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Holidays at Home
Wine Country Style
Beef Tenderloin With Prosciutto & Pinot Noir Sauce,
Savory Beef Ragoût,
Asian Beef Meatballs and
Tangerine Dipping Sauce
 (Family Features) - Chef Jeffrey Starr brings the pleasures of his holiday table
to yours with favorite beef recipes and Sutter Home wines.
These are the foods he serves to family and friends — each
is traditional, but with his unique touch.
- Beef meatballs are perfect meal starters to enjoy with
wine. But when dressed up with beef-friendly Asian flavors
and tangerine dipping sauce, they're holiday special.
- Fork-tender beef ragoût showcases the savory flavors of the
simmering sauce in every bite. A sprinkle of parsley and
basil adds an exciting layer of flavor and color.
- Elegant roasted beef tenderloin is accompanied by a
delicious Pinot Noir sauce — a perfect pairing with the
unexpected wrapping of prosciutto that covers the
tenderloin.
For more information, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and
sutterhome.com.
Holiday Tips & Techniques
- It's a smart idea to order holiday beef roasts in advance
to ensure you get the size and type of roast you need.
- When cooking beef for stew, remember the secrets to
success: simmer gently, tightly covered, and don't peek!
- For the most moist and tender meatballs, combine the beef
mixture gently. Overmixing can result in a firm, compact
texture.
- Offer a selection of wines so guests can mix, match and
discover their own favorites. Serve red wines at "cellar
temperature" - about 55°F. White wines should be chilled in
a refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Always use good quality wine for cooking. If you wouldn't
enjoy the wine to drink, you wouldn't want to cook with it.
- One 750ml bottle of wine will yield approximately five
4-ounce glasses. One case (12 bottles) will yield
approximately 60 glasses.
Beef Tenderloin With Prosciutto & Pinot Noir Sauce
Total preparation and cooking time: About 1 hour
1 center-cut beef tenderloin roast (about 3 pounds)
6 thin slices prosciutto
Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
1 thin slice prosciutto, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups Sutter Home Pinot Noir
1 cup canned beef consommé
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
- Heat oven to 425°F. Wrap 6 prosciutto slices over beef
roast, overlapping pieces as needed to cover roast. Tie
roast at 1-1/2 to 2-inch intervals with kitchen twine.
- Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert
ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest
part of beef, not resting in fat. Roast in 425°F oven 35 to
40 minutes for medium rare; 45 to 50 minutes for medium
doneness.
- Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135°F for
medium rare; 150°F for medium. Transfer roast to carving
board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 to 20
minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to
reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.)
- Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high
heat until hot. Add onion, celery, carrots, prosciutto,
garlic and thyme; cook and stir 8 to 12 minutes or until
onions are lightly browned. Add wine and consommé; increase
heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat;
simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain vegetables and skim fat from sauce, if necessary.
Return sauce to pan. Cook over high heat about 10 minutes or
until sauce is reduced to 1-1/2 cups. Stir in butter and
season with salt, as desired. Carve roast into thick slices;
serve with sauce. Makes 6 servings.
Cook's Tip: To tie a beef roast, use pieces of kitchen twine
or butcher's string. Tie each piece of string firmly, but
not tightly, into a knot against the meat. Trim off any
excess string. When tying a stuffed roast, some of the
stuffing may press out. Tuck it back into the tied areas
with your fingers.
Wine Notes: Whenever wine is used in a sauce, it helps to
bring the two together by serving the same wine, or a
similar one. This most tender of beef cuts calls for a soft
red wine with smooth tannins such as Pinot Noir or Syrah.
Savory Beef Ragoût
Total preparation and cooking time: 2-1/4 to 3 hours
3 pounds beef for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter
3 medium onions, sliced
1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
1 cup Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
- Lightly coat beef with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in
large stockpot over medium heat until hot. Brown 1/4 of
beef; remove and keep warm. Continue to brown beef in three
more batches using 1 tablespoon oil for each batch.
- Reduce heat to medium-low; add butter and 2 tablespoons
oil to stockpot. Add onions; cook and stir 25 to 30 minutes,
or until they begin to caramelize. Stir in garlic during
last 2 minutes of cooking time.
- Return beef to stockpot. Add tomatoes, broth, wine,
paprika, lemon peel, 1 teaspoon salt, red pepper and 1/4
teaspoon black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover
tightly and simmer 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours, or until beef is
fork-tender. Stir in parsley and basil. Season with salt and
pepper, as desired. Makes 8 servings.
Cook's Tip: Serve this hearty stew over buttered egg
noodles.
Wine Notes: Flavor-forward braised dishes like beef ragoût
bring out the tannins in wine. Choose one with soft tannins
like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. These food-friendly wines
will enhance the hearty flavors in this classic stew.
Asian Beef Meatballs
Total preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons minced green onion
2 tablespoons minced salted peanuts
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
Tangerine Dipping Sauce (see recipe)
- Heat oven to 400°F. Combine ground beef, green onion,
peanuts, soy sauce, cilantro, garlic and ginger in large
bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 28 (1-1/4-
inch) meatballs. Place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 400°F
oven 13 to 14 minutes to medium (160°F) doneness, or until
no longer pink in center and juices show no pink color.
Serve with Tangerine Dipping Sauce. Makes 28 meatballs.
Tangerine Dipping Sauce
Total preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh tangerine juice
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon freshly grated tangerine peel
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
- Combine all ingredients except sesame oil in small bowl.
Whisk in sesame oil. Serve with Asian Beef Meatballs. Makes
1/2 cup.
Wine Notes: The jammy, spicy fruit of Sutter Home Zinfandel
marries nicely with the tangy citrus sauce in this dish. But
if you prefer a white wine, light, crisp Sauvignon Blanc
pairs perfectly with spicy foods and will tame the hint of
heat.
SOURCE: Cattlemen's Beef Board and
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Sutter Home Winery
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