Here is a selection of seasonal recipes from Chef Christopher Greenwald

BDX Braised Baby Back Ribs with Spicy Chili Sauce

2 racks baby back pork ribs

1 stalk lemongrass (minced)

1 bunch coriander roots (washed well)

Juice of 2 limes

½ cup fish sauce

¼ palm sugar

6 cloves garlic

2 red chili’s (optional)

1 cup Iron Horse 2004 BDX-3

Render the racks of ribs by peeling off the membrane on the underneath side of the rack, when this is done set racks aside in a shallow container long enough to hold everything (it is possible to cut racks down to fit vessel). In a blender blend remaining ingredients holding back about ½ cup of wine. Marinate pork in mix overnight. Heat oven to 300 degree. Pat ribs dry and discard marinade. Place ribs back in pan and add remaining wine. Cover and braise for 2 hours. Uncover and keep in oven increasing heat to 350 for 1 hour basting every 15 minutes. These ribs should emerge golden brown and nicely caramelized. If they seem a little less than spectacular, keep them in oven and keep basting with reduced wine in bottom of pan. Cut and serve ribs after a short rest (10 minutes) with chili sauce on the side.

Spicy Chili Sauce

12 Thai red chilies

2 T. palm sugar

3 T. fish sauce

Juice of 2 limes

Place all ingredients in blender and blend; let sit overnight to let flavors mingle. Hot!

 Kampot Pepper Crusted Venison on Fried Wonton with Marinated Cabbage

 4 T. fish sauce (nam plaa)

½ # venison tenderloin

2 T. Kampot black peppercorns (can substitute regular black peppercorns)

¼ cup vegetable oil

24-2 in. square won ton wrappers

1 head Napa cabbage (heart only)

1 small red chili (this is up to you)

¼ t. ketchup

¼ t. palm sugar

2 T. rice wine vinegar

½ t. chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)

In small but deep vessel, marinate tenderloin in 4 T. of fish sauce (setting the other tablespoon aside for later use) for 3 hours in refrigerator. Remove tenderloin and discard used fish sauce. Pat meat dry and crush peppercorns. Coat venison with pepper and place back in refrigerator for at least an hour while you prepare other components of dish. Heat vegetable oil in a shallow frying pan and working quickly in batches, fry won ton wrappers on both sides until puffed and crisp. Set wrappers aside and cool any remaining oil. Shred cabbage into small pieces and set aside. In a small blender or with a mortar and pestle, blend reserved fish sauce, chili pepper (if using), ketchup, palm sugar, vinegar and cilantro. Remove venison from refrigerator and heat remaining oil in skillet. Sear tenderloin until rare and let rest at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. To serve, use just enough cabbage to mix with dressing to make a nice little marinated salad, slice tenderloin as thinly as possible and make some nice tiny sprigs of cilantro. Top wontons with meat, salad and sprig.

Makes 24

Good Luck Eggs with Crispy Shallots and Soy-tamarind Glaze

6 farm fresh eggs

6 small red shallots (peeled and shaved)

Oil for deep-frying

¼ cup soy sauce

4 cloves garlic

1 t. palm sugar

2 T. tamarind paste or concentrate

Hard boil eggs according to common method. Place eggs in pan of cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Place pan on stove and bring water to a boil. At point of boiling, time eggs for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in ice water bath for at least 10 minutes. Peel and set aside. The next step is easiest with a deep fryer but if you are careful, this step can be achieved by heating oil in a saucepan to a depth of 4 inches (making sure the pan is very deep so the oil does not boil over and burn you).  While oil is heating make sauce. Place soy sauce and garlic in small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 20 minutes to infuse garlic flavor. Add remaining ingredients and strain. Reduce if necessary to make a glaze. When oil in deep fryer is 375, add shallots and fry until crispy; drain on paper towels. Then fry eggs whole, a few at a time, until crispy, golden brown. Remove eggs and slice in half lengthwise, top with shallots and drizzle with glaze. Serve warm.

Makes 12 servings

Apple Parmesan and Crispy Onion Salad in Belgian Endive With Honey-almond Vinaigrette

2 apples (chopped)

¼ cup Parmesan (roughly grated)

¼ cup crispy fried onions

1/3-cup honey-almond vinaigrette

12 Belgian endive spears

2 T. chives (minced)

Mix apples, cheese and fried onions with vinaigrette and place in endive spears. Top with chives.

