Big House Red

A true trump card, Big House Red pairs well with all grilled meats, lasagna Bolognese, grilled vegetables or even sashimi grade Ahi tuna.

Big House Red Sliders

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ pounds ground chuck
• 1 tablespoon of Big House Red wine
• 12 Three-inch dinner rolls
• 2 yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ cup of watercress
• ½ cup of radicchio

Condiments

• Caramelized onions (sauté sliced onions in olive oil slowly to caramelize, about 20 minutes)
• ½ cup loosely packed watercress
• ½ cup thinly shredded radicchio

In a medium bowl, combine onion powder, minced fresh garlic, pepper, salt, Big House Red wine and beef. Shape into twelve small 3 inch round, ½ inch thick mini-patties. Grill until browned, 3–4 minutes per side.

Heat or grill dinner rolls until slightly toasted. On bottom of each roll, place caramelized onions, patty, watercress, and radicchio.

Cap with dinner roll top.

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Crockpot Crook Barbecue Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1½ cups tomato ketchup
• 1¾ tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2¾ tablespoons brown sugar
• 1½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

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Big House Red Lamb Lollipops with Mint Pesto and Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce

Create mint pesto by combining first 6 ingredients in a food processor until a paste forms. Set aside.

Brush chops with oil and wine and season with salt and pepper. Grill chops for 2 minutes per side. Arrange on a platter and serve with mint pesto.

Mint Pesto

• 1 clove minced garlic
• ¼ cup minced fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons ground pine nuts
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Lamb Chops
• 12 small lamb chops or lamb riblets, (Frenched and trimmed)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Big House Red wine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce

• 3 cups of Greek-Style plain yogurt
• 1 to 2 small cucumbers, peeled
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of white pepper

Grate the cucumbers and drain them for about 1 hour.

Squeeze the excess water from them with your hands.

Put the garlic through a garlic press and then add it to the thickened yogurt along with the cucumbers, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Mix well; cover and refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors come together.

Serve with stuffed grape leaves, pita bread and grilled Big House Red Lamb Lollipops.

Alternatives: Also works well with grilled chicken, seafood, tofu and vegetables; pairs deliciously with both Big House Red and Big House White wines.

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Big House White

It’s quite possibly the perfect accompaniment to summer “chain gang” duties in the yard, fresh fish, Asian cuisine or even Sunday morning fruit salads.

• ½ pint cherry tomatoes
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pesto sauce
• 1 lemon
• Tilapia filets (8 oz.)
• Salt and pepper
• Garnish

Combine the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil with salt and pepper as desired. Preheat oven to 425°F, then roast in oven for about 10 minutes.

Juice the lemon and mix it with the pesto. Spread lemon juice/pesto mixture generously on top of the fish. Cut the juiced lemon halves in half again and place two of the ¼ lemons under each filet for support, elevating the fish to allow it to roast rather than boil. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until fish is flaky and no longer opaque.

Plate the fish with the garlic and tomatoes. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

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Unchained Naked Chardonnay

Unchained “Naked” Chardonnay pairs well with braised scallops, pork tenderloin, roasted chicken or fresh pasta with olive oil and basil.

Guilty Gus’s Grilled Lemon Chicken

• 5 lbs roasting chicken, halved lengthwise
• ½ cup olive oil
• Lemon juice (2 lemons worth)
• 1.5 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground, coarse black pepper

Combine lemon juice, olive oil and oregano. Pour over the chicken halves in a large baking dish. Sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of the chicken. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours, turning the chicken at least once during the marinating process.

Preheat grill, arranging charcoal to allow for indirect heat. Place chicken with skin facing down on the middle of the grill. Turn chicken when skin is nicely browned and continue to cook for 1–2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 170˚F. Remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

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The Usual Suspect Cabernet Sauvignon

This inmate enjoys being paired with all sorts of comfort foods, like short ribs, filet mignon, lamb chops, spaghetti Bolognese or a dark chocolate torte.

