• Ontario Partridge Ballotine

    Ontario Partridge Ballotine
    “One of the unique dishes we are having on the upcoming event is Ontario Partridge Ballotine which is a French term stand for a deboned thigh or can be described as roulade, the leg of the bird will be deboned and transformed into a stuffing for the partridge breast.” – Chef Adi

    We are thrilled to be taking part in Whistler’s annual Food & Drink Festival – Cornucopia once again this year on November 17, 2023. Howard Soon, our Master Winemaker, will host this iconic dinner at Fairmont Chateau Whistler, where we will sip and savour our way through a five-course dinner, perfectly paired with our Vanessa Vineyard wines.  In honour of Cornucopia and the harvest season that is upon us, Chef Adi Anas from Fairmont’s The Grill Room has shared a recipe that will be featured at the dinner.

    Ingredients:
    Step 1 – Partridge Stuffing
    200g partridge leg
    55g double cream
    150g black trumpet
    15g pistachio
    30g confit shallot
    10g confit garlic
    1 whole egg

    Step 2
    Put the deboned partridge leg, double cream, salt + pepper into a food processor, and blend till it’s smooth, pass it through a fine mesh sieve then add the rest of the ingredients.
    Cut the mushrooms into small cubes, and fry them in a hot pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper, for about 1-2 minutes. Cool them down, and add them to the chicken paste made earlier.

    Step 3
    Lay some plastic wrap film on the table, and with the help of a piping bag apply the partridge mix into in between the partridge breast and roll it as tight as you can, and seal with aluminum foil.

    Step 4
    Cook the 60 minutes at 65 degrees in sous vide.

    Step 5
    Let it rest for 10 minutes then pan- seared with butter until its golden, serve with preserved BC apricot, braised red endive and partridge jus.

  • Gotham Steakhouse – Valentine’s Recipe

    Celebrate Valentine’s with Vanessa Vineyard & Gotham Steakhouse! ❤️

    Here at Vanessa Vineyard, we salute Valentine’s Day and know how important it is to celebrate this romantic occasion with a loved one. We are thrilled to have partnered with Gotham Steakhouse this year to bring you one of their delicious crab cake recipes which pairs perfectly alongside our 2017 Syrah. This pairing will be sure to make your Valentine’s experience a memorable one!

    Crab Cakes with Pickled Cucumber and Roasted Jalapeño Tartar Sauce

    INGREDIENTS

    ROASTED JALAPEÑO TARTAR SAUCE

    • 1 jalapeño pepper
    • 1 tsp canola oil
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tbsp green relish juice of ½ lemon (1 tbsp)

    PICKLED CUCUMBER

    • 1½ cups water
    • 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup white vinegar
    • 1 small English cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

    CRAB CAKES

    • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
    • ½ onion, finely chopped
    • ½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
    • 12 oz fresh Dungeness crabmeat, picked of shells or cartilage
    • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
    • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
    • 1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley 1 cup panko crumbs (divided)
    • Microgreens, for garnish (optional)
    • Cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish

    METHOD

    ROASTED JALAPEÑO TARTAR SAUCE

    Preheat oven to 400° F.

    Lightly coat the jalapeño with oil and place on a small baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, then place in a small bowl. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour, until cooled to room temperature.

    Peel, devein and seed pepper. Chop, then mix it with remaining ingredients. Cover and refrig­erate until needed.

    PICKLED CUCUMBER

    Place water, sugar and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. When sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and refrigerate for 1 hour, until chilled. Place cucumber slices in chilled pickling solution in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.

    CRAB CAKES

    Preheat oven to 400° F.

    Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat, add onions and peppers and cook for 7 minutes, until onions are translucent. Set aside to cool.

    In a medium bowl, combine crab, mayonnaise, mustard, parsley and onion-pepper mixture and mix gently, trying not to break up the crabmeat.

    Add ½ cup panko crumbs and mix until every­thing binds. Form into 4 cakes and lightly coat each cake with remaining panko.

    In a large oven-proof frying pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.

    Add crab cakes and pan-fry for 5 minutes, turning once very carefully, until golden on both sides. Bake in oven for 8 minutes.

    Divide crab cakes between 4 small plates and garnish with pickled cucumbers, a spoonful of roasted jalapeño tartar sauce, and microgreens and tomatoes (if using).

