There’s nothing better on a hot Summer day than something delightfully refreshing, delicious and…pink! Our latest installment of Cocktail Couture features a Sparkling Strawberry Sangria that will delight your eyes as well as your palate and coordinate beautifully with your favorite Lilly Pulitzer outfit! For that reason I love serving it in these colorful Lilly Pulitzer acrylic glasses which are perfect for casual outdoor and poolside entertaining.
While it doesn’t quite fit the conventional recipe, this drink does meet certain sangria criteria including the presence of chopped fruit (strawberries and raspberries), a bottle of wine (a delightfully dry rosé, I like these), a sweetener (pomegranate juice), and Prosecco rather than seltzer for sparkle (I like this one). Instead of brandy, I substituted Chambord, a delicious liqueur infused with black raspberry, Madagascar vanilla and Cognac which beautifully enhances the flavor of the berries.
Much like sangria, this drink should be prepared a couple hours in advance to allow the flavors to marry. Also, to prevent your pitcher of pinkness from getting watered down during your Summer soirée, use pomegranate juice ice cubes and more chilled Prosecco to keep your drink cold and flavorful. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your own personal taste and I hope you enjoy this Sparkling Strawberry Sangria as much as we do!
Cheers,
“Sparkling Strawberry Sangria”
Serves 4-6
1 750mL bottle dry rosé wine
3 cups Prosecco or other dry sparkling wine (keep the remainder of the bottle chilling in the fridge)
3 Tablespoons Chambord
3/4 cup pomegranate juice plus a tray of pomegranate juice ice cubes
6 ounces frozen raspberries
8 ounces fresh strawberries trimmed and halved, plus additional for garnish
1/4 cup packed mint leaves
This drink can be prepared 1-2 hours in advance which will allow the flavors to meld. Add frozen raspberries, sliced strawberries and mint leaves to a pitcher. Top with the bottle of rosé wine, Chambord and Pomegranate juice and gently mix to combine. Chill the pitcher in the fridge until your guests arrive then add Prosecco and stir gently. Garnish glasses with strawberries and serve! To keep the pitcher chilled throughout your party, add pomegranate juice ice cubes to the pitcher or individual glasses and top with remaining chilled Prosecco as needed ~ Cheers!
Looking for a weeknight dinner that will satisfy your hunger yet is light enough to enjoy on a warm Summer night? This recipe for Grilled Cantaloupe with Prosciutto and Burrata definitely fits the bill! Ripe slices of sweet melon are wrapped in deliciously salty prosciutto and when they hit the grill – magic happens! Because this is a Fast &... Read More
The post Fast & Fabulous: Grilled Cantaloupe with Prosciutto & Burrata! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
Looking for a weeknight dinner that will satisfy your hunger yet is light enough to enjoy on a warm Summer night? This recipe for Grilled Cantaloupe with Prosciutto and Burrata definitely fits the bill! Ripe slices of sweet melon are wrapped in deliciously salty prosciutto and when they hit the grill – magic happens! Because this is a Fast & Fabulous recipe it only takes a minimum amount of time to prepare – hungry yet?
While Summer is prime time for grilling outdoors there aren’t many of us who relish the thought of waiting for food to cook over an open flame in 100 degree heat. That’s why God (or was it Williams-Sonoma?) invented the grill pan! I love mine and it certainly makes weeknight grilling a feasible prospect. The grill pan also has the advantage of being non-stick so all that glorious char wipes off easily with soap and water and only a minimum of elbow grease.
Since this recipe only calls for a few ingredients, make sure they are of good quality. For instance, when selecting your cantaloupe, make sure it is ripe and ready to go. The melon should feel heavy in your hand and when sniffed, should smell like ripe melon. For the prosciutto, Prosciutto di Parma is a wonderful choice but other types of cured meat will work too. You need to make sure the meat is cut so it can wrap around the melon slices, Serrano ham would make a nice alternative. The Burrata cheese is the pièce de résistance of this dish. Burrata, which means “buttered” in Italian, is a fresh Italian cheese made from cream and mozzarella and if you haven’t tried it yet, it is definitely worth seeking out! Nowadays it can usually be found at your local grocery store in the specialty cheese section. On the outside the cheese looks like a beautiful, glistening ball of fresh mozzarella but when you cut into it, it is filled with curds and fresh cream – sheer deliciousness! Garnish the dish with Maldon sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a good quality olive oil and you are all set.
