars wine-club members to their shop for classes, and Brian uses Fatted Calf’s Spanish-style chorizo in paella. Brian’s children are partial to Fatted Calf’s silky mortadella, and Brian himself loves the grilled merguez, a spicy Moroccan lamb sausage, in a baguette sandwich.

Taylor apprenticed in Italy with the renowned Tuscan butcher, Dario Cecchini, then began selling his own handmade salumi at the Berkeley farmers’ market. Encouraged by the response, he and Toponia opened their storefront in 2008. We often carve up some Fatted Calf porchetta for lunch during the Workshop so all the participants can get a taste of Taylor’s expertise.

A young man with spiky hair and masculine beard, wearing hip sunglasses and a black apron with tattoos on his arms, stands over a deli slicer at a blue-checkered-tablecoth-covered table outside on a lawn

Grilled Bone-In Ribeye Steak with Garlic Sauce

Pureed garlic—and lots of it—gives body to the sauce for these steaks. The whole cloves are blanched multiple times to mute their pungency, then simmered in milk until they are as soft as butter. Pureed until smooth, the finished sauce looks rich with cream, yet it doesn’t have a drop. It would be tasty with grilled leg of lamb, too. Steeping the cloves in hot water first makes them easy to peel, a handy restaurant technique. Accompany the steaks with Roasted Mushrooms and Baby Artichokes in spring or fall, and with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes in summer.

SERVES 4

4 large cloves garlic, smashed

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

2 bone-in ribeye steaks (about 1½ inches thick and 1½ pounds each)

Freshly ground black pepper

GARLIC SAUCE

2 large heads garlic, separated into cloves

1 cup whole milk, plus more if needed

1 sprig fresh sage

In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt, or mince to a paste with a knife. Add the oil and the rosemary. Season the steaks on both sides with black pepper, then spread the seasoned oil over the steaks, dividing it evenly and massaging it into the meat with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

For the garlic sauce: Put the unpeeled garlic cloves in a bowl and add hot water to cover. Let stand until the water cools, then peel. Put the peeled cloves in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Drain and repeat twice. This triple blanching removes some of the garlic’s pungency. Return the garlic to the saucepan and add the milk, sage sprig, and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook gently until the garlic is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the sage sprig. Puree the garlic and milk in a blender, adding a little more milk if necessary to achieve a sauce consistency. Return to the saucepan and keep warm over low heat while you cook the steaks.

Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a grill to high. Place the steaks on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. With tongs, rotate the steaks 90 degrees and cook for 5 minutes longer. Turn the steaks with tongs and cook for 5 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees and cook until the steaks reach desired doneness, about 5 minutes longer for medium-rare (120°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally).

Transfer to a rack with tongs and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle. You can present the steaks on a cutting board for guests to slice off the bone themselves, or you can remove the bone and slice the steaks in the kitchen, dividing the meat among 4 dinner plates. Pass warm garlic sauce in a separate bowl.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot or another red wine of concentration and tannic structure.

Short Ribs Braised with Red Wine and Ancho Chiles

Ancho chiles have an earthy, rich, raisiny flavor that adds depth to the sauce for these short ribs. The chiles are not particularly spicy, so the dish still works well with red wine. In fact, we serve a variation of this recipe in our Wine and Food Pairing Experience for winery visitors, pulling the short-rib meat from the bones and serving it on mini hamburger buns with coleslaw. For a dinner entrée, we serve the braised short ribs on the bone, as described here, with mashed potatoes or noodles.

SERVES 6

2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, minced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced plum tomatoes, fresh or canned

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1½ cups chicken stock, plus more as needed

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Cover the chiles with warm water and let soak for 20 minutes to soften. Drain and chop.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over high heat. Add the short ribs and brown on all sides, in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes. Transfer them with tongs to a platter.

Discard the fat in the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles to the pot and sauté until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and vinegar and bring to a simmer.

Return the short ribs to the pot, placing them on their sides; they should fit snugly. Add the stock and rosemary sprig and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot tightly and place in the middle of the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and starting to fall off the bone, about 3 hours, turning the meat over halfway through.

With tongs, transfer the short ribs to a platter. Pour the sauce into a measuring cup and let settle for 5 minutes. Spoon the fat off the surface. Return the short ribs to the pot and pour the skimmed sauce over the short ribs. Add more stock if needed to thin to desired consistency. Reheat gently to serve.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Benchlands Select Cabernet Sauvignon or another red wine with intensity and tannic structure.

