Welcome to today’s issue of ‘Wine Wednesday!’ This is week #3 of our “Hosting for the Holidays” series, during which we’ll provide a recipe for each dinner course and pair it with a wine and a cocktail. Next week, when we conclude this series, you’ll have a complete four-course wine, spirit and dinner menu that will ‘Wow’ any guest!

So far, the recommended appetizer course included our Tenderloin Crostini with Whipped Horseradish and Watercress, paired with Argyle Pinot Noir and/or our Cool as a Cucumber cocktail. For your salad course, we recommended the Harvest Green Salad with Sea Bass and Roasted Caper Vinaigrette paired with Saint M Riesling or a Bellini cocktail.

Next up is the main attraction…the entree!  Of course, being Morton’s, we’re going to feature a tried-and-true steak (the Grilled Ribeye) and pair it with Sauteed Mushrooms and Baked Sweet Onions with Gruyere Cheese, alongside Ladera Cabernet and the classic Hendrick’s Gin Mortini. 

Featured Entree: Grilled Ribeye, Sauteed Mushrooms and Baked Sweet Onions with Gruyere Cheese

Morton's Ribeye Steak

Morton's Grilled Ribeye Steak

INGREDIENTS – Grilled Ribeye

Ribeye Steak, 16 ounces
1/2 tsp. (1/4 tsp. each side) Seasoned Salt (preferably Morton’s!)
1 TBL Beef Broth
1 sprig fresh Watercress

INSTRUCTIONS – Grilled Ribeye

1.     Season ribeye with Seasoned Salt on both sides
2.     Broil to desired temperature

  • Broiling times are approximate and subject to varying broiler temperatures and number of steaks on the broiler at the time.
  • Rare 4 minutes each side
  • Medium Rare 5 minutes each side
  • Medium 5-6 minutes each side
  • Medium Well 7-8 minutes each side
  • Well 9 1/2 minutes each side

3.     Place cooked steak on hot oval dinner plate and top with beef broth.

INGREDIENTS – Sautéed Mushrooms
2 ounces Butter, unsalted
1 ½ tsp Shallots, chopped
14 ounces Button Mushrooms, white, whole
Salt to taste (approx. ½ tsp.)
White Pepper to taste (approx. 1/8 tsp.)
1 ounce Beef Broth
½ tsp. Parsley, fresh, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS – Sautéed Mushrooms
1. Place 2 scoops of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat.
2. When the butter is bubbling but not browned, add the shallots and the mushrooms. Season the mushrooms with salt and white pepper.
3. Sauté the mushrooms for approx. 7 minutes until they begin to soften and release moisture.
4. Add the beef broth to the pan and reduce for approx. 30 seconds.
5. Add the parsley to the mushrooms, toss, drain any excess liquid and place in a hot oval baking dish.
6. Place the baking dish on a small oval plate and serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS – Baked Sweet Onions with Gruyere Cheese
24 Vidalia Onions (Medium)
1 ounce Extra Virgin, Bertolli Olive Oil
1 tsp. Black Pepper, freshly ground from pepper mill
3 cups Beef Broth
3 TBL Kikkoman Soy Sauce
4 ounces Gruyere Cheese, finely shredded
1 ½ TBL Chopped Parsley

INSTRUCTIONS – Baked Sweet Onions with Gruyere Cheese
1. Peel the skin from the onions. Then peel the layers of the onion away until you have the onion down to approx. a 7½-inch circumference. Trim the bottom of the onion so it sets flat. Cut the top of the onion to create a flat surface and a height of approx. 1 ¾ inches.
2. Place the prepared onions into a pan with the top of the onion up. Brush the top of the onions with the olive oil. Season with black pepper.
3. Mix the beef broth with the soy sauce and pour into the pan around the onions.
4. Place the pan in a pre-heated 500-degree oven and bake for approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes, basting the onions with the liquid every 15 to 20 minutes.
5. While the onions are baking, shred the Gruyere cheese.
6. Remove the onions from the oven and top each onion with a healthy ½ teaspoon of cheese. Place the pan under the broiler to quickly melt the cheese.
7. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the melted cheese just before plating.

 

Featured Wine: Ladera Cabernet
The Story:

Ladera Winery

The Beautiful Ladera Vineyards

  • The Ladera story is a tale of two vineyards, almost at opposite ends of the Napa Valley. Their terrains and their histories are very different.
  • The Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of the two excellent estate vineyards.

The Profile:

  • The wine has aromas of blackberry and raspberry fruit; rose petals, mint and white pepper with toasty and vanilla highlights.
  • Dark plum and bramble berry flavors fill the mouth.
  • The tannin structure is full and highly extracted, but soft and lush. This makes the wine enjoyable now, and should also age well for another 8-10 years.

The Region:

  • The Lone Canyon Vineyard is located in mid Napa Valley in the western hills on the flank of Mt Veeder. It totals 480 acres with only 75 acres planted to vineyard.
  • This vineyard is relatively cool, primarily because of its elevation, but also due to its southerly location in Napa Valley.
  • The soils are very well drained, moderately deep, clay loam.

Sara Fasolino, Morton’s Beverage Manager and Certified Sommelier, shared a story from her recent visit to the Ladera Vineyards, pictured above…

“The Ladera family graciously hosted a group of Morton’s guests during a recent “Wine Flight” excursion through Napa Valley.  As the guests were enjoying the luncheon in the caves of the winery, one of the Ladera daughters came in with her young children, and before I knew what was happening, a little 5 year-old girl ran up and threw her arms around me, and yelled at the top of her lungs, “I Love Morton’s!”  Out of the mouths of babes…

Morton's Gin Mortini

Morton's Hendrick's Gin Mortini

MortiniFeatured Cocktail: Hendrick’s Gin

INGREDIENTS – Gin Mortini

3 oz. Hendrick’s Gin

Sliced Cucumber

INSTRUCTIONS – Gin Mortini
1.  Pour gin into shaker
2.  Add ice
3.  Shake 15 times & strain
4.  Float a sliced cucumber on top

This week’s issue is a lot to take in.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all, try just one of the suggested recipes…or go to Morton’s, and allow us to do the work for you!  Which leads to the question…who’s doing your cooking this Thanksgiving?  Are you ordering take-out, cooking in your kitchen, or going out to eat?  Wherever you go, whatever you eat, we wish you a Thanksgiving filled with good food, good company and good health!

Cheers!