If you’re looking for something to sip with this Fast & Fabulous dish a rosé would be heavenly! A fruity, dry rose like the Copain Tous Ensemble Rosé ($22) from California’s Anderson Valley would be a wonderful choice. In addition to its lovely notes of red berries it also has a delightfully food-friendly acidity which will further enhance your enjoyment of this Summer-inspired dish.
Cheers,
Grilled Cantaloupe with Prosciutto & Burrata
Serves four
1 large ripe cantaloupe
1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
4 balls of fresh burrata cheese
Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
Preheat an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill over med-high heat.
Slice the cantaloupe in half lengthwise and using a spoon, remove the pulp and seeds from the center of each half. Remove the rind from each half of the melon and slice it into 1/2 inch thick wedges. Wrap each slice of melon with a generous piece of prosciutto. Once the pieces are wrapped, brush the grates of the grill with olive oil and lay the slices down on the grates and cook in batches for approximately 1 minute per side or to desired doneness.
Plate the grilled melon slices with the burrata cheese. Season with Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper the drizzle generously with the olive oil and serve!
Picture this: it’s a sweltering, South Florida Summer day and you’re looking for just the right sweet treat to take the edge off the unbearable heat. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if this treat was also as pleasing to the eye as it was to the palate and this delightful pink and green Strawberry Pistachio Semifreddo definitely fits the bill. While this dessert may not fall into the “Fast & Fabulous” category, it is definitely worth every minute it takes to make it. The flavors of ripe, juicy, Summer strawberries complement the vibrant green, nutty pistachios beautifully. This dish is perfect for Summer entertaining since it can be made days ahead of time and simply unmolded and sliced right before serving.
Semifreddo means “half cold” in Italian and refers to a type of semi-frozen dessert which, in this case, walks the line between ice cream and frozen mousse. This recipe does not require an ice cream maker to prepare but it does call for a bit of kitchen equipment including a hand mixer and/or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Of course, you can always do these steps by hand but these two kitchen essentials will definitely cut down on the preparation time and save your arm as well.
Each layer of this dessert has its own unique flavor and texture: the strawberry layer is light and icy while the pistachio layer is thick and creamy. When eaten together, the two layers create a beautiful mouthfeel punctuated by the delightful crunch of the pistachios. This beautiful, tasty dessert is definitely on the short list for Summer entertaining at Chez Miskew. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Cheers,
Strawberry Pistachio Semifreddo
adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine
1/2 cup unsalted, roasted, shelled pistachios
8 oz. ripe strawberries, hulled (approx. 2 cups)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Line a standard 5 x 9 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2″ overhang on all sides. Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl, do not wipe processor clean. Place strawberries and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in the processor; puree until smooth and transfer to a fine sieve set over a bowl. Stir puree, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
Combine the egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water so that bottom of bowl is over the water but not touching it. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer on high speed until pale yellow and tripled in volume, about 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to a larger bowl of ice water, making sure the bowl does not tip allowing ice water to seep into the egg yolk and sugar mixture; stir until mixture is very thick and cool, about 3 minutes.
Beat together cream and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer on med-hi speed using the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Whisk 1/3 of whipped cream into egg mixture, whisking until smooth then fold into remaining cream with a rubber spatula just until thoroughly incorporated.
Pour 1/2 of cream mixture into strawberry puree. Gently fold together until thoroughly incorporated, then pour into loaf pan and smooth top. Fold pistachios into remaining cream mixture and pour evenly over strawberry cream; smooth top. Fold plastic wrap over surface and freeze for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. To serve, peel plastic back from surface. Invert pan onto a cutting board. Unmold semifreddo, remove plastic, and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices. Because the pistachio layer can be a bit softer than the strawberry layer, after removing the plastic wrap you can return the semifreddo to the loaf pan and slice it in the pan for prettier slices. Serves 12
Lilly Pulitzer Dress? Check. Nantucket red pants? Check. Great friends, music and food? Check.
What’s missing from this idyllic Summer soirée? A bottle of crisp, refreshing rosé wine of course! If your Summer celebration is minus the most important accessory of the season, The Glamorous Gourmet is here to help. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy these wines which are refreshing, flavorful and extremely food friendly. Here are four wines that will definitely have you thinking pink this Summer.
