Wine Pairings for Several Elegant Dishes

Consider toasting the New Year with an elegant dinner paired with a Mount Pleasant Winery sparkling or still wine. To help with the menu, the following recipes are compliments from Mount Pleasant Estates Executive Chef Dana Liljequiest.

See related article: Missouri Vintner Makes the New Year Sparkle With Sparkling Wines

Oysters Rockefeller 
(Pairing recommendation: Mount Pleasant Brut Imperial)

• 12 Raw Oysters
• 2 cups Spinach
• 1/2 cup Panko
• 2 Scallions Stalks – chopped
• 1 teaspoon Parsley – chopped
• 2 Bacon Slices – cooked and chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves – minced
• Anise Seed - pinch
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese – shredded

Chuck oysters and set them aside in a roasting pan.

Heat butter in skillet until melted. Add Spinach, garlic, scallions, bacon and anise. Divide mixture over the oysters with a spoon. Then top with Panko, parmesan and parsley.

Preheat broil and cook for 3-5 min or until cheese is melted and Panko is golden brown

Serves 2

Pork Medallions with Potato Au Gratin
(Serve with a whole grain mustard sauce, mushrooms and potato au gratin. Pairing recommendation, Mount Pleasant Highland)

• 1 Pork Tenderloin
• 1/4 cup Whole Grain Mustard
• 3/4  cup Cream
• 4 Medium Cremini Mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil

Potato Augratin

• 1 1/2  lbs Idaho Potatoes – peeled and sliced 1/4-inch
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 cup Asiago Cheese - shredded
• 1/2 cup Gruyere Cheese - shredded
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Cream
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Rub butter in a 1 ½ qt baking dish. Place sliced potatoes in layers. Sprinkle both cheeses in between each layer until you’ve used everything (all the cheese and potatoes). Mix cream, sour cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over potatoes. Bake for 1hr – 1hr and 15 min or until golden brown.
Rub olive oil over pork and mushroom. Season the pork and mushroom generously with salt and pepper. You could also add some thyme, sage or rosemary. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 20-25 min.

For the sauce, just heat up the cream and mustard together. Cook until it starts to thicken then ladle over the pork.

Serves 2

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
(Pairing recommendation, Mount Pleasant Tawny Port)

• 6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate 
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/3 cup Flour
• Butter for Ramekins
• 6 oz. Butter (diced, room temperature)

Preheat oven to 350°F Melt chocolate on low flame in a bain-marie (double boiler). 

Take off flame when chocolate is melted. Stir in diced butter, until it melts. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten. Stir in melted chocolate.

Fold in the flour. Butter 4 individual ramekins, and pour in chocolate batter. Cook for about 10 minutes. Check with toothpick for “runniness”. Cook longer for a firmer center. Carefully flip ramekins onto dessert plates and serve.

Serves 4

About this column: Suzanne Corbett is an award-winning writer/producer and culinary teacher, but her passion is as a food historian. She has written for Better Homes & Gardens, and was the radio host of Hot Plates, which aired on KSLG. She is the author of the award winning, "Pushcarts & Stalls: The Soulard Market History Cookbook."