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Les Kincaid, Las Vegas Wineau, food and wine expert...

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Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He teaches cooking & wine appreciation classes at UNLV Outreach and hosts a nationally syndicated wine radio show, Les’ Wines & Vines, each Thursday from 7 to 8 PM. You can enjoy his web site or his broadcasts live at www.leskincaid.com or email les@leskincaid.com.

Corked Wine & Your Experiences or How Can I Tell?

Generally, faults in wines are caused by either sulfur compounds or bacteria. The most common fault, corked wine, results when fungus interacts with a chemical used to sanitize corks and produces a compound that taints the wine. You can recognize corked wines by their musty, mildewy aroma and flavor.

Sitting quietly with your eyes closed, you breathe deeply, searching for the exotic aromas of pinot noir that has just been poured in your glass. Instead, an acrid smell jabs its way up your nostrils, singeing your cilia. This is not the essence of spring cherries on a bed of newly harvested hay you were expecting. It's more like burnt matches. Is it you or the wine?

It's estimated that one in twelve to fifteen bottles is actually corked. The defect ratio that would be unacceptable in most all other industries. Think about how an owner might expect to receive a certain large amount of his wine returned for credit. What can they do to eliminate this expense? While some winemakers are evaluating plastic corks, compound corks or screw caps. These are possible solutions to this problem.

When it comes to screw caps, (or Stelvin closures) somewhat lackluster acceptance to this solution is a deterrent. The fact is that there have been no negative results in all the testing over the past 10-15 years but some customers don’t like it anyhow.

Tradition is very strong by many wine lovers and others can’t get that mental picture of the hobo drinking out of a screw cap bottle inside a brown paper bag. This is a shame. Too much oxygen is also an enemy of wine, like in many other substances. Air makes nails rust, fruit turn brown and wine taste stale and turn a deep yellow or brownish color sometimes almost overnight.

Oxidized wine, the second most common wine fault, occurs when the bottle is stored upright instead of on its side for a given period of time. This allows the cork to dry out and oxygen somehow to seep into the bottle. Oxidation also occurs whenever the wine is overexposed to air while being made, aged, bottled or stored.

Note: For a few wines, such as sherry, the oxidized taste is part of the wine's desirable character.

However, oxidized wines show none of sherry's other fine characteristics. As oxidization increases so too does its pungency. With some mild overexposure, wines epically with low acidity can smell cooked or bland, while those with high acidity smell burnt or over toasted. With prolonged exposure, wines smell and taste of vinegar evolving eventually to an aggressive smell of nail-polish remover.

Reduced wine, in which there is an absence of oxygen, smells stale like stagnant water or something decomposing or an aging compost pile. Racking, or moving the wine from one barrel to another at the winery before bottling, can fix this problem, as can letting the wine breathe in the glass for several minutes before tasting.

Summer Rosés are a perfect Wine

Rosés are excellent wines for warm weather because of their refreshingly light character. There are few better wines than rose for summer sipping.

Reputations can be tough to shed. Perhaps none are more stubborn than rosé's. Why? The wine industry--by cranking out millions of bottles and casks of bland, too-sweet white zinfandel in the 1980s--did its best to kill the notion that pink wine can be a tasty, refreshing, refined drink.

Today, though, rosé is no longer the pink-headed stepchild of the wine shop. According to data from the Wine Market Council, of those Americans who drink at least one glass of wine each week, 18% of the time they drink pink.

Chalk it up to a competitive global wine market, improved grape-growing and winemaking practices and a few important flag wavers such as highly regarded New Zealand winemaker Kim Crawford (in his case, with a rosé called Pansy!, mostly marketed to the gay community). Maybe it's a combination of all three that's made rosé one of the best value-for-dollar wine categories on the shelf.

Today wine shops carry dozens of high-quality rosés from several different countries, including Bieler's--one from France that his family still makes, called Bieler Père et Fils, and the other called Charles & Charles, from Washington, But even though rosé has regained acceptance, the same rule applies for this style of wine as any other: Education equals better buys

Rosé is made in the same manner as white wine, but using red grapes. The bunches are picked and crushed, and depending on how long the juice and grape skins sit together in the tank, the more red color is passed on to the juice. The juice is then drained off and fermented separately.

The hue shouldn't have as much an impact on flavor, however, as the vintage date. With only a few rare exceptions, rosés are not designed to age. It's 2010, so right now you should be drinking 2010 rosés from the southern hemisphere, and 2009s from the northern. Fresh rosés will be bright, vibrant and juicy; after a year or even less, the wines tend to dull in aroma and flavor.

Here are a few of my favorite Rose:

De Loach, White Zinfandel (California) This has been the class of California White Zinfandels as far as most people can remember. Although slightly sweet, this pale pink rendition positively brims with fruit; so much that it would almost seem naked without some fresh, natural sweetness. While terrific with things like hibachi-grilled salmon marinated in ponzu, it makes just as wonderful an antidote for chili-spiced BBQ meats. Santino, "White Harvest" Zinfandel (California) This old favorite, and super value, is made in a lighter, low alcohol (almost Germanic), and notably sweeter style than the De Loach, and is always dripping with lush, watermelon-y flavors. Ever wonder what to drink with super hot, sticky, vinegary, tomatoey baby back ribs? Here it is.

McDowell Valley, Mendocino Grenache Rosé (California) There tends to be more of a strawberry fruitiness in Grenache based pinks; and to my knowledge, McDowell Valley's has been the smoothest and freshest made in California. This is, however, a completely dry style of Rosé; its soft fruitiness enhanced by fine, leafy green nuances. Great by itself, but dynamite with fish and rice seasoned with everything from Japanese furikake (chopped seaweed and sesame seed seasonings) to pickled ginger, ume (sour plums), soy, and sesame seeds.

Robert Sinskey, Carneros Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (Napa Valley, California) Not much of this comes out each spring, but this is as refined as a pink wine gets. Very pale in color, bone dry, lithe, delicate, and bursting with fragrant, red fruit with Rosé hip tea-like suggestions—as a Gen Xer might put it, like Gwyneth Paltrow in lace on a freshly fallen, silent shroud of snow—this is not something you have to think twice about with summer pastas in green herby marinara, or just cold shrimp with sweet-spicy cocktail sauces.

Finally, feel free to experiment. Most good-tasting rosés shouldn't cost more than $10 or $12--some even half that amount. So don't get discouraged if your first few tries don't result in a wine you love. After all, it's just a drink--no one's forcing you to wear a pink tuxedo to sing its virtues.

Health & Organic or Biodynamic Wines

"Contains Sulfites" When a label says that, it makes you stop and think. What kind of weird thing is a sulfite, anyway? Sulfites are simply chemical compounds. Grapes have some sulfites naturally, it's just part of the makeup of a grape. However, sulfites also come from the winemaking process. Wine is actually a pretty delicate thing and bacteria can spoil it. So winemakers add sulfur dioxide gas along the way to destroy the bacteria and make sure the wine won't spoil. The gas creates a chemical reaction which generates additional sulfites.

Problem? Only if you're allergic to sulfites. About one person in 250 is and the reactions can be mild or downright scary. So what can you do if you love wine but your body doesn't love sulfites? Go organic! Organic winemakers use very little sulfur dioxide gas. If you see "organic" on the label you can be pretty confident that the wine has very low sulfites - or maybe none at all. Right now the U.S. Department of Agriculture is in the process of redefining organic labeling laws and requirements. The current definition of organic is wine made from organically grown grapes. And it is natural to expect that any wine labeled "organic" has not been subjected to chemical sprays or processing.

Here are some widely available and popularly priced labels offering organic wine:

Bonterra

Fetzer

Frey Vineyards

Kenwood Vineyards

Napa Wine Company

Look for these brands, but be sure to check the label for more information. Beyond organic, let’s check out biodynamic wines.

What is biodynamic?

