Ah, the wonders of wine. It’s not just a fabulous drink with food—it’s also a secret weapon in the kitchen. These cooking with wine recipes are proof that wine can elevate a dish in ways few other ingredients can.
Below, I’m sharing two of my favorites:
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Dessert Wine Peaches (macerated fruit with basil and cream)
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Gorgonzola Chopped Steak with red wine onions and demi-glace
Sweet Side of Cooking with Wine: Dessert Wine Peaches
This quick recipe makes the most of seasonal peaches or nectarines. The fruit is macerated in a sweet white wine with honey and fresh basil, then chilled and served with iced or whipped cream.
Ingredients:
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½ cup sweet white dessert wine
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½ cup fresh basil, minced
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2 tablespoons honey
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3–4 ripe peaches or nectarines, sliced (peeled or not)
Instructions:
Combine wine, basil, and honey in a bowl. Add fruit and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours. Chill for 1–4 hours before serving. Serve in wine glasses with cream. Biscotti and coffee make a great pairing.
Chef’s Note: No dessert wine? Use regular white wine plus a bit of sugar or agave.
Gorgonzola Chopped Steak with Red Wine Onions
This savory cooking with wine recipe uses red wine and demi-glace to build a rich, bold onion sauce that pairs beautifully with grilled patties, spaetzle, or even buns.
Ingredients:
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1–1.5 lbs ground lamb, beef, or bison (or 4 Tony’s Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers)
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2 red onions, sliced
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1 Tbsp each butter & olive oil
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¾–1 cup Red Zinfandel or other red wine
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1.5 oz. More Than Gourmet Demi-Glace (link)
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4–6 oz. creamy Gorgonzola (room temp)
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Spaetzle, mashed potatoes, or polenta
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Minced parsley (optional)
Instructions:
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Shape patties, season with Tony’s Z Blend or Calgary Steak Rub, and refrigerate.
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In a skillet, sauté onions in butter and oil. Brown well.
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Add red wine, boil, then simmer to reduce by half. Stir in demi-glace and simmer.
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Just before serving, swirl in pats of butter.
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Grill patties, top with Gorgonzola, and close the lid to melt.
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Serve over buttered spaetzle, mashed potatoes, or on grilled ciabatta buns.
Chef’s Note: Want extra sauce? Double the red wine onions. It’s worth it.
More Ideas for Cooking with Wine
This dish also works with:
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Thin-sliced ribeye or tri-tip
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Tony’s deli roast beef for an amazing sandwich
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Elk or venison (keep that red wine sauce handy)
Lean meat? Double the red wine onions to boost moisture.
Wine Tips from the Cellar
Start a simple wine cellar now—you’ll be glad you did. Store wines in a cool, dark place and age 1 out of every 10–12 bottles. Serve aged wines early in the evening and save younger, fruitier bottles for later when palates are less sensitive.
Cook with young, bold wines. Save the aged ones for sipping.
Check out our Wine Shop at Bowles.
Video Note: There was a minor editing error in the video and a couple sauce steps were overlooked, but you can get all the step-by-step details in the recipe above. Watch it on YouTube.
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