If You Can’t Finish The Bottle, You Can Still Use The Wine

“What do you do with leftover wine?”
“What’s leftover wine?”
-The Washington Post

We’ve all been there at one point or another: It’s usually that fourth bottle we shouldn’t have opened the night before, and now it sits there, taunting us, that last few ounces on the counter that we can’t bear to throw away, but also can’t bear to think of drinking. Not with this headache, this cotton-mouth. So what to do with it?

Well, as you know, we here at WINO provide all kinds of wine-related services, and our service doesn’t stop once you crack that bottle of wine. We’ve shown you how to choose wine, drink wine, dance with wine, read with wine, and now, we help you avoid wasting wine.

As I’ve previously stated, the best wine is one shared with friends. The use of leftover wine is no exception. So call up some friends and set aside five nights for epicurean indulgence, because it’s time for the virtual “First Annual Progressive Wine Dinner Party,” also known as “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Leftover Wine.”

Night 1

Let’s start simple, shall we? But we can still impress, and build the anticipation for future nights. The first night is, of course, the most challenging, because, while you want to use wine, you haven’t really planned on having so much left over. So in the following recipe, the wine you use won’t matter! I use Port, but any wine will do. Understand, of course, that the flavor will be affected. It just depends on what you’re in the mood for. Put another way, buy some Port, cheapskate!

Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce

1. Butterfly 1 (4 lb) beef tenderloin by cutting lengthwise about 2/3 through. Open onto a flat surface, and use a meat mallet to pound to 3/4 inch thick. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. Place 1 (10 oz) package of thawed frozen spinach into a colander, and squeeze to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Combine in a bowl with 8 oz Goat Cheese, 1 Tbsp. each chopped fresh rosemary and thyme. Set aside.
3. Top beef with 1 (12 oz) jar of roasted red peppers, drained, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around the edges. Top with 1 bunch whole basil leaves.
4. Spoon the cheese mixture on one end of the peppers and basil. This will be the very center of your roll. Begin rolling the beef tightly, like a jelly roll, and secure using butcher string or bamboo skewers. Refrigerate for at least an hour to set.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add tenderloin, and brown on all sides. Move beef to a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 30-40 minutes.
6. In the same pan used to brown the beef, cook 2 minced shallots until just softened. Add 1/4 cup port wine and reduce by half. Add 1 cup beef broth and bring to a boil. Dissolve 1 Tbsp. corn starch in 1/4 cup beef broth; add to pan and stir until thickened. Add 1/3 cup tomato paste and 1 tsp. fresh rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Remove tenderloin from oven. Take the rack out of the pan, and allow the beef to rest for at least ten minutes.
8. Set the roasting pan over medium high heat. Deglaze with 1/4 cup beef stock, stirring to loosen browned bits. Add port wine sauce, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat, and swirl in 2 Tbsp. butter.
9. Cut the tenderloin into 1-inch slices. Pour sauce onto each plate, and top with the beef. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve with fresh green beans, or other seasonal green vegetable.

Crack open the Cabernet, baby! It’s time to get the food, companionship, and wine off to a good start! It’s time to bask in the compliments and genius of your culinary skills. But don’t tell the secret, as you surreptitiously slide that partial bottle of wine into a safe spot. You’re going to need it for the next round!

WINO Match-Maker: Branzino and Vino

Chester Gerl and Chris Lara Bring You the Perfect Pair

By Julien Perry

“What wine goes with this dish?” It’s a question WINO wants to help you answer by tapping into the wine libraries of those who know best. In this issue, chef Chester Gerl of Matt’s in the Market teams up with his wine director, Chris Lara, to bring you a knock-out dish with wines to match. From the bargain wine to the splurge, we’ve got you covered.

Roasted Branzino with Manila Clams, Spanish Chorizo, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes and Purple Tomatoes

This recipe has all the bright colors of spring, but is perfect for fall. Chef Chester Gerl took inspiration from Pike Place Market to create this dish, which he recently presented at the James Beard House in NYC. Almost everything in this recipe was purchased from the Market—from the signature spice blend courtesy of Market Spice, to the branzino and clams. The tomatillos, however, are from Chester’s personal garden. The apple-sweet fruit will be gone by the first frost, but can be found in most supermarkets year-round.

Embeding recipes with Kitchen Monki

As an online publisher, one of my favorite features of KitchenMonki.com is the ability to embed recipes into almost any publishing platform. With just a single line of cut-and-paste code, a formatted recipe, which includes ingredients, tags, and all the fixin’s, is rendered automatically to the page. Internet voodoo, to be sure.

Below is my own take on a Mediterranean sandwich, brought to you by the Monki.

Drink Pink

When it comes to food & wine pairing, it’s time to think Pink!

By Marcus Pape & Melissa Peterman, EAT & DRINK In The Northwest

You may resist the idea of rosé for various conscious or subconscious reasons. Maybe your hesitation is due to the stigma created twenty years ago by a little wine called Beringer White Zin (which is actually considered “blush” not rosé), or maybe you just don’t like the idea of drinking something pink. Well you’re not alone, because there are many people out there that faithfully declare “I won’t drink pink.” Why, because it’s not “serious” wine?!

Well, if you enjoy pairing wine and food, then you’ll want to take another “serious” look at this jewel of the dining room table. Rosé by nature is one of the best, most food-friendly wine styles available in your arsenal. It carries flavor and structure characteristics of both white and red wines, with the refreshing acidity of a white and tannic backbone of a red (depending on skin contact).

So, the next time you’re struggling with what to pair, or if you just don’t feel like trying so hard, rosé is your go-to option for almost any food-pairing occasion. Best of all, rosé wines tend to be less expensive than either of their full-blooded counter parts.

Romance, Wino Style

By Melissa Peterman

You hand-knitted your sweetheart a scarf for Christmas, and created love coupons for back rubs and long walks for their birthday, all in the effort to save money in this horrific economy. Now, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you’re thinking “How do I pull this one off?”