     

    If you try this recipe at home, remember to tag us on Instagram so that we can feature you on our feed!

  • April is BC Wine Month

     

    BC Wine Month

    We’re Celebrating BC Wine Month with Rosé and BC Wild Salmon

    Spring has arrived in the Similkameen Valley and we are thrilled to partner with Wines of British Columbia to celebrate April is BC Wine Month. Our very own Master Winemaker Howard soon sat down with Award-Winning Cook Book Author Jennifer Schell to discuss the best pairings for Wild BC Salmon and decided on – you guessed it – Rosé! Watch the entire interview here.

    Jennifer’s recipe for Salmon Wellington pairs perfectly with our Vanessa Vineyard Rosé and we are pleased to share the recipe below for you to try at home.

    WILD BC SALMON WELLINGTON

    BC Wine Pairing; pair with Vanessa Vineyard Rosé

    Serves 2
    Adapted from The B.C. Wine Lover’s Cookbook published by Appetite by Random House
    Total time: 60 min | Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 38-40 min

    Ingredients
    2 – 6 oz skinless Wild BC Salmon Fillets
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    1/4 cup Dijon mustard
    1/2 cup thinly sliced leek (white and light green part only)
    1/2 cup packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
    1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
    2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
    2 tsp lemon zest
    1/4 tsp garlic powder
    1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
    1 egg, beaten
    salt & freshly ground black pepper

    Method
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    Season fish with salt and pepper.
    In a medium sized bowl mix together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, leeks, spinach, feta, dill, lemon zest and garlic powder.
    Gently unroll the puff pastry and cut sheet in half.
    Place the salmon grey side up (skin side) in the centre of the rectangle of puff pastry and top with half of the filling.
    Fold each side of the pastry over the fillets, then fold ends over and pinch to seal.
    Place seam side down on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
    Cut 3 vents on top of the pastry with sharp knife, and brush with egg.
    Pop into oven for 37-40 minutes or until golden brown.

  • Kootenay Bison Striploin – Executive Chef Derek Bendig

    Kootenay Natural Meats Bison Striploin

    Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef, Derek Bendig of The Josie Hotel 

    “This dish was inspired by the devastating fires we have seen this year here in British Columbia. When I arrived to Red Mountain the first week we saw terrible smoke in the region and as someone who is inspired by my surroundings I wanted to put a dish together that celebrated not only the wonderful produce available by the many terrific producers here in Rossland and the Kootenays but also make a statement about the reality of wildfires here in BC we seem to be continually dealing with year after year.” 

    Dish:
    Kootenay Natural Meats Bison Striploin with Kicking Horse coffee soil, Happy Hills Farm leeks, Earthy organics Broccoli, forest fire butter & parsnip bark

    For the forest fire butter:

    3 large leeks, halved lengthwise
    28g dried black trumpet mushrooms
    2g smoked maldon salt
    Cedar butter (see below for recipe)

    Place leeks on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 400F until black and completely dry, about 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    Break up the burnt leeks and place in a clean blender along with the dried mushrooms and smoked salt. Process until the mixture is a fine powder. Reserve.
    Melt the strained Cedar butter over medium heat and mix just enough with the leek powder to create a paint like texture. Keep the mixture warm.

    For the Cedar Butter:

    1 lb salted butter
    2 cups Cedar greens
    Preheat water bath to 65C

    Using the back of a knife, crush the cedar greens to bring out the oils and aromas, Put the cedar greens in a vacuum bag with the butter and seal. Cook in the circulator 3 hours, remove and let cool in an ice bath.

    For the coffee soil:

    100g unsalted butter
    150g ground almonds
    100g flour
    50g cocoa powder
    100g kicking horse ground espresso
    10g salt
    150g sugar

    Put all ingredients in a bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until they resemble breadcrumbs.  Scatter over a baking tray and bake at 170C for 30 min.  leave to cool till crisp then pulse in robot coup.

    For the Leeks:

    Preheat a water bath to 85C
    3 Happy Hills Farm Leeks (cut into 3 equal lengths)
    1 Tbsp Cedar butter
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Place the leeks on a hot grill and char the outside. Remove from the grill and cool.
    Place leeks in a vacuum bag with the cedar butter, salt and pepper. Seal and place in water bath, cook until tender, (approx. 20 minutes depending on the size of the leeks). cool in an ice bath.

