It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the obligatory article about recommended wine pairings, right? But this holiday, we asked Michigan winemakers and winery representatives to take it a step further and share their favorite recipes as an added bonus. So if you're looking for ideas for what to put in your glass AND on your plate this Thanksgiving, take a peek at what's being served by our wine friends throughout the state.
Apple Cranberry Stuffing
Cascade Winery
Roger Bonga, winemaker at Cascade Winery in Grand Rapids, talks up this tasty stuffing recipe, which he says pairs well with Cascade's Cranberry wine. "The dish helps soften the acidity of the cranberry wine to lead to a great finish," he explained.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for five to seven minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for two minutes to blend flavors.
Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.
Mango Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup
Fenn Valley Vineyards
Gwen Welsch Lesperance of Fenn Valley Vineyards in Fennville recommends this sweet-and-spicy soup as a great way to begin the Thanksgiving meal. "It carries some heat," she said, "which makes it a great pairing for our Dry Riesling or Riesling."
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 1/2 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth if you prefer vegetarian)
2 mangoes, cubed
1/2-3/4 cup buttermilk
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Cut onions in oil over medium heat until softened. Add squash, chile, sauce, and sugar. Increase heat and cook for five minutes, stirring often. Add broth. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until squash is completely cooked (15-20 minutes). Remove pot from heat and stir in mangoes.
Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Stir in the buttermilk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat. Serves 4.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery
The Carlsons at Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery on the Leelanau Peninsula passed along a trio of delectable dishes for Thanksgiving, all of which pair well with Silver Leaf's Pinot Noir (or, in the cranberry sauce's case, is actually made with it). Winemaker Mark Carlson especially recommends the root vegetables as a way to jazz up the ordinary Thanksgiving spread. "It's all about breaking with or adding to tradition," he said. "How many times have you had the green bean casserole covered with canned dried onions? Try roasting root vegetables instead."
Ingredients:
8 to 12 carrots, peeled and trimmed.
8 to 12 turnips, peeled.
6 to 8 fingerling potatoes, or other potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise in halves.
1 to 2 parsnips, peeled, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch thick slices.
1 or 2 medium onions, trimmed, peeled and halved, each 1/2 cut into quarters.
1 or 2 beets, peeled and cut into thick wedges.
1 celery root, trimmed and halves, halves cut crosswise into 1-inch thick slices
1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
2 or 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage or thyme.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Olive oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put all the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish or on a sheet. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly.
Put the baking dish in the preheated over and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Serve the vegetables from there or transfer them to a platter to accompany a roasted main course.
Onion Pie
Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized sweet onions or vidalias
1 stick of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pie shell, unbaked
Grated Parmigiana cheese
Directions:
Sauté the onions in butter and set aside. Combine the eggs, sour cream and add the onions. Add the salt and pepper and pour into a pie shell. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, then for 20 minutes at 325.
Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir
Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery
Ingredients:
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon curry
1/2 cup Silver Leaf Pinot Noir
Directions:
Combine and heat. Sugar can be added to sweeten as desired. Makes 3 1/2 cups. Tastes great on tasted bread or gourmet crackers.
Curried Carrot Soup
Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery
For a perfect Thanksgiving starter, Patrick Brys recommends this Curried Carrot Soup recipe he developed, which also happens to be the Recipe of the Month for November on Brys' website. "With its delicious roasted vegetable flavors and hint of warm spice, this soup pairs perfectly with a glass of our estate-grown Riesling," he said.
Ingredients:
2 lbs carrots, peeled
1 yellow or sweet onion
1 russet potato
8 cups chicken stock (not broth)
1 tablespoon curry Powder
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
Fresh ground pepper
Dash of heavy cream
Basil chiffonade for Garnish
Directions:
Dice carrots, onion, and potato into one inch cubes. Place on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss.
Roast on convection bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until lightly browned. If you don't have a convection oven, roast at 425 degrees for approximately 30-45 minutes until lightly browned.
In a soup pot, add roasted carrots, onions, and potatoes. Add chicken stock, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and curry powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Puree soup using an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender (which is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets and can be purchased at any kitchen supply store for less than $30) you can puree the soup in batches in a blender.
Stir in 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper and a dash of cream. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary. Garnish with fresh basil. Serves 6.
Gewürztraminer Turkey Gravy
Free Run Cellars
The Moersch family over at Free Run Cellars in Berrien Springs has developed a recipe for a Thanksgiving gravy using their Free Run Dry Gewürtztraminer to caramelize vegetables and turkey neck after they've been roasted beneath the turkey itself. The result: a "flavorful, deep brown gravy." A myriad of other recipes also is available via the website for Round Barn Winery, also owned by the Moersch family.
Ingredients:
Vegetables and turkey neck roasted under the turkey (The Moersch family recommends this Martha Stewart recipe for roasting the turkey with herb butter.)
1 cup Free Run Dry Gewürztraminer
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
8 cups water
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions:
Take the finished turkey out of the roasting pan to rest before carving. Place the pan on stove across two burners. Bring pan liquids to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, about five minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until vegetables are browned, 8 to 10 minutes more. (If pan begins to burn, turn off one burner, and push vegetables so they're over other burner.)
Add 1 cup Free Run Dry Gewürztraminer. Cook, stirring constantly, until syrupy, one to two minutes. Add 2/3 cup all-purpose flour; cook, stirring, until flour is incorporated and browned, about two minutes.
Slowly add 8 cups water; bring to a simmer, stirring, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until gravy reaches desired consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan; discard solids. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Keep warm; whisk well before serving.
Winey Shrimp
Pentamere Winery
Ed Gerten from Pentamere Winery suggests this wine-infused seafood dish for a quick and easy holiday appetizer. His preference for the wine in the recipe: Pentamere's Celebration White.
6 cups of water
1 pound of raw shrimp
2 table spoons of Old Bay seasoning
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or sweet white wine (Pentamere’s celebration white)
Bring water to a boil. Add in Old Bay, vinegar and wine. Let it return to a boil, then add shrimp. Cook until the shrimp turns pink (about three to four minutes). Scoop from the water and place in the freezer until cool to touch.
Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich
Bowers Harbor Vineyards
Looking for a way to give leftovers a little extra kick? Kristy McClellan at Bowers Harbor Vineyards recommends whipping up this tasty grilled sandwich — and pairing it with Bowers' Cranberry-Apple Hard Spirit Cider, available exclusively in the winery's Old Mission Peninsula tasting room in half-gallon growlers. "We always have a new seasonal Spirit Cider on tap in our tasting room," she said. "Our Cranberry-Apple Spirit Cider is made from seven different Michigan Apples, and then infused with cranberry juice. It is fermented in stainless steel for a refreshing, crisp mouth feel. The cranberry addition gives the Spirit Cider a bright fruit flavor and a delicious kick of tartness. This is the perfect beverage for an afternoon of watching football or watching the leaves fall."
Ingredients:
2 slices cooked turkey
2 slices cooked bacon
1 slice provolone cheese
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons whole cranberry sauce
1 teaspoon red onion, finely chopped
2 slices wheat bread (or used leftover rolls)
2 teaspoons butter (for grilling)
Directions:
Chop red onion very fine and mix with whole cranberry sauce.
Smear mayonnaise on one side of sliced bread. Smear cranberry-onion mixture on the other slice of bread.
Layer turkey slices, bacon and provolone on one side of bread and top with other slice of bread.
Using a skillet or grill pan, grill sandwich with butter and remove from heat when cheese has melted. Cut sandwich half and serve.