At its most basic, the biodynamic approach to grape-growing sees the vineyard as an ecological whole: not just rows of grapevines, but the soil beneath them—an organism in its own right—and the other flora and fauna in the area, growing together interdependently. Where biodynamics differs from other forms of organic or sustainable agriculture is in its idea that farming can be attuned to the spiritual forces of the cosmos. This might mean linking sowing and harvesting to the phases of the moon or the positions of the planets; it also might mean burying cow manure in a cow's horn over the winter, unearthing it in the spring, diluting a minute amount of the substance in 34 liters of water, "dynamizing" it by stirring it by hand in alternating directions for an hour or so and then spraying the mixture over one's vineyard.

Does it work? Well, adherents of biodynamics think so, though the success of the practice is impossible to quantify: Scientific measurement of the spiritual is a contradiction in terms. The most effective argument for biodynamics is that wines produced employing it is more evocative of the place they're grown—and, consequently, better.

Consider that converts to biodynamics include some of the most significant high-end wine producers today, such as Lalou Bize-Leroy of Domaine Leroy in Burgundy Peter Sisseck of Dominio de Pingus in Spain Olivier Humbrecht of Alsace's Zind-Humbrecht Also, a growing number of large-scale producers Maison Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy DeLoach Vineyards in Sonoma County—are experimenting with biodynamic.

Finally, regardless of the more outré aspects of the biodynamic approach, the intense attention it forces growers to pay in the vineyard can't be anything but good.

Always remember two things. Drink what you like. Wine Is Food.

PREVIOUSLY:

Here are some fun recipes for those backyard gatherings this summer:

Bourbon BBQ Chicken with a Spice Rub

Spice Rub:

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder

3 tablespoons pasilla chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground coriander

3 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon ground fennel seed

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoon allspice

1 teaspoon chile de arbol

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Barbecue Sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup bourbon, plus 2 tablespoons

1 cup ketchup

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon molasses

3 bone-in, skin-on breasts

3 bone-in, skin-on thighs

3 bone-in, skin-on legs

1/4 cup canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the rub: Whisk all the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Make the BBQ sauce: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup of the bourbon and cook until reduced. Add the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into a bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of bourbon and allow cooling at room temperature. The sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.

Heat the grill to medium heat. Brush the chicken with the 1/4 cup of oil and season on both sides with the spice rub. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the chicken slowly, with the lid closed, until golden brown on both sides and fat has rendered. Begin brushing the chicken liberally with the BBQ sauce during the last 10 minutes of grilling.

Yield: 4 servings

Ginger Mango Flank Steak with Fennel Slaw

Marinade:

1 tablespoon chili garlic paste recommended: Sambal)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (preferably organic)

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger

2 tablespoons finely minced garlic

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup ponzu (citrus seasoned soy sauce)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound flank steak

1 teaspoon canola oil

Ginger Mango Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows

Fennel Slaw, recipe follows

Radicchio, romaine, frisee or mixed baby greens, for serving

Your favorite vinaigrette, for salad

Sliced red onion, tomato and avocado, for serving, optional

Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix well. Place steak in a plastic storage bag, add the marinade, remove as much air as possible and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade bag and remove as much of the marinade as possible. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade for barbeque sauce. Season the steak with kosher salt and pepper. Brush grill pan lightly with canola oil, grill steak for 2 1/2 minutes, rotate on same side 45 degrees (to create grill marks) and grill for another 2 1/2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for an additional 5 minutes on the other side, rotating 45 degrees after 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from grill pan and allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes under a foil tent. Slice steak against the grain as thinly as possible.

To serve, toss salad and optional red onion, tomato and avocado with vinaigrette of your choice and arrange on a serving platter. Place a heap of fennel slaw in the center of salad, then place sliced meat around the sides (I fold the sliced meat in a slight V shape to show as much of the caramelization of the outside of the meat). Drizzle meat with barbeque sauce and mango puree carefully ensuring that the sauce gets onto the salad greens and slaw (use more barbeque sauce than mango puree).

Ginger Mango Barbeque Sauce:

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chili garlic paste (recommended: Sambal)

1/2 cup marinade reserved from flank steak

Puree mangos in a blender. Add rice wine vinegar and chili garlic paste and blend until all ingredients are incorporated (the color should be a bright orange-red). Bring marinade to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and reduce to about half (about 10 minutes over medium-low heat). The sauce can be strained at this point to remove the bits of garlic and ginger (the flavor is slightly less intense but it makes for a nicer presentation). Add about half of the mango puree (approximately 2/3 cup) and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside.

Save the other half of the mango puree for garnish.

Fennel Slaw:

1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon lemon zest (preferably organic)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 large fennel bulbs

Black sesame seeds, for garnish

Place lemon juice in a bowl and whisk in olive oil to create an emulsion. Add honey, zest, salt and pepper and whisk until combined; set aside.

Slice fennel very thinly with a mandolin. Combine fennel and dressing and set aside until ready to serve. Re-season with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Yield: 4 servings

Smoked Pork Loin with Raspberry Chipotle Glaze

1 (4-pound) pork loin

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

3 tablespoons dry spice rub for pork

1 (10-ounce) jar seedless raspberry jam

1 (5-ounce) bottle chipotle hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

Preheat stovetop or outdoor smoker to approximately 230 degrees F.

Trim the white "silver skin" from the pork loin and lightly coat the entire loin with olive oil. Sprinkle the rub liberally on all sides of the loin.

Place pork in the smoker and smoke until internal temperature or pork reaches 150 degrees F, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove pork from smoker and wrap lightly in aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler.

Place the jam in a medium bowl and stir in about 1/3 of the chipotle sauce. Mix well, adding more chipotle sauce until the heat and taste reach your personal preference.

Unwrap the pork and cover with the glaze. Place on a broiler pan and broil until glaze is bubbling, about 3 minutes. Slice pork against the grain and serve.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Southern Style Potato Salad

6 white or Yukon gold potatoes (3 pounds)

3 large eggs

1/2 Vidalia onion, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped pimento

3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup spicy brown mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Put the potatoes in a pot and add water to cover them by about 2 inches. Salt the water generously. Cover the pot and set it over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, and then add the eggs. Reduce the heat to a brisk simmer and cook, covered, until the potatoes can just be pierced by a fork, about 15 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pot and set them aside. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Rinse the eggs under cold running water until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop 2 of the eggs and add them to the potatoes. Add the onion, pimento, and relish to the potatoes.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and mustard. Spoon over the potato salad, season with salt and pepper, and mix gently.

Peel the remaining egg and slice it, placing the slices on top of the potato salad. Sprinkle with the paprika.

Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Yield: 4-5 servings

Pit Master Baked Beans

1 (28-ounce) can baked beans

1/4 small onion, diced

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoon spicy mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped or pulled pork shoulder meat

Put the beans and onions in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it bubbles. Add ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Heat another 5 minutes. When ready to serve, sprinkle the pork meat across the top.

Yield: 8 servings

Grilled Pineapple

1 ripe pineapple

1/2 cup melted sweet butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

French Vanilla Ice cream

1/2 cup dark rum or 151 proof rum, for flambéing

Preheat the grill to high. Oil the grate.

Cut the rind off the pineapple, leaving the green leaves intact. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise through the leaves as well as the fruit to obtain 8 slender wedges of pineapple with leaves intact. Trim the core off each pineapple wedge. Have the melted butter in one shallow bowl; mix the sugar, lime zest, cinnamon and cloves in another bowl.

Dip each wedge of pineapple first in melted butter, then in the sugar mixture, shaking off the excess. Grill the pineapple wedges until browned and sizzling, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the pineapple wedges to plates or a platter. Serve with ice cream.

If using the rum, heat it in a small saucepan until warm, almost hot, but do not let boil. Touch a match to the rum and pour it over the pineapple.

