Napa Valley Chefs Holiday Recipies

Salmon Appetizer from Mumm Napa Valley and Jeremiah Tower

This recipe was developed by Jeremiah Tower, the internationally renowned chef and "Father of New American Cooking." Tower is the Chef and Owner of Stars Restaurant and Stars Cafe in San Francisco, and Stars Oakville Cafe in the Napa Valley.

Jeremiah Tower explains, "Enjoy this dish as either an hors d'oeuvre or an appetizer with a glass of the 1990 DVX from Mumm Cuvée Napa. The wine and bottle as American works of art inspired me to recreate a traditional American dish in a new way."

Mushroom Waffle With Smoked Salmon

Serves 6


    1 recipe      waffle batter                      
     1 pound      mushrooms                           
   1/4 pound      butter                              
     3 stems      fresh thyme                         
     1/4 cup      melted butter                        
     1/2 cup      creme fraiche or sour cream         
   1/4 pound      smoked salmon, sturgeon or trout     
                  (finely sliced, cut in short lengths)
     6 stems      parsley, finely chopped              
1 tablespoon      herb flowers                        
                  salt, pepper

Make a waffle batter without sugar.

Sweat the mushrooms in butter, thyme and a little water. Salt and pepper to taste. When cooked, cool and puree in a food processor. Add to the batter.

Make waffles, and serve either quarters for a first course, or one-inch square pieces for finger food.

Spoon over a little butter, some creme fraiche, top with either of the smoked fish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and herb flowers.

Thai Chicken Salad from The Best of Everything and Pauli Halstead

Dressing
1/4c. olive oil
2 T. hot chilli oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2c. rice wine vinegar
3 T. tamari
2 T. finely diced jalapeno peppers
2-3 T. sesame oil
2 T. grated fresh ginger

Proceedure: Whisk all the ingredients together. Brush four chicken breasts with some of the dressing. Bake or grill until done. Remove chicken from bone and slice very thinly. Set aside. Cook your favorite oriental style noodle until done. Toss noodles in a little of the dressing and arrange on four plates. Top the noodles with the sliced chicken, your favorite vegetables, cooked or raw. Garnish with cilantro and ground Planter's peanuts. Pass the rest of the dressing. Enjoy!

Three Desserts from Domaine Chandon

Strawberries in Champagne

2 pints    fresh strawberries
2 C        Domaine Chandon Reserve
6 oz       grannulated sugar
1/2 C      sour cream, with 1 T sugar (optional)

Method
Marinate the clean strawberries in the champagne and sugar for 2 hours (the champagne will pick up the color and flavor of the strawberries). Divide into champagne "coupes" with a spoon of sour cream on each. Garnish with fresh mint.

Warm Apple Tart
1 lb puff pastry
3 apples
4 tsp butter
4 tsp sugar

Roll out puff pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out four 6 inch rounds. With a fork, make holes in the pastry.

Peel, core and slice apples very thin. Arrange apples on pastry so they are overlapping and the entire surface is covered, except for 1/4 inch around the edge.

Sprinkle sugar over apples and put butter on in very small pieces. Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with Poppy Seedand Creme Fraiche Ice Cream.

Poppy Seed and Creme Fraiche Ice Cream
1/2 qt Half and Half
6 oz Sugar
8 egg yolks
1/2 Tahitian vanilla bean
1/4 cup black poppy seeds
3 cup creme fraiche
2 Tbsp black poppy seeds

Bring half and half and vanilla bean to a boil, let infuse for 10 min., and remove vanilla bean. In a bowl, whip egg yolks and sugar. Pour warm cream over mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat until slightly thickened, (do not boil). Let cool for 15 min., then add creme fraiche and poppy seeds. Mix and pour into ice cream machine.

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