Cabernet Sauvignon Food Pairing Suggestions & Delicious Recipe Ideas
Cabernet Sauvignon is a favorite on the dinner table. Perhaps this is because when people are searching for wine that pairs well with a main course - this varietal is often the ideal choice.
At meal time, many folks will find themselves in a Cabernet State of Mind.
Most red meats as well as many hearty/savory dishes pair perfectly with a bottle of Cab. It is easy to see why it is such a favorite on the table. High-tannin red wines pair well with foods high in protein.
Big red wines like Cabernet come with a tannic structure as well as red and dark fruit flavors and a backbone of acidity. These all compliment meat based dishes well.
Cabernet tannins will absolutely cry out for more fat in the dish. The tannins in the wine will help to strip the tongue of fatty residue from the food, allowing full enjoyment of the next bite. It is a food friendly and quite flexible wine varietal produced in a wide range of styles. Cabernet styles can range the from bigger bodied, more fruit forward wines of California and the new world to the more understated, higher acid styles typical of Bordeaux.
Following are some fantastic recipe ideas to pair with Cabernet Sauvignon on your own dinner table.
BEST Food & Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Pairing Dinner Recipes
Mushroom Papparelle
courtesy of Wine Club Member Shaun Myrick
This pasta is a perfect vegetarian meal on its own, paired with a bottle of Laurel Glen Vineyard Estate Cabernet, or as a side dish to grilled steak. Serves 4 or 6 as side dish
5 Tablespoons olive oil 3 carrots, peeled, cutin half & quartered
1 pd crimini or assorted seasonal mushrooms 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 6oz can tomato paste 1/2 cup Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon
1. Toss the portobello mushrooms, onion, and carrots with 2 tablespoons oil.
2. Grill vegetables on a bbq for 20 minutes over high heat, flipping halfway through, until softened and slightly blackened. Alternately, roast on a sheet pan at 425° for 20 minutes or cook in an air fryer at 400° for 10 minutes.
3. Place grilled vegetables in a food processor and pulse ‘til chopped fine but not pureed.
4. In a large skillet or Dutch oven heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the cremini mushrooms, sauté until golden. Add the minced garlic, cook for another minute.
5. Add the tomato paste and pureed tomatoes to the mushrooms, lower heat to medium and stir well to incorporate all the paste. Add the oregano and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add wine to the mushroom mixture and scrape up anything stuck to the pan. Add the grilled vegetables and stir to incorporate, season with salt and pepper.
7. Meanwhile bring water to a boil for pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water.
8. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss. Begin adding reserved pasta water ½ cup at a time to loosen the sauce to desired consistency. You probably won’t need more than 1 cup. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss.
9. Serve immediately, passing around additional cheese.
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Skirt Steak w/ Roasted Corn and Peach Salsa
(Serves 4)
Salsa:
Skirt Steak:
Grill steak to medium rare (125 degrees); about 4 minutes per side.
Slice steak across grain and serve with salsa. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
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Lamb Moussaka
courtesy of Wine Club Member Shaun Myrick
Impress your friends and family with this extremely flavorful lasagna-like dish. For a great Sunday supper, serve with a salad and the delicious 2017 Laurel Glen Estate Cabernet.
Ingredients
| 2 eggplant — about 3 pounds | 1 yellow onion, diced |
| 3 cloves garlic, minced | 1/2 pd. shiitake mushrooms, chopped |
| 1 pound ground lamb | 1 cup diced tomatoes |
| 2 Tbsp tomato paste | 1 tsp cinnamon |
| 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced | 1/2 cup red wine |
| salt & pepper | olive oil |
| 1/2 stick butter | 2 cups milk |
| 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt | 1 cup Parmesan, grated |
Directions
2. Place slices on parchment lined baking sheets. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400-degree oven, rotate baking sheets half way through. Reduce oven temperature to 350.
3. Heat a large heavy bottom pan over medium high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms start to release liquid. Add ground lamb and sauté until no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, oregano, and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat
and simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside.
5. Line bottom of an 8x11 casserole or baking dish with a layer of eggplant slices (1/3 of the slices). Cover with ½ of the meat mixture. Layer again with eggplant and then the remaining meat and top with remaining eggplant. Pour sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
6. Place the Moussaka in preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. The edges should bubble and the center should brown.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stir for one minute over mediumlow heat. Slowly stir in milk and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. Once thick, stir in ½ cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and slowly stir in yogurt.
6. Place the Moussaka in preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. The edges should bubble and the center should brown.
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Coffee Cocoa Crusted Venison
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
1/4 cup cocoa
2-1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Venison loin
Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine coffee, cocoa, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Rub mixture into loin.
