Valentine's Dinner | Three Course Menu with Wine Pairings

PAIRING: 2019 Verméil Demi-Sec

Ingredients
2 cups arugula
1 medium-sized avocado, sliced or diced
1 large beet, roasted and cooled
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 clementine orange, peeled and sectioned
¼ cup pistachios
⅓ cup feta cheese crumbles

Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup EVOO
Salt and pepper

Garnish (optional)
6 heart-shaped, beet slices
2 teaspoons pistachios
Sprinkle feta cheese crumbles

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients then set aside.

2. If you’re feeling festive, then use a small heart cookie cutter to create beet hearts from the slices. Otherwise, chop the beet into half-inch cubes.

3. In a large bowl, toss arugula, beets, citrus, avocado, pistachios, feta and dressing.

4. Serve salad onto two plates. For an extra touch, garnish each plate with: 3 decorative beet hearts, 1 teaspoon of pistachios, and a sprinkle of feta cheese crumbles.

PAIRING: 2019 Blanc de Blancs

Ingredients
6 medium-sized sea scallops, rinsed and dried
1 12oz frozen bag of peas
2 tablespoons butter
1 applewood-smoked bacon strip
1 mint sprig for garnish
EVOO to cook scallops

Directions
1. Add defrosted peas to a pot that has been lightly coated with oil. Warm peas over medium heat.

2. Add heated peas to blender with butter. Blend until thoroughly mixed.

3. For a smooth pea consistency, push pea purée through a sieve into a bowl. Set aside.

4. Slice bacon into 1/4" pieces and place in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Cook until crispy, but not burnt.

5. Season scallops with salt and pepper. In a sauté pan large enough to accommodate scallops without crowding add 2 Tbs olive oil and preheat over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot but not smoking, add
scallops to pan and cook until they reach a golden brown color (2-3 minutes)

6. Spread pea purée on two medium plates. If using larger scallops, then use a full size dinner plate. Place 3 seared sea scallops in the middle of each plate. Then, sprinkle with bacon and garnish with small mint leaves. If only large mint leaves are available then coarsely chop the leaves.

PAIRING: 2018 Late Disgorged Brut Rosé

Ingredients
1 small loaf of pound cake or ½ bundt angel cake, 1 inch cubes
16 ounces strawberries, rinsed and dried
½ cup granulated sugar

Whipped Topping
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Optional garnish, 1 dark chocolate bark
Optional garnish, mint sprig

Directions
1. Cut rinsed and dried strawberries into ¼ inch slices. Then place in a large bowl and sprinkle granulated sugar across sliced strawberries. Use a spatula to coat all strawberries with sugar. Next, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. Store for a minimum of two hours then prepare trifles.

2. When ready to serve trifles, use an electric mixer to combine heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar. Mix until peaks form then set aside.

3. In a 10-12 oz dessert dish or coupe glass, make a single layer of cake cubes. Next, place a layer of macerated strawberries and its juice directly on top of the angel cake. Spoon whipped topping across the layers. Add another layer of cake cubes, and top with strawberries. Then place a large dollop of whipped topping in the middle of strawberries.

4. Use a microplane zester, or standard cheese grater, to grate small chocolate curls over the whipped cream. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Note: To receive wines via ground shipping by Tuesday, February 13th (states outside of AZ, CA, NV, OR, WA) must order by Febraury 6th.

States within AZ, CA, NV, OR, WA must order by February 9th to receive wines via ground shipping by Tuesday, February 13th.

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