But first, a word about rosé. While rosé is considered de rigueur in the tony Summer destinations such as The Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, many wine lovers in the US are reluctant to embrace “pink wines” and are missing out on some of the season’s most stylish vinous offerings! Here’s the skinny on how to tell the good pink stuff from the uh…not so good. Provence has long been considered the birthplace of rosé and is largely the benchmark by which rosé is measured. Provençal rosés are classically light pink in color and dry in style with a refreshing, food friendly acidity. These wines differ dramatically from White Zinfandel and “blush” wines which are mass produced and loaded with sugar, resembling fruit punch more than any wine I can think of. In order to avoid contact with the latter when purchasing or ordering wine in a restaurant specify you’d like a “dry, Provençal-style rosé” which are available at a variety of price points. With so many great values out there – why settle for less?
One of my favorite producers of rosés is Chateau D’Esclans, whose wines hail from the Cotes de Provence AOC in France. This estate produces four different types of rosé which are each very different in character; for more detail on all of Chateau d’Esclans’s four offerings, please click here. One of my favorites of the four to enjoy during the Summer (it’s very hard to chose just one!) is the 2011 Chateau D’Esclans Côtes de Provence Rosé,$30, which most closely represents a classic rosé from this region. This wine is a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Rolle from 30-80 year old vines that is partly vinified in stainless steel as well as demi muids which gives the wine its complexity and structure. This rosé is a beautiful, light pink color with aromas of red berries and spice while on the palate, the delightfully creamy mouthfeel is accompanied by flavors of strawberry, cherry and white pepper. Ah, Summer in a glass!
Due north of Provence, high up in the hills near Gigondas in France’s Rhône Valley, is a relatively new wine producer called Chêne Bleu. Named for the estate’s giant blue oak tree, the estate was purchased in 1992 by Xavier Rolet who, together with his wife Nicole, sister Benedicte Gallucci and bother-in-law Jean Louis Gallucci spent the last 10 years renovating a medieval property and restructuring 400 year old vineyards, located at 1,700 feet elevation, to create a state of the art, boutique winery that is definitely a family affair. After 15 years of renovations, 2006 marked the first vintage from the estate, with only a few wines produced from the classic Rhone grape varieties – lucky for us, rosé was one of them! The 2012 Chêne Bleu Rosé, $25, is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault with aromas of strawberry, rhubarb and a hint of lavender. On the palate, fresh red berries and a hit of citrus accompany a refreshing acidity and mild tannins.
Now, how about a delicious rosé from the USA? The 2012 Copain Tous Ensemble Rosé, $22, is made from 100% Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley in Medocino County, California. The Anderson Valley is becoming more widely recognized for producing quality wines crafted from the Pinot Noir grape and why should rosé be any exception? Copain’s winemaker, Wells Guthrie, has long been enamored of French wines, particularly those from the Rhone Valley. After living there for a time and learning from some of the best he now creates a beautiful portfolio of wines firmly rooted in California yet with a distinct European influence. The Copain Tous Ensemble Rosé has a beautiful salmon pink color and enticing aromas of red berries, spice and a touch of minerality. On the palate, notes of strawberry, cherry and citrus zest are accompanied by a lovely, refreshing acidity and dry finish.
Hailing from California’s Central Coast is the delightful 2012 Cline Cellars Mourvèdre Rosé, $12. Mourvèdre is a relatively rare grape in California and Cline makes four different styles of wine from it, including this lovely rosé. The grapes come from Cline’s historic Oakley ranch in Contra Costa County where the century-old vines grow in the deep sandy soil and the cool winds blow off the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers allowing the grapes to retain their bright acidity. This wine is made as a Blanc de Noir or “white of a red grape,” in the style of a white wine. The skins are removed by pressing before fermentation begins and the wine extracts a small amount of color, and a little of the tannin, from the red grape skins. On the nose, aromas of pomegranate and cherry are balanced by a delicate hint of sweet anise while on the palate, flavors of raspberry, cherry and vanilla notes are very appealing.
While rosé is perfect for sipping on its own on a hot Summer day, these wines are also incredibly food friendly. They pair well with a variety of cuisine especially grilled or smoked salmon, charcuterie or even dishes such as roasted chicken. A classic French dish that pairs particularly well with rosé is Pan Bagna, a sandwich that consists of tuna, Kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes and hard boiled eggs to name just a few ingredients. It’s much like a Salade Niçoise just served as a sandwich, please click here for the delicious recipe.
I hope you have a chance to enjoy these wines during your Summer adventures. To purchase any of the above rosés, please visit The Wine Atelier by clicking here.
Cheers,
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