This is my video recipe version of the famous French fricassee, Coq au Vin, which means, "rooster in wine." The reason that this delicious braised dish traditionally uses an old rooster is its generous amounts of connective tissue, like collagen, which breaks down to form an extra rich and sticky sauce. This gooey goodness is one thing all great stewed recipes have in common.
Having said that, my neighborhood grocery store suffers from a chronic lack of tough, old roosters. There are lots of old hens, but that's a joke for another post. So, this version uses chicken thighs, which are still very delicious, and make the recipe much easier to prep, and faster to cook.
A couple of things to keep in mind when making this dish - Make sure the mushrooms are quartered, instead of sliced. This really gives them a meatier texture. Why? I don't know, just do it. And for heaven's sake, buy some shallots this time. Every grocery store with a parking lot has them now, so why do you keep leaving them out? They are just as easy to use as onions and garlic, and their flavor is fantastic in this recipe. Enjoy! Click here for ingredients and transcript
These shots were taken by my Mother-in-law Peggy, who really captured the true essence of an authentic vineyard. If you're ever lucky enough to tour California's wine regions, be sure to get off the beaten paths and experience the look, smell and feel of real, family-run wineries. Sure, you may not get a free refrigerator magnet, like at those giant, soulless, corporate-owned wine factories, but you will be compensated with something even more attractive.
By the way, I'll be back tomorrow with a brand new video recipe! Enjoy!
Below you'll see: Bill Frick, wine maker extraordinaire; the beautiful vineyards and winery; Bill's son Michael's "seashell car"; Bill's home overlooking the vineyards; the world's second most famous leaning tower; and the last shot is the tasting room where we do all the food. (click to enlarge)
This weekend's food and wine pairing at the Frick Winery was a smashing success! We served a record 1,200 guests, and had a lot of fun doing it. I'm still catching up on a massive email backup and have some deadlines at About.com to meet, but I hope to do some video recipes of the items soon. For now you have to settle for a quick photo (click to enlarge) and description. By the way, special thanks to Bill, Dallas and the entire Frick family, as well as our incredible kitchen crew; Al, Peggy (this year's MVP), Julie, Merv, and my beautiful and talented wife Michele!
The first item was wild Ahi tuna seared and served rare on a wasabi rice chip. It was topped with a pink ginger dressing and a pinch of seaweed salad. It was probably the most popular bite we served. It was paired with Bill Frick's white wines; a Grenache Blanc, and Viognier.
The second item was ripe Cambazola cheese served on fig bread, with sweet organic strawberries on the side. This is called the "Cinsaut Classic" since we've served it with the Frick Cinsaut wines for the last 12 years! It's a perfect pairing, and while we change the food pairings every year, this bite remains a sweet, salty, and savory constant.
Next came a mini-meatball sandwich. Olive oil and spicy tomato sauce were spread on some herbed focaccia, which was topped with a slice of meatball, Parmesan, and fresh mozzarella. A little garlic oil and Italian parsley finished this delicious bite. It was paired with a Merlot, and Frick's new Red/Red, which is a Cabernet/Syrah blend.
And last, but in no way least, was a wild boar sausage skewered with a black mission fig and watercress leaf. It was served on some crushed hazelnuts, and paired with Frick's magnificent Syrah. The sweet dried figs were quickly poached in the Syrah, sugar, and black pepper. This was probably my favorite bite, and a great combination of flavors and textures.
I will hopefully be caught up soon, and back with new videos and other assorted foodie fun. I hope you enjoy the photos and descriptions, and maybe even order some wine from the Frick winery. Cheers!
We're just about ready to leave for Sonoma, so I probably won't be posting until Monday or Tuesday. I will hopefully have some beautiful photos of our menu to show. Below I've reposted the only video I have of an actual Passport appetizer. We've served this one several times and it's a great bite to pair with red wine. Keep it in mind the next time you are entertaining.
This version uses cream cheese, but we've done it using Teleme, and Crescenza (you'll have to Google them unless you are a real cheese head). Anyway, keep an eye on the blog while I'm gone. Enjoy!
My wife and I are right in the middle of preparing for a huge catering event this weekend in Sonoma. It’s called “Passport to Dry Creek Valley,” which is an annual event showing off the wines, and vineyards, of the beautiful Dry Creek Valley (photo from visitwineroad.com). We will be doing the food for our dear friend Bill Frick, at the amazing Frick Winery for the 12th straight year. Despite all the planning and prep work, it's a lot of fun and we always look forward to it.
There are over 50 wineries involved in this event, and thousands of wine enthusiasts will be eating and sipping their way through the valley. By the way, if you have a chance, check out the Frick Winery website. Bill produces some of the most delicious wine in California.
Due to the limited time to film clips and write articles, there will probably not be any new videos until after the weekend. I may do a couple posts before I leave, especially if any new About video recipes air, but no promises! This will be the perfect time to review your favorite recipes and make sure you haven't missed any. Don't forget to use the google search box in the side bar to find the ingredients you are interested in. Enjoy!
The spring sun says, "Use fresh green asparagus," but the chilly breeze says "how about a creamy, comforting casserole?" I say let's have both. This video recipe shows my fairly straightforward approach to the great American casserole. This recipe can be used for almost any combination of protein and vegetable, and the results will be just as delicious.
I'm not usually a big "blancher" of asparagus, preferring to pan-roast or grill it, but in this recipe the quick dip in boiling water is necessary to lock in that beautiful green color that remains vibrant even after 30 minutes of baking. The other atypical behavior here is the use of canned cream of mushroom soup. I can't ever remember using it to make soup. Why would you, when homemade mushroom soup is so far superior? But, when making a casserole, it seems completely right, if not required.
No matter what kind of casserole you're making, the best part is the crispy top. You Seinfeld fans will, of course, fondly remember the muffin tops, and pudding skins episodes. What about a restaurant that serves only the top of the casserole? Let's see, what should I call it?
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter 1/2 onion, diced 2 cloves minced garlic 2 tbsp flour 3 cups milk 1 can cream of mushroom soup cayenne and salt to taste 8 oz dry wide egg noodles 2 bunch asparagus 4 cooked chicken breasts 6 oz white cheddar cheese 3/4 cup bread crumbs 2 tbsp olive oil
I'm still working on the redesign, but I got tired of looking at that stupid jackhammering Chef clipart, so I took a break to post this photo of a very sexy, and young, spring chicken (is that redundant?).
Also known as "game hen," this tender and sweet bird was marinated in blood orange juice, garlic, chili sauce and rosemary. It was then grilled over hickory to this gorgeous finish.
Forks and knifes were quickly replaced by fingers, and the fabulous birds were torn limb from limb. God they were good. I promise to film this one next time! Okay, back to the lab.
This is my video recipe version of the famous French fricassee, Coq au Vin, which means, "rooster in wine." The reason that this delicious braised dish traditionally uses an old rooster is its generous amounts of connective tissue, like collagen, which breaks down to form an extra rich and sticky sauce. This gooey goodness is one thing all great stewed recipes have in common. 