    For the earthy Organics Broccoli:

    Trim the florets to 1 inch pieces, reserving the stems for broccoli puree.
    Blanch florets in boiling salted water and cool in an ice bath.

    For the purée:

    Sauté some shallot in a little cedar butter add the broccoli stems and a ¼ cup of water, pinch of salt and cover. Cook until the broccoli stems are tender, transfer to a blender and blend with a couple ice cubes until smooth, pass through a fine chinois and adjust seasoning.

    For the Parsnip Bark:

    Glaze:

    100g sugar
    30g vegetable stock
    30g Wynndel Distilleries Sternwheeler Apple Gin
    30g Robertson Estate Cabernet sauvignon vinegar
    Pinch of salt
    Place the sugar in a small pan and caramelize, once the caramel is amber add the vegetable stock, stir to dissolve and hardened sugar. Add the bourbon and salt and remove from the heat.
    Preheat the oven to 350F.

    Roast the parsnips until tender, while still hot slice the parsnips lengthwise through the skin. Gently peel the parsnips trying to keep the skin in as large a piece as possible. Remove any excess flesh that may still be attached to the parsnip skin. Spread the peels on a piece of parchment skin side down and brush with the glaze. Place in a dehydrator and dehydrate at 60C for 1.5 hours, flip the skins and continue to dehydrate until crisp. Deep fry the skins until golden and resemble tree bark. (these can be fried up to 1 hour before serving)

    To Complete the Dish:

    Season the Bison Striploin with salt and pepper and grill to the desired doneness (recommend rare to medium rare) and let rest.

    Warm the leeks and broccoli florets, in a little butter and stock. Sautee some black trumpet mushrooms with some julienned leeks. Paint the plate with a generous amount of the forest fire butter, top with a sprinkle of the coffee soil, 2 pieces of leek and place dollops of broccoli puree around the leeks. Slice the bison and place on the leeks. top with the mushrooms and broccoli florets and garnish with the parsnip bark. Serve immediately.

    If you try this recipe, remember to tag us on Instagram so that we can feature you on our feed!

  • Brandy Peppercorn Sauce – From Predator Ridge

    It’s Time to Grill & Chill

    There’s something about grilled steak and red wine that go hand-in-hand. We are proud to feature a recipe from the award-winning Range Lounge & Grill located at Predator Ridge. This exclusive recipe comes from their Executive Chef, Nik Roy and just happens to pair perfectly with our 2018 Right Bank, sold exclusively at the resort.

    Brandy Peppercorn Sauce
    1/4 medium red onion, diced
    1 tsp chopped garlic
    1 fl.oz black pepper whole
    50 ml green peppercorn
    3 fl.oz molasses
    100ml brandy
    200ml beef stock
    800ml heavy cream 33%
    1/4 fl.oz fresh thyme chopped

    Sauté onions, garlic, green peppercorn for 5 minutes, add brandy and all ingredients. Simmer for 15 minute.

    Braised Beef Obie
    2 cups chopped carrots, onion, celery
    3kg beef chuck flat or obie
    1 can Guinness beer
    1 sprig Thyme
    3 bay leafs
    4 garlic cloves
    1/4 cup tomato paste
    2 cups beef stock

    Sauté all vegetables, herbs and tomato paste. Add all other ingredients except beef. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add beef, cover with foil and bake in a 300f oven for 2 hours till beef is tender. Cool in the liquid overnight.

    If you try this recipe, remember to tag us on Instagram so that we can feature you on our feed!

  • Summer Recipe Series – Black Lentil Salad

    Recipe – Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables

    BBQ season is upon us! Our Estate Manager, Blair Dufty has shared one of his favourite recipes – Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables.  Our Meritage is the perfect pairing, the palate is elegant and full bodied with notes of ripe raspberry, blueberry, savoury herbs, and a hint of smoke with a long rich finish – the perfect complement for a BBQ!

    Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables
    Serves two

    Ingredients
    2 cups butternut squash, cubed
    2 cups Brussels sprouts, quartered
    1 red onion, thickly sliced
    1 tbsp olive oil
    1 tsp fresh thyme
    1 tsp fresh parsley
    1 cup black lentils, rinsed
    3 cups water or vegetable broth
    3 tsps balsamic syrup (balsamic vinegar can be reduced as a substitute)
    pinch kosher salt
    pinch ground pepper

    Directions
    1. Preheat oven to 400°F
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and red onion. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until seasoning is fully distributed.
    3. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
    4. In a medium saucepan, add black lentils and water. Bring to a boil.
    5. Reduce heat and cover, simmer for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain excess water.
    6. When vegetables are finished roasting, transfer to a mixing bowl and add lentils.
    7. In a bowl, combine balsamic syrup (or reduced balsamic vinegar), thyme, salt, and pepper; whisk until blended.
    8. Pour dressing over lentils and vegetables, toss until fully coated. Sprinkle fresh parsley and serve.

    ~

  • M is for…

    …Minami’s Miso Pecan Mocha Mousse!

    With stay-at-home orders still in place, the next best thing to enjoying our favourite desserts in restaurants is bringing those desserts into our homes. Celebrated Head Pastry Chef Nikki Tam of Minami Yaletown never fails to delight her loyal patrons with desserts that truly wow without the intimidation factor and this Miso Pecan Mocha Mousse is the perfect dessert to enjoy with a glass of Vanessa Vineyard wine.

    Photo by Cody Chan of Minami Yaletown

    Makes 6 servings

    Ingredients:

    For the mocha mousse:

    1.5 cups dark couverture chocolate chips

    2 cups whipping cream

    1 tablespoon instant coffee

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    For the miso pecan crumble:

    3 tablespoons butter (cold)

    1/4 cup pecans

    1/2 cup all-purpose flour

    3 tablespoons brown sugar

    2 tablespoons saikyo miso

    For the mascarpone cream:

    3 tablespoons whipping cream

    1/2 cup mascarpone

    For the garnish (optional):

    Edible flowers

    Directions:

    For the mocha mousse:

    Place chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl.

    Heat cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer, turn off heat, and add instant coffee (adjust amount to taste).

    Stir cream to melt the instant coffee, then pour the mixture over the chocolate chips. Keep mixing to melt the chocolate completely. Add vanilla extract to the mixture and make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

    Once the mixture cools down, refrigerate overnight.

    Whip the mixture with an electric mixer until it reaches stiff peaks. Be careful not to overwhip.

    Fill a piping bag with mixture (star tip optional).

    For the miso pecan crumble:

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Cut cold butter into small cubes 1 centimetre per side, then combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together by hand. Keep mixing until it resembles coarse cornmeal with small chunks of butter throughout. Place mixture on a half sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

    Bake crumble until golden, approximately 8–10 minutes. Rotate the baking tray once and break apart the crumble with a spatula halfway through to ensure even baking.

    For the mascarpone cream:

    Whip cream until medium-soft peaks. Fold into mascarpone until incorporated.

    Fill a piping bag with the mixture (round tip optional).

    To assemble (can be assembled 1 day in advance):

    Place a spoonful of crumble in preferred glassware (6–8-ounce glasses work best).

    Pipe a layer of mocha mousse on top of crumble, then pipe a layer of mascarpone cream, then pipe another layer of mocha mousse.

    Top off the dessert with more crumble and decorate with mascarpone cream and/or edible flowers as desired.

     

    Enjoy!

    Originally published in Nuvo Magazine and shared with permission from Minami Yaletown. 

  • Que Syrah, Syrah

    Wine doesn’t always have to be paired with six-course meals, it can also pair perfectly with an easy homemade dinner. For a quick and delicious weeknight treat, enjoy our Grilled Turkey Burger recipe below with its favourite sidekick, our 2016 Syrah.

    Our 100% estate grown Syrah shows the power, texture, complexity and elegance of the Similkameen. The nose balances ripe plum, dried black cherry with subtle hints of jasmine and clove. The full, silky-textured palate is packed with blackberry, cassis and black pepper followed by a lingering dark chocolate finish. A unique and complimentary pairing with the Grilled Turkey Burgers.