Honey-almond vinaigrette

½ shallot (minced)

½ lemon (juice)

1 T. almond butter

1 T. olive oil

1 T. honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in order. Check for seasoning.

Potato Leek Soup with Pt. Reyes Blue and Port Reduction

4 T. unsalted butter

6 small or 3 large leeks

3 cloves garlic

¼ cup minced celery trimmings

1 cup white wine

1 qt. white chicken/veal stock

1-cup heavy cream

3 Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

 Heat 2 T. butter over low heat in soup pan. Slice leeks and (after making double sure they are clean) add to butter with garlic and celery. Stir until veges are sweated completely. Add white wine and reduce by ½. Add stock and cream. Peel potatoes and cut into manageable chunks and place in soup. Simmer everything together for 30 -40 minutes. Remove bay leaf from soup and puree in batches; strain through a fine mesh sieve and return to heat. Slowly melt remaining butter into soup and check for seasoning.

Port Reduction

1 375ml. bottle ruby port

1/2 stick butter

Reduce port by half in saucepan. Let cool and add butter slowly melting to incorporate.

Assemble soup by topping with blue cheese and drizzling with port reduction.

Smokey Pork Rilletes

2 # cooked pork shoulder

1 cooked smoked ham hock

2 shallots (minced)

2 heaping Tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 T. fresh thyme (minced)

1-1/2 cups pork fat, olive oil, or a combo

Salt and pepper to taste

Shred pork shoulder and ham hock into bowl of food processor. Add shallots, mustard and thyme. Pulse meat mixture until extra coarse paste forms. There should be still visible chunks of meat. Make sure fat is liquid but not hot. While pulsing add fat in a steady stream until pate consistency is formed. Check for salt and pepper remembering that when cold, salt won’t taste as strong. Pot meat in terrine of choice and cover with about 1/8 inch layer of fat. This will protect rilletes.

Braised Short Rib Sliders with Horseradish Cream and Green Onions

Braised Short Ribs

5 # Boneless Beef Short ribs (English cut about 2inch)

1 T. olive oil

1 onion (chopped)

2 ribs celery (chopped)

1 carrot (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 t. tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine (cabernet sauvignon)

Fresh bay leaf

Sprig thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat ovenproof deep sauté pan with fitting lid over medium high heat on stove. Add oil to pan. Salt and pepper beef all over and brown in oil until nice and caramelized. Remove meat from pan and set aside. Add all vegetables to pan drippings and sauté until nicely browned and caramelized. Add tomato paste to veges and sauté until a rusty brown, add wine and bay leaf and thyme scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and incorporating them into the sauce. Return meat to pan along with any accumulated juices. Place lid on pan and braise in oven for approx. 3 hours. When meat is done (fork tender, not mush) remove from sauce, strain sauce and reduce until nape (coats the back of spoon). Roughly shred meat and add to sauce. Check for salt and pepper.

Horseradish Cream

½ cup yogurt

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup fresh horseradish (grated)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place yogurt in cheesecloth covered strainer and set over a bowl. Cover the entire thing with plastic wrap   and place in refrigerator over night. This will thicken the yogurt. Discard liquid in bottom of the bowl in the morning. Mix thickened yogurt with sour cream, horseradish and seasoning.

Put it together

Get some good, small rolls and slice almost in half, stuff them with warm, braised short ribs in jus and top with the horseradish cream and thinly sliced green onions.

Should make about 12-15.

Chilled Corn Soup with Crème Fraiche and Tart Apples

1 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

1 white onion

1 small bunch celery

6 cobs of yellow corn

2 quarts of light vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

3 egg yolks

Salt and pepper to taste

6 t. crème friache

1 tart green apple (like granny smith)

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. grapeseed oil

½ pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Place a large soup pot over medium heat and add oil and butter. Roughly chop onion and celery and add to melted fat. Begin to gently sweat aromatics as you remove all corn kernels from cob. When onion and celery have softened, add kernels and cobs to pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then add stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce soup to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. After time is up, remove cobs with tongs and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle (using a towel or clean pot holder makes this faster) scrape whatever corn flesh there is still clinging to the cobs back into the pot. This is important, there is a lot of flavor here! Discard cobs and bay leaf and puree soup in batches at high speed in a blender. Pass pureed soup through a fine mesh sieve and return to stove. In a large bowl, whip egg yolks until pale and slightly thick. Slowly ladle hot soup, a little a time, into the yolks as you whisk vigorously until tempered. Add yolk mixture back into soup and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until soup begins to thicken. DO NOT LET SOUP BOIL! This will make scrambled eggs. Soup will thicken and become silky as it cools. Check for seasoning, knowing that it will take more salt when cold. Use white pepper if you don’t want black specks in your corn soup. For the apples: julienne before serving and toss with lemon juice, oil and nutmeg. To serve place soup in bowls, top with crème fraiche and apples.

