Yakima Valley Recipes

Hazelnut-Crusted Chicken in Cherry-Wine Sauce

Featured Recipe from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining

Ingredients:

1 large egg white
1 cup hazelnuts or almonds, finely chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 cups minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup Chukar® Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

Directions:
In a shallow dish, beat the egg white until pale and frothy. Spread the hazelnuts evenly over a large plate.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the chicken breasts in the egg, let the excess egg drip off, then lightly coat the breasts in the nuts. When the oil is hot, arrange the chicken in the skillet without crowding, or cook in 2 batches. Cook the breasts until browned on the outside but not cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat, cover, and reserve.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently and lowering the heat as needed, until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cherries, white wine, and thyme and stir well. Cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir well. Add the cherry-chicken broth mixture to the reserved skillet containing the chicken breasts, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Gently turn the breasts two or three times while they simmer so they cook evenly and completely.

Place a chicken breast in the center of each dinner plate, surround with the sauce, and serve.

Braiden Rex-Johnson recommends Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, or Merlot with this entrée.

Black Forest Pork Tenderloin

Featured Recipe from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
Two 1-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat and silver skin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dry red wine, preferably good-quality Merlot
1 cup Chukar® Red Sour Cherry Preserve
1 tablespoon water (optional)
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)

Directions:
Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Lightly sprinkle the pork on all sides with the salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the pork and cook, turning with tongs, until browned on all sides, a total of 4 to 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat and continue cooking the meat, turning occasionally, until still pink at the center when cut with a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the meat to a large plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the wine and preserves to the pan, scraping up the brown bits in the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces slightly, 7 to 10 minutes. For a thicker sauce, mix the water and cornstarch and add to the pan, then stir well and simmer for 1 minute, or until thick and shiny.

To serve, slice the tenderloin and spoon the cherry-wine sauce over the meat.

Cook's Hint: For fun and variety, try sprinkling the sliced, sauced pork with fresh chopped herbs such as sage, thyme, or parsley.

Chipotle Glazed Halibut with Washington Apples

Recipe courtesy of Chef Frank Magana of Picazo 7 Seventeen

Ingredients:

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2-6 ounce halibut fillets (each about 1 inch thick)
1 cup small Washington Green Apples (seeded and sliced into thin wedges)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup Chukar Bing Cherries
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup Chukar Cherry BBQ Chipotle
1/2 cup Chukar Cherry Curried Cherry Chutney

Directions:
Start by soaking Bing Cherries in white wine. Preheat saute pan (medium-high heat). Add oil to hot saute pan, sprinkle fish with kosher salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook over medium high heat 3-4 minutes. Turn Halibut over, placing to side of pan. Add shallots and apples to pan and cook about 2 minutes. Brush Halibut with BBQ Chipotle Sauce. Add wine, Bing cherries and chopped thyme and allow to finish cooking 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. To plate, add apples and Bing cherries to center of plate, place Halibut over top of fruit and serve with Chukar Cherry Curried Cherry Chutney. Makes 2 Servings.

Cabernet Poached Filet of Beef

Recipe courtesy of Two Mountain Winery

Ingredients:

4 - 6 Tenderloin Filets, 1 ½ inches thick
1 bottle Two Mountain Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
1 medium shallot, minced
sprigs fresh thyme
1 can (10 ½ oz.) beef stock

In a large skillet, combine the TMW Cabernet Sauvignon, shallots and beef stock. Over high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the thyme and the filets - the broth should come to a simmer. Simmer gently, flipping the filets once, until desired doneness - about 4-5 minutes/side for rare.

Serve topped with Frizzled Shallots

Frizzled Shallots Ingredients:

2 large shallots, thinly slices
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots and saute until shallots are crispy and lightly browned. Mound on top of Poached Filet of Beef.

Lemberger Marinated Grilled Lamb Sandwiches

Recipe courtesy of Two Mountain Winery

Lemberger is a lighter-bodied peppery wine. It pairs beautifully with grilled lamb, (or anything off the barbecue). These sandwiches were created to celebrate a high school graduation and Father's Day.

Ingredients:

1 4-5lb boneless leg of lamb
1 cup Two Mountain Lemberger
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon brined green peppercorns, rinsed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons extra
2 French-bread baguettes, each cut crosswise into 4-5 inch pieces, and sliced lengthwise.
5 bunches green onions
Prepared olive tapenade
1 cup herbed aioli (recipe follows)

Place trimmed lamb into large sealable plastic bag. Put all marinade ingredients into blender container and puree until emulsified. Pour marinade over lamb. Marinate at least 4hours (overnight makes things easy!)

Remove lamb from marinade, (discard marinade), and grill over medium low heat on grill until desired doneness - about 35 - 40 minutes.

While lamb is resting, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over trimmed green onions. Grill onions on barbecue until slightly charred and limp. Coarsely chop green onions.

Brush baguettes with remaining olive oil and toast lightly on the grill.

For Sandwiches:
Put out bowls of olive tapenade, herbed aioli and chopped green onions. Thinly slice lamb and serve on a platter. Invite guests to create their own sandwiches, mounding green onions, lamb and sauces on toasted baguettes.

Herbed Aioli Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise (homemade or good quality store bought)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 slices roasted red peppers (canned)

Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth

Bruschetta

Featured Recipe from Howard Johnson Plaza/Sangha’s Restaurant Chef: Mariano Orozco

"This Italian appetizer is easy to pull together for last minute holiday guests, made with fresh spinach, and some other goodies usually kept in most pantries. A French baguette is a long, narrow loaf of French bread. I like to garnish the bruschetta with more basil."

Wine pairing
The lightness of the heirlooms and the fresh flavors of the ingredients will pair well with either a red or a white Yakima Valley Wine so I gave you one of each option to try with this fresh seasonal dish. A Sangiovese and a Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) loaf French baguette
1 1/2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups finely chopped almonds
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Arrange the bread slices on a non-stick cookie sheet.
2. In an electric blender or food processor combine the spinach, Parmesan, almonds, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until a paste forms. Pulse in 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue pulsing until the mixture is the consistency of soft butter.
3. In a small mixing bowl combine chopped tomatoes, green onion and 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir.
4. Bake the bread slices for 5 minutes or until crisp and brown.
5. Arrange toast on a serving platter. Spread each piece of toast with a thin layer of the blended pesto, then top with the tomato mixture.

Members of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau who are interested in submitting a Yakima Valley Recipe can contact Kirsten Danielson, Director of Marketing, for more information.