Herb’n Outlaw Hanger Steaks

• 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and minced
• 3 lbs hanger steaks
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

In a spice grinder, combine the dried thyme, dried rosemary, marjoram and oregano, and blend the herbs until a powder forms. Rub the minced garlic cloves over the hanger steaks and sprinkle with the sweet paprika. Dust the steaks with the powdered herbs, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding.

Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season them generously with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks over 325˚F until they are charred on the outside and medium-rare on the inside (about 11–12 minutes per side). Transfer the steaks to a carving board to rest for 15 minutes. Working from both sides and using a sharp knife, slice the steaks against the grain until you reach the strip of gristle in the center—discard the gristle. Arrange the slices on a platter and serve.

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Baby Back Ribs

• ½ cup Big House Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 rack of baby back ribs
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup Worcester sauce
• ¼ cup chili sauce
• ¼ cup tomato or bbq sauce
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 3 green onions finely chopped
• ¼ cup honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp chili flakes

For one rack, put the ingredients in a big plastic Ziploc bag and mix. When mixed add the ribs and marinate overnight.

Preheat the oven 300 degrees F.

Tear off 3–4 pieces and place in a sheet of foil and wrap tightly.

Continue with the rest of the rack.

Take the tightly foil wrapped ribs and bake them at 300 degrees F for about 2.5–2.75 hours.

When finished, wait for the ribs to a warm temperature before serving.

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Cardinal Zin

Alibi Alsatian Pizza

• 1 cup flour, plus flour for rolling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3/8 cup warm water
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ lb. smoked bacon, cut into ¼ inch strips
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced thin
• ½ cup fromage blanc or cottage cheese
• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

Combine the flour and teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl or in the work bowl of a food processor. Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water and stir in the sugar. Add to the flour all at once and stir or motor until smooth (be careful not to over-process). Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F and coat two large baking sheets with a little bit of vegetable oil. Divide the dough into four parts, and on a well-floured surface, roll each part into an 8-inch round. Place the rounds on the oiled baking sheets and set aside. Combine the fromage blanc or cottage cheese, the crème fraîche and the 1 tablespoon of flour and stir or process until smooth.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until some of the fat is released, then add the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes, or until the onion is barely softened.

Distribute the cheese evenly between the rounds of dough and spread it up to the edges. Sprinkle the bacon and onions on top. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is browned.

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The Birdman Pinot Grigio

A Gangster’s Grilled Jumbo Shrimp

• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• cup fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot
• ½ cup butter
• 16 large shrimp with shell and head left on, halved lengthwise
• leaving attached 1 inch below the head
• Salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• White rum, for sprinkling

Pulse parsley, basil, garlic and shallots in food processor until finely minced (if you do not have a food processor, the ingredients can be minced with a knife). Add minced ingredients with butter to small sauce pan over medium heat until butter can be stirred and ingredients combined.

Spread Shrimp open, season with salt and pepper, and brush liberally with the herb butter. Grill over a medium-hot flame with the shell facing down until slightly charred (1–2 minutes). Turn and grill the other side until lightly browned (about 1 minute). Flip again and lather with more herb butter, sprinkle with rum and grill until barely cooked through and bubbling (about 1 minute longer).

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One Mean Chicken Tagine

• 4 chicken breasts
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 small onions, sliced into rings
• ¼ cup oil (not olive oil)
• Salt and pepper
• 1–2 potato, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1–2 tomato, cut into wedges
• 3–4 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

Heat the oil in the tagine over a low heat and sauté the garlic and onions for a few minutes. Mix in the turmeric. Then place the chicken breasts on the bottom and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let the chicken brown, turn and continue cooking until the other side is brown.

Spread the carrots and potatoes evenly around the meat. Add ½ cup water and cover again. Continue cooking over low heat. When the vegetables are nearly cooked, sprinkle the tomato wedges over the top along with more salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the vegetables are done.

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