Wide River Winery

Wide River Winery’s Cajun Recipes & Suggested Pairings for Fall 2013 Wine Trail:

Cajun coleslaw: 

1 head green cabbage, shredded

2 carrots, grated

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped

1 fresh red chile, sliced

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

¼ cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

Pinch sugar

½ teaspoon celery seed

Several dashes hot sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  Directions: 

Combine the cabbage, carrots, red onion, green onions, and chile in a large bowl.  In another bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar.  Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to mix.  Season the cole slaw with the celery seed, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper.  Chill for 2 hours  in the refrigerator before serving.  Pair with Wide River Winery’s White Collar Crime, Harvest Hurrah or Ms. Chievous wines. 

    Uncle Pat’s Jambalaya:

  4-5 pound chicken, in quarters                                        1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons oil                                                                 4 cloves garlic, minced  

2 tablespoons bacon fat                                                    5 cups chicken broth

Salt                                                                                         ¼ cup minced parsley

Freshly ground pepper                                                       1 bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper                                         1 ½ teaspoons thyme, crumbled

1 cup diced ham                                                                  1 cup chopped canned or fresh tomatoes

1 cup chopped green or red pepper                                2 cups rice        

1 cup chopped celery                                                            

    Uncle Pat’s Jambalaya continued:

  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Rinse the chicken pieces and wipe dry.  Heat the oil and bacon fat in a large skillet.  Brown the chicken pieces and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add the ham, green pepper, celery, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook until the vegetables are soft.  Add the chicken broth, parsley, bay leaf, and thyme; bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until the broth is reduced to 4 cups.  Remove the chicken meat from the bones in large pieces.  Put the chicken meat, the unstrained broth, the tomatoes, and rice in a casserole.  Stir, cover, and bake for 1 hour, checking every 20 minutes and adding more hot broth or water if it dries out.  Remove the bay leaf before serving.  Pair with Wide River Winery’s Conviction or Blushing Testimony.

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    Chocolate-Pecan Fudge:

  Butter, for greasing the pan

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pound bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces, at room temperature

Roasted chopped pecans for garnish

  Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.  Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper, allowing the excess to overhang the sides.  Set aside.

In a medium glass or stainless bowl, combine the condensed milk and vanilla.  Stir in the chocolate chips and butter.  Put the bowl on a saucepan of barely simmering water and mix until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes (mixture will be thick).  Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Sprinkle with the roasted chopped pecans.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.  Serve with Wide River Winery’s Ms. Issippi Port or Pursuit of Happiness.