Apple Sweet Potato Roast Pork

"This pork roast is baked with all the right fall and cold weather ingredients: honey, orange juice, apple juice concentrate, brown sugar, sweet potatoes, and apples. It is a great “white” meat to serve over the holidays." - Kristin Wood, Icicle Ridge Winery -->

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Kristen Wood, Icicle Ridge Winery.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 8-10

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 to 4 lb. boneless pork loin roast, fat trimmed

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

2 teaspoons ground black pepper (or 1 teaspoon for less “zip”)

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 large apples, cored and quartered

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a large ovenproof Dutch oven with vegetable oil and place on the stove on high heat.

When a droplet of water sizzles in the oil, add the pork roast. Cook, turning, until all sides are browned, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, combine the honey, orange juice, apple juice concentrate, pepper and brown sugar. Spoon over the pork roast in the Dutch oven. Place the sweet potatoes around the pork.

Cover and bake until the pork registers 150°F on a thermometer, or 20 minutes per pound: about an hour and 20 minutes for a 4 pound roast.

About 20 minutes before it’s done, place the apple quarters around the pork. Bake, uncovered, basting frequently, until the apples are just tender.

Let the pork stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve pork roast in slices with the sweet potatoes and apples.

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Eagle Creek White Riesling

Wedge Mountain Winery Dry Lemberger

Flank Steak Portabella Sandwiches

Believe it or not, summer is starting to wind down. However, there's NO reason to be inside when you could be outside, creating this beautiful sandwich on your grill. I have to admit, this became one of my favorite recipes from Savoring Leavenworth. Enjoy! - Morgan

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Kristen Wood, Icicle Ridge Winery.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Marinate time: 1 hour

Cook time: 8-10 minutes

Serves: 6

5 cloves minced garlic + 2 cloves sliced, divided

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. flank steak

1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium red onion, minced

1 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium Walla Walla sweet onion

6 slices (1/2 inch thick) rustic white bread, lightly toasted

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

6 oz. Gorgonzola cheese

Combine 3 cloves garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub over the steaks. Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over meat and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and remaining 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, Marsala wine, salt and pepper. Stir frequently until the mushrooms are cooked through and the liquid has evaporated, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.

Add remaining olive oil to the pan. Sauté Walla Walla sweet onion, salt and pepper over medium-high heat until browned and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. Add sliced garlic and cook until brown, about 1 minute. Stir into bowl of mushrooms.

Grill steak on high for 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the steak across the grain into thin slices.

Spread toasted bread with mustard and Gorgonzola. Add steak strips to the toast and drizzle with leftover juices. Serve open-faced, topped with mushroom-onion mixture and top with additional Gorgonzola.

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Icicle Ridge Winery Syrah

Silvara Vineyards Syrah

Stemilt Creek Winery Estate Syrah

Joining the Wishful Thinkers: Memorial Weekend BBQ'd Lamb Burgers

It's inevitable: the end of May appears and regardless of the weather, everyone dons their shorts and fires up the barbecue. Despite the fact that it happens every year, the chef ends up with an unused towel awkwardly wrapped around his or her waist over goose-pimpled legs, shivering in the misty rain while the rest of the group waits inside for their summer meal to finish cooking in the late spring weather.
Well, I'm not going to break tradition. I grew up in Lake Chelan, and on this day -- the Friday before Memorial Weekend -- most of the locals are buying the last of their supplies to barbecue at home, under a prepared tarp, where they can laugh at the hopeful and unprepared, stuck in traffic and sleeping in puddles in their tents at the City Park. The locals may disappear from public view this weekend, but it is still likely they're wanting to barbecue: the winter was just too damn long, and the three-day vacation inspires at least one long-forgotten food concept: outdoor grilled meat.