White Peach Bellinis

2 ripe white peaches

1 bottle Iron Horse Classic Vintage Brut

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add peaches and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove peaches to a bowl of ice water and cool. Peel and stone peaches and blend until smooth. Add 2 T. of puree to a flute and fill with Classic Vintage Brut.

Grilled Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

4 large heirloom tomatoes

4-5 peppers

1 red onion

2 cucumbers

¼ loaf of day old sour dough bread

2-3 cloves of garlic

1-pint vegetable stock

¼ cup sherry vinegar

½ cup olive oil

3 sprigs of basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Light a mesquite charcoal grill. Core and cut tomatoes horizontally and place on grill cut side down. Cut peeled onion into 1-inch thick discs and place on grill with tomatoes. Place peppers on grill. Peel, seed and cut cucumbers into 1-inch dice. Cut crust off bread and cut or tear into small pieces. When vegetables on grill are nice and charred place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and serve with a touch more olive oil on top as garnish.

Mesquite Grilled Cole Slaw

2 heads cabbage (green, red, or Savoy)

3-4 T. grapeseed oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

2 T. sugar

1 T. salt (plus possibly more)

1/3-cup vegetable oil

Pepper to taste

 Light a charcoal grill and wait until the mesquite is 75% white ash. Wash and dry cabbage and cut (with core intact) straight down into 4 or 5 large slices. Oil the cabbage slices and place on grill until nicely charred on both sides but not cooked through. Remove from grill and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette by mixing the remaining ingredients. When cabbage is cool enough to handle cut out core on necessary pieces and chop roughly. Mix cabbage with dressing and serve.

The Greatest Summer Sandwich of All Time:

Grilled Chicken on a French Roll with Alabama White BBQ Sauce and Pico de Gallo

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (trimmed)

1 T. dry thyme

1 T. chili powder

1 T. garlic powder

2 T. salt

3 T. olive oil

½ cup mayonnaise

2 T. prepared horseradish

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

½ lemon (juice only)

1 T. cider vinegar

1 T. crushed black pepper

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

3 roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

½ white onion (minced)

2-3 jalapeños (minced)

1 lime (juice only)

Salt to taste

4 large leaves of romaine lettuce

4 French rolls

Light charcoal grill. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine chicken and next 5 ingredients. Set aside and let marinate until ready to grill. In another bowl combine mayonnaise through optional pinch of cayenne. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Make salsa by mixing tomato, onion, pepper, limejuice and salt. When grill is ready, cook chicken until done and let rest while prepare sandwich. Spread bbq sauce on both sides of bread, top with lettuce, then chicken and finally pico de gallo. Eat at once. Makes 4

Grilled Apples with Caramel and Cream

5-6 small tart apples

2 T. grapeseed oil

¼ cup + 3 T. sugar

1/3-cup chardonnay

½ cup caramel

½ cup heavy cream

Light a mesquite charcoal grill. Cut apples in ½ and core. Toss apples with oil and when grill is ready, place apples cut side down and cook at least 5 – 6 minutes or until good grill marks appear. Remove apples and place in a casserole dish, sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar and chardonnay, cover and place back on grill or 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile whip cream with remaining sugar and heat caramel slightly. Remove apples when done and drizzle with caramel and top with whipped cream

Ground Sonoma Lamb Pastries with Potato, Harrisa and Cilantro Cream

2 # Ground Sonoma Lamb (preferably 100% Shoulder meat, coarse ground)

1 T. Olive oil

1 yellow onion (finely Diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 Russet potato (peeled)

3 T. Harrisa Paste

1t. Cinnamon

1t. Dried thyme

½ t. ground fennel seeds

½ lime (juice only)

