By Pamela Hatton My Mom microwaves pie pumpkins in pieces to speed up cooking time. Failing her instructions, I accidentally discovered all squash cook like a charm whole – as long as you poke holes deep into the flesh allowing steam to escape. A lesson quickly learned… Serves 8 first course Ingredients: 1 acorn squash 1medium onion, finely chopped 1 shallot, finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter 2-3 garlic cloves, finely diced 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed then finely chopped ½-1 tsp green curry paste 3-4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock (1 tetra pack) or homemade ½ -3/4Cup whipping cream Salt and pepper […]
Soups, Chowders & Wine
Hearty Lentil, Pesto and Colby Soup with Cotes du Rhone or Pinot Noir
Take a mid-week break with fast and delicious comfort food. Hectic work days. Long commutes. Multitasking half a dozen household crises. How can parents be expected to prepare something tasty in the precious little time they have between getting home and their children’s first cries of hunger? They can’t be – not without a little help. So this week I’m suggesting a nutritious and delicious recipe that is so fast to prepare it will leave you with enough time to treat yourself to a nice glass of wine. This hearty lentil, pesto and Canadian Colby soup pairs wonderfully with Côte […]
Harvest Soup Recipe Paired with Cave Spring Riesling
Pat’s Harvest Soup Paired with Cave Spring Estate Riesling By Pat Anderson It’s fall, and the bounty of the harvest season is upon us. We’ve got a huge selection of vegetables at this time of year! Go to your local farmer’s market, and see what’s in season. You can use almost anything, from corn on the cob to shelled peas and new potatoes. Watch your colours: I’d go either green and yellow or yellow and orange, but wouldn’t put green and orange together. White vegetables work with any colours. Harvest Soup You’ll notice that this recipe doesn’t have a lot […]
Soup’s on! Cool summer soup paired with a zesty riesling, pinot grigio or sake
By Pat Anderson Summertime, and sometimes it’s just too darned hot out to eat a hot meal. Soup and salad makes a great combination, especially if it’s a creamy cold soup that you’ve made in advance, and only needs to be poured from a pitcher in the fridge into bowls! Vichyssoise is an adaptable cold soup. The original recipe calls for using leeks, those long mild onions Welshmen wear on St. David’s Day, but I’ve modified vichyssoise to use whatever interesting fresh greens are at the market. Mid-May, that means wild ramps. End of June or early July, the farmers […]
Which wines go best with Clam Chowder?
Most of us think of hearty wines with soups or stews because their meat and texture is appetizingly rich from slow cooking. These winter warmers often work, but you might also consider other ingredients. Spices, herbs and tomatoes add tangy notes that may call for wines with good acidity, while vegetables such as onions, carrots and squash add an element of sweetness and so wines with more rounded, lush fruity flavors work. Just as you experiment with different seasonings in your pot, try different flavors in your glass to see which ones you like best—and enjoy! These wine pairings and […]