Recipes

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Fall Off the Bone

Babyback BBQ Ribs

Ingredients

Rack of Babyback ribs

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Equal parts sea salt and

ground pepper

Sriracha BBQ sauce or one

with a kick

 Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 275 degrees.

 RINSE and dry the ribs.

REMOVE any membrane material.

 COAT top side of the ribs with olive oil.

SPRINKLE with equal parts salt and pepper.

WRAP and seal ribs in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.

 PLACE on center rack and back for 3 to 3.5 hours.

REMOVE and open the top of the foil.

SLATHER on the sauce and broil on center rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling to a caramelized perfection.

 

Chef of the Evening

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, OCWS member and self-proclaimed chef Denise Scandura got busy in her kitchen. She started a blog, titled it Dishes by Denise and aspired to post a recipe every day. Her Chicken Pot Pie was one of them. The dish also garnered Chef of the Evening honors at the Gold Medal Mini-Tasting last fall.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts

3/4 stick of butter

7 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth (left over from cooking chicken in the crock pot)

1/2 cup of heavy cream 12 oz. frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, corn and green beans)

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Egg

Premade pie crusts (2)

Instructions

ADD chicken breasts to slow cooker in a single layer. Cook on low 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let cool then shred. Be sure to save the broth from the chicken.

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

MELT butter in an oven-safe pan, then add the flour, stirring constantly until it becomes a roux. This takes a few minutes; wait until it becomes slightly brown.

SLOWLY add the warm broth and cook until the mixtures thickens, then add heavy cream (or half & half).’

HEAT vegetables in microwave on high 4-5 m

Chef of the Evening – Berry Pavlova with Lemon Whipped Cream

The Chefs are:  Don & Mary Ann Mayer

This classic berry pavlova recipe filled with lemon whipped cream filling and garnished with assorted summer berries.

Pavlova (named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova) is a crisp,

yet soft meringue shell, fresh fruit topping, and some variety of whipped cream filling.

 Meringue Ingredients:

  • 4large egg whites room temperature
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 1cup (200 g) fine caster or granulated sugar
  • ½teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Lemon Berry Filling:

  • cups (300 mL) heavy whipping cream cold
  • 3tablespoons high-quality store-bought or homemade lemon curd
  • 1teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • zestof 1 lemon
  • 2cups fresh mixed berries such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries
  • confectioner’s sugar for garnishing (optional)

Instructions 

Prepare the Meringue Shell: Preheat your oven to 275°F with a rack in the center position. Using parchment paper, trace a 8-inch diameter circle on the paper with a pencil. Flip the parchment paper over, so that the pencil side is facing down.

Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl. Whisk over medium speed until the egg whites soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to high. Slowly add the sugar, sprinkling in one tablespoon at a time, and continue beating for roughly 3 minutes. Continue to whisk over high speed until the meringue mixture reaches stiff peaks and is glossy, an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract, cornstarch and lemon juice, and whisk on high speed for an additional minute until well combined. Fold with a spatula to ensure that all the ingredients are incorporated well.

Gently transfer the meringue to the center of the circle on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Smooth the meringue into a thick disk using the edges of the circle as a rough guide. The meringue should be roughly about 2½ to 3 inches tall.

Bake the meringue until crisp, pale in color, and dry to touch, roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop open the oven door. Allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 to 1½ hours. It should be crisp, dry to touch, and have a slightly cracked appearance.

 Prepare the lemon berry filling: Just before serving, place the chilled heavy cream in a clean bowl and beat the cream, starting at a low speed and gradually increasing to high, until it reaches soft peaks. Using a spatula, fold in the lemon curd, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

 Carefully transfer the meringue shell to a flat serving platter; meringues are very fragile, so you may want to use the parchment paper to do this or alternatively, serve it on the sheet pan. Top the meringue with the lemon curd cream, followed by the mixed berries, and dust with powdered sugar.

Serve in large scoops. Pavlova is best enjoyed the day it is baked, as meringue will gain moisture and lose its crispness with time; leftovers can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Chef of the Evening

Lime Meringue Pie
Kevin Donnelly

Having a lime tree in my backyard, I am very fond of lime desserts, including my Key Lime Pie. For this Mini-Tasting, I chose to take a Lemon Meringue Pie recipe, and substitute limes for the lemons.

