Makes about 8 servings (4 flatbreads; 2 servings per flatbread).
INGREDIENTS:
Cooking spray
8 oz. burrata cheese (2 balls, 4 oz. each), cut into 8 pieces
12 oz. traditional naan bread (4 pieces, 3 oz. each)
2 oz. sliced prosciutto, or 4 pieces
1/2 one large Bartlett pear, halved and sliced thinly
1/2 one large granny smith apple, halved and sliced thinly
1/4 cup d’anjou pear white balsamic (I used Gourmet Blends’ version, but Amazon has some highly rated alternatives)
1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
1/4 honeydew melon, sliced thinly into small pieces
4 oz. blackberries
6 large basil leaves, sliced
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cover a sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Lay naan pieces face up on sheet pan, about 1-2 inches apart. Place two quarter pieces (1/2 burrata ball) on each naan, about an inch apart. Tear up prosciutto and place pieces around burrata. Top with slices of pear and apple. Drizzle white balsamic on each flatbread. Sprinkle with pink Himalayan sea salt.
Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes, or until desired crispiness is attained.
Place slices of honeydew, blackberries, and sliced basil on each flatbread.
Serve with a glass or two of McGrail Charlie Rae Chardonnay!
Our Austin James Cabernet is a three vineyard blend of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from our estate vineyard, the C. Tarantino Vineyard, and our Lucky 8 Vineyard. We created this wine with the hopes of bringing out the best aspects of each vineyard, we combined the three different clones from the three different vineyards. The blend is produced using approximately one third from each vineyard. This bold, carmine wine initially opens with a hint of mintiness, then follows into notes of bright cherry cola, vanilla, cassis, and bright red raspberry. The red fruit on the palate contains undertones of clove and dark chocolate, and is further complemented by notes of red licorice, blackberry, and a bit of tobacco. The smooth, but bold tannins linger for a bit and leave this easy sipping wine ready for another taste.
One of the most important things to consider when pairing wine with food, especially when the wine is tannic, is that the fat in the food will cut down bold tannins. This is something I find myself contemplating often, as many of our Cabernets can be quite tannic. With that said, this recipe also pairs well with our James Vincent Cabernet Sauvignon, another big red wine. The fat in the pork tames the tannins in both of these delicious Cabs!
If you’ve never made country style ribs before, just be forewarned that these are not regular ribs. This meat just literally falls off the bone, especially when it’s been slow cooked. It can be enjoyed like pulled pork on a sandwich with coleslaw, over steamed potatoes or rice, or on a grilled cheese sando. The possibilities are endless.
Smoky BBQ Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs
Makes about 10 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
Cooking spray
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into sixths
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. chipotle pepper powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. garlic powder
3-3.5 lbs. pork country style ribs
14 oz. BBQ sauce
4 stems green onions, sliced thinly
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium slow cooker, spray the insides with a cooking spray.
Place the sixths of the onion at the bottom of the slow cooker.
In a small bowl, combine pepper, salt, paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cinnamon to create a rub for the meat. Mix well.
Liberally rub the meat with the seasonings, covering all sides of the meat.
Place meat in the crockpot, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Once cooked through, pull the meat out of the crockpot and taking care not to burn yourself on the hot meat, remove the bones and any fat or grisly chunks from the meat. The meat should fall off the bones easily, but some pieces may be tougher.
Add BBQ sauce and mix to cover the meat in the sauce. Garnish with green onions.
Serve on a bun with coleslaw or over some soft boiled and buttered potatoes with a few glasses of our Austin James Cabernet or James Vincent Cabernet.
I’m a huge proponent of authentic German food, especially during the fall months, and I wanted to share the happy, warm feeling I get from this comfort cuisine with you all. I will admit, this recipe is cheating just a little bit, because I mostly use the easiest packaged dry ingredients where I felt was necessary. I don’t think packaged is necessarily bad, but actually making Bavarian egg noodles from scratch just sounds like a headache to me. Plus, these ingredients actually come from Germany, so there has to be some level of authenticity to them, right? Anyway, I hope you consider making this tasty German specialty. It pairs amazingly with our crisp, California-style Charlie Rae Chardonnay!
*The Maggi Fix & Frisch Kase-Spatzle and Bechtle Traditional German Egg Noodles Spaetzle can be found on Amazon or at Cost Plus World Market online or in-store.
DIRECTIONS:
In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil on medium. Add small diced yellow onion and sautée until soft and slightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
Prepare dry German egg noodles as directed on package.