¼ plain yogurt

1 egg

2 9-inch pie shells (1/8 inch thick)

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup Bellwether farms crème fraiche

1 bunch cilantro (minced and for garnish) 

Heat oil in a sauté pan over high heat.  Add lamb in batches as to not overcrowd pan and get even carmelization. Sauté meat until well browned and cooked through, mashing it a little with a spatula to maximize surface area and increase browning. Lightly salt and pepper and remove lamb from pan and set aside to cool. Drain all but 1 T. Fat from pan and add onions, cook until brown and add garlic. Cook garlic with onions just until fragrant then add to lamb off the heat. Cover potato with salted water and boil until just tender. Meanwhile, add Harrisa, cinnamon, thyme, fennel seeds, lime juice, yogurt and egg to lamb and onion mix. Drain and cool potato then break cooled into large chunks with hands and add to lamb mixture. Gently fold potato in and check for seasoning adding salt and pepper as needed. Divide mixture between two pie shells and fold each over into half moons, crimp edges of pastry and make two tiny slashes sin each to vent. Preheat oven to 425 and bake for 20-30 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve warm with crème fraiche and minced cilantro.

Makes 8 servings

Spicy Red Singapore Chili Crab (deconstructed)

Serve with Iron Horse UnOaked Chardonnay

Ingredients:

2 T. canola oil

2 shallots

2 oz. fresh ginger root

1 stalk of lemongrass

3 cloves of garlic

½ t. cayenne

½ cup 2005 Iron Horse Unoaked Chardonnay

½ cup chili sauce

2 T. minced cilantro

3 T. unsalted butter

1 pound Dungeness Crab (picked meat from claws and body)

Mince shallots, ginger, lemongrass and garlic very, very finely. Heat oil in a 12 inch sauté pan over medium heat. When starting to shimmer add vegetables and sauté to release flavors. Add cayenne and cook for 30 seconds more. Add white wine and reduce by one half. Add chili sauce and stir. Add cilantro, butter and crab and blend just until butter melts and crab is warm. This is served best in Chinese style spoons or very small plates. Also goes well with mooshoo wrappers.

Makes enough for about 24 1 oz. portions

Chinese Style Chicken Salad with Vegetables, Crispy Won Tons and Creamy Sesame-Soy Dressing 

Serve with Iron Horse Viognier

1 head Napa cabbage

1 large carrot (peeled)

1 red bell pepper

1 bunch of scallions

½ package small square wonton wrappers

¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro

2 T. black sesame seeds

1-cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sesame soy sauce

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

3 T. sesame oil

1½ T. sugar

2 whole chicken breasts (wings attached)

Black pepper

*Special equipment: deep fryer or equivalent

Wash and dry all of the vegetables. Shred cabbage into ¼ inch ribbons, julienne carrot and pepper and slice onion on a bias 1/8-inch thick. Slice wontons ¼ inch thick and fry at 375 degrees just until crispy and golden, about 1 minute. Drain fried wontons on paper towels and lightly salt; then cool. Place vegetables, fried wontons (keep some out for garnish) and cilantro in a large bowl; set aside and keep cool. In a medium size bowl mix together mayonnaise, half the soy sauce, half the vinegar and all of the sesame oil. Mix in sugar and check for balance between salty and sweet with enough acid and body. Refrigerate dressing until ready to use. Light a mesquite charcoal grill. Use other half of soy sauce and vinegar to marinate chicken while coals are heating. When grill is ready, cook chicken until done. Let chicken rest while tossing salad with dressing (you may not need all). When finished, the chicken can be chopped and mixed in, topped with wontons and served, or salad can be plated first, toped with half a chicken breast and then topped with fried wontons.

Serves 4 as main course salad

Chinese BBQ Pork Sloppy Joe

1 pound of ground pork

1 T. canola oil

1 yellow onion

2 ribs of celery

1 green bell pepper

4 cloves of garlic

1 cup ketchup

1cup 2002 Iron Horse sangiovese

1 cup hoisen sauce

Chili flakes to taste (optional)

1 cup beef broth

10 small rolls (potato, white or Hawaiian)

 Heat oil in a large sauté pan and brown ground pork.  While pork is cooking, Chop onion, celery and bell pepper as fine as you can. Mince garlic. Remove meat from pan, leaving drippings behind, and drain on paper towels. Sauté vegetables until caramelized and very soft; add garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add ketchup and cook until a slight rust color forms. Add wine and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Reduce wine by half. Add hoisen sauce and broth. Return meat to pan and stir. Add a bit more broth if needed. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to blend flavors. Check for seasoning and add chili flakes if desired. Heat rolls, slice and build sandwich.

