Dining In: Quarantine Brunch & Bubbles, Part I

“Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper. Everything can have drama if it's done right. Even a pancake.” - Julia Child

Pancakes are one of my favorite brunch items, and with Mother’s Day this weekend, what a perfect way to celebrate the woman in your life, than making her a delicious meal. The breakfast items I’m sharing today are so easy to make!

I truly love making buttermilk pancakes in a cast iron pan - it gives these cakes a perfect crispy edge, while cooking them evenly. I’m sharing my two easy pancake dishes that will take your traditional pancakes dishes to the next level.

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Cast Iron Buttermilk Pancakes + Crumbled Bacon Bits

Pancakes and bacon are the perfect combo for brunch! I love chopping my bacon bits and adding them on top a stack of pancakes - you’ll get a nice crispy salty crunch in your bites!

If you are worried about time, and do not want to make your pancake mix from scratch, the following two boxed mixes are my favorite:

• Krusteaz

• Trader Joe’s

Also, adding in a few dashes of cinnamon and vanilla to your mix totally takes the pancakes up a notch!

Stack of buttermilk pancakes with bacon bits.

Champagne is always the answer, especially for brunch! I love pairing bubbles with my brunch meals - Prosecco, Sparkling Rosé, and Champagne are all excellent choices. This Pierre Pallard, is a bit on the higher end, but such a wonderful bottle to enjoy if you want to splurge a bit! The grape is Chardonnay for this Champagne, it is bright, acidic, and wonderful compliment to this dish.

An amazing bottle of champagne from Tinto Wine & Cheese Downtown.

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Jumbo Cast Iron Pancake + Fried Chicken Breast with Toasted Pecans

Not a pro at flipping a ton of pancakes or want to share it amongst your loved ones? Well, the jumbo cast iron pancake is for you! You can fill your buttered cast iron with batter - leave it plain, add berries, chocolate chips, or nuts! Then, pop the jumbo pancake into the oven at 450 degrees for about 10-15 mins. Let the pancake cool, cut it into sections and serve!

I love a sweet and savory brunch meal, and frying a panko crusted chicken breast with chopped pecans is the perfect addition to this dish. The crunchy, sweet, salty, and toasty notes are this dish are so well balanced, creating the perfect meal!

A divided jumbo cast iron pancake, with a fried chicken breast, topped with toasted chopped pecans.

My favorite pairing for this dish is the lovely cuvée, Thibaut Janisson, made of 100% Chardonnay grapes. It has aromas of pear and apple. This is a great balance with the nutty notes of the dish, as this bubbly is very crisp, vibrant, and refreshing.

A lovely bottle of Blanc de Chardonnay, Virginia Sparkling Wine.

XO, Analise

Recipe: 30-Minute Cast Iron Stir Fry

“I love to take something ordinary and make it really special.” - Ina Garten

Fried rice with egg, green onion, carrots, ginger, garlic and topped with short rib.

What You’ll Need:

serves 2-4 people

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 3 large eggs

• sea salt

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided

• cracked black pepper

• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

• 4 stalks of green onions/scallions

• 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp peeled or minced ginger

• 1 cup cooked leftover long grain rice

• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Fried rice with egg, green onion, carrots, ginger, garlic and topped with a jumbo lump crab cake.

Instructions:

Step 1: Cook your rice ahead of time, either the morning of or day before. For this recipe, basmati rice was used - follow your packaged rice instructions, and afterwards store the cooked grains in a container, and put away in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Step 2: Once you are ready to make your stir fry, grease your cast iron with olive oil. Get the cast iron nice and hot on top of the stove, then add three eggs. Begin to scramble the eggs in the cast iron, and chop the eggs finely. Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, remove them from the cast iron into a small bowl.

Step 3: After the eggs are removed, add in a little bit of olive oil, as well as, chopped green onion, carrots, ginger, and garlic. Sauté these items in the cast iron for about 2-3 mins.

Step 4: Once your veggies have finished sautéing, add back in your scrambled eggs, and cooked rice from earlier. Mix all of the ingredients in the cast iron skillet.

Step 5: Next, add in sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper into the stir fry. Add additional seasonings to taste. Let the mixture stand in the cast iron for about 5-10 minutes, to ensure all the flavors blend well together.

Step 6: Serve and plate with your favorite protein!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Grilled Lamb Lollipops

“Cooking is an expression that crosses boundaries.” - Ranveer Brar

Lamb lollipops marinating in olive oil, salt, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

What You’ll Need:

• 8 lamp lollipops

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 

• 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary 

• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme

Grilled lamb lollipops, thinly sliced russet potatoes, and sautéed swiss chard.

Instructions

Step 1: Generously pour olive oil over the lamp lollipops to ensure the protein in evenly coated, and then add on the seasonings. Gently massage the seasonings into the protein to make sure everything is distributed all over each lollipop.

Step 2: Place the lamb lollipops into a bowl or dish and cover it with plastic wrap. Afterwards, place the lamb into the fridge for 24 hours for the marinating process to begin.

Pro Tip: The marinade is essential for a protein to have the best flavor possible - you’ll want the flavor to get down to the bone of the meat.

Step 3: After the meat has marinated, let the lamb rest on the counter for 30 minutes, or until the meat is room temperature.

Step 4: Ensure your grill is hot, the optimal temperature is 400 degrees. You’ll want to use a cast iron skillet to cook your lamb in - so make sure to have one handy! Sear each lamb lollipop for two minutes on each side in the cast iron on your grill. Once the searing is complete, let the lamb cook for about 20 minutes on indirect heat. For a medium rare temperature you’ll want your lamb to reach 135 degrees for its internal temperature.

