Dry Creek Barrel Tasting Weekend

This weekend we catered the annual Dry Creek Barrel Tasting for Dutcher Crossing Winery and Quivera Winery with a fabulous turn out for both wineries with well over 2,000 each.  No doubt helped by the lovely weather and beautiful drive out Dry Creek Road, not to mention the wine and food!

At Dutcher we did a wonderful Risotto topped with Sausage Ragu and Roasted Rosemary Cherry Tomatoes.  I actually had email requests for the recipe before the first day was even over!

Risotto
4 Tbs butter
1 small onion diced – approx ½ c
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp thyme- dried
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
4 cups broth chicken or veg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Saute onions, thyme and garlic in butter till tender.  Add rice and sauté untill well coated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in 1 cup of wine, reduce to medium heat, stir till combined.  Continue to add broth 1 cup at a time, allowing it to be absorbed between batches.  This will take 15 to 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Finish with parmesan.

Sausage Ragu
1 lbs sweet Italian sausage
1 Tbs fennel seed
1 small onion diced – approx ½ c
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
¼ cup olive oil
15 oz can crushed tomatoes

Place first 6 ingredients in a heavy bottom sauté pan over medium heat.  Cook till brown, you can choose the texture of the ragu by how much you macerate the meat.  Add tomatoes; simmer 15-20 minutes till liquid evaporates.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
1 basket grape cherry tomatoes
1 Tbs olive oil
1-2” stem rosemary
Salt and pepper

Strip Rosemary from the stem.  Place all ingredients on a baking sheet and mix to coat.  Bake at 300 for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes burst.

To serve - Entrée portion
Place 1 cup of Risotto on a plate or bowl, top with ½ cup of Sausage Ragu.  Finish with cherry tomatoes and fresh parmesan.
Enjoy,
A