While German egg noodles are cooking, heat the remaining olive oil on medium in the large pan. Stir in sliced yellow onion and sautée until soft and slightly browned. Add chicken apple sausages and cook until slightly brown on all sides, turning occasionally. Add mushrooms and Chardonnay and continue to cook until mushrooms are soft and wine has been cooked out.
When noodles are still hot and have been drained, add chopped Jarlsberg cheese and stir well. Add packet dry Maggi Fix & Frisch and sautéed onions. Mix well.
Enjoy the cheese spaetzle and chicken apple sausages with some Terrapin Ridge Pumpkin Honey Mustard (can be found at McGrail) and a glass of McGrail Charlie Rae Chardonnay!
There’s not much to dislike about this delicious dish that features the most trendy vegetable with a classically bad reputation. Yep, not everyone loves Brussels sprouts, but this recipe does the downtrodden, cruciferous veggie justice. Put simply, this warm balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts dish tones down the tannins and balances the earthiness in our McGrail estate Clone 8 Cabernet.
1 lb. (16 oz.) Brussels sprouts, cleaned and quartered
2 tbsp. red wine
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar reduction
1 cup chicken broth
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, chopped
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
In a large, thick-bottomed pan, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil on medium. Add onion and garlic and sautée until soft.
Stir in bacon and sautée with onions and garlic until cooked through.
Add Brussels sprouts and allow to soften and brown slightly, stirring occasionally.
Add red wine and stir. Cook until absorbed completely.
Add apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar reduction, and chicken broth. Stir and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to cook while covered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and add mushrooms. Stir. Allow liquid to cook out of Brussels sprouts, stirring occasionally.
Add pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan once plated.
Enjoy with a glass of our Clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make this warm balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts dish at home! Please let us know if you do end up trying out this recipe. As always, we’d love to hear from you!
Since it’s ruined plans for almost everything there was to look forward to in 2020, I refuse to allow COVID to spoil get-togethers; meaning, I don’t let the fact that I can’t physically be with my friends and family get me down. Zoom happy hours were all the rage for a while. Though businesses have begun reopening, there are so many folks who don’t always feel comfortable stepping out of the house. At McGrail, we continue to offer SIP Club virtual tastings every other week. We’re also happy to host a virtual tasting for any wine drinkers who’d like to enjoy wine in front of a computer screen with friends. If that’s not for you, these trivia questions and a bottle or two of wine are all you need to host a virtual trivia night!
SIP Club & Trivia
Our biweekly SIP Club virtual tastings, have turned Friday afternoons into a ritual of sipping on yummy wines. Each wine is paired with locally sourced tasty treats and we almost always host an entertaining game of trivia with our community of spunky SIP members. It’s truly been a favorite part of my job over the past few months. I enjoy composing a long list of intriguing and edutaining trivia questions and watching our SIP Club engage with them. Although we haven’t played trivia every week, it seems to have become a favorite activity of our SIP Club members. I am happy to look back on the amusing games of trivia we played over the past several months. I can’t help but want to share these exceptionally enthralling trivia Qs and As with those of you who enjoy some healthy competition and intriguing snippets of information to store in your mind
I’ve compiled a few lists of some of my favorite trivia questions and answers by theme. Maybe you can use these to host your own virtual trivia night with friends or family! If you’d ever like us to host a virtual tasting or virtual party for you, we’d be happy to curate a trivia game for you and your friends!
What’s not to love about this classic Bavarian dish with a delicious Cab? This easy German red cabbage recipe and award-winning Cab are a no-brainer! There are just eight simple ingredients and three steps to whipping up this delectable fare that can be served cold or hot.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make this easy, but delicious fall staple at home! Please let us know if you do try out this easy German red cabbage recipe. We’d love to hear from you!
Makes about 9 servings (with 2 mushrooms per serving).
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 lb. ground organic grass fed beef burger
2 tsp. herbs de Provence, divided
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. organic baby bella mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed
2 tbsp. raw pine nuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium.
Sautee onion and garlic until soft. Add ground burger, 1 tsp. herbs de Provence, and salt and pepper to taste. Brown until beef is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a bowl or ziplock bag, add baby bella mushrooms and remaining olive oil. Coat mushrooms with olive oil.
On an oiled baking sheet, place mushrooms upside down about 1-2 inches apart. Sprinkle raw pine nuts around mushrooms. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes.
Turn oven heat to 400 degrees F.
Spoon cooked burger mixture into concave half of mushroom, using back of spoon to push burger into mushroom.
In a small bowl, combine parmesan, bread crumbs, remaining herbs de Provence, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Pile parmesan mixture on top of mushrooms and bake at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes, or until bread crumbs and parmesan topping have become crispy and crunchy.