Yield: 8 servings

Bourbon Pecan Pie

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons good bourbon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

Cooking spray

1 sheet refrigerated pie dough (half of a 15-ounce package)

1 cup pecan pieces

Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts. Remove from heat. Add the butter and let melt, slowly stirring with a rubber spatula to keep the mixture from getting foamy. Gently stir in the vanilla, bourbon and salt.

Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually add the sugar mixture, whisking until incorporated.

Lightly mist four 4-inch individual pie pans with cooking spray. Unfold the pie dough and cut into quarters; press each piece into a pan and crimp the edges with your fingers. Place on a baking sheet. Divide the pecans evenly among the pie shells and pour the filling on top.

Bake the pies until golden and firm, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, then carefully remove from the pans. Serve with whipped cream,

Yield: 6 servings

http://www.celebritychefconnection.com/Index.htm

Article from Celebrity Chef Connection by Barbara Nosek:

PAIRING MADE SIMPLE. Leave it to Les Kincaid, Las Vegas chef and wine show radio host, to take a subject that can scare folks "sip-less," and make it ever so easy. "Putting wine and food together," he says," isn’t an exact science no matter what you’ve read. But there are some very basic things to keep in mind whether you’re planning dinner at home or perusing the wine list at a restaurant.

Think texture.

More full bodied and 'bigger' wines like Cabernet Sauvignon go better with hearty, flavorful dishes. Subtle or more delicate dishes work better with lighter and crisper wines… reds like Chianti or whites like Pinot Grigio. "Then there’s balance and contrast. Think of the wine as another ingredient or food group for your meal . . . like a seasoning, sauce or side dish. When you add all the parts together they bring out the best in each other. (But) when in doubt go with the most versatile and food friendly wines, usually a Merlot if it's a red or Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc for white.

"Finally… forget the red wine with meat, white wine with fish thing. Drink what you like, not what someone tells you you’re supposed to like. It’s all a matter of taste. Yours! So choose what you like and enjoy. Remember Wine Is Food."

And of course you can also pair wine with desserts, even an indulgent one like this, also from Les. For this he says a port would be great or a Muscat dessert wine like Quady Essencia.

MORE BBQ FOR SUMMER RECIPES

We always Love Burgers & Dogs on the Grill

We already know Grilling is one of the healthiest ways to add flavor without fat. Its time to get fired up for this summer with grilling techniques, recipes, ideas and, of course, wine pairings. What’s more American than grilling hamburgers? Hamburgers and hot dogs are the whole reason they put grills in public parks, I guess.

It’s a real shame that many of us are stumped when it comes to choose a great wine with so many kinds of burgers (there’s all beef, beef/lamb, short rib/brisket combo, turkey. Here’s some food for thought. Check out the type of burger and the wine choice. Don’t forget to pick a good side dish too.

Here are some easy tips to avoid common grilling problems and improve the taste of your burgers.

Before you start, always clean and oil the grill grate This prevents burgers from sticking, extends the life of your grate, and helps put those beautiful grill marks on your patties.

1. Choose a good quality meat that is about 20 percent fat. Ground chuck is a perfect choice for burgers. When making out the patties, be sure that the patty is flat and of uniform thickness. If the edges are thinner than the center, use your fingers to reshape the patty until it's even.
2. One of the most difficult things about grilling burgers is making sure they're cooked though without burning the outsides to a crisp. One easy way to help even out the cooking process is to form the patties and then make a hole in the center. Work the patty until you have a donut shape with a small hole (about one inch or a little less) in the center. This will allow the burger to cook more evenly. Keep in mind that the thicker the burger, the more important it is to remember to make the center hole.
3. Your family and guests will probably want burgers at different levels of doneness. An easy way to handle this is to put the burgers on gradually so that they all can come off the grill at once. For a burger to be well-done, it needs about fifteen minutes of grill time. If any of your guests want medium burgers, wait three or four minutes before adding theirs to the grill. All the burgers should be ready to come off the grill at the same time. For ground meats, you should use a meat thermometer to make sure the interior of the meat reaches 160 degrees, which is the minimum temperature for safety.
4. A common burger grilling problem is having the meat crumble once it's on the grill. You can easily deal with this by freezing the patties briefly after you've formed them. Place them in the freezer long enough to make them nice and firm, but not completely frozen. Allow about one to two hours for freezing the burgers before grilling them, depending on their thickness. Spraying your grill with a non-stick cooking spray before lighting it will also help prevent the meat sticking and falling apart as you cook.
5. Resist the temptation to press on the burger with your spatula. It may be fun, but it increases the chance that the burger will stick or fall apart. After all, you're forcing it into the grill rack. It also forces the juices out of the meat, drying out the burger and causing grill flare-ups.

If you like adding flavorings to your meat, it's easy to add them before you make out the patties. By mixing in dry and liquid ingredients, you can add both flavor and moisture to your burgers. Some good ones to try are steak sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry onion soup mix, fresh diced onions, black pepper, grill seasonings, onion powder, and garlic powder. Don't add salt before you cook the meat since it tends to dry out the meat and make it tough.

Experiment with different flavoring and enjoy. Burgers are one of the most common and easiest dishes for grilling. By using a few of the above simple techniques, you can make cooking them virtually foolproof.

Classic Beef Burger (with or without cheese): 2006 Ravenswood Napa Valley Zinfandel

Mini-Burgers with onion rings: 2007 Newton Vineyard Red Label Chardonnay

Lamb/Beef Burgers: 2008 Maipo Malbec

Turkey Burgers: 2007 King Estate Signature Pinot Gris or 2008 Mulderbosch Rosé or 2006 Carmel Road Monterey Pinot Noir

Beef Short Rib and Brisket Burger: 2006 Colosi Rosso

BLT Burgers with Tarragon Russian Dressing: 2007 Joseph Carr Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Moroccan Lamb Burgers with Mint-Yogurt Sauce: 2007 Oxford Landing South Australia Shiraz

Hot Dogs are a bit easier so keep them in mind too. Remember Wine is Food.

Les Kincaid

Chao…..Italy here we come!

MORE BBQ RECIPES...

As the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day weekend marks the first long ... delectable BBQ. A picnic at the park or a sun-kissed afternoon at the lake. Better yet consider inviting a few friends and BBQ at home. Here are a few simple but delicious recipes to make your BBQ a BIG success.

GRILLED SALMON WITH COFFEE BARBECUE SAUCE

1 to 2 pound salmon fillet, skin removed

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus olive oil to brush on grill

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup Coffee Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)

1/2 pound scallions

4 ears of corn, husk and silk removed, reserve husk

Prepare an outdoor barbecue grill with good charcoal briquettes or wood chips stacked against one side of the grill and let them burn until ash white. Brush the salmon lightly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish on the grill and begin to cook over in-direct heat (cooler part of the grill). Grill 2 to 3minutes on each side until the salmon begins to develop grill marks. Brush the fish with the barbecue sauce and cover the area where the fish was cooking with the reserved cornhusks. Lay the fish on top and cover the fish with the remaining husks.

Continue to barbecue the fish in this manner until it reaches the desired doneness. While the fish is cooking lay the corn to the side on the grill and cook quickly. Cook the scallions in a similar fashion. When the salmon has barbecued under the cornhusks, remove and serve.

Yield: 2 to 4 portions

BLACK COFFEE BARBECUE SAUCE

1/2 cup very strong black coffee, espresso preferred

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 onion, peeled and chopped, about 1 cup

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tablespoons dark molasses

3 fresh hot chili peppers, such as jalapeno, or hotter if desired, seeded

2 tablespoons hot dry mustard mixed with 1-tablespoon water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Cool, then puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a covered container.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

CHIPOTLE CORNBREAD

1 cup coarsely ground yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk (1% or 2% ok)

6 tablespoons sweet butter, melted

4 canned Chipotle, pureed

Shortening as needed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. and preheat two 6-inch cast-iron skillets in the oven for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Fold in the egg, buttermilk, milk, butter, and pureed Chipotle. Brush the preheated pans with shortening and immediately pour in the batter, approximately three-fourths of the way up. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cornbread is brown around the edges and firm. Cut each cornbread into 4 wedges.

