The Secret Ingredient is Love

Started thinking about Valentine’s Day yet? Is that hot new restaurant you were dying to try already booked? Well, we’ve got your back!

Sometimes the most memorable Valentine’s Days or date nights involve staying in and cooking a delicious meal. You know what ingredients you’re using, you control the music, and a great conversation doesn’t have to end when a bill is plunked on your table.

Here are a few of our favorite recipes that you and your sweetheart are sure to enjoy together. All of these were made recently by Linganore’s own Pinky.

Rich Wine Infused Beef Stew

A complex, yet simple dish with a slightly sweet deep wine gravy. Recipe created by Linganore co-founder, Lucille Aellen. Pair with our Estate bottled Chambourcin or Red Skins.

2 lbs. chuck, cut into 1″ cubes

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 cup Linganore Chambourcin

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

4 medium or 2 very large onions, sliced thin; use sweet onions if possible

4 bay leaves

1 Tbsp corn starch

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Cut meat into 1″ cubes. In a large stock pot, brown cubes in 1/4 cup Olive Oil and crushed red pepper. Be sure to brown the meat in batches to be sure not to crowd the pot in order to ensure adequate browning. Sprinkle each batch liberally with salt and pepper. When all meat is browned, add onions to pot, cooking until transparent. Add wine and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 45 minutes to one hour. Remove bay leaves. Mix corn starch with water to make a thin mixture. Add to the pot and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Serves 4 to 6. If you prefer more of a wine flavor to your dish, add a little (1/4 cup) wine closer to the end of the cooking time.

Mussels with White Raven

Adapted from Food Networks’ Carrabba’s mussels “Cozze Bianco” recipe. This recipe only requires a quarter cup of Linganore’s White Raven. Keep the bottle open and enjoy!

4 cups mussels

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp yellow onions, chopped

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 Tbsp licorice liquor (Pinky used Sambuca – and purchased a little bottle at the register at the liquor store,

which is probably good for a couple more recipes)

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 lemon – juice and pulp

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Baguette French Bread – warmed

Lemon butter sauce (make this first)

1/4 cup butter

2 Tbsp yellow onions, chopped

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 lemon – juice only

1/4 cup White Raven

Direction for Sauce only: Melt butter in saute pan. Saute onion and garlic for one minute. Add lemon juice and wine. Remove from heat until mussels are ready for the sauce to be added

Soak mussels in cold water for about 5 minutes – scrub with brush and remove beard. Rinse mussels again in cold water. Heat oil in skillet; add mussels; cover and cook until shells begin to open, about 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic; mix and cook covered for one minute. Add liquor, basil, lemon juice and lemon butter sauce. Cook for 45 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss any mussels that did not open, and serve mussels and sauce in one big bowl. Use bread to dip in the delicious sauce!

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies with Raspberry Ganache

Recipe created by Pinky.

1 box Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie mix

1/3 cup Butter

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp water

2 cups Raspberry wine (Chambourcin or Steepchase work well also)

3 Tbsp Raspberry jelly, seedless

1 cup Chocolate Chips

1/4 cup Evaporated Milk

1 small pinch Salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease bottom and sides of 8×8 baking dish. Melt butter in a microwavable bowl. Set aside. In a saute pan, add 1 cup of Raspberry wine and 2 Tbsp. of Raspberry Jelly. Simmer until reduced by more than half (about 1/3 cup). Let cool. In mixing bowl, add Brownie mix, butter, raspberry wine/jelly mix, water and egg. Pour into baking dish, and bake for 1 hour. While the brownies are baking, it’s time to make the ganache. In the same saucepan, add 1 cup Raspberry wine, 1 Tbsp Raspberry jelly and salt. Simmer until it is reduced to about 1/3 of a cup. Add 1 cup of Nestle’s chocolate chips and evaporated milk. Mix until smooth. Set aside. When the brownies are done, pour the ganache on top. For a nice valentines day touch, cut a small heart out of a piece of paper. Using the non-paper part of the heart image, place paper over a piece of brownie and using a strainer (or sifter), sift some powdered sugar into the heart shape. Remove the paper and voila! A lovely little heart shape on the top of your special (and delicious!) dessert.