Posts Tagged ‘culinary’

Video: Our chef’s recommended kitchen gadgets

by Todd on September 17, 2010

Every chef has his toys. In this video, I recommend four of my favorite kitchen gadgets. They’re invaluable to anyone who enjoys cooking and also make great gift ideas for home cooks and chefs alike.

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler — I’ve used many peelers over the years, and this is the best one on the market. No need to spend a fortune. Under $4 at Amazon.com.

Microplane Grater/Zester — Originally used for carpentry work, the Microplane crossed over into the kitchen after a home cook discovered its remarkable ease with grating and zesting. We use it in our kitchen everyday. Under $9 at Amazon.com.

Kintrex Infrared Thermometer — This laser technology comes in very handy for checking temperatures when boiling water, deep frying, baking and grilling. Currently on sale for under $50 at Amazon.com.

Cadco Electric Cooktop Buffet Induction Range — With induction cooking, the cooktop does not generate heat: the friction between the iron pan and the cooktop magnet does. Cool to the touch while boiling water, it’s great for preparing sauces at precise temperatures and for operating a secondary burner while barbecuing. They’re also much safer for home cooks concerned about child safety. The Cadco model retails for around $330, but Max Burton makes a model that is currently on sale for under $70 at Amazon.com. The more expensive models tend to have better heat conductivity and consistency.

Vita-Mix Vita-Prep Professional Series Blender — Splurging on a professional-quality blender is highly recommended. You don’t need a food processor if you have one of these. It’s great for making purèes and soups. Under $500 at Amazon.com.

Posted in: From the Kitchen

Tags: culinary, gift ideas, kitchen gadgets

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The making of our 2009 Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil: racking

by Laura on February 17, 2010

At Jordan, we make our own extra virgin olive oil from the 18 acres of olives planted here on the estate. Crafting extra virgin olive oil actually includes some steps employed in winemaking, including racking, which we recently completed for our Chardonnay and talked about in our blog. We racked our 2009 Jordan Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Tuesday, which separates the oil that will compose our master blend from the sediment at the bottom of the drum. Sediment, a natural by-product of unfiltered olive oil, is essential to making high-quality olive oils, as it serves to enhance the flavor and to increase the nutrients. We never filter our olive oil, the hallmark of a true EVOO, and the racking process allows us to achieve the complexity of flavors unfiltered oils possess. Our 2009 olives were harvested and milled in late November and early December (before we launched our video blog, but you can see pictures of the mobile mill on our 2009 olive harvest report video post). The Jordan 2009 EVOO rested in neutral drums for about eight weeks before racking.

Next week, Estate Executive Chef Todd Knoll will be composing the 2009 Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil master blend just before bottling, and we look forward to sharing this process with you via video.

Chef Todd tastes the 2009 Jordan Extra Virgin Olive Oil after racking

Chef Todd swirling 2009 extra virgin olive oil after racking

Posted in: From the Land

Tags: culinary, extra virgin olive oil, harvest, olive oil, olives, racking

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Helping The Salvation Army in a culinary pinch

by Nitsa on February 11, 2010

During dinner service last night, John Jordan received a call from one of his colleagues at the local Salvation Army. Watch a quick video to find out what happened and why I decided to work in the Jordan kitchen on my day off.

Posted in: From the Kitchen

Tags: charity, community, cooking, culinary, food, giving back, kitchen, Nitsa Knoll, philanthropy, salvation army, todd knoll, volunteers

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Harvesting white asparagus

by Lisa on February 8, 2010

El Niño, characterized by unusually warm temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator, caused a wave of January rainstorms in Sonoma County—and an early harvest in our garden thus far this season. On January 15, our white asparagus arrived two months early, so we recorded a video of Sous Chef Manuel burying the asparagus to deprive the spears of light and ultimately color. Two weeks later, the white asparagus was ready to be unburied, harvested and taken up the hill to our winery kitchen, where Manuel peeled the white asparagus, then tied the spears with string (both efficient and protective, as white asparagus is more brittle than green) before blanching. Here’s a short video of the harvesting process and kitchen preparations.

Posted in: From the Kitchen

Tags: asparagus, blanching, cooking, culinary, el nino, garden, gardening, harvest, harvesting, kitchen, white asparagus, wine country

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A Valentine’s Day recipe recommendation

by Todd on February 5, 2010

Last week, I interviewed with Tom Simoneau from our local news talk radio station, KSRO, for his Wine Minutes segment in honor of Valentine’s Day. Here’s a quick video discussing the Duck Confit recipe recommended to his listeners. The recipe, as well as a link to download it from our website, are included below. Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day from the entire Jordan family.

Duck Confit
Click here to view and download our recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Sarawak black peppercorns
1 Tbsp coriander
1 star anise
6 duck legs
3 Tbsp sea salt
2 bay leaves
1½ Tbsp Demerara sugar
5 sprigs of marjoram
10 sprigs of thyme
3 shallots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5 cups duck fat

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200°.

In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, toast black peppercorns, coriander and star anise until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine duck legs, spices, sugar, herbs, shallots and garlic. Press mixture into duck. Tightly cover and marinate for 48 hours.

Carefully brush marinade from legs and lay them in an earthenware casserole or heavy, lidded 6 quart stock pot.

Melt duck fat and pour over duck legs to cover. Allow to cook gently until meat is easily pierced and nearly falls away from the bone, approximately 4 to 5 hours.

Remove duck and place in a storage container. Strain fat to cover completely and quickly cool over ice. Refrigerate and allow the confit to rest for a minimum of one week and up to one month.

To serve, render crisp in cast iron, or add to any risotto or cassoulet.

Serves 6

Pair with: Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted in: From the Kitchen

Tags: advance preparation, culinary, duck confit, food, kitchen, recipe, todd knoll, valentines day

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White asparagus arrives two months early

by Todd on January 15, 2010

In the Jordan estate garden, we focus on growing heirloom varieties and other fruits and vegetables that demand meticulous care. Our white asparagus arrived two months early this year (see winter garden post), so Sous Chef Manuel Reyes rushed out to the garden on Friday to bury all the asparagus spears in the ground. White asparagus comes from the process of etiolation, which is the deprivation of light. Dirt is mounded around each emerging stalk, depriving it of sunshine. The plant cannot produce chlorophyll without light, thus there is no green color to the stalk. White asparagus is typically milder in flavor and more tender than its green counterpart.

Click here to view my Hanger Steak and Asparagus Salad recipe.

Posted in: From the Kitchen

Tags: asparagus, bury, chef, cooking, culinary, deprivation, el nino, etiolation, food, garden, gardening, harvesting, light, manuel reyes, organic, recipe, season, spears, todd knoll, weather, white asparagus, winter

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A winter growing season update from our organic garden

by Todd on January 15, 2010

The mild winters of Alexander Valley mean our organic gardens continue to afford us a weekly bounty of vegetables to inspire dishes for our guests. In this video, I discuss what’s growing this month in our garden behind the winery, as well as the early ripening witnessed this season, which may be attributed to El Niño climate patterns.

Posted in: From the Kitchen

Tags: 2010 weather, asparagus, cooking, culinary, el nino, garden, gardening, lettuce, onions, organic, weather, winter

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Halloween at Jordan: Casablanca

by Laura on December 22, 2009

What started out as John’s personal Halloween party has transformed into the most talked about event in town. In October 2009, 180 of our valued trade members came to the winery to celebrate Halloween. The theme was “Casablanca” and the winery was transformed into the classic 1940s movie. Guests were treated to pass hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Todd, signature 1940s cocktails, hand-rolled cigars, gambling tables and swing dancing. Here’s looking at you, kid!