Yield: 8 pieces

BARBECUED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

2 tablespoons each of Dijon mustard, barbecue sauce and olive oil

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

16 ounce pork tenderloin, halved and butterflied

In a shallow non-reactive dish combine the mustard, barbecue sauce and olive oil; season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Turn butterflied pieces of tenderloin in the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes at least or for an hour

(While marinating, take the time to prepare the side dish) Preheat your grill or broiler and broil for 6 to 7 minutes a side only; let tenderloin rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before cutting it on the bias into thin slices.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

THREE BEAN SALAD

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup each cooked small red or pink kidney beans, white beans and chick peas, chilled

1 each red and yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1/4 cup finely sliced red onion

1 zucchini, ends trimmed, seeded, sliced and steamed, cooled and dried

2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil, dill, parsley and mint.

In the bottom of a mixing bowl combine the olive oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard and season well with salt and pepper. Add the beans, peppers and red onion. Toss, adjust seasoning and chill until serving time. Just before serving add zucchini and herbs so they don't discolor.

Yield: 4 servings

LES’ COLE SLAW

1/2 small head green cabbage, shredded

1 red bell pepper, julienne

1 yellow bell pepper, julienne

2 tablespoons fresh dill

1 tablespoon dill seed

1/2 tablespoon Chipotle powder

1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade is best)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.

KENTUCKY BAKED BEANS

1 21-ounce can pork and beans

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 12-ounce bottle Heinz ketchup

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 1/8 cups packed light brown sugar

1/8 cup molasses

1/8 cup Heinz sweet gherkin juice

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Kosher salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

1/2 pound thickly sliced smoked bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine pork and beans, onion, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, gherkin juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste in a 2-quart casserole. Top with strips of bacon in a crisscross pattern.

Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated 350-degree F. oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil for last

30 minutes of baking. Serve hot or cold.

Peach Cobbler

A classic country dessert topped with heavy cream. The technique of cooking the peach mixture before adding the topping avoids the twin perils of cobblers: undercooked fruit or overcooked topping. You can substitute apples or pears or most any other fruit for the peaches in this recipe, but vary the sugar and spices accordingly.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

4 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1 piece

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

For the filling

14 peaches, pitted and unpeeled

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Butter a 10" x 12" x 2"' baking pan Make the topping: Mix all the dry ingredients, including the orange zest, in a medium-sized bowl. Using a fork cut the butter into this mixture until it has the consistency of coarse meal. Add the milk and eggs, and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Make the filling:

Cut the peaches into bite-sized chunks. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and spices. Add the peach chunks and toss until they are well coated.

Place the fruit mixture in the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the topping over the fruit until the fruit is covered.

Put it back into the oven for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is light brown.

Yield: 8 servings

PREVIOUSLY

A Few Questions Answered!

Constantly I’m asked questions about wine and I thought you might like the answer to a few of these questions…….

The Four Basic Components of Wine

One of the key challenges that face the winemaker is how to properly balance the several components that make up the wine. Actually, wine is a pretty complex product and if one particular piece of the puzzle is out of whack it throws off the whole taste experience. There are four taste influences to keep wine in balance - acids give the wine a tangy freshness... but too much and tangy becomes very tart. Take a sip of lemon juice and you'll see what that means.

Tannin is essential to aging and structure but too much and you'll pucker right up, like biting into a tea bag. Sugar is sweet, which can be very basic to the style of the wine. And then there's alcohol. Wines with too much alcohol actually have a warm aftertaste. Wines with some sugar may be lower in alcohol, like German wines, which then supply the acid to counter balance the sugar. Acids, tannins, sugars, and alcohol... the winemaker's goal is harmony and balance.

Unfiltered Wine, Sediment, & Taste

What does it mean when a wine label says "unfiltered." Well many winemakers believe that leaving the wine unfiltered adds to its taste, depth and character. By not passing the wine through filters some of the microscopic "goodies" remain. Now over some time these little goodies become sediment, which don’t really taste too good . . . but it's easy to just decant the wine and pour it off so you don't need to be concerned. They can also be looked at as flavor enhancers so instead of filtering, most winemakers clarify the wine by letting the big particles settle and siphoning the clear juice. This is called racking, and they may do this several times. Unfiltered wine may give you a richer and more nuanced taste experience. Be on the lookout for "unfiltered" on the label and try some for yourself. I can't guarantee you'll like it, but it will be more natural.

Finish and Taste in Wine

One of the great pleasures of sipping wine is the way the taste lingers. What you sense on the finish is really the release of multiple aromas. It may be a fruity or herbal characteristic, the spice or vanilla from oak barrel aging, the tartness of acidity or the warmth of the alcohol in the wine. It's like the wine takes on more liveliness and depth. The more complex the wine the more the aromas and taste sensation lingers . . . a long finish. More simple wines have a shorter, more abrupt finish. And note that the sensation can also change. Try this next time you sip some wine . . . when you swallow, close your eyes, breathe lightly through your nose and just notice the afterglow of that sip. New flavors seem to radiate even though the liquid is gone. Can you identify it? Does the sensation change - does one taste slowly replace another? Those flavors are what we call the finish and the way to describe them is whatever it is to you. That's all it takes to become an expert on finish. Wine is Food.

PREVIOUSLY:

White Wine with Chicken is always good!

As many of you already know, my favorite white wine is Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre, France is a place where Sauvignon Blanc is the star.

This town in France's Loire Valley makes fresh tasting; somewhat tart wines that tend to have hints of herbal flavors. It's a combination that makes them particularly friendly and adaptable food wines which can fit in to lots of places on the menu Their lightness makes them a perfect starter wine - the freshness perfect for salads and especially sea food appetizers. And their crispiness is ideal for fish and chicken entrees. Then there's the place itself. Sancerre is a lovely, picturesque wine town. It's perched on the top of a small mountain. Shops and cafes cluster around the square and walkways wind down the hillside. The view overlooks the river and vine covered landscape. It’s beautiful.

Here's the somewhat sweet taste of pecans perfectly complimented by the tangy mustard that are in this recipe for: Pecan Encrusted Chicken with Mustard Sauce. Choose a great bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and enjoy!

Pecan Encrusted Chicken with Mustard Sauce

1 cup pecans

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons salt Cayenne to taste

1 large egg

2 tablespoons water

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons grainy or Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon white-wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a food processor, pulse the pecans with the cornstarch, thyme, paprika, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne until the nuts are chopped fine. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Whisk together the egg and the water in a small bowl. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture and then into the nut mixture. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the canola oil over moderate heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, parsley, a pinch of cayenne, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve the chicken with the mustard dipping sauce.

Note: The crisp coating on the chicken invites a creamy potato gratin alongside. Green beans, perhaps sautéed in bacon fat, would taste great, too.

Yield: 4 servings

Remember Wines Is Food!

PREVIOUSLY:

Sunnyside 'Za
Egg-topped pizza is the best way to start--or end--the day

Pizza for breakfast doesn't have to mean reaching into the refrigerator for a cold slice from last night's delivery box. Chefs all over the country are topping their wood-oven-baked crusts with bacon and eggs and more. Egg-topped pizzas aren't uncommon in Italy, and what's not to love: Stick your fork in the crown jewel of these pizzas, the egg, and the golden yolk oozes, adding a layer of richness that's hard to beat. It satisfies the idea of the basic American breakfast: bacon, eggs and toast, or try the cracker-like pizza crust is covered in a thin layer of bright marinara, mozzarella and strips of speck; cut through the ham, and a hidden egg bursts like a surprise. Or this pizza features three eggs on top of a chewy crust, mingling with melted fior de latte mozzarella, bits of salty pancetta, fried basil and fruity extra-virgin olive oil. Possibly a soft, runny egg is surrounded by Fontina fondue. In general, the egg is almost always cooked on the pizza in the oven, but the greens and meat change across the board: Serious Breakfast Pie sometimes includes guanciale and dandelion greens; for brunch maybe the topping trio is applewood-smoked bacon, frisée and spinach. This time, save the leftover pizza for dinner.