Vinegars that Shape the Dish

MANY PEOPLE GIVE LITTLE THOUGHT to the wine vinegar in their pantry, but over the years, we have learned how much character a good vinegar can contribute to a dish. Brian uses the vinegars from Sparrow Lane, a Napa Valley producer and one of the first to make a range of vinegars with distinctive varietal nuances. Having all these choices on hand is like having more colors in the paintbox: you have more means to achieve the desired effect.

Because we try to serve healthful fare at the winery, our menus often include a first-course salad. In that format, Brian can highlight the day’s harvest from Dolores’s garden, dressed simply with an interesting vinaigrette. For these vegetable-based salads, he’ll often use Sparrow Lane’s Champagne vinegar, which has a delicate, bright taste that balances the vegetables’ sweetness. He likes the golden balsamic vinegar for its sweet-and-sour balance and for dressing pale lettuces. It doesn’t discolor the greens as traditional balsamic vinegar does. This gentle vinegar also helps make the salad more wine-friendly than a comparable salad made with tart wine vinegar.

Sparrow Lane’s apple cider vinegar enlivens the cole slaw at the employee picnic and autumn salads made from sturdy fall greens with fruits and walnut oil. Sometimes Brian makes an apple cider gastrique—equal parts caramel and vinegar—to add to the pan juices for saucing duck. Sparrow Lane’s Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar and Zinfandel vinegar are more assertive, perfect for robust winter salads, cooked greens, and red-meat braises.

Many wine lovers fear that a dish with vinegar will strip the fruit from a wine. Even Brian remembers being taught in cooking school that salads don’t go with wine. But we serve a lot of salads at Cakebread Cellars, and we don’t hesitate to pour our wines with them. Using a high-quality, mellow vinegar sparingly and incorporating ingredients like mushrooms, cheese, and toasted nuts can help soften vinegar’s acidity and make a salad more wine-friendly.

Braised Chicken with Cipolline Onions and Carrots, Dirty Rice with Fennel

Braised Chicken with Cipolline Onions and Carrots

Caramelized onions, carrots, and a pinch of sugar give this braise a subtle sweetness, with cider vinegar adding balance. In the end, the chicken and vegetables are cloaked in a luscious, light pan sauce derived from the reduced pan juices. Serve with Dirty Rice with Fennel or with plain steamed rice or boiled potatoes.

SERVES 4

1 whole fresh chicken (about 3 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾ pound cipolline onions

1½ pounds medium to large carrots (not baby carrots)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon sugar

⅓ cup cider vinegar, plus more if needed

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Cut the chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and the 2 breasts halved crosswise. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.

Trim both ends of the onions. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the onions and blanch for about 1½ minutes, then drain and shock in ice water. Peel the onions; the skins should slip off easily.

Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1½-inch chunks.

Choose a heavy pot wide enough to hold the chicken pieces snugly in a single layer. Heat the pot over high heat. Add the olive oil, then add the chicken, skin side down. Brown well, then turn with tongs and brown the other side, about 5 minutes total. Set the chicken aside on a platter.

Add the onions, carrots, thyme, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and use a wooden spoon to release any residue stuck to the bottom of the pot. Simmer for about 1 minute to evaporate the vinegar, then return the chicken to the pot, skin side up. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the leg meat begins to pull away from the bone and the white meat is no longer pink at the bone, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a platter with tongs. If the pan juices are too thin, raise the heat to high and reduce to a pleasing sauce consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning; the sauce may need a touch more vinegar. Spoon the vegetables and sauce over the chicken and garnish with the parsley. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay or another medium- to full-bodied white wine.

Prepared Venison Loin with Zinfandel and Huckleberry Sauce

Peppered Venison Loin with Zinfandel Huckleberry Sauce

The venison we serve at Cakebread Cellars comes from Broken Arrow Ranch in Texas. The meat is as dark as beef but much leaner, with even less cholesterol and fewer calories than skinless chicken breast. Like pork, venison has a natural sweetness that welcomes a tart, fruity sauce. At the 1998 Workshop, Bruce Hill paired it with wild huckleberries; wild blueberries make a good substitute. Serve the venison with potato puree, as Bruce did, or with Brussels sprouts, roasted root vegetables, or the celery root puree from The Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cookbook.

