Recipes from Nonna's Kitchen:Buon Appetito!

Come and share some of our favorite recipes. Check back often as we like to add new
and exciting recipes that enhance your wines, and some that are just plain tasty!



Spicy Thai Chicken Wings with Mango Salad

Ingredients

20 chicken wings
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated
1 tablespoon garlic, freshly chopped
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce to taste
6 lime wedges to garnish

Directions

  1. Rinse chicken wings with cold water and pat dry. Place wings in a large glass bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl combine pepper, ginger, garlic, palm sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, lime juice and chili garlic sauce and stir to evenly combine. Add the wings and toss evenly with the marinade. Place the wings in the refrigerator and allow them to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of overnight.
  3. When ready to bake the wings, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  4. Place the wings on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, turning them half way through. Wings are done when they look shiny, golden brown and have a bit of a crispy edge around them.
  5. Serve with your favourite hot sauce.

 

Mango Salad

Ingredients

3 medium ripe mangoes
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Sugar to taste (if desired )

Directions

  1. Rinse chicken wings with cold water and pat dry. Place wings in a large glass bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl combine pepper, ginger, garlic, palm sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, lime juice and chili garlic sauce and stir to evenly combine. Add the wings and toss evenly with the marinade. Place the wings in the refrigerator and allow them to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of overnight.
  3. When ready to bake the wings, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  4. Place the wings on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, turning them half way through. Wings are done when they look shiny, golden brown and have a bit of a crispy edge around them.
  5. Serve with your favourite hot sauce.

 

Basic Chicken Stock

This is a good basic stock to keep in the freezer to use as a base for other soups,  as a flavor base for sauces, or to use on it's own By having a good homemade stock on hand you can put together a meal in mere minutes. I make this broth every other week or so and freeze it in 2 cup sized containers to use when needed. Simmer it slowly to prevent cloudiness. To create a richer, darker broth,  you can also roast the chicken in pieces in the oven first before simmering.

Ingredients

Small Stewing Chicken (Or Equivalent In Chicken Pieces, About 2 to 3 Pounds)
Salt & Pepper To Taste
3 Stalks Of Celery, Cut Into 2 Inch Pieces
3 Carrots, Peeled And Cut Into 2 Inch Pieces
1 Medium Onion, Coarsely Chopped
1 Tomato, Quartered
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Leaves
1 Bay Leaf

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, just cover with water and simmer on low for about 3 hours.
  2. Periodically, as the soup simmers, skim off the foam with a ladle.
  3. Drain the broth from the other ingredients, and strain the broth through cheesecloth.
  4. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Use as desired.

 

Basic Risotto

This recipe is for a simple, basic risotto. Try adding some mushrooms, chicken or seafood for a unique change.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6
6 Cups Chicken Broth, Heated
6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter (2 Tbsp Removed To Finish The Dish)
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
2 Cups Arborio Rice
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

  1. Heat the 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan.
  2. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent.
  3. Add the rice and stir until it is well coated with the butter.
  4. Add the white wine, and stir continually over medium heat until it is absorbed.
  5. Start to add 1/2 cup of hot broth, stirring as it is absorbed. Continue in this manner, adding ladles full of hot broth, and stirring continuously for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked, but remains slightly firm to the teeth.
  6. Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter & the Parmesan cheese.
  7. Serve, offering additional cheese if desired.

 

Nonna's Sicilian Rice Balls

Ingredients

750g of Arborio Italian rice
1lb of lean ground beef
1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 can of peas (rinsed & drained)
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tsp of oregano
1 tbsp of butter
½ cup of parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 cup of flour
1 tre stelle mozzarella ball (cube mozzarella into ½ inch squares)
1 pkg of saffron (small pouch) -optional

Directions

Sauce

  1. In a frying pan brown your meat, drain & set aside. 
  2. Add oil in saucepan (enough to cover bottom of pan) and sauté garlic & onions until golden.
  3. Add tomatoes & season with salt, pepper & oregano.
  4. Add the peas and ground beef. Stir well, simmer for about 1 hr.

Rice Balls

  1. Cook the rice as directed on the package.
  2. Drain well after cooking and put in a large bowl and add butter, parmesan cheese and one egg. 
  3. Season with salt & pepper to taste & mix in the saffron.
  4. Mix until well blended, set aside and let cool until you can handle with your hands.
  5. In separate bowls and plates; set up the following:
    In a bowl - strain sauce (using meat mixture for filling).
    In a plate - place the mozzarella cubes.
    In another plate - 1 cup of flour to start (you may need more).
    In a small bowl - 2 eggs beaten with ½ cup of milk (add salt & pepper to taste).
    In a plate - 1 cup of breadcrumbs (may need more).
    Finally, fill a medium bowl with water (you will need to keep hands moist).
  6. Once rice has cooled off; take some rice in your palm (tennis ball size) place a few pieces of mozzarella and a full tsp of the meat mixture in the centre of the rice, then close off with some rice forming a ball. You may have to keep wetting your hands to work the rice.
  7. Roll through the flour, egg and coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a tray and set aside. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until all the rice is used up. 
  8. Using a deep fryer place 3-4 rice balls in hot oil and fry until golden brown; (a frying pan will do) place on a plate with paper towel to drain from oil.

 

Sangria

Ingredients

1 Bottle of Red Wine
1/2 cup Brandy
1/2 cup Triple Sec
6 oz Lemon-Lime Soda or Gingerale
1 Orange
1 Lemon
1 Lime
1 Cup Mixed Berries

Directions

  1. Cut Lemon, lime and orange into wedges, and put into a pitcher with berries.
  2. Add in rest of the ingredients and stir well.
  3. Let sit for 2 hours or more. Serve over Ice.

 

Ruby's On Ice - by Liz Silva-Hall

Ingredients

2 cups mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
Mint leaves
2 pkgs frozen raspberries (thawed)
1 vanilla pod (for sauce)
4 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
3 cups KRC Pinot Noir (for sauce)
3/4 cup sugar (for sauce)

Directions

  1. Quarter fresh strawberries so they are ready to go.
  2. In a blender puree the thawed raspberries.
  3. In a fairly large saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat the wine, the pureed raspberries, vanilla pod and sugar. Boil for about 30 minutes until mixture is reduced to half.
  4. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Once the mixture is cooled, place in fridge and chill for about 1 hour.
  5. Stir together the cheese and sugar in a medium size mixing bowl.
  6. In 8 large margarita glasses layer ingredients as follows: mascarpone mixture on the bottom, then the berries and wine sauce, finish with a dollop of the cheese mixture and a mint leaf. If you have any strawberries left over you can add quarter piece on the top.