Creamy Smoked Salmon & Asparagus

It's asparagus season! They were selling it by the pound at the Leavenworth Earth Day celebration last weekend, and I have to say asparagus paired very well with my first sunburn of the season. It doesn't take much to make asparagus delicious -- we threw ours on the grill with a little olive oil, salt and pepper -- but you can also make it part of a more advanced and delicious meal, much like this dish from Joanne Saliby that she created specifically to pair with Ryan Patrick Vineyard's Reserve Chardonnay. Enjoy!

Creamy Smoked Salmon & Asparagus

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Joanne Saliby, author of the Wenatchee World Living Well blog.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6

●                  1 lb. package multi-grain pasta

●                  1 tablespoon grapeseed oil OR butter

●                  1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced

●                  1 clove garlic, minced

●                  1 cup dry white wine

●                  2 cups cream (100 percent cream recommended, not ultra-pasturized)

●                  1/4 teaspoon salt, or less to taste

●                  Several grinds white pepper

●                  1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

●                  1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

●                  1/2 lb. moist smoked salmon, torn into bite-sized pieces

●                  2 cups asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

Garnish

●                  2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Heat water in large pot and cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil or butter in a medium sauté pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook on low for several minutes or until softened; do not brown. Remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Return to burner, add wine and turn heat to medium-high. Simmer until wine is reduced by about half. Add cream, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon zest and salmon. Remove from heat to rest while steaming the asparagus. If it thickens too much for your taste, add 1 tablespoon hot water.

Steam or blanch asparagus until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and add to salmon in cream.

To serve, plate the pasta and top with desired amount of sauce and asparagus. Sprinkle with chives.

Wine Pairing Suggestions:
‘37 Cellars Columbia Valley Chardonnay
Boudreaux Cellars Chardonnay
Ryan Patrick Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay

Fruit Salsa Salad

I know, I know: I keep posting salad recipes that include ingredients that aren't in season. The problem is that I'm CRAVING a bunch of vegetables (and fruit), so all I can think about is making some delicious dishes that include them. This one is from the Culinary Apple, Chelan's fantastic kitchen -- and everything apple -- store. They also have some of the best fudge around. Anyway, tuck this one away for a hot summer day, or make it with what you can find at the grocery store.


Fruit Salsa Salad

Contributed to Savoring Chelan: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes by Mary Weldy, co-owner of the Culinary Apple.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves 6

Fruit Salsa
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 medium diced Fuji apples
2 cups blueberries
1 fresh orange, peeled, sectioned and cut into small pieces

Dressing
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Garnish
1 1/4 cups mixed baby salad greens
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Gently stir all fruit salsa ingredients together.
Whisk dressing ingredients together, pour over the salad and let stand for 10 minutes.
Divide the greens onto 6 chilled plates, spoon fruit salsa over salad greens and top with cheese.

Wine Pairing Suggestions:
CR Sandidge Winery KISS Chardonnay Gewürtzraminer Blend
Karma Vineyards Methode Champenoise
Wapato Point Cellars Riesling

Clams Hostetler

My family spent nearly every spring break at the Washington Coast during my childhood. This year I decided to spend my Easter weekend reliving the experience, but was pleasantly surprised to find some appetizing changes. First of all -- and purely through luck -- the weather was warm, sunny, without a cloud in the sky most of the time. Second, there is a winery in Westport now, with more than 30 (!!) wines. Westport Winery has a picturesque setting, with a replica of the Westport lighthouse and a sculpture garden, filled with work from local artists. Each of their wines benefits a different local charity, and the wines themselves were very good! I bought Captain Gray's Gewürztraminer to take back to the cabin, and used it in Clams Hostetler, one of my favorite recipes from Savoring Chelan. It's a wine-based broth for clams; light and fruity, it doesn't overpower their fresh from the sea flavor. It may not be the most typical Easter fare, but it sure worked for me!

 

Clams Hostetler

Contributed to Savoring Chelan: Pairing Wines with Regional Recipes by Karl Koester, winemaker at Four Lakes Winery.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 slices diced proscuitto
1/4 cup chopped leeks
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup Riesling (Four Lakes Riesling recommended)
Juice of one small lime
Dash of red pepper
Salt and pepper
2 pounds manila or butter clams
1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped

In a large frying pan, simmer olive oil, butter, prosciutto, leeks and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the Riesling, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse clams, throwing away any that are already open, and add the rest to the broth.
Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until all clams have opened. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve in small bowls with your favorite crusty bread to soak up the broth.


Pairs well with:
Four Lakes Winery Estate Riesling (recommended by recipe contributor)
Hard Row to Hoe Viognier
Vin du Lac Barrel Select Chardonnay
Westport Winery Captain Gray's Gewürztraminer

Roast Pork Loin with Bartlett Pear Sauce

Although I couldn't make it to the Taste of Spring Festival in Leavenworth yesterday, I was there for a very important part of it on Friday: the official judging of locally prepared pear dishes. Strangely enough, there weren't ANY submissions under savory pear dishes -- they were all desserts. Pamela Kiehn's roast pork loin with Bartlett pear sauce would have been a fantastic submission, regardless of the competition. This may seem like more of a winter dish, but considering it snowed yesterday, I can't say winter's quite over yet.

Roast Pork Loin in Bartlett Pear Sauce. Picture by Richard Uhlhorn.

Roast Pork Loin with  Bartlett Pear Sauce

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes from Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Pamela Kiehn, Beecher Hill House.


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1-2 hours
Serves: 6-8
Pork
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 to 4 lb. pork loin roast
Sauce
1 cup butter (2 sticks), divided
1/2 cup carrot, finely grated (about 1 medium carrot)
1 large sweet onion
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups beef stock
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 to 4 firm but ripe pears (Bartlett pears recommended), divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix olive oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper and rub onto the roast. Bake until the meat reaches 155°F, about 1-1.5 hours; about 25 minutes per pound of pork loin.
Sprinkle the peeled and diced pears with lemon juice to prevent them from browning; set aside.
About 45 minutes before the roast is done, melt one stick of butter in a large sauté pan to start the sauce. Sauté carrot and onion over medium-high heat until soft – about 5 minutes. Add chicken and beef stock, Worcestershire and about one pear. Simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
When the roast is done, remove from oven and let rest.
Pour the juices into your sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. In a separate pan, melt 1 stick of butter. Slowly stir in flour to create a roux. Once it starts to turn golden brown, add the roux to the saucepan and simmer until it thickens. Stir the pears into the sauce and heat through.
Slice pork roast and serve drizzled with sauce.


Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Boudreaux Cellars Riesling
Cascadia Winery Apple Wine
Silvara Vineyards Riesling