 

Ingredients

  • Homemade Pie Crust*
  • 5 large egg yolks(use the whites in the meringue below)
  • 1 1/3 cups (320ml) water
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (38g) cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh Lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. lime zest
  • 2 Tbsp. (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Meringue

  • 5 large egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

  1. Pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin making Lime meringue pie. I always make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Partially blind bakey our pie crust. (Follow blind baking instructions through step 9.) Tip: You can get started on the Lime meringue pie filling steps while your crust is blind baking. But making the filling is time sensitive because you will temper the egg yolks, so if multi-tasking isn’t your thing, just wait until your crust is done blind baking before beginning the filling.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
  4. Watch the video above to see how I work through each of the following steps.
  5. Make the filling: Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside. Whisk the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, Lime juice, and Lime zest together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The mixture will be thin and cloudy, then eventually begin thickening and bubbling after about 6 minutes. Once thickened, give it a whisk and reduce heat to low.
  6. Temper the egg yolks: Very slowly stream a few large spoonful’s of warm Lime mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Then, also in a very slow stream, whisk the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Turn heat back up to medium. Cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles begin bursting at the surface. See my video above as an example. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the butter. Spread filling into the warm partially baked crust. Set aside as you prepare the meringue. (Don’t let the filling cool down too much as you want a warm filling when you top with the meringue in step 7. The warm filling helps seal the two layers together, preventing separation.)
  7. Make the meringue: With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and salt, then continue beating on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Spread meringue on top of filling. (I like to make decorative peaks with the back of a large spoon. See video above.) Make sure you spread the meringue all the way to the edges so that it touches the crust. This helps prevent the meringue from weeping.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the meringue is browned on top. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill for 4 hours before slicing and serving.
  9. Cover any leftovers and store in the refrigerator. Lime meringue pie tastes best on day 1 because it doesn’t keep very well. No matter how hard you try to prevent it, the meringue will wilt and separate over time. Best to enjoy right away.

Chef of the Evening

Shrimp, Bean & Leek Stew

Ingredients
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest and 2 Tbsp.
lemon juice
1 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, grated
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 lb. peeled, deveined large shrimp
(tails removed)
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 large bunch of leeks, trimmed and
halved lengthwise, white and green
parts sliced crosswise 1/2-inch
thick (or 1 large onion, minced)
1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans or
other white beans, rinsed
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions
COMBINE lemon zest, paprika, garlic, 3/4 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss
to coat.

MELT butter over medium-high heat
in large pot.

ADD shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and starting to curl, 2-3 minutes.

TRANSFER shrimp to plate using aslotted spoon; set aside.

ADD leeks, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until leaks are soft and starting to brown on the edges, 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

ADD beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil over high.

LOWER heat and simmer, 8-10 minutes.

STIR in reserved shrimp and any juices from the plate, parsley and lemon juice.

SEASON with salt and pepper.

—Recipe courtesy
OCWS member Janet Peal

Chef of the Evening

After Janet Riordan tried this Milk Chocolate Pistachio Tart at her women’s group dinner, she just had to share it with OCWS members at the last Mini-Tasting.

“I loved it immediately (I mean really, chocolate crust with a chocolate filling, toss in pistachios, damn, yum),” says Janet, a 20-year member. “I enjoy baking and always try to include new recipes.”

While this version calls for safflower oil, Janet substituted cannoli oil for its taste. When it comes to the chocolate, Janet uses Dove milk chocolate candies. She also notes that she made the tart the day before serving and it was just as fresh and delicious.

Milk Chocolate Pistachio Tart

Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray for pan

Crust:

¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped

¼ tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Pistachio Paste:

½ cup unsalted shelled pistachios

¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. safflower oil

Filling:

5 oz. milk chocolate, chopped

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup whole milk

1 large egg, beaten

Garnish:

Finely chopped pistachios

Directions

Crust:

COAT 9-inch fluted round tart pan with removeable bottom with cooking spray. Make the crust

WHISK together flour cocoa powder, chopped pistachios and ¼ tsp. salt.

BEAT butter on medium speed until fluffy, about three minutes.

ADD sugar and beat until pale, about two minutes. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla, then flour mixture until just combined and dough holds together when pressed between two fingers.

PRESS dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

ROLL out dough between two pieces of clear plastic wrap to create an 11-inch round, ¼-inch thick piece.

PRESS dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pan using knife.

REFRIGERATE until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees.

BAKE until firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Pistachio Paste:

PULSE pistachios, sugar and ¼ tsp. salt in food processor until mixture begins to clump together.

ADD oil and pulse until smooth and paste-like.

SPREAD evenly into bottom of cooled tart shell, pressing firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup until flat and smooth.

Filling:

PLACE chocolate in heatproof bowl. Heat cream and milk in saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling; pour over chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes.

WHISK slowly until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.

STIR in eggs until combined.