____________________________________________________________________

Fried Egg & Sausage Ciabatta Breakfast Pizzas

Make this recipe your own by using different sausages and cheeses. For a Middle Eastern spin, sub in lamb sausage and feta. Serve pizzas with hot sauce.

1 loaf Ciabatta bread (about 1 pound)

1 cup chopped green onions

8 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces sliced hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese

1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

8 large eggs

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut bread horizontally in half. Place bread halves, cut side up, on separate baking sheets. Mix onions and 6 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons onion oil and spread remaining onion oil over bread. Top with cheese.

Sauté Italian sausages in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up with spoon, about 7 minutes. Divide sausage among bread halves. Bake pizzas until cheese melts and bread begins to crisp, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 large skillets over medium-high heat. Crack 4 eggs into each skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let eggs stand in skillets while pizzas bake.

Arrange 4 eggs atop each pizza. Spoon reserved onion oil over eggs. Cut each pizza between eggs into 4 pieces.

Yield: 8 servings

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Wine Is Food

Previously:

Why Red Wine Makes Us Sleepy

Italian scientists at the University of Milan have discovered why we feel drowsy after a few glasses of red wine. Lead researcher Iriti Marcello has found high levels of the sleep hormone Melatonin in red grapes. He is quoted as saying that Melatonin could help regulate human sleep-wake patterns known as the circadian rhythm (body clock), just like the Melatonin produced by the pineal gland in mammals.

High levels were found in Nebbiolo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Croatian grapes. The highest levels were in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The team claims Melatonin could have been enhanced by treating the vines with a plant vaccine could Benzothiadiazole to combat fungus, a chemical that increases disease resistance in plants. Melatonin has only recently been discovered in plants, as it was previously only thought to be in animals. Doug Adams, Professor of University of California, Davis (Dept of Viticulture and Enology) said studies have found Melatonin in everything from Rice to Saint John’s Wort.

Plenty of plants make people change their behavior such as coffee beans and the opium poppy. Melatonin is made from Tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid, which means that the body cannot manufacture it. Tryptophan is found in meat, cottage cheese, soy protein and peanuts. Tryptophan helps the body to produce Niacin and Serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that acts as a calming agent on the brain and plays an active role in sleep.

Tryptophan already gets a bad press for causing post meal “turkey nap” after Christmas dinner as it is found in Turkeys. Combine this with the sedative of alcohol with your meal and no wonder you feel like a snooze! Alcohol has long been known for its soporific effects and hot possets were a drink that you took before you went to bed. Alcoholic milky drinks were common in the Middle Ages and were made with wine, ale or brandy.

If you fancy a hot drink rather than a couple of glasses of red wine then try Mulled Wine. It has a comforting, relaxing effect and the best recipe I have found is:

2 bottles of full bodied red wine

1 orange stuck with cloves

2 sliced oranges

6 tbsp honey

2 “ cinnamon stick

1 tsp allspice

1 “ fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and simmer. Do not boil otherwise the alcohol will evaporate. Enjoy!

Previously:

Chase Away Winter Chills with a Warm Bowl of Homemade Soup. Here’s a personal recipe compliments of Chef Les Kincaid. You’ll find yourself enjoying food and wines on Les’ Wines & Vines EACH Thursday evening and you get a BONUS…..one of his personal recipes to warm you and yours at home whenever you want.

When it’s cold outside nothing warms us up faster than a bowl of soup. And if it’s homemade, that makes it even better. Whether it’s hot or cold, the first course, or the centerpiece of a meal, soup has the power to soothe the soul. Enjoy crackers of crusty French or Italian bread with soup and you’re in. Don’t forget that great glass of wine too. Wine Is Food.

WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH RED SWISS CHARD

1 cup Great Northern beans

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 bunch (1/2 pound) red Swiss chard ribs and leaves, coarsely chopped

5 cups chicken stock

2 cups bean soaking water

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon finely ground pepper

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Garnish:

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Soak beans overnight in cold water to generously cover; or do a quick soak by bringing beans to boil in water to cover, boiling 2 minutes, covering, and letting stand 1 hour. Drain beans, reserving 2 cups soaking liquid.

In a 6 quart soup pot, heat oil, add onions and sauté over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and sauté another 3 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of chopped Swiss chard ribs and add remaining Swiss chard to soup pot. Cook about 3 minutes, or until wilted.

Add chicken stock, reserved bean soaking liquid, beans, garlic, and bay leaf. Partially cover, and simmer about 1 hour, until beans are tender. Remove bay leaf.

Steam reserved Swiss chard ribs for 2 minutes in a pan of boiling water fitter with a steamer rack, or in a steamer. Remove and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process. Reserve for garnish.

Puree half the soup through a food mill or a food processor fitted with the steel blade; return pureed soup to pot containing remainder of soup. Stir in salt, pepper, and parsley. Taste for seasoning.

Serve soup garnished with Swiss chard ribs, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

2 strips bacon 2 onions, medium dice 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 garlic cloves Pinch caraway seeds 2 tablespoons good quality sweet paprika (see cook's note) 2 cups warm water 2 cubes beef bouillon 2 whole tomatoes, canned 1 green bell pepper 4 or 5 medium/large potatoes 2 tablespoons sour cream, plus more for plating 1 pound prepared spätzle, as an accompaniment Cucumber salad, as an accompaniment, recipe follows

In a cold, heavy 6 to 8-quart stewing pot, fry bacon over low-medium heat until fat is rendered, and then discard bacon slice.

Sauté onions in the bacon fat for a few minutes; do not allow the onions to brown. If bacon does not provide enough fat, add a little olive oil to prevent the onions from sticking. When onions become glossy, add the beef, sautéing with the onions for about 10 minutes, covered, until the meat is browned.

Meanwhile, chop and crush the garlic with the caraway seeds; add to meat and onions. Remove pot from heat. Stir in paprika rapidly with a wooden spoon. Immediately after paprika is absorbed, add the warm water. The water should just cover the meat, leaving room for potatoes.

Add beef bouillon cubes. Cover pot and cook over low heat for about 1 hour.

While stew is braising, prepare the tomatoes by cutting into 1-inch pieces. Core green peppers and cut into strips. After 1 hour of braising, add the tomatoes and green pepper. Add a little more water, if necessary and a little more salt if you need it. Simmer slowly for another 30 minutes.

Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside in a bowl of water. Add potatoes, and cook another 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the goulash is done.

Once goulash is finished, dissolve sour cream and a little of the goulash sauce in a cup. Add to goulash, it should give a creamy consistency. Serve goulash with spätzle on the side, adding an extra dollop of sour cream to each plate.

Note: using good quality paprika is important. After about a year, paprika spice tends to lose its intensity. Use the best quality possible!

Cucumber Salad: 2 cucumbers Seasoned salt 1/2 onion 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika Pinch dill, dried or fresh (optional) Dollop sour cream (optional)

Peel and slice cucumbers very thinly. The side of a metal grater with the wide slots works best here, or you can use a mandolin. Place cucumbers in a flat dish and sprinkle throughout with salt, making sure that all the slices are salted. Leave to rest for 30 minutes. The salt will draw the moisture out of the cucumbers. Cut the onion into paper-thin slices and place in a container. Once the cucumbers have released water, use your hands to squeeze out the excess water and add to the onions. The cucumbers are supposed to be limp, but still crisp.

In a measuring cup mix vinegar, water, sugar and paprika to create vinaigrette. Pour over the cucumbers and onions and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours.

Cook's secret: make the cucumbers before the goulash and it will be perfectly marinated by the time you are done making the stew!

Serve with a sprinkle of dill and a little dollop of sour cream.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

PREVIOUSLY...

Let’s make some Burgers!