SERVES 4

1 venison loin, trimmed of fat and silverskin, about 1 pound

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

ZINFANDEL HUCKLEBERRY SAUCE

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 celery rib, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

½ Granny Smith apple, diced (no need to core)

1 cup Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel

½ cup ruby port

3 cups chicken stock

1 sprig fresh thyme

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh huckleberries or frozen wild Maine blueberries, thawed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Rub the venison with the oil, thyme, peppercorns, and salt. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

For the sauce: Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and apple. Sauté over high heat, stirring often, until the vegetables caramelize slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the Zinfandel and port. Simmer briskly until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock, thyme, and ½ cup huckleberries. Simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids. You should have about ½ cup sauce. Return the sauce to a small saucepan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons huckleberries.

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the venison and sear on all sides, about 2 minutes total, then transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the venison until the internal temperature reaches 120°F (for medium-rare), 5 to 6 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

To serve, slice the venison about ¼ inch thick. Gently warm the sauce. Arrange the venison on dinner plates and spoon the sauce around it, not over it. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel or another full-bodied red wine with plentiful fruit.

Wild Game: Lean and Sustainable

WORKSHOP CO-FOUNDER BILL SHOAF introduced us to wild-game supplier Broken Arrow Ranch the year we launched the event, and the company has participated every year since. Like Cakebread Cellars, the ranch is a family business now in its second generation. Chris and Maeve Hughes, the son and daughter-in-law of founder Mike Hughes, attend the Workshop now to introduce the chefs to their wild venison and antelope.

Unlike the farmed venison that most chefs use, Broken Arrow Ranch venison is truly free range. The animals roam at will on large Texas ranches and may never even know where the boundaries are. They are non-native species, introduced to Central Texas more than fifty years ago, and their rapid proliferation threatens the native deer. Harvesting them keeps the population from surpassing what the landscape can support and allows the native species to survive.

Broken Arrow Ranch has devised a novel and humane mobile-processing facility that operates near the point of harvest with a USDA inspector on board. Consequently, the animals don’t have to be transported live to slaughterhouses, as farmed deer are, a trip that stresses them and compromises the meat.

We are big fans of Broken Arrow Ranch venison; it really shows off our red wines. The company’s ground venison makes a robust chili and delicious meatballs; Jack and Dolores keep the company’s smoked venison sausage in the freezer at home all the time. Like a free-range chicken compared to a factory chicken, the Ranch’s venison eclipses the farmed alternative.

Two young bucks with two-pointed racks of antlers standing in a grassy meadow in the shade of a thicket of trees

Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Sweet Peppers, Capers, and Green Olives

Lamb shoulder makes luscious meatballs because the ground meat has sufficient fat. It stays moist, even when reheated, so you can make the dish hours ahead. Brian sometimes makes miniature lamb meatballs to serve to visitors who participate in the winery’s Wine and Food Pairing Experience. In this larger size, the meatballs look and taste as if they were made by an Italian grandmother. Pair with pasta or white beans.

SERVES 4

MEATBALLS

1 cup fresh bread crumbs, prepared in a food processor from crustless day-old bread

¼ cup whole milk

1 pound ground lamb shoulder

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ cup minced yellow onion

¼ cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 red bell pepper, cut into ¾-inch dice

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into ¾-inch dice

2 large cloves garlic, minced

One 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice

½ cup Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

⅓ cup pitted and halved green olives, such as picholines

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

For the meatballs: Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl, pour the milk over them, and let soften for 10 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess milk and then put the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Discard the milk. Add the lamb, egg, onion, cheese, parsley, oregano, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix gently with your hands. Fry a small patty in a skillet and taste for seasoning; add more salt if necessary. With lightly oiled hands, divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces and roll into 8 meatballs.

Heat a large, wide skillet or pot over high heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and brown all over, about 4 minutes. Set the meatballs aside on a tray. Pour off and discard the fat in the pan.

Return the pan to moderately high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the bell peppers. Sauté until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir briefly to release its fragrance, then add the tomatoes and wine. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the green olives and capers. Simmer briskly for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken the tomato juices, then return the meatballs to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the meatballs are fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Serve hot garnished with the parsley.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Merlot or other medium-bodied red wine.