    Recommendation: Decant for 30-60 minutes

    Ingredients

    6 lbs ground turkey
    1 stalk of leek, halved and sliced
    1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
    1/3 cup onions, grated
    1/2 tsp kosher salt
    1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
    1 tsp caraway seeds
    1 tsp dill
    1 large egg white, lightly beaten
    1 clove garlic, minced
    6 slices smoked gruyere cheese
    6 slices edam cheese
    6 of your favourite buns

    Directions

    1. Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, except for cheese and buns. Mix gently as to not overwork the turkey and form into 4 to 6 patties. Refrigerate the patties for 45 minutes.

    2. Turn the BBQ on and let heat to 400°F. Once heated, lightly oil the grill so the patties will not stick.

    3. Place the burgers on the grill, close the lid and let cook for 5-6 minutes then flip with a spatula. Turkey burgers typically take 10-12 minutes to cook and are cooked at to an internal temperature of 180°F. During the last minute, place the gruyere and edam on the burgers and close the lid halfway.

    4. Serve with your favourite toppings and homemade bistro frites.

    ~

    Enjoy!

  • Thai Grilled Beef Salad & Rose

    Vancouver Sun - Thai RecipeFrom the Vancouver Sun, a fantastic recipe for two by Steven Raichlen that they recommend with our 2016 Rosé. Steven Raichlen is widely regarded as America’s foremost authority on live fire cooking. The five-time James Beard award winner has a new cookbook out: Barbecue Sauces, Rubs and Marinades. As the Sun notes, the Project Smoke celebrity chef is in the Barbecue Hall of Fame, so you can trust him. This light meal employs a unique post-grilling marinade for super fresh flavour.

    Wine columnist, Anthony Gismondi writes on the Vanessa Vineyard Rosé wine pairing… “A richer Tavel style gives this savoury, spicy, dark berry flavoured rosé all it needs accompany the beef and seasoning in a Thai salad.”

    Thai Grilled Beef Salad Recipe:

    • 1 lb (454 g) skirt steak
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 2 tbsp (60 mL) canola oil
    • Bibb lettuce
    • English cucumber
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh mint leaves
    • 1/2 cup (125 mL) Thai or regular basil leaves
    • 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro leaves
    • 1 jalapeno, minced
    • 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped peanuts

    Preheat grill on high. Season beef with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Brush grill with oil and grill steak until cooked to taste, 3 or 4 minutes a side. Rest meat 1 minute. Thinly slice and toss with two thirds of the Thai Flavour After Marinade. Arrange lettuce, sliced cucumbers and halved cherry tomatoes on a platter. Top with beef, herbs and peanuts. Serve with remainder of marinade.

    Thai Flavour After Marinade

    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2-inch (5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
    • 1 stalk lemon grass, peeled and minced
    • 2 tbsp (60 mL) cilantro root, washed and minced (optional)
    • 5 tbsp (75 mL) sugar
    • 1 tsp (5 mL) black pepper
    • 1/2 cup (125 mL) fish sauce
    • 1/2 cup (125 mL) lime juice

    In a bowl, combine garlic, ginger, lemon grass and cilantro. Sprinkle with sugar and mash. Add fish sauce and lime juice and set aside.

  • Summer grilling: Chicago Style Steak Recipe

    chicago styleIt’s the first day of summer and we’re celebrating all things barbecued.  We’d like to share a classic recipe that is fantastic with our Meritage. This dish is courtesy of one of our favourite steakhouses, Gotham. Our full-bodied Cabernet based blend pairs beautifully with the rich and meaty flavours of this well grilled steak.

    Ingredients:
    lots of butter
    canola oil
    Kosher salt
    cracked black pepper
    good quality steaks at least 2″ thick

    Directions:

    • Turn bbq on high, put cast iron skillet on grill, close lid and leave it for fifteen minutes. preheat oven to 500.
    • Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper, then brush with canola oil.
    • Scoop pad of butter in pan and let melt, place steak in pan and add more butter. (Expect a great deal of smoke, (this is why you are outside!)
    • Add more butter and flip steak, add more butter and leave for a minute, do not let butter dry up.
    • Remove steak and allow it to rest on the cooling rack
    • Just before serving dinner place all the steaks on the rack in the oven on a cookie sheet and leave it for 1 1/2 minutes, serve.