Burger purists will insist that burgers are only made from beef and that any other base ingredient puts it in a different category. I tend to agree with this, but like so many culinary traditions, "burgers" have evolved and now appear on menus made from fish, birds and even vegetables. So in the spirit of ecumenism I'll begin with what I think makes the best, juiciest and tastiest classic beef burger and then include recipes for my favorite fish, veggie and bird burger.

Chefs create all kinds of exotically flavored and constructed burgers, including using outrageously expensive Kobe or Wagyu beef, stuffing them with Foie gras, wild mushrooms, truffles, the meat from braised short ribs or beef cheeks and more. I confess, I'm one who likes mine in a simpler vein.

The word "hamburger" has a relatively short history and first showed up in print around 1890. Cooked, flavored patties of meat however, date a long way back and appear in many cuisines. It's thought that the port of Hamburg in Germany and its Hamburg Steak, enjoyed by sailors there who introduced it to others in their travels, is probably the birth place for burgers as we know them today. Their fate was sealed when "hamburgers" served in a bun were introduced at the St. Louis World Fair of 1904, and the rest is history as they say!

Six Secrets for a Great Grilled Beef Burger

1. The right meat and fat content is critical. I prefer ground sirloin or chuck with 15 - 20 % fat. The old axiom "fat is flavor" really applies here and fat is also what keeps the meat juicy. More fat however doesn't necessarily make it better. For this article I tried burgers made with 25 and 30% fat and though delicious and juicy, at the end they left a greasy mouth feel. Ideally meat should be freshly ground and if you have a store with a kind butcher, ask he or she to do that for you. Alternately you can grind your own (see note below). 2. Mix in whatever seasonings you are using very gently. Like pie dough, the more you handle the meat the tougher your burger. Loosely mix to incorporate seasonings and the gently but firmly form the patties. Wetting your hands will help too to prevent them from getting sticky and helps the meat to come together faster. 3. Make patties a little thinner in the center. I shoot for something like 1 inch on the edges and about 3/4 inch in the middle. As the meat shrinks during cooking they'll even out and the meat also will cook more evenly. 4. Keep the patties cold until you are ready to grill them. This keeps the fat firm and helps it stay in the meat adding flavor and juice which is what we are aiming for. 5. Cook on relatively high heat. Obviously make sure your grill is hot, clean and well oiled to prevent the burgers from sticking. Remember too that the hood is your friend. Open the vents so that the fire stays hot but put the lid on while cooking. This provides an even heat and takes advantage of the convection of the heat rising and circulating around the meat. Note: I'm in favor of grilling as opposed to cooking beef burgers in a pan. If you don't want to fire up your grill however, a ridged grill pan on your stove top is an acceptable alternative. 6. Turn the burgers just once. Resist the temptation to constantly turn them. The more you turn the more you are likely to toughen and dry out the meat. Also if you turn too soon the burgers are more likely to stick to the grill. Also never press on the burgers while they are cooking. The juices you squeeze out are where the flavor and moisture is:

Today’s Master Recipe

1-1/2 pounds freshly ground sirloin or chuck with 15 - 20% fat

1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Gently break the meat into large pieces, add seasonings and toss to incorporate salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Being careful not to over handle and using wet hands, divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form patties about 1 inch thick at the edges and a little less in the center. Chill for at least 20 minutes before grilling. Grill over a hot fire, turning once. For rare cook approximately 2 minutes per side, 3 minutes for medium rare and 4 minutes for medium. (Hopefully no one will ever want a good burger cooked well done!). Serve on a bun with the traditional garnishes. If you don't want to put the burger on a bun and would rather serve it alone, topping with the following red wine pan sauce is a delicious alternative.

Yield: 4 servings

Red Wine Pan Sauce for Burgers

4 tablespoons sweet butter

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or green onions

1 cup beef broth or chicken stock

3/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, preferably grainy type

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan over moderate heat and sauté the shallots until softened but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, vinegar and mustard and bring to a boil over high heat stirring regularly. Continue to cook until reduced by 60% or so and lightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining butter and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Yield: about 1/2 cup or enough for 4 servings

How Much Should I Pay For A Bottle Of Wine?

I’m asked all the time, "Can you recommend a great wine that costs less than $ 5?" Or the second frequent question is, "I was given this bottle as a gift: can you tell me how much it cost?" The answers are: "NO, unless all you want is a wet tongue" and "who can put a price on generosity?" However, I can tell you how to find great bargains in your retail wine store where I recommend you purchase you wine. Most people think they could taste the difference between a wine priced at $ 5 and one at $ 50, it gets trickier when the difference is between $ 15 and $ 30. And yet, most everyone would prefer to shell out $ 15 quicker than $ 30. However, some of the difference between wines can be attributed to lower yields in the field: by removing grapes from the vine through the growing season, this allows the remaining grapes to get more nutrients and produce better tasting wine. However, fewer grapes results in less wine that's a bit higher.

Many other factors contribute as well (terroir). Is the vineyard land expensive because it has a more desirable eastern slope that captures the gentle morning light rather than the hotter and harsher afternoon sun? Is it in a region famous for its wines such as Bordeaux or a lesser known area still trying to establish itself? Does the winery use expensive French oak barrels to age the wine or cheaper ones from Hungary? Did the vintner pay a design firm $100,000 to create the label and brand image instead of a company that is more inexpensive?

The materials and craftsmanship in wine differ as widely as factory-made clothing from Taiwan or hand-stitched haute couture from Paris: if nuance and quality matter to you, then you must be willing to pay the premium. However, these cost factors still don't tell us why a $ 200 wine doesn't always taste ten times better than a $ 20 one. As wines get more expensive, price depends more on intangible factors such as rarity, prestige, tasting scores, auction records and, of course, the winemaker's ego.

Does that mean you need to stick to the fast foods of the wine world: E&J Gallo, Mondavi Woodbridge, Fortant de France, Mouton Cadet, Wolf Blass, Lindemans, Jacob's Creek or Yellow Tail, among others? No. Just keep the following tips in mind when shopping:

• Stick with the grapes that are a specific region's strengths, the ones with which they're most experienced and make their best wines. In Italy, for example, go for Sangiovese (which makes Chianti) rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. Cool climates such as northern France, Germany, Canada and New Zealand are ideal for the elegant, food-friendly wines made from Pinot Noir, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Hot climates like next door to us, in California or Chile and some regions of Australia focus on bigger, bolder wines, such as robust Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Look for lesser-known, but very good, regions in wine producing countries, such as Washington State rather than Napa California; southern Italy (Campania, Sicily, Sardinia) rather than Piedmont and Tuscany: in Spain, Priorat or Rueda rather than Rioja; and in France, the Languedoc, southern Rhône and Loire regions rather than Bordeaux or Burgundy.

• Seek out Old World regions, such as Germany and Alsace that have never gained mainstream popularity in America and therefore offer a great value. As well, certain grapes (Riesling, Grenache, and Mourvèdre) and wine styles like (Sherry, Madeira, or Dessert wines) have never become as fashionable as Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, but are often very good deals.

• Buy the "second labels" of the great Châteaux. These aren't second-class wines; they just don't meet the winery's exacting standards like its top labels. In fact, some Châteaux declassify up to half their production every year. The grapes may come from less-advantageous vineyards, or from younger vines. Still, grapes in second-label wine grow in the same excellent soil, receive the same winemaking care and are usually aged in the same first-quality oak as the great wines. As a result, they often have the same elegant style—but are ready to drink much earlier and are often only a third to a half of the price. For the stellar 2000 vintage, The Wine Advocate scored certain second labels an average of 90.2 points, not so far below the 99 for the first growths—and yet the Grands Vins sold for an average of $ 405 on their release and the second labels for $ 54. All five of the first-growth wineries in Bordeaux make second labels as do vintners from around the world: Grand Archer (Arrowood Vineyards in California), Robert Mondavi Private Selection (Robert Mondavi), Y Series (Yalumba in Australia) and Preiss (Dopff & Irion in Alsace). With these tips in mind, you don't need to pay liquid gold for your pleasurable wine. Remember always Wine is Food.

