Place fillets on 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with scallion, tomato, parsley and pats of butter. Pour wine over fish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Recipe:

1 lb flank steak, cut into strips about 2" long and 1" wide

1 medium white onion, diced

1 lb button mushrooms, chopped into 1" pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup beef stock

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and heat to medium high. Add the beef to the hot oil. Cook on one side 2-3 minutes or until the beef is browned. Flip the beef and cook another 2-3 minutes or again, until browned.

2. remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed, reduce the heat to low medium and add the onions and mushrooms to the pan. Saute the onions and mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and saute another 5-6 minutes.

3. Add the red wine to the pan, increase the heat to medium high and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the wine is almost entirely absorbed by the mushrooms. Add the beef stock and simmer 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, return the beef to the pan along with the paprika, thyme, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sour cream and mustard. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Recipe:

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

2. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

3. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

(Recipe from Giada De Larentiis and The Food Network)

Recipe: 

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, add olive oil, garlic, chipotle powder, and cumin. Allow to heat through, while stirring, for 1 minute. Add red wine and brown sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add in soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly before using.

(Recipe from About.com)

Another appealing element of a risotto is it's versatility. A basic risotto is fabulous by itself however, the addition of, say, a variety of sauteed mushrooms, a pinch of saffron, steamed asparagus or the zest of lemon can take this dish to a whole new level.

Basic Risotto Recipe:

5 cups stock, chicken, vegetable or fish
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine, such as a Pinot Gris
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, finely grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a saucepan bring the stock to a simmer.

2. In another saucepan, melt the butter with the olive oil and saute shallots over low-med heat for about 10 minutes.

3. Add the rice to the shallots and stir, coating all of the grains with the oil and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the wine to the rice and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Slowly add the hot stock to the mixture one cup at a time until each cup is absorbed, stirring constantly until rice is is tender but still slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, about 18 minutes.

5. Add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste and stir well. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Recipe:

6 large sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups each of beef stock and chicken stock
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
Salt and pepper
8 slices of toasted French bread
1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30 minutes. Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the caramelization.

2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf. 

3. To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

(Recipe from Simply Recipes)

Clean and slice mushrooms. Combine all ingredients in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the wine comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and serve while hot.

Recipe:

1 bottle (750 ml) red wine, such as shiraz or merlot

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

4 star anise

8 black peppercorns

2 whole cloves

zest of 1/2 lemon

8 medium Bosc pears with stems

Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven heat wine, water, sugar, lemon zest, star anise, peppercorns and cloves. Bring just to boiling on high, stirring to dissolve sugar.

2. Peel the pears, leaving stems on. With a melon baller or small knife, core the pears through the bottom end.

3. Place pears in wine mixture and heat to boiling. Cover and simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes, until pears are tender but still hold their shape, turning occasionally.

4. Remove pears to a platter, discard the star anise, peppercorns and cloves. Heat wine mixture to boiling on high. Cook 15-20 minutes, uncovered, to thicken liquid and reduce to 1 1/2 cups.

5. To serve, spoon syrup over pears and finish with a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves 8.

Recipe:

1 cup port
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole black peppercorns
1 cup dried figs, stems removed 

Directions:

 1. Place the port, sugar and water into a medium size pot over a medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves.  Add the star anise, cinnamon and peppercorns, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Add the figs and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes, or until figs have softened. Turn the figs several times throughout the process.  Remove from the heat and allow to steep for an hour minimum. Remove the figs from the mixture and serve. 

A perfectly cooked roast is classic comfort food but it just may be the side dishes that accompany the meal that really do the trick. Mashed Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy are all delicious but for a real crowd pleaser, you may want to consider Red Wine and Thyme Mushrooms. The earthiness of the mushrooms cooked with butter and wine make for a fantastically rich and wonderful side dish that truly compliments the roast amazingly well.

Recipe:

2 lbs white button mushrooms, brushed clean but kept whole

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups red wine

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and butter over low-medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven.

2. Add the garlic to the pan and saute about 5 minutes making sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute another 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the thyme, wine and worcestershire sauce to the pan, bring to a high simmer, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer the mushrooms until the wine has reduced by half and the mushrooms are tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover the pan and simmer another 10-15 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce further.

4. Season to your taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6.

Recipe:

12 beef short ribs, bone-in

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 750-ml bottle good dry red wine such as a zinfandel

6 cups veal stock or beef stock

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Season ribs to taste with the salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed ovenproof pan over high heat. Add ribs and brown on all sides. Work in batches if you need to so that the ribs don't get crowded (this will help with browning).

2. Transfer ribs to a plate. Pour off excess fat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan and sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan, set aside. Then add the wine to the pan, deglazing the pan, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by three-quarters until thick and slightly syrupy, about 15 minutes.

3. Return the ribs to the pan, add the veal stock and enough water to cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, cover with foil, and place in the oven. Braise, cooking in the oven, until the meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. During the last 1/2 hour of cooking, add back in the vegetables. Allow the ribs to cool in the liquid, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. The next day, remove the excess fat that has solidified at the top from the overnight chilling. Place the pan with the ribs and cooking liquid over medium heat, uncovered. Cook until the liquid has reduced by three-quarters, about 1 hour. Continue to cook, spooning the sauce over the ribs, until the sauce is thick and ribs are glazed. Take care not to burn the glaze; move the ribs around in the pan to keep them from burning.

Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Serves 6.

(Recipe from Simply Recipes)

Recipe:

1 flank steak, about 1 1/2 lbs

1 cup red wine

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together. Score the flank steak in a crisscross pattern on both sides.

2. Place the steak in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

3. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat grill to high heat. Alternately, you can use an indoor grill pan or cast iron skillet. Lightly oil your grill. Place the steak onto the hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the steak and cook another 2-3 minutes.

5. Remove from the grill, cover the steak loosely with foil and allow to rest for about 6-8 minutes.

6. Cut the steak against the grain of the meat. Meaning that you'll see the grains of the meat running horizontally across the meat. Cut in the opposite direction of those grains. 

Serves 4.

Recipe:

1-1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets

1/2 cup dry white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc

1/2 cup water

A few slices of yellow onion or 1 shallot peeled and thinly sliced

Several sprigs fresh dill

A sprig of fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine wine, water, dill, parsley, and onions (or shallots) in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat. 

2. Place salmon fillets skin side down in the pan. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until desired doneness making sure not to over cook the fish. 

3. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve with lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of finely chopped fresh dill and parsley.

Serves 2-4.

(Recipe from Simply Recipes)