Not long ago we celebrated the onset of warm weather with a dinner on our back patio. We gathered 22 friends, and fortunate for all of us, one of whom is a talented self-taught gourmet chef. Accompanied by many talented sou chefs, we set out on a mission to find a few new wines for Red Zinnia. I wish I could bottle up the flavors from that beautiful spring evening and send them out to you all. It was truly a magical night.
The Menu with Wine Pairings
Prepared by Chef Shawn Meyer
Our Sommelier for the Evening: Jaime Sammons
Crostini di fungi
Winter Citrus Salad
Bottega Vinaia Trentino Pinot Grigio 2008
Mixed green salad
Mixed green salad
Caponata
Rioja Campo Viejo Crianza Tempranillo 2006
Roasted Cauliflower soup w/ truffle oil
Roasted Cauliflower soup w/ truffle oil
Brancott New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Spaghetti Putanesca
Spaghetti Putanesca
Monte Antico Toscana 2006
Spinach Risotto
Spinach Risotto
Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz 2006
Grilled fish
Grilled fish
A-Mano Moscato 2007
Raspberry Lambic Icee
Shawn has graciously shared this recipe with us. An easy one, it looks great, and is really nice to refresh the palate between heavier dishes.
Sicilian Citrus Salad
2 oranges preferably blood, but any high quality orange will do
2 lemons (Meyer lemons are also nice)
1 grapefruit
crushed red pepper **
sea salt ** good quality extra virgin olive oil
Peel the citrus, and spend a few minutes with each removing as much pith as possible. With a very sharp knife or a slicer, slice the citrus as thin as possible. Don't worry about removing seeds, you won't even notice them. Arrange on a plate, grapefruit as a base, then the blood orange, and then the lemon on top. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper drizzle with olive oil maybe garnish with a little flat leaf parsley
Enjoy!
Sicilian Citrus Salad
2 oranges preferably blood, but any high quality orange will do
2 lemons (Meyer lemons are also nice)
1 grapefruit
crushed red pepper **
sea salt ** good quality extra virgin olive oilPeel the citrus, and spend a few minutes with each removing as much pith as possible. With a very sharp knife or a slicer, slice the citrus as thin as possible. Don't worry about removing seeds, you won't even notice them. Arrange on a plate, grapefruit as a base, then the blood orange, and then the lemon on top. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper drizzle with olive oil maybe garnish with a little flat leaf parsley
Enjoy!
Jaime brought together her knowledge of wines and the regions where they originate in a fun way. Watch for many of the wines mentioned above to find their way onto the shelves of Red Zinnia.
Thank you to Kori Meyer for the amazing photos that capture the beauty of the evening.