Les Kincaid

www.leskincaid.com

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Santa Fe Station Brings Popular Casual Restaurant Brands Coco’s Bakery Restaurant and Johnny Rockets to Its Guests

Coco’s Bakery Restaurant, the popular 24-hour family dining restaurant and Johnny Rockets, the all-American classic hamburger place, will be serving up their menus to the guests of Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Road in Las Vegas.

For more than 55 years, Coco’s Bakery and Restaurant has been serving up hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner specialties, but is probably best known for its bakery that feature fresh baked pies, cakes, cookies, muffins and breads baked fresh daily at each location. Coco’s Bakery Restaurant will open inside Santa Fe Station on Monday, July 20 in the afternoon and will be located near the Feast Buffet.

Coco’s Bakery Restaurant menu is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and features breakfast special such as the signature Mega Breakfast, the Angus Chicken-Fried Steak & Eggs and seasonal offerings, such as this summer’s strawberry-themed breakfast specials. Lunch and dinner offerings are vast and include an array of soup and salads, Angus burgers and steaks, fish and seafood, pasta, sandwiches and a “Fit and Lively” menu featuring a variety of menu items under 500 calories for those interested in watching their carbohydrate, calorie or fat intake.

Coco’s Bakery Restaurant is owned and operated by Mancha Development Company that owns 29 Denny’s locations, 44 Burger Kings and eight Coco’s locations throughout Nevada and Southern California. This will be Coco’s fourth location in Southern Nevada. Mancha Development Company also owns and operates the six Denny’s locations inside Station Casinos’ Fiesta and Wildfire properties. Coco’s Bakery Restaurant has more than 100 locations throughout Arizona, California, Colorado and Nevada.

Also joining the Santa Fe Station dining line up are two Johnny Rockets restaurants situated next to the race and sports book and inside the bowling center. Johnny Rockets is best known for combining food and fun with a classic American diner-style menu with favorites like classic American menu, including hand-pressed hamburgers, hand-dipped shakes and malts, American fries, onion rings, chili, chicken, salads and fresh apple pie. Both Johnny Rockets locations are open. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. – Midnight Sunday through Thursday with extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights by the race and sports book and 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. – Midnight Friday and Saturday inside the bowling center. There are more than 200 Johnny Rockets locations throughout the world.

ENVY THE STEAKHOUSE OFFERS NEW POWER LUNCH

ENVY The Steakhouse means business with its new mid-day Power Lunch promotion designed with working professionals in mind. With only an hour to spare for meal times during a hectic workday, ENVY The Steakhouse has developed a solution.

The Power Lunch boasts a 50 minute two-course meal for $20.09. The lunch includes a choice from three of ENVY’s fresh salads as well as a choice among three exquisite entrees. The menu offers items such as its chopped BLT salad with crisp apple-wood bacon and zesty herb ranch dressing, or the pesto grilled chicken sandwich, with fresh mozzarella, baby spinach and sundried tomato aioli. And if that’s not where you want to land, try the roast beef and cheddar sandwich with Vermont cheddar and horseradish mayonnaise.

"The work week lunch hour is a whirlwind and ENVY The Steakhouse wants to create an enjoyable experience that can match that fast-paced meal-time mentality," said Marie Maher, Director of Food & Beverage for the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel . "The Power Lunch exhibits quality food at a great value and refuels you in under an hour; it’s your lunch time pit stop."

About ENVY The Steakhouse:
Upscale, fashionable and off-Strip, ENVY The Steakhouse is one of the premiere restaurants in Las Vegas. The award-winning ENVY The Steakhouse located at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel features exquisite fine dining, a private dining room for special events and a chef dedicated to serving the finest and freshest ingredients. Designed as a study in balance, the restaurant features expansive windows and high ceilings, as well as a wine wall with more than 1,500 bottles of fine wine. ENVY The Steakhouse’s lounge features 60 seats, full beverage service, and a relaxed atmosphere to complement the restaurant.

About Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel:
An upscale boutique hotel located adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Renaissance Las Vegas hotel offers a sophisticated experience with 14 stories of spacious accommodations featuring 548 guest rooms including 30 suites ranging from 859 to 1,681 square feet. Additionally, the Renaissance offers more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space to be used for meetings, conferences and corporate events; including 14 meeting rooms, a Grand Ballroom with 9,850 square feet of event space, an Executive Board Room, 10,000 square feet of Pre-Function space, exhibitor suites and a private dining room inside ENVY The Steakhouse. The Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel is located at 3400 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89169. Reservations can be made by calling or logging on to www.renaissancelasvegas.com.

Celebrity Chef Connection posts a new broadcast every Wednesday by 5 pm at www.celebritychefconnection.com. At the home page, click on the link in the right hand corner and that will take you to the Current Show page where you can select what segments you want to view. The program is also archived.

RA Sushi Executive Chef Rolls Out New Menu

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant, located inside the Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip, recently debuted new food and beverage menus, adding a variety of dishes and cocktails to the current selection.

“We are always experimenting with different flavor combinations and rare ingredients, and enjoy offering RA customers the opportunity to try something new,” said RA Sushi Executive Chef Tai Obata. “While we are careful to keep some favorites on the menu, we regularly refresh our selection and make room for new ideas.”

Chef Obata earned his culinary arts degree in Japan at age 18 and has perfected his skills during his 26 years at the finest restaurants in Chicago, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco and Tokyo.

He added one salad and one appetizer to the RA dinner menu. Spicy Octopus and Cucumber Salad combines octopus, cucumber and Asian green vegetables tossed with an Asian chili sauce ($6.75). Shrimp Shumai is an appetizer comprising of lightly fried shrimp dumplings, skewered and served with a sesame-mustard sauce ($7.25).

Obata also added “Kona Kampachi” nigiri and sashimi to the sushi menu. “Kona Kampachi,” also known as Hawaiian Yellowtail, is native to Hawaii and is a cousin to Japanese Hamachi. It has a buttery, mild flavor, and is one of the healthiest fish on the market with high levels of Omega 3 ($5.50 for nigiri, $10.75 for sashimi).

Three new rolls on the sushi menu include Beef Tataki Roll: artichoke, asparagus, roasted red peppers and avocado, rolled and topped with seared flat iron steak and soy chili sauce, served with a creamy wasabi sauce ($9.75); King Crab Roll: crab mix, cucumber and avocado rolled and topped with King Crab, served with an Asian pesto sauce ($11.50); and Mango Lobster Roll: lobster mix, avocado and cucumber rolled and topped with thinly-sliced mango, served with mango-tobiko and kiwi-wasabi sauce ($9.50).

One special was added to the lunch menu. The Bara Chirashi Bowl includes spicy tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, cucumber, avocado and Asian green vegetables with poki sauce, served over rice ($10.00).

RA added a variety of new cocktails to the drink menu, including three martinis: Bruce Lee-Chee, Mount Saint Melons and Chai One On; as well as two new signature spirits: Moshi Moshi Mojito and Mango Libido Mojito. Other cocktail selections include Crouching Chaiger, Okinawa Iced Tea, Kampai Mai Tai, and a smaller version of an old favorite, the Baby Tsunami Punch (sold by the pint).

The cocktails are joined by a number of new red and white wines, as well as a new sparkling sake imported from Japan. Kizakura “Pure” STARS is chilled, effervescent sake similar to champagne. Enjoyable before or after a meal, Kizakura “Pure” STARS is a sweet, crisp and dry, and pairs exceptionally well with spicy foods.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant, an upbeat, unconventional sushi bar, opened its first location in Old Town Scottsdale in October 1997. RA is best known for successfully combining distinctive sushi with a trendy, hip atmosphere. Fresh sushi is sliced to order along with outstanding Japanese-fusion cuisine in a fun, energetic atmosphere. The result is a place that is both unpretentious and fashionable. Lunch and dinner are served 11 a.m. to midnight and the bar is open until 1 a.m. Happy Hour food and beverage specials are offered Monday through Saturday, 3 to 7 p.m.