Feta Mint Lamb Burgers

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Kristen Wood, Icicle Ridge Winery.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8-15 minutes
Serves: 4

2 cloves garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup packed mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1-1/4 lb. ground lamb
8 oz. Greek yogurt
1 package Ciabatta buns

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat.
Mash garlic to a paste with salt. Gently mix the paste with pepper, mint, and feta.
Divide lamb into 4 equal balls. Make an indentation in center of each one and stuff each with a quarter of the mint mixture. Pinch the well closed and form into a 1 inch thick patty. Season burgers with salt and pepper.
Brush the grill rack with oil. Grill the burgers 8-10 minutes for medium rare or 10-13 minutes for medium, turning once. If the weather doesn't cooperate, you can also broil the burgers on high heat in the oven for about 5-7 minutes a side.
Serve on Ciabatta buns with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Icicle Ridge Winery Romanze Blend
Icicle Ridge Winery Merlot

Adding Texture, Flavor & Protein with Nuts

'Tis the season for salads: the Wenatchee Farmer's Market starts today, and the first fresh greens are set out with the local cheeses, and the smell of cooking food from the vendors permeates the air. Everyone carries their shopping bags, still wrinkled and strangely shaped from a winter's worth of storage.

Regardless of what you pick up for your spring salad, consider adding nuts. They're a great source of vegetarian protein, full of good fats, give great texture and more complexity to the flavor. Here are some salad topper ideas:

Fresh salad greens with roasted walnuts with Gorgonzola or another strong cheese
Strawberry spinach salad with slivered almonds
Pecans, orange slices and dried cranberries over arugula

Recently I tried the nuts from Almond Blossom Roasted Nuts in Leavenworth. You can taste the many, many kinds of nuts they carry, and their flavored nuts are a GREAT addition to any salad, or many other meals, for that matter. Their maple chipotle pecans would be great on pancakes or waffles; the cranberry orange walnuts would go great in lemon or banana bread. Either of these -- and most of their other sweet and savory nuts -- would be a great addition to any salad, including the one below. It's one of my favorite parts about food: finding new and interesting combinations.


Bleu Cheese Pear Salad

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Kristen Wood, Icicle Ridge Winery.


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

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
5 large basil leaves, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey

Salad
8 large romaine leaves, torn
3/4 cup Bleu cheese, crumbled
2 pears, peeled cored and diced (Bosc pears recommended)
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped and toasted

Combine olive oil, basil, garlic, salt and honey in a jar and shake until honey is mixed in. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to release the basil flavor from the leaves.
Toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry pan over medium high heat until browned.
Mix romaine leaves, Bleu cheese and pears in a bowl with nuts.
Strain the basil leaves out of the dressing.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss well before serving.


Wine Pairing Suggestion:
Icicle Ridge Winery The Blondes Gewürztraminer

Pairing Tips:
Bleu cheese can overwhelm white wine. Keep this in mind if another wine pairing doesn’t seem to work.
Remember that the wine should always be sweeter than the food you're enjoying it with. If you're including a sweetened nut, choose a sweeter wine.

Apple Pecan Brie

I made this last night for a signing at The Kitchen Sync in Wenatchee. Not only is it incredibly easy, I can easily attribute at least a couple book sales to this recipe. The customers bit into it, picked up the book and stumbled out the door, overcome with the pure goodness of a sweet, caramel sauce, crunchy pecan and tart apple over rich, creamy Brie. 

Morgan Fraser at the Kitchen Sync in Wenatchee, showing off her books and the Apple Pecan Brie recipe she made from Savoring Leavenworth for the occasion!

Apple Pecan Brie

Contributed to Savoring Leavenworth: Pairing Local with Regional Recipes for Leavenworth, Peshastin and Cashmere by Kristin Wood, Icicle Ridge Winery.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Serves: 8

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 wheel Brie cheese

Combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar, apple, golden raisins, pecans and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and let boil for a few minutes. Pour the warm sauce over Brie and serve with crackers.
For best results, make the sauce ahead of time and warm it up when ready to serve.











Wine Pairing Suggestions:
Icicle Ridge Winery Ice Riesling
Pasek Cellars Blackberry Dessert Wine

Wine Tip:
Typically a wine should be sweeter than the food it’s paired with. Try this recipe with an ice wine or dessert wine.