Makes 10

Succulent Braise of Foil Wrapped Lamb

2 pounds of boneless lamb shoulder

2 T. red palm oil

1 yellow onion

2 ribs of celery

1 large chunk of ginger (about 4 oz)

4 cloves of garlic

1 cinnamon stick

3 whole star anise

1 t. red chili flakes

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. soy sauce

2 cups 2005 Iron Horse Pinot Noir

1 qt. lamb or beef stock

1 cup of rice

1 leek

Salt and black pepper to taste

 Start by cutting the lamb into about 2-3 inch chunks and trimming the excess fat. Salt and pepper the pieces all over. Set oven to 325 degrees and heat palm oil in a large Dutch oven. When oil is just starting to smoke, add pieces of meat. While meat is searing, chop onion and celery, mince ginger and garlic. When meat is thoroughly browned, remove from pan and set aside, pour off half of the fat and sauté vegetables and spices including cinnamon, star anise and chili flakes. When vegetables are nicely browned, add tomato and soy sauce. Stir vigorously for about one minute and add wine. Reduce wine by 2/3’s, and then add stock. Bring liquid in pan to a vigorous boil and add meat and all accumulated juices back to braise. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven to cook for about 3 hours.

When meat is tender, remove from oven and let cool before refrigerating for 12 hours or overnight. Take braise from refrigerator and remove fat from top. Heat gently over low flame until hot and add rice. Cook until rice is just underdone and turn off heat. Check for seasoning of dish and wrap meat and rice in parchment lined foil packets. Place packets in steamer and steam until ready to serve. Meanwhile, julienne cleaned leek and deep-fry until crisp. Use leek as garnish when foil packets are opened.

Makes four packets (enough for four main courses or eight appetizers).  

Smoked Chicken Pate With Gravenstein Apple Relish

Recommended with Iron Horse Chardonnay

Ingredients:

1 pound smoked chicken breast, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups Gravenstein apple relish

1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices and toasted until golden

Relish:

2 Gravenstein apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8-inch dice

1/2 red onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice

1/2 clove garlic, minced

3 scallions, tops only, minced

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Yields 24 to 36 appetizer servings

.

In food processor, place cut up chicken, salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped. Slowly add cream until desired consistency forms. With machine running add olive oil.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Pipe or spread on baguette slices and top with relish.

To prepare relish: Mix together all ingredients and serve immediately.

Day Boat Scallops with Ginger Corn Cakes and Cilantro Chimichurri

Recommended with Iron Horse Cuvée R

Ingredients:

2 cobs of corn

1-cup self-rising flour

2 eggs

¼ cup cilantro (minced)

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. baking soda

Pinch of kosher salt

¼ cup spring water

½ t. salt

½ cup cilantro (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 t. fresh oregano (minced)

½ t. freshly ground pepper

½ t. red chili flakes

¼ cup corn oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ t. sugar

6 large day boat scallops

Salt and pepper to taste

2 T. corn oil

Directions:

For the corn cakes:

Place the corn in a saucepan of boiling water and cook until tender. Remove corn kernels from cob. Place the flour, eggs, cilantro, ginger, baking soda and salt in a food processor and process until combined. Add the corn and process again until corn is roughly chopped and incorporated into batter. Spread one tablespoon of batter onto a hot greased frying pan and cook for about one and a half minutes on each side until golden. Keep warm and repeat with remaining batter.

For the Chimichurri:

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend just until combined. Serve immediately

For the scallops:

Salt and pepper scallops and sear in hot corn oil in frying pan 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the other. Remove from pan.

Place two corn cakes on each plate and top with one scallop and Chimichurri sauce.

Garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro and freshly cracked pepper

Serves 6 as appetizer

Serve with a refreshing glass of Iron Horse Cuvée R

Spicy Salmon with Green Papaya Salad

Recommended with Iron Horse Rosé de Pinot Noir

Ingredients:

2 4-oz pieces salmon fillet

1 dried cayenn pepper

salt and pepper to taste

oil for sautéing

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

½ green papaya, peeled and shredded

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tablespoon sugar

salt to tast

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

2 sprigs cilantro

Directions:

Crush chili pepper with the salt.  Season the salmon with the chili/salt mix.  Sear the fish to desired temperature.  Combine the papaya, lemon juice and zest, and grapeseed oil with the sugar, salt, and chopped cilantro.