Seared Duck Breasts with Endive Choucroute

The plump and pristine Belgian endive from California Vegetable Specialties always impresses the Workshop chefs, and they come up with some novel uses for it. Chef James Boyce, a 2008 participant, made “choucroute” with the sliced endive, braising it with onion, bacon, and apples as if it were cabbage. He paired it with seared duck breasts, but you could serve it with a pork chop and boiled potatoes instead.

SERVES 4

CHOUCROUTE

3 slices thick bacon, cut into ½-inch-wide pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or duck fat

1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 large heads Belgian endive, sliced crosswise about ¼ inch wide (discard the cores)

1 tart green apple, such as Granny Smith or Pippin, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice

½ cup Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 juniper berries, lightly smashed

1 teaspoon honey

Kosher salt

DUCK BREASTS

4 boneless duck breasts, 6 to 8 ounces each

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or duck fat

For the choucroute: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the bacon and blanch for about 15 seconds to remove some of the smoky taste. Drain.

Heat a 3-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and endive and sauté until they wilt slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the blanched bacon, apple, wine, vinegar, juniper berries, honey, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Do not let the mixture cook dry; it should be moist. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm.

For the duck breasts: With a sharp chef’s knife held horizontally, shave about half of the skin and surface fat from the duck breasts and discard, leaving some skin and a thin layer of fat to lubricate the meat as it cooks. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the duck breasts, skin side down. Sear until crisp and browned, about 2½ minutes, then turn with tongs and cook on the flesh side, basting a few times with drippings, until medium-rare, about 3½ minutes longer. Let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Slice the duck breasts on the diagonal about ¼ inch thick. Divide the choucroute among 4 dinner plates and arrange a sliced duck breast on each plate. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir or another young Pinot Noir with concentrated flavor.

Duck from a Master

A FOURTH-GENERATION DUCK FARMER, Jim Reichardt raises his birds primarily for demanding West Coast chefs. His client list could serve as a roster of the region’s top dining establishments, from San Francisco’s Quince Restaurant to the Ritz-Carlton. On his Sonoma County farm, Jim’s Liberty Ducks live in an open environment and eat mostly corn and grain. They grow slowly, averaging nine weeks at market age compared to the six weeks that is more typical in the industry. The extra time yields meat with more flavor.

Whether pan-seared or grilled, Liberty Duck breasts remain juicy and tender and aren’t as gamy as the meat from some breeds. Brian sometimes brushes the breasts with Marshall’s Farm honey and a spice blend he prepares with cumin, coriander, and star anise, then grills them and serves them with Carrot, Fennel, and Green Olive Slaw. In the fall, he might make a salad with duck breast and persimmons or pair roast duck with sweet turnips from the winery garden. In late summer, he braises the legs with the supersweet fruit from our French prune trees or preserves them in duck fat, confit style, for the winter.

Besides raising such a good product, Jim is a salt-of-the-earth type, the kind of person we enjoy doing business with. One evening, when Brian was preparing dinner for a group of VIPs, Jim was late with the duck delivery. To buy Brian a little more time, Jim went into the dining room, had a glass of wine with our guests, and talked to them at length about his operation. They loved having face time with the farmer behind their dinner and didn’t even notice that the meal was running late.

A raft of white ducks in an indoor pen

Spiced Beef Brisket with Dried Fruit

Seattle chef Emily Moore created this dish for Passover, but it’s too good to reserve for a holiday. Keep the recipe in mind for those cold, rainy days when you want the warmth and comfort of a pot roast. Don’t let the butcher trim all the surface fat from the brisket, and if possible, make the dish a day ahead; it improves with reheating. If necessary, you can brown the meat in one pot, then transfer it to a roasting pan for baking. Accompany with egg noodles and a crisp escarole salad. Leftovers make great sandwiches. Chef Moore participated in the 1994 Workshop.

SERVES 10

1 cup (about 6 ounces) dried sour cherries

¾ cup (about 4 ounces) dried apricots

5 pounds beef brisket, in one piece, with ¼-inch layer of surface fat

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 cups Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Chicken stock, if needed

Put the dried cherries and apricots in a small bowl, cover with warm water, and let soak for 1 hour to soften. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the brisket on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a deep, wide, ovenproof pot over high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the brisket. Sear on both sides until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a tray. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring, until wilted and beginning to caramelize, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the wine, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir, scraping up any browned residue on the bottom of the pot. Return the brisket to the pot, bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven.

