4 Recipes to pair with Cabernet
Creating a balance between food and wine has definitely become an art. Beautiful dishes paired with the perfect wine will create restaurant wait lists many months long or have your dinner party the talk of the town for weeks to come. But for some of us, it’s all we can do to feed our families, race out to the next activity and hope for an extra 5 minutes at the end of the night to enjoy a glass of wine, any wine! Well, whether you’re planning amazing dinner parties or running off to another baseball diamond or soccer field, we are here to help! We’ve gathered 4 beautiful recipes to pair with your next bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that will have you the envy of your friends!
Born in the seventeenth century from an accidental breeding between the red Cabernet Franc grape plant and a white Sauvignon Blanc grape plant, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape quickly rose to fame. Known as a durable plant that is fairly easy to grow and holds up well against the elements, vitners world wide have taken to creating the perfect bottle from this special grape. Cabernet Sauvignon is dark red in color, full bodied with medium acidity and has an alcohol content of anywhere between 13.5% – 15%, making it an ideal wine to have alongside a hearty meal. Traditionally paired with red meats and rich sauces, it makes for a perfect addition to the warm comfort foods of the fall and winter seasons that are upon us.
Blue Cheese Burger
Starting with the traditional red meat pairings, our first recipe is a Blue Cheese Burger. A big juicy cheeseburger is enjoyable in most any setting, but add creamy rich blue cheese, a fresh bakery roll and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and it doesn’t get any more perfect.
Ingredients
| 3 pounds lean ground beef | 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper |
| 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled | 1 1/2 teaspoons salt |
| 1/2 cup minced fresh chives | 1 teaspoon dry mustard |
| 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce | 12 French rolls or hamburger buns |
| 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce |
Directions
Prep Time – 15 min Cook Time – 10 min Ready In 2 h 25 min
Step 1
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Step 2
Preheat grill for high heat. Gently form the burger mixture into about 12 patties.
Step 3
Oil the grill grate. Grill patties 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Serve on rolls.
Gorgonzola Sauce
Continuing the red meat theme, we found this smoothe garlicky Gorgonzola Sauce to pour over your favorite steak and pair with your favorite Cab.
Ingredients
| 3 tablespoons butter | 1 clove garlic, minced |
| 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese | fresh ground black pepper to taste |
| 1 green onion, minced |
Directions
Prep Time – 5 min Cook Time – 10 min Ready In 15 min
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, Gorgonzola cheese, green onion, garlic and pepper. Warm slowly for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the sauce is nice and creamy. This sauce may also be cooked on a cool part of your grill while grilling meat.
Braised Lamb
Braised Lamb with Peppers and Oregano This rustic comfort food is so tender it can be cut with a spoon!
Ingredients
| 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil | 4 Italian frying peppers chopped |
| 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks | 3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped |
| Salt and freshly ground pepper | 2 large onions, coarsely chopped |
| 1/2 cup water | 2 tablespoons minced oregano |
Directions
Prep Time – 45 min Cook Time – 2 h 15 min Ready In 3 h
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 300°. If you have an unglazed clay pot like a Römertopf, soak it in warm water for 30 minutes. Pat dry.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Add half of the lamb to the skillet and cook over high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the lamb to the clay pot or a medium enameled cast-iron casserole. Repeat with the remaining lamb.
Step 3
Pour off the fat in the skillet. Add the water and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Pour the liquid into the clay pot and add the peppers, tomatoes, onions and oregano. Cover and bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes, or until the lamb is very tender.
Step 4
Pour the stew into a large strainer set over a large saucepan. Skim the fat from the juices. Boil the juices until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Return the lamb and vegetables to the sauce and cook just until warmed through.
World’s Best Lasagne
This Lasagne recipe, baked to perfection in your Dutch oven, is sure to please any crowd.
Ingredients
| 1 pound sweet Italian sausage | 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds |
| 3/4 pound lean ground beef | 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning |
| 1/2 cup minced onion | 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste |
| 2 cloves garlic, crushed | 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper |
| 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes | 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley |
| 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste | 12 lasagna noodles |
| 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce | 16 ounces ricotta cheese |
| 1/2 cup water | 1 egg |
| 2 tablespoons white sugar | 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves | 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese |
Directions
Prep Time – 30 min Cook Time – 2 h 30 min Ready In 3 h 15 min
Step 1
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Step 4
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Step 5
Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
