Creamy Rosemary Polenta with Merlot Mushroom Sauce
Since I was young I loved the concept of the kitchen being the place where all nourishment takes place. This has held true in my youth, through the beautiful fragrance of sauces being created, slowly simmering lighting up our homes to the flowery smells of herbs, fruits, and vegetables growing outdoors in our gardens and lining the streets. As an adult, a chef and a lover of all things nourishing to the spirit, body, and soul, this holds true in my life to this day. I will be tantalizing your taste buds regularly with exceptional plates paired with some of my favorite wines and whiskeys, including recipes, tips and exciting cultural experiences.
Thank you for welcoming me into your lives and at your tables. I am a private chef with a Healing Through Food Chef Company with a donut product line. My goal is to share healthy gourmet food through private chef services, fooducation, healthy detoxes and challenges. I have been vegan for many years and love to share my love for flavorgasms through culinary anthropology. I have travelled many places and the one thing that inspires me is food made with love. You know what I am talking about. Picture your favorite meal, the comforting feeling and the love that you felt from the fragrances throughout those walls and when you sat in front of the plate, smelling and indulging in every smell then diving in repeatedly! That is what I call FOOD MADE WITH LOVE, my motto! What is your favorite food made with love? Share with me and please, Feel free to ask questions, share your comments and tell me your favorite wine and plate pairings as we travel this culinary anthropology journey with food and delicious wine!
Tonight, I met with an adorable couple I offer my chef services to as they celebrated their anniversary. It always excites me when couples excitedly pursue learning to create meals together, because when you prepare meals together you are doing more than creating food, you are learning more about one another, oneself and exploring communication as you marry flavors for all the senses to explore…yum! As they say, as wine enhances the food, the food enhances the wine, and the company enhances the pleasure. Tonight, we paired Creamy Polenta with a Merlot Mushroom garlic sauce with caramelized onions, crispy collards and fresh edible flowers on top with a Merlot chocolate cake with roasted coconut chips, agave sautéed pumpkin seeds, dusted with raw vegan cacao powder…yawzzzah! See photo below.
When I selected the wines to accompany this Italian Meal, I remember there are no rules, only deliciousness paired with complex flavors. Because wine can be both complex and intimidating, I like to make it simple by tasting first then picking a flavor, whether hearty or 
light, it all depends on the mood. Tonight’s mood is wine is fun, wine is delicious, let’s celebrate us. We will begin our journey with a 2013 Merlot, The Expedition, from Canoe Ridge Vineyard. These wines are inspired by Lewis and Clark expedition and specifically their travels on the Columbia River, where they thought the ridge resembles a overturned canoe. Each of their wines are delicious in their own way. We enjoyed this bottle for its full bodied dark berries, currants and cherries with infusion of candied violets. This silky wine is divine on its own as well as paired with your favorite vegetable pasta dishes or with your favorite berry tarts or my favorite, dark chocolate sprinkled with fruit syrups.
Enjoy trying this wine and this polenta recipe for your next meal!
Creamy Rosemary Polenta with Merlot Mushroom Sauce
Polenta
1 c polenta 1 tsp black pepper
4 c water 1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp olive oil 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
Bring 2 c water to a rolling boil, add polenta, whisking continuously, turn down to medium, continue stirring, add ½ c water at a time until a creamy thick consistency. Turn down to low, stir until cooked completely, 10 minutes. When cooked your polenta should look like a thick porridge. Cover and turn off heat.
Merlot Mushroom Garlic Sauce
1 c Merlot 1 c mushrooms
1 c onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c olives, chopped ¼ c almond milk
1 tsp black pepper ½ tsp sea salt
1 tbl butter 1 tbl sour cream
1 tbl mozzarella
Add butter, sour cream, milk, spices and wine to a heated on medium heat skillet, whisk until combined. When begins to boil, add onion, mushrooms, garlic and collards, stir with a spatula until begins to thicken.
In a bowl add one cup of polenta and top with merlot sauce, enjoy! Please feel free to experiment by adding sautéed greens, beans, or any other of your favorite additions.
Enjoy and stay tuned for more recipes, pairings, desserts, tours and fun with flavors.
