Tag Archives: beaujolais

Tropical Sangria

Sangria is a great festive drink – adding the fruit to the wine makes it so much more special. You can set up pitchers well ahead of time so that the fruit really soaks up the wine. This one does away with the usual apples and oranges and adds some really flavorful tropical fruits. Don’t forget to serve some fruit in each glass !

Tropical Sangria
Tropical Sangria

8 servings
172 calories per serving

6 c cubed fruit (mangoes, pineapple, apricot, cantaloupe, honeydew, apples, etc.)
¼ c thinly sliced and peeled ginger
1 c fresh mint or basil leaves
½ c orange liquer or orange juice
1 bottle Pinot Grigio for white or 1 bottle Beaujolais for red
2 T lemon juice

Bruise basil or mint leaves and combine all in a pitcher and refrigerate at least one hour.

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New Beef Bourguignon

Don’t tell Julia child that we are not using her recipe ! This is a time consuming recipe, but it is great for special occasions – it’s not just everyday that you get Beef Bourguignon 🙂

Beef Bourguignon
Beef Bourguignon

6 servings
344 calories per serving

2 1/2 t oil, divided
1 1/2 lb. lean beef stew meat
2 c sliced onions
2 c sliced carrots
1 c diced green bell pepper
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
12 oz whole mushrooms, quartered
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1 1/2 c red wine (a Burgundy or Beaujolais is recommended)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 T flour
2 T butter, softened

To caramelize onions, heat a skillet on medium high heat and add 1 t oil than add onion slices and cook on medium high heat for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a bit if salt and pepper and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes, again, stirring frequently. You want the onions to become a nice golden color, but remain very moist. If they start to dry out in the first 7 minutes, reduce the heat a little. If they start to dry out during the covered cooking period, add a tablespoon or more of hot water and mix well.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven* to medium high heat. Blot meat on paper towels – it will brown much better the drier it is. Add beef and cook until brown. Remove from pot and set aside. Add carrot, mushrooms and green pepper to pot. Cook 4 minutes then add onions and cook another 2 minutes and then return beef to pot. Add tomatoes, broth, wine, garlic, tomato paste, bay, salt and pepper to pot. Mix well and cover and bring to a simmer and cook on low for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. Combine flour and butter and mix well until it becomes all incorporated into a paste. Spoon 1/2 c of pan juices into the flour and whisk until very smooth. Then add back to pan and stir. Serve immediately.

*Dutch Oven – every kitchen needs a Dutch oven – some recipes just do not come out the same without one. It is a very heavy duty pot that allows you to cook things slowly for hours without burning the contents. From soups to stews to sauces, this is a kitchen must have. I don’t think you need a really pricey one (some come in at over $330 ! yeeks !) as I have an $80 version that has been treating me good for years and years.

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