Bake for 2½ hours, basting with the juices every half hour. Add the drained cherries and apricots. Re-cover and return to the oven until the meat is fork-tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer. If the sauce is too reduced, add a little chicken stock or water. If the sauce is too thin, uncover the pot and continue baking until the sauce has reduced. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.

The brisket slices more easily and tastes better on the second day. To refrigerate it, transfer it with tongs to a container just large enough to hold it. Pour the sauce over it. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. The following day, carve the brisket while cold into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange in a baking dish and spoon the sauce over it. Cover the baking dish and reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until the brisket is hot throughout, about 45 minutes.

Alternatively, to serve the brisket the day it is made, transfer it with tongs to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes for easier slicing. Carve into ¼-inch-thick slices and transfer to a warm platter. Reheat the sauce, if necessary, and spoon over the meat.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon or another substantial red wine.

Fennel-Brined Pork Chops with Quince Chutney

The quince trees at our River Ranch property are just delivering their first harvest at the time of the Workshop. Many chefs are captivated with these uncommon autumn fruits, which are rock-hard and astringent when raw and must be cooked to release their floral perfume. Chef David Everett made a memorable quince chutney for duck breasts when he attended the Workshop in 1994. Brian likes to serve the same chutney with brined pork chops. Cooking the pork on the bone enhances flavor and seals in the succulence imparted by the brine. Accompany the pork with braised escarole or Tuscan kale, or with Brussels sprouts and chestnuts. Any leftover chutney will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator and would be delicious with blue cheese. Note that the chops need to rest in the brine overnight.

SERVES 4

BRINE

1 quart cold water

⅓ cup kosher salt

¼ cup sugar

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

½ teaspoon fennel seed, coarsely crushed in a mortar

½ teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only

4 bone-in pork chops (about 1½ inches thick, 10 to 12 ounces each)

CHUTNEY

2 cups Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay

2 cups sugar

½ cup cider vinegar

1 cinnamon stick

2 large quinces, peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the brine: Bring all the ingredients to a simmer in a saucepan. Transfer to a bowl and chill the brine quickly by placing the bowl in an ice bath. Put the chops in a nonreactive container just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add the chilled brine—it should cover the chops—then cover the container and refrigerate overnight. Remove the chops from the brine, pat dry, and bring to room temperature before roasting.

For the chutney: In a saucepan, combine the wine, sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the quince, stir to moisten, and return to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook until the quince is tender but not mushy, about 12 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the chops. Cook until nicely browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the chops with tongs, reduce the heat slightly, and sear on the second side, about 2 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven. Roast until the chops register 135°F on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes longer. (Insert the thermometer horizontally to get an accurate reading.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle.

To serve, transfer the chops to individual dinner plates or a serving platter. Spoon some of the chutney over them, or pass the chutney separately. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve or another barrel-fermented Chardonnay.

New York Strip Steak with Celery and Blue Cheese Salad

New York Strip Steak with Celery and Blue Cheese Salad

Celery complements blue cheese, and blue cheese complements steak, so Brian put the three ingredients together. The salad includes celery leaves, which contribute a refreshing herbaceousness. Spooned over the steaks like a salsa or relish, it helps cut their richness. Serve with Potato and Celery Root Gratin or wilted spinach.

SERVES 4

4 New York strip steaks (about 1½ inches thick and 12 ounces each)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large celery rib, thinly sliced

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons roughly chopped pale yellow (inner) celery leaves

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

3 ounces Point Reyes Original Blue or other blue cheese, crumbled (about ⅔ cup)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 small fresh rosemary sprigs

Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.

In a small bowl, combine the celery, shallot, parsley, and celery leaves. Add the olive oil and vinegar and toss gently, then season with salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes to soften the celery. Just before serving, add the blue cheese and toss gently.

Heat a heavy 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon oil and the butter. When the butter melts and begins to sizzle, put the steaks in the pan. Tuck the rosemary sprigs among the steaks. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, occasionally spooning the rendered fat over the meat, until the bottom sides are mahogany brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning. Turn the steaks with tongs and continue cooking, basting occasionally, until the steaks reach desired doneness, about 5 minutes longer for medium-rare.

Transfer the steaks to a rack with tongs and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle. Divide the steaks among dinner plates and spoon some of the celery salad over the tops. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon or another elegant and substantial red wine.