Oh come all ye faithful foodies and wine lovers as we create a festive holiday feast befitting our region's wintertime bounty. We'll begin with a lush cheese-and-Dungeness-crab appetizer, segue to a sumptuous butternut squash bisque, move to red wine with fish for dinner and conclude with chocolate and Port.
Brie Croustades with Dungeness Crab is adapted from Great Chefs Cook at Barbara Jo's (Douglas & McIntyre, 2004, $23 Canadian). Start by cutting the rind from half a pound of chilled double-cream Brie. Discard the rind, let the cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cut it into one-inch pieces.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse three extra-large eggs and the cheese until very smooth and thick. Coat two 12-hole, two-inch-diameter nonstick muffin pans with nonstick spray. Spoon one tablespoon of the cheese mixture into each muffin cup. Bake until the croustades are puffed and golden. Let them sit for one minute, then remove croustades from the tins and top each with two teaspoons of fresh-picked Dungeness crabmeat.
Pair the Croustades with Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes NV Pinot Noir Brut Rosé (Okanagan Valley, $29 CDN), a medium-bodied bubbly rife with strawberry and raspberry flavors and hints of warm buttered toast whose bubbles and acidity cut through the cheese while not overwhelming the delicate crabmeat.
Butternut Squash Bisque appears in Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining (Wiley, 2007, $34.95) thanks to Chris Upchurch, winemaker/partner at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, Wash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and roast two medium butternut squash (cut in half and seeded) on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet until very tender. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins.
Heat two tablespoons of unsalted butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add two large cleaned, chopped leeks (white parts only) and cook until translucent. Add two tablespoons of grated fresh ginger, stir well and cook until the leeks are tender but not browned. Add the squash and four cups of chicken stock, stir well and cook for 20 minutes.
Cool slightly and carefully transfer the soup (in batches) to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Return to the stockpot and add two more cups of chicken stock plus one to two teaspoons (to taste) of kosher salt. Heat through, divide among six soup bowls, dollop with sour cream and garnish with candied ginger.
Serve with Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007 Eroica Riesling (Columbia Valley, $22). Lovely sweet citrus, stone fruits and slate; a hint of beeswax; just enough acidity and a touch of sweetness combine to form a wine that pairs perfectly with curry-based, spicy or shellfish-rich dishes.
Petrale Sole with Pinot Noir Cream Sauce comes from Gilbert Henry, chef/owner of Cuvée restaurant in Carlton, Ore., as printed in Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll four six-ounce Petrale sole fillets jelly-roll fashion and secure with toothpicks. Season the fish. Melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add the rolled fillets. Pour one cup each of fish stock and Pinot Noir over the fish and sprinkle with one cup of diced shallots. Bring to a gentle simmer, then transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the fillets turn opaque. Keep the rolls warm while you make the sauce.
Return the skillet to the stovetop and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced to about one cup. Add one cup of heavy cream, stir well and cook until reduced to one cup. Strain the sauce and return to the skillet over low heat. Slowly whisk in (piece by piece) two tablespoons of cut-up, unsalted butter. Remove the toothpicks and transfer the sole to four dinner plates. Season the sauce and spoon over the fillets.
Chef Henry suggests pairing his dish with Ghost Hill Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir (Yamhill-Carlton District, $36). Done in the Burgundian style, this delicate, earthy Pinot's wild berry flavors, smooth tannins and supple finish will enhance the Pinot Noir-flavored sauce without overpowering the sensuous sole itself.
We finish with White Chocolate Truffles, a recipe from The Stephanie Inn Cookbook (Steve Martin Management, 2004, $35). Begin by placing one pound, plus two ounces of white chocolate (finely chopped) in a stainless-steel bowl. Bring one-half cup of heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let it sit for one minute, then whisk the chocolate until it is thoroughly melted.
Whisk in one tablespoon of orange liqueur and pour the chocolate into a nine-by-11-inch baking pan. Place the truffle mixture in the refrigerator until firm. With a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop the truffles into rounds. Roll the mixture into small balls, then roll the balls in powdered sugar.
Serve the truffles with Barnard Griffin Winery 2007 Syrah Port (Columbia Valley, $17), a bold, fruit-forward Port-style brimming with rich chocolate, orange and raspberry aromas and flavors.
Port paired with chocolate-the fitting conclusion to a happy holiday feast for all faithful foodies and wine lovers.
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