Top the papaya salad with the fish and garnish with the cilantro sprigs. Serves 2.

Serve with a refreshing glass of Iron Horse Rosé de Pinot Noir

Baby Onion, Smokey Bacon and Teleme Tarts

Recommended with Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay

Ingredients:

1 12" x 12" sheet of Puff Pastry
½ lbs. Teleme cheese (cut into 1" pieces)
24 baby spring onions (washed and trimmed and cut into 1" pieces)
1/3 lbs. smoked slab bacon (cut into 1" pieces)
1 egg
1 T. garlic chives (minced)
sea salt

Directions:

Roll out pastry to 1/8 " and place on lightly floured sheet pan. Scatter pieces of cheese on dough leaving at least 1/2 " border in all places Remembering that the cheese will spread generously when melted. Cook bacon until crisp but leaving pieces still slightly juicy and drain. Scatter bacon and onions on dough and brush borders with beaten egg. Refrigerate covered until ready to bake (at least 1 hour and up to 12). Preheat oven to 425 degrees and when ready remove tart from cold and bake till crispy, golden and bubbly, about 15 -20 minutes depending on how thin the crust is. Remove and hit with chives and sea salt to taste just before serving.

Serve with a thirst quenching glass of Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay

Harrisa Crab with Raw asparagus and shaved shallot salad, Olive oil and fried Meyer Lemons

Recommended with Iron Horse 1996 Blanc de Blancs LD

Ingredients:

½ lbs. Dungeness Crab (picked and cleaned)
2 T. fresh mayonnaise
½ t. Meyer lemon juice
Pinch black pepper
1 t. Harrisa
8 stalks ultra fresh asparagus
2 shallots
1 t. kosher salt
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 Meyer lemon sliced 1/8 inch thick on mandolin or by hand
Grapeseed oil or canola for frying
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix mayonnaise with lemon juice, pepper and Harrisa. Gently mix with crab so as not to break up larger pieces of meat. Set aside in refrigerator covered until ready to use. Slice Asparagus (see note) diagonally on mandolin or by hand as thinly as possible. Slice Shallot into rings as thinly as possible and mix with salt. Let sit 10 minutes then rinse and dry shallot. Mix asparagus, shallot and olive oil check for seasoning and set aside. Heat oil for frying in a shallow pan to a depth of 2".

When hot and almost smoking, add lemon pieces and fry until crispy and golden. To plate put three rings of lemon down on salad plate, top with a few tablespoons of Crab salad and top again wit Asparagus salad. Drizzle with best olive oil you can find, fruitier the better. Maybe just a small grind of pepper right before serving.

Serve with Iron Horse Blanc de Blanc LD

Note: when picking asparagus for this recipe look at the bottoms of the stalks, this is the way to tell freshness and time since picked. Look for moist, green cut ends, old asparagus will be dry and cracked even if placed in water and does not work for this salad.

Prosciutto and Rosemary Wrapped Halibut with Black Olive Tapenade

To be served with Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee

Ingredients:

4 slices Parma Prosciutto (from the center of the ham, sliced very thin)
1 T. Fresh Rosemary (minced)
4 pieces fresh Halibut fillet, 4 oz. each (preferably 2" thick and 3"x3" square)
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea salt and Ground black pepper to taste
4 T. Black olive Tapenade

Directions

Light a charcoal grill. Salt and pepper the Halibut and sprinkle with the rosemary. Wrap fillet with ham and rub with olive oil. Repeat with remaining three pieces of fish. When coal is 75% white ash, grill fish directly over hottest part of grill, turning as necessary until cooked through. Remove to plate or serving platter and top with Black Olive Tapenade.

Black Olive Tapenade-

Ingredients:

1 Shallot (minced)
1 Clove Garlic (minced)
2 white anchovy fillets
¼ cup Dry Italian Black olives (pitted)
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. fresh parsley (minced)

Directrions

Place all ingredients in food processor or mortar and pulse or grind to paste. Spoon onto the fish.