PLACE tart shell on baking sheet and pour in filling.

BAKE until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool.

GARNISH with finely chopped pistachios.

Chef of the Evening

Dino Amico credits his mom for this version of Venetian Mac and Cheese served at a recent Mini-Tasting.

“My passion is to cook for crowds and that is usually weekends; I like to heighten our experience with wine and food and put a satisfying feeling in our bellies,” Dino says. “In the end, I just want all guests to be happy and joyful.”

Dino likes to mix up the cheeses to provide different flavors to the traditional all-Italian, so he’ll venture into German or American cheese flavors.

Venetian Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

12 oz. wide egg noodles

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 tsp. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup (packed) grated fontina cheese

3/4 cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup (grated) mozzarella cheese

4 oz. cooked boiled ham, diced (optional)

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 450 degrees. Butter 9”x13”x2” glass baking dish.

COOK noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well (do not rinse).

WHISK milk, cream, flour, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend.

STIR the in 1 cup of the fontina, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, the ham and parsley.

ADD the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer noodle mixture to prepared baking dish.

COMBINE remaining 1 cup of fontina, ¼ cup of Parmesan and ¼ cup of mozzarella in small bowl; toss to blend.

SPRINKLE cheese mixture over noodle mixture.

BAKE until sauce bubbles and cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Congratulations to all of the winners and a big thank you to the hosts. Please send your recipes to George Cravens at george@ocws.org for possible publication on the OCWS website.

Chefs of the Evening

Deborah Webber’s First Lady took home Chef of the Evening honors at a recent OCWS mini-tasting. Deborah, a six-year member of the OCWS along with husband Michael, had never tried the recipe.

“The original recipe said to use crackers for the dip,” Deborah says. “I like the idea that the guests can just pick up a baguette with the dip already on it and not hold up others while you take the time to put the dip on yourself.”

First Lady Dip

 Ingredients

4 ounces Cream Cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup dried and sweetened cranberries

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup chopped cooked bacon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sour dough or ciabatta baguette, sliced into approximately ¼ to ½ inch thick pieces

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

MIX together at high speed the Cream Cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until a creamy consistency.

STIR the onion, cranberries, walnuts, Swiss cheese, bacon, salt and pepper into the creamed mixture until thoroughly combined and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight

Just prior to serving.

BRUSH the sliced baguettes on both sides lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

TOAST the Oiled Baguettes in a sauté pan over medium heat until golden on both sides.

SPOON the dip mixture onto the toasted baguette.

SERVE immediately.


SWEET AND SOUR CRANBERRY COCKTAIL MEATBALLS

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground turkey (or beef)

1 cup breadcrumbs (preferably seasoned)

2 eggs

½ cup chopped parsley (dried parsley is ok)

1/3 cup ketchup

3 TBSP minced onions (I usually use fresh onion and sauté)

2 TBSP soy sauce

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp pepper

SAUCE:

16 ounce can jellied or whole cranberry

12 ounce chili sauce

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients for sauce and mix well.

Pour a small amount into a casserole and then place the meatballs on top.  (just cover the bottom of the dish with the sauce.)

MEATBALLS:

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, parsley, eggs, ketchup, onion, soy sauce, garlic powder and pepper.  Mix well and form into small balls.  Cover the meatballs with the rest of the sauce and cook at 350 for about 30 – 45 minutes depending on the size of the meatballs.

Courtesy OCWS member Shelley Cohen, who says this recipe is easy to prepare and can be frozen or served fresh.

 

 

Chef of the Evening

Wendy Taylor took home accolades for her Cassoulet dish at March’s Rhone Mini-Tasting. It was Wendy’s first time making this recipe

“I also never had used Duck Confit before,” says Wendy,
who joined the OCWS with husband Stacey 20 years ago
when the newly married couple sought out an activity they
could enjoy together. “It was very flavorful and everything
including the fat of the confit was used. It was a perfect
complement to the Rhone wines served.”

Wendy says she loves this type of recipe for a potluck
because it is all in one dish.

“A casserole dish is awesome for keeping the heat in
the dish while traveling and waiting to be served at the
event location,” Wendy says.

The recipe is a variation of one she found online,
only Wendy altered the recipe by adding cooked,
chopped carrots, celery and onion to the dish prior to
baking.