Sprinkle baked pine nuts over stuffed mushrooms and serve hot with a glass of yummy McGrail Merlot.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make these easy little beefy baby bella bites at home! Please let us know if you do try out this recipe. We’d love to hear from you!
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium in a large frying pan.
In a medium sized bowl, add cubed beef roast, 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Stir.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over beef, while stirring, to coat evenly.
Slowly coat beef chunks flour with flour and stir to coat evenly.
Cook dredged beef and sprigs of rosemary in hot olive oil, stirring constantly, until beef is just browned around edges. Remove from pan and set aside. Toss rosemary sprigs.
In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and chopped bacon, then stir until bacon is cooked through. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sautee until soft.
In a large crockpot, add browned beef, cooked bacon and veggie mixture, chopped herbs, leeks, bay leaves, beef broth, tomato sauce, Irish stout, and red wine. Stir. Cover and cook on high for about 2-3 hours or until stew has began bubbling.
Remove one of the two bay leaves and add the potatoes. Stir. Continue to cook on high for about 1.5-2 more hours or until potatoes have been cooked through.
Add frozen peas to soup and stir.
Serve stew hot with toasted herb focaccia bread and a glass or two of 2017 McGrail Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make this warm classic Irish beef and potato stew at home! Please let us know if you do try out this recipe. We’d love to hear from you!
It’s summertime, which means most people are drinking crisp, chilled white wines. Accordingly, I’ve been coming up with more recipes for white wine pairings. This pairing suggestion came from Heather McGrail, who loves to recommend healthier versions to classic meals. Using just a bit of butter, a lean protein like shrimp, and veggies as an alternative to starch, I’d say this pairing is a bit more healthy than most. Not only is it delectable, it’s also wonderful paired with our McGrail Family Chardonnay!
Prawns In Lemon White Wine Sauce Over Zucchini Noodles & Cous Cous
Makes 3 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
¾ lb. fresh uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails on
1 cup water
½ cup milk
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup uncooked couscous
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 heaping tbsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. dry white wine
2 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
4 ½ cups zucchini noodles
3 tbsp. fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, soak shrimp for 6-12 hours in a mixture of water, milk, and apple cider vinegar to reduce fishy taste and smell. Dump liquid and rinse shrimp well before using.
Make couscous as directed. Set aside.
In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add butter and garlic. Brown garlic in butter-oil mixture.
Add shrimp to pan and season well with salt and pepper. Stir in white wine, lemon juice, cayenne, and zucchini noodles and cook for about five minutes or until shrimp are cooked through, stirring constantly.
Add more salt and pepper to pan as necessary. Sprinkle parsley leaves over pan and stir well.
Spoon most of the excess sauce from shrimp and noodle pan and stir into couscous.
Serve couscous with shrimp and zucchini noodles alongside some McGrail Family Chardonnay. Enjoy!
If you’re anything like me, you live for the amazing fruits and veggies that come around during summer, but still, the quarantine hasn’t been great for your summer bod. Not being able to go to the gym and being stuck at home with a stocked fridge and an overflowing wine closet has physically put me more in a winter state than a summer one. Because of this, I’ve included some alternatives to certain ingredients and some optional steps, as to offer healthier versions of this scrumptious summertime supper. This cheesy summer squash casserole has become a go-to recipe for my family because it’s so easy to make!
1-2 cups shredded cheese blend (medium cheddar, Jarlsberg, and even a lite blend are fine), separated
1-1 1/2 cups grated parmesan, separated
3/4-1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, separated
Optional: 1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (6 oz.) packages of macaroni and cheese (I used Annie’s organic mac and cheese with 12g protein for a healthier alternative to regular Kraft)
DIRECTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Heat olive oil on medium-low in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and chopped onions and cook until soft and browned.
Add sliced zucchini and squash. Season with pepper to taste. Cook thoroughly, until soft.
In a large casserole tray (I used a 9″x13″ tray), break up your steamed cauliflower and broccoli into 1″ chunks. Sprinkle with pepper, cooked corn kernels, 3/4 cup shredded cheese blend (optional), 1/2 cup parmesan (optional), 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (optional), and melted butter (optional).
Evenly spread cooked zucchini and squash on top. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese blend and 1/2 cup grated parmesan on top.
Prepare your macaroni and cheese as directed on package.
Evenly spread your prepared macaroni and cheese over the casserole pan. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese blend, 1/2 cup parmesan, and 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs. Add pepper to taste.
Bake in oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling inside and the top is crispy and browned.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make this delicious summertime casserole at home! Please let us know if you do try out this recipe. We’d love to hear from you!
Wine at Home
