Perfectly Paired with the Season

Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup

Paired with our 2010 Chardonnay

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of butternut squash, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 lb. of pumpkin, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 C orange juice
2 T Ponte Chardonnay
3 T of butter
1-3 cloves garlic, to taste
4 1/3 C of water
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sour cream or Plain Greek yogurt for topping, if desired
Pumpkin seeds for garnish, if desired

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add green onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until onion and garlic is well coated with warm butter. Mix in butternut squash and pumpkin cubes and stir until brown, 5-8 minutes. Stir in water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes or until squash and pumpkins cubes are tender.

Remove from heat. Ina food processor or blender pour ½ batch and blend until smooth. Move mixture to desired serving bowl. Repeat with second half of the batch and add to serving bowl. Once both batches are combined, stir in Chardonnay, orange juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm and garnish with sour cream or Greek yogurt and pumpkin seeds. Best when served with Ponte’s 2010 Chardonnay. Enjoy!

Red Wine Pork Chops, Kale and Biscuits with Apple Butter

Paired with our 2008 Meritage

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4, 1 ½ inch Pork Chops
1 C Ponte Meritage
3 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bunch of kale, chopped
Premade Biscuit Mix
½ C butter, room temperature
1 apple, finely diced and cooked
Dash of cinnamon
½ t raw honey
Salt and pepper to taste

To marinate the Pork Chops combine Meritage, thyme, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Ziploc bag. Add Pork Chops and marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.

Prepare biscuits according to package instructions. While biscuits are baking, prepare apple butter. Mix butter, cooked apple, raw honey and cinnamon. Place in refrigerator to firm.

Once Pork Chops are ready to cook, season with salt and pepper and sear on stove top for 5 minutes (both sides) until golden brown. Then, place chops in a baking dish, and put in oven for 10-12 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

While chops are in the oven, sauté kale over medium heat with left over olive oil for 3 minutes. Serve Pork Chops over kale with biscuits and apple butter on the side. Best when enjoyed with Ponte’s 2008 Meritage!

Enjoy!

Sara Buzza
Marketing Manager