Cassoulet
INGREDIENTS
1 lb dried white beans
8 1/4 cups cold water
2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups chopped onion (3/4 lb.)
3 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (6 large
cloves)
1 (3”) piece celery, cut into thirds
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
3 whole cloves
3 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs plus
1/2 cup chopped leaves
1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 (14-oz.) can stewed tomatoes,
puréed or finely chopped with juice
4 confit duck legs* (1 3/4 lb. total)
1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil (if necessary)
1 lb. cooked garlic pork sausage* or
smoked pork kielbasa, cut crosswise
into 1/3”-thick slices
2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
(preferably from a baguette)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
SOAK AND COOK BEANS:
Step 1
Cover beans with cold water by 2” in
large bowl and soak 8-12 hours. Drain
in colander.

Step 2
Transfer beans to 6- to 8-quart pot
and bring to boil with 8 cups cold
water, broth, tomato paste, onion,
and 2 Tbsp. garlic. Put celery, thyme,
bay leaf, cloves, parsley sprigs, and
peppercorns in cheesecloth and
tie into bundle with string to make
bouquet garni. Add bouquet garni to
beans, then reduce heat and simmer,
uncovered, until beans are almost
tender (45 minutes to 1 hour). Stir
in tomatoes with juice and simmer
until beans are just tender (about 15
minutes).

PREPARE DUCK AND SAUSAGE:
Step 3
Remove skin and fat from duck legs
and cut skin and fat into 1/2” pieces.
Separate duck meat from bones,
leaving it in large pieces, and transfer
meat to bowl. Add bones to bean pot.

Step 4
Cook duck skin and fat with remaining
1/4 cup cold water in a 10” heavy skillet
over moderate heat, stirring, until water
is evaporated and fat is rendered,
about 5 minutes. Continue to cook,
stirring frequently, until skin is crisp, 3-6
minutes more. Transfer cracklings with
slotted spoon to paper towels to drain,
leaving fat in skillet. (You should have
about 1/4 cup fat; if not, add olive oil.)

Step 5
Brown sausage in batches in fat in
skillet, then transfer to bowl with duck
meat, reserving skillet.

Step 6
Preheat oven to 350°F.
MAKE BREADCRUMB TOPPING:

Step 7
Add remaining tablespoon garlic to fat
in skillet and cook over moderate heat,
stirring, 1 minute. Stir in breadcrumbs
and cook, stirring, until pale golden,
about 2 minutes. Remove from heat
and stir in chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp.
salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and cracklings.

ASSEMBLE CASSEROLE:
Step 8
Remove bouquet garni and duck
bones from beans and discard, then
stir in kielbasa, duck meat, remaining
teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 tsp.
pepper.
Step 9
Ladle cassoulet into casserole dish,
distributing meat and beans evenly.
(Meat and beans should be level with
liquid; if they are submerged, ladle
excess liquid back into pot and boil until
reduced, then pour back into casserole
dish.) Spread breadcrumb topping
evenly over cassoulet.

BAKE CASSEROLE:
Step 10
Bake in lower third of oven until bubbling
and the crust is golden, about
1 hour.

Chef of the Evening

Tamara Reddy says she had some creme de cassis on hand she had brought home from a trip around the wine regions of France and wanted to use it in something chocolate and decadent for a recent OCWS mini-tasting.

She had never made this recipe before, but she was 100 percent confident in her Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. So she searched for a dessert using Cassis, found one, and made it with confidence.

“Ina is the best, I use her recipes extensively,” says Tamara, who along with husband Michael has been an Orange County Wine Society member for eight years. “To date, the recipes have won me a good number of bottles of wine at our Mini-Tasting events.”

Chocolate Cassis Cake

For the Cake:
Baking spray, such as Baker’s Joy
12 Tbsp. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tbsp. crème de cassis liqueur
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

For the Glaze:
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 to 3 Tbsp. crème de cassis liqueur
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

To Serve:
2 (½ pint) boxes fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup crème de cassis liqueur

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round springform pan with baking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray it again with baking spray.

MELT butter and chocolate together in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

WHISK in the cocoa powder, cassis liqueur and vanilla; set aside.

IN THE BOWL of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer), beat the eggs, sugar and salt on high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until pale yellow and triple in volume.

POUR chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and carefully but thoroughly fold them together with a rubber spatula.

POUR batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until just barely set in the center. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes and then release the sides of the pan. Invert the cake carefully onto a flat serving plate, remove the parchment paper and cool completely.

FOR THE GLAZE, melt the chocolate and cream together in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Off the heat, whisk in the cassis and vanilla.

COOL for 10 minutes and spread over just the top of the cake.

BEFORE SERVING (15 minutes), toss the berries gently with the sugar and cassis liqueur. Cut the cake in wedges and serve with the berries on the side.

Do you have something delicious to share? Please send your recipes to George Cravens at george@ocws.org for possible publication on the OCWS website.