Cook Meals with Wines from Northeast Ohio Wineries

Merlot Dark Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

• 9 oz. dark melting chocolate
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup Debonné Vineyards Merlot dry red wine

Directions:

• Heat cream on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until small bubbles form. Pour over chocolate.
• Stir/whisk until all chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Add wine. Stir well.
• If a thin (drizzle) consistency is desired, add additional liquid.
• Refrigerate until ganache is desired consistency for spreading/piping, drizzling, etc.

**Pro tip: Pair this with the cab franc flourless chocolate cake recipe.

Cab Franc Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup Debonné Vineyards Cabernet Franc dry red wine
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 8 large eggs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Grease paper.
• Place chocolate, butter, and wine in a heavy-duty saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Stir in granulated sugar until smooth. Remove from heat.
• Beat eggs in large mixer bowl for 5 minutes or until the volume doubles. Fold ⅓ of beaten eggs into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten eggs, ⅓ at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake for 33–35 minutes or until cake has risen. Center will still move slightly and appear underbaked. Edges should be firm and shiny. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (center will sink slightly). Cover cake. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Cake can be prepared up to four days in advance.
• To serve, remove springform pan. Invert cake on sheet of parchment paper. Peel off parchment pan liner, turn cake right-side up on serving platter. Top with ganache. Dip knife in hot water to slice. Garnish with whipped cream. Serve with dry red wine.

**PRO TIP: Top this with the merlot dark chocolate ganache recipe.

Buccia Seared Salmon

Ingredients:

• 4 portions of salmon fillets
• 1-1/2 tbsp. oil
• Salt and ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup Buccia’s Seyval Blanc
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 6-1/2 tbsp. butter (cut into chunks)
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley (minced)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a rimmed baking sheet into the oven to heat up.
• Season each fillet with salt and ground black pepper and rub each fillet with oil.
• When the oven has preheated to 500 degrees and the baking sheet has been in the oven for about 10 minutes, take out the baking sheet and place the salmon, skin side down, onto the very hot baking sheet. You will hear it sizzle and the skin will start to sear right away.
• Place the fish in the preheated oven. Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and roast the fish for 15 minutes.
• While the fish is in the oven, melt ½ tbsp. of butter in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and golden.
• Deglaze the skillet with the wine and then add the lemon juice. Turn the heat up to high and reduce the liquid to half the amount.
• Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tbsp. at a time. The sauce will become thick and velvety. Add the parsley to the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the roasted fish and serve.

Harpersfield Winey BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apples, peeled and chunked
• ½ cup minced onion
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup Harpersfield Cabernet
• ¼ cup dark molasses
• 1 tbsp. paprika (smoked, mild or hot)
• 1 tbsp. mustard powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground allspice
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Directions:

• Add apples, onion, and garlic to large saucepan. 
• Cook uncovered on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and consistency of applesauce.
• Mix in remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat and simmer approximately 15 minutes or longer for thicker sauce.
• Let cool and store in jar, squeeze bottle or freeze it.

Grand River Creamy Riesling Chicken

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• ½ cup bacon/pancetta sliced into thin strips
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 8 chicken pieces on the bone (thighs or drumsticks)
• ½ cup portabellini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups Grand River Cellars Riesling  
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

• Melt the butter and oil together in a large pan.
• Brown the chicken pieces all over and remove from the pan.
• Add the onions, garlic, and bacon. Fry until the onions are soft/translucent and the bacon has rendered its fat.
• Remove mixture, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes.
• Return the bacon mixture and browned chicken to the pan.
• Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15–25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Turn up the heat and add cream. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Serve over rice or pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley and season to taste.