Pro Tip: After you sear the lamb over the direct heat, offset your cast iron, and move it to the side where the heat/flame is not directly underneath it. This offset (indirect heat) cooking approach will smoke the meat, and act as a oven, thus not overcooking your lamb.

Step 5: Once your lamb reaches the optimal internal temperature, remove the cast iron from your grill, and at minimum let the lamb rest for 15 minutes. You’ll want to cover your cast iron with aluminum foil, so that the lamb stays warm.

Step 6: Serve and enjoy!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Prosecco Battered Fried Shrimp

“The smell of shrimp is comforting.” - Lennon Parham

Shrimp is something I’ve always grown up eating, and truly enjoy. Anytime I’m able to create a dish with these sea creatures I’m a happy girl.

Recently, I tried a new dish at home, and opted to use a sparkling wine, Prosecco instead of beer, for a uniquely battered shrimp. I wanted a lighter approach to the batter, than the traditional beer battered option. This batter makes the shrimp feel nice and light, just like the Prosecco itself - refreshing with a touch of citrus.

Check out the recipe below!

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Prosecco batter mixture.

Dipping each shrimp into the oil - spacing them evenly apart in the vessel.

• 1 pound of large shrimp

• 1/2 cup of flour

• 1/2 cup of Prosecco

• 1 teaspoon of black pepper seasoning

• 1 tbsp of lemon pepper seasoning or chili lime seasoning

• A pinch of sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black peppercorn

• Cooking oil of your choice - Canola, Peanut, or Vegetable

Step 1: Ensure your shrimp is thawed out if it is frozen, rinse them, and begin to line up each piece of shrimp on a stack of paper towels. You’ll want to drain any excess water out of the shrimp before dipping them into the batter and frying.

Pro Tip: The batter will not stick to wet shrimp, so make sure they are dry.

Step 2: While your shrimp is drying, begin to make your batter. Combine your flour and Prosecco, and ensure it is a nice creamy texture - similar to pancake batter! Once the batter is nice and smooth, combine all seasonings to ensure they are distributed evenly throughout the mixture.

Pro Tip: If your batter is a little too thick, and a little bit more prosecco to the batter to ensure it isn’t clumpy.

Step 3: Get your oil nice and hot! While you are waiting, begin to dip each shrimp into the batter, not going past the tail, and begin placing them into the pan/pot. It will take about 5 minutes for the shrimp to get nice and brown - keep your eye on them while they fry.

Pro Tip: Do not overcrowd the vessel, as the shrimp will not cook evenly, and the battered shrimp will stick together.

Step 4: As the shrimp are reaching their golden brown color, remove them from the oil, and place them on a stack of paper towels so they can drain any excess oil.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy!

Prosecco fried shrimp, paired with a garlic + citrus aioli, and sautéed kale and carrot salad.

XO, Analise

Cork & Fork: Smoked Meats + Fried Oysters Wine Pairings

“Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures.” - Michael Broadbent

One of my favorite things to do is pairing a delicious dish with an amazing bottle of wine.

This past Christmas I gifted my husband a smoker, and he has literally perfected the art of smoking amazing proteins. Also, one of my preferred seafoods to enjoy are oysters, especially when they are flash fried.

Today, I’m sharing some of my ideal food and wine pairings with meals that we have curated at home.

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Smoked Chicken

Chicken is a protein we smoke and/or grill almost weekly. It is such a versatile protein, and you can add it to salads, sandwiches, nachos, tacos, or enjoy it by itself with a wide variety of sides.

This spicy smoked chicken is so delicious, and is layered with a variety of seasonings that pair perfectly with a velvet bordeaux style wine. The Octagon produced by Barboursville Vineyards is a winner for this dish. It is so smooth, and is such a unique blend of varietals Merlot 50%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Petit Verdot 30%. It is so well balanced, with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, baked berries, and a bit of oak. This wine is dry, but the finish has a nice smooth velvet texture.

Smoked thinly sliced chicken breast paired with broccolini and herbed potatoes with rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme with a spicy old bay mayo.

Barboursville Octagon 2016

Smoked chicken leg paired with broccolini and thinly sliced herbed potatoes with rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme.

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Smoked Duck

When duck is smoked, it brings out some amazing flavors of the protein, and is tender and juicy. Also, the port cherry reduction is a great addition, the perfect compliment to the meat.

The wine I paired with this dish is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. It is soft, has an amazing body to it, and is fruit forward, while having a great texture and balance. This wine has notes of black fruit immediately on the nose, and cherry on mid-palate. The tannins on this wine are present, but not overwhelming, which is ideal with smoked duck.

Medium rare sliced duck breast with a port cherry sauce, accompanied with herbed seasoned red potato crisps.

Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

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Fried Oysters

Oysters are something that I enjoy so much! Whenever I’m able to indulge in them, champagne is the obvious choice to pair with this dish.

The fried oysters are seasoned with lemon, pepper, sea salt, black pepper, a dash of cayenne, and a dusting of grated parmesan - which gives the protein a great balance of spice and citrus.

A champagne that is 100% Meunier is a lovely pair with oysters. Champagne Salmon was a great choice for me to accompany this dish, as it provides the right balance of acidity to the oysters.

Fried oysters paired with a pair of grilled rosemary crostini, and garlic herb aioli.

Champagne Salmon - 100% Meunier

What are your favorite wine and food combinations? Feel free to share your favorite wine and food pairings below!

XO, Analise