2. Cover and hold for 1-2 hours.
3. Grill venison loin over medium-high heat, rotating on all sides until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.
4. Remove to a cutting board. Let rest for at least 10 minutes.
5. Slice into 1-inch pieces on a platter and spoon on the blackberry sauce.
Blackberry Sauce
1/2 jalapeno, diced very small
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
Pinch cracked black pepper
Place blackberries, jalapeno, pepper and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer and reduce until thickened. Season to taste, with salt.
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Beef Chili Recipe
courtesy of Joan Stagnaro, Girl Friday - Private Chef
Beans:
2 cups dried heirloom beans (preferably Rancho Gordo & a mix of several shapes and sizes for fun and texture)
| Marinated beef: | Chile: |
| 2 lbs hangar or flank steak | 2 large yellow onions, chopped |
| 3 bay leaves | 5 carrots, chopped |
| 1/2 cup soy sauce | 5 ribs celery, chopped |
| 2 T sugar | 2 large cans diced tomatoes |
| 1/2 cup red wine vinegar | 4-5 cups beef broth |
| 3 T crushed red pepper flakes | 1 can of beer |
| 3 T chili powder | 1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo |
| 10 cloves garlic minced | Salt and pepper to taste |
| 1/2 cup olive oil | |
| 2 T peppercorns |
The night before: Rinse beans and soak overnight. Place the beef and marinade ingredients together in a glass bowl and make sure the beef is well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.
3-4 hours before serving: sautée onions, carrots, and celery in a large heavy pot over medium heat until caramelized. Add beef, tomatoes (with juice) and 1/2 the broth. Cover and simmer for several hours over low heat, until the meat is tender and falling apart. As the beef cooks, add the can of beer and more broth as necessary.
While beef is cooking, drain beans and cook in plenty of fresh water with 2 T salt, 2 T ground pepper and 6-10 whole garlic cloves for one hour. Drain.
When beef is tender, add beans, and carefully add chopped chipotle peppers with their sauce. NOTE: add the peppers a little at a time and taste as you go. They are very hot.
Cook for another 30 minutes or so over medium heat to blend all the flavors. Serve with your favorite chili toppers.
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Beef Lettuce Wraps
Recipe by Shaun Myrick
(serves 4)
For a quick weeknight meal these Beef Lettuce Wraps pair well with the delicious Laurel Glen Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon. The extremely flavorful sauce pulls together the ground beef and shiitake mushrooms with a sweet and savory zing, the fresh spring lettuce leaves give a nice crunch.
Ingredients
Beef Mixture
Sauce
Butter lettuce leaves, for serving
Additional condiments: green onions, sliced on the diagonal; radishes thinly sliced; cucumber, sliced into sticks; red pepper flakes; sesame seeds
Instructions
Combine all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl; whisk to incorporate the cornstarch, set aside.
Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallot and shiitake mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms start to release their liquid. Do not burn the garlic or shallots. Add in the beef and break it up and let it crumble and brown.
Once the beef is fully cooked, deglaze the pan with the Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon.
Stir in the sauce and let it come to a boil. Continue to let it bubble until the sauce thickens and fully coats the beef mixture. Remove from heat.
To serve spoon some of the beef mixture into a lettuce leaf, garnish with your choice of the garnishes and enjoy! Pour a glass of the Counterpoint Cabernet for a delightful meal.
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Red-Wine Braised Chicken with Herb and Ricotta Gnocchi
(Serves 4 to 6)
Chicken:
8 bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
2 cups high-quality chicken stock
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced rosemary
Gnocchi:
1 (15-oz container) whole milk ricotta
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet large enough to hold all of the chicken in a single layer over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and chicken skin-side down. Cook until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate using tongs.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet and return the skillet to the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Add the stock, thyme and rosemary and bring to a boil. Return all of the chicken to the skillet skin-side up. Reduce the heat to low and cook on a simmer until the chicken is nearly tender, about 40 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, make the gnocchi.
Combine the ricotta, parmesan, eggs, chives, parsley, sage, salt and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring to combine after each addition. Stop adding flour after the dough starts to become dry.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop a small spoonful of the dough into the water. If the dough falls apart, add more flour to the dough mixture and repeat. When the dough reaches the right consistency, drop by small spoonfuls into the water a few at a time. When they rise to the surface, transfer to a plate.
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When it begins to bubble on the edges, add the gnocchi and carefully turn to coat evenly. Cook until the gnocchi are warmed through.
Divide the gnocchi and chicken between four shallow bowls. Spoon some of the pan sauce around the bowl and sprinkle with extra cheese.