MERMAID RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
AT Silverton Casino Lodge UNVEILS new menu

Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge at Silverton Casino Lodge now features a new menu filled with tantalizing appetizers and delectable entrées.

While enjoying Silverton Casino Lodge’s 117,000 gallon aquarium, patrons can submerge themselves in an assortment of new entrées and finger foods at Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge. To start, visitors can dive into a bowl of parmesan fries ($7), chips and salsa ($4), homemade guacamole ($8) and snacks for two ($3), which includes assorted nuts, pretzels or trail mix. Guests can dine on chicken wing dings ($8), buffalo chicken strips ($8), nachos ($8) and Caesar salad ($8, $6 half order) with chicken ($10, $8 half order), ahi tuna ($11, $9 half order) or shrimp ($11, $9 half order).

Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge’s new menu also offers teriyaki bowls with chicken ($9), steak ($10), salmon ($11) or shrimp ($11). Seafood selections include fried calamari ($8), fish tacos ($8), fish and chips ($8) and an ahi tuna wrap ($9). Pizza options include cheese ($7), pepperoni ($8) and sausage and mushroom ($9). Other mouthwatering options include a steak sandwich ($8), bacon cheeseburger ($8) and classic burger ($7, $8 with cheese).

Located next to Silverton Casino Lodge’s 117,000 gallon aquarium, Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge is the best place to eat, drink and watch the underwater life. Voted “Best Free Attraction” in the Best of Citysearchâ 2008 awards, Silverton Casino Lodge’s aquarium features 4,000 tropical fish, four species of stingray and six species of shark. From hamburgers to pizza, salads and sandwiches, guests can dine on delectable entrées as they enjoy the beautifully designed aquarium home to an interactive fish feeding show and live mermaids. Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

MORTON'S THE STEAKHOUSE IN LAS VEGAS FEATURES THE NEW OSCARTINI,' NAMED AFTER MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN

When it comes to Las Vegas and martinis, nobody knows them better than Mayor Oscar B. Goodman. Morton's The Steakhouse in Las Vegas has honored Goodman with the "Oscartini," which features Bombay Sapphire Gin, and has become a favorite on the restaurant's signature cocktail menu. For those bartenders at home, Morton's is sharing the Mayor's recipe for the "Oscartini" for special events, holiday parties or as the perfect cocktail for relaxing after a long day.

"The 'Oscartini' became a part of the Morton's cocktail menu when Bar 12-21 opened in August," said Daniel Hurst, general manager of Morton's The Steakhouse in Las Vegas. "Since we introduced the 'Oscartini,' it has become one of our guests' favorite martinis."

Visit Morton's for a fine dining experience or stop in at the new Bar 12-21 and choose from a Heavenly Mortini, an "Oscartini," an award-winning wine menu and a variety of imported and domestic beers. Bar 12-21 features "Power Hours" from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., where appetizers on the "Bar Bites" menu are offered for $6 each. During the "Power Hours," the "Bar Bites" include Three Prime Cheeseburgers, Three Mini Crab Cakes, Iceberg Wedge Bites, Chicken Goujonettes, Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Spinach & Artichoke, Four Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches and Blue Cheese French Fries. Oysters-on-the-Half-Shell and Colossal Shrimp are available at $2 and $3.25 each respectively.

Below is the recipe for the "Oscartini."
The 'Oscartini'
Ingredients
Martini glass, chilled
Bombay Sapphire Gin (Mayor Goodman's favorite!)
1 large, pitted olive stuffed with anchovies
1 large, pitted olive stuffed with blue cheese
Preparation
3 ounces Bombay Sapphire Gin
Shake and pour gin in chilled martini glass
Garnish with stuffed olives
Enjoy!

Morton's is located at 400 East Flamingo Road in Las Vegas and is open from 5 pm. To 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, a complete menu and to schedule an event in the boardroom, call Morton's at (702) 893-0703 or visit www.mortons.com.

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LES KINCAID AND THE TURDUCKEN - A GREAT RECIPE FOR HOLIDAY EATIN'

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the changes, to remember that we, too, grow and change from one season of life to another.

Thanksgiving is a time of changing seasons, when leaves turn golden in autumn’s wake and apples are crisp in the first chill breezes of fall.

Let us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving. As we see the beauty of autumn, let us acknowledge the many blessings which are ours let us think of our families and friends and let us give thanks in our hearts.

With warm thoughts and special wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Les & Tammy Kincaid

Though the turkey is actually a type of pheasant, one can't blame the explorer for trying.

Age is a determining factor in taste. Old, large males are preferable to young toms (males) as tom meat is stringy. The opposite is true for females: old hens are tougher birds.

A turkey under sixteen weeks of age is called a fryer, while a young roaster is five to seven months old.

Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere.

Cooked turkey is good for about 3 or 4 days, while gravy and stuffing only make it for 1 or 2 days. Frozen turkey will keep for 4 to 6 months. The less resilient gravy and stuffing are only good for about a month after freezing.

Poet and Editor Sarah J. Hale had begun lobbying for a national Thanksgiving holiday. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, looking for ways to unite the nation, discussed the subject with Hale. In 1863 he gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation, declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving.
They never did get along in Washington. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt, seeking to lengthen the Christmas shopping season, proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. Controversy followed, and Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains.

Here’s my recipe for an old fashioned holiday treat I did in New Orleans. A chicken, inside a duck, inside a Turkey. If you haven’t had one…….it’s WONDERFUL! Try it.

This will take some time to prepare but it’s worth every minute. This recipe may be worth some money too.

Turducken by Chef Les Kincaid

Since the Turducken takes about 12 hours to cook, you will need to plan your time wisely. The quickest way is to get friends or family members to make the dressings (or, if you're on your own, you will need to make the three dressings the day before boning the fowl and assembling the Turducken).

Cover the dressings tightly, and refrigerate them for several hours so they will be well chilled before you place them in the meat. You can bone the meat (be sure to save the bones for stock) and assemble the Turducken the day before cooking -- and family or friends can have fun helping you with this, too! Keep the Turducken refrigerated until ready to cook. Make the gravy after the Turducken comes out of the oven.

To stuff the Turducken itself, you will need about 7 cups of the Andouille dressing, about 4 cups of the cornbread dressing, and about 3 cups of the oyster dressing. It's also nice to serve additional dressing from bowls at the table, so we've told you in the list of ingredients how many times to multiply each dressing recipe to have plenty extra.

If you're inexperienced at boning fowl, start with the turkey; because of its size, you can more easily see the bone structure. After boning the turkey, the duck and the chicken will go much faster. Remember, each time you do a Turducken it gets easier; it doesn't take magical cooking abilities, it just takes care. What is magical is the way people eating your Turducken will feel about your food!

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NOTE: If you're really inexperienced with boning fowl, and this is scaring you off from making the Turducken, have your butcher do it for you. That's really the hardest part -- the rest is fun!

Ingredients for assembling the Turducken:

4 recipes Andouille Smoked Sausage Dressing

2 recipes Cornbread Dressing

4 recipes Oyster Dressing

One 20 to 25 pound turkey

One 4 to 5 pound domestic duckling

One 3 to 3-1/2 pound young chicken

About 7 tablespoons Les Kincaid’s Cajun Dust seasoning or your favorite.

5 recipes Sweet Potato Eggplant Gravy

Tools needed:

One small hammer

One 3-inch needle; a "packing" needle with a curved tip works well

One 15x11 inch baking pan, at least 2-1/2 inches deep

One pan, larger than the 15x11 pan that the smaller pan will fit inside with room to spare

Make the three dressings, then refrigerate.

Boning the fowl

It's helpful to keep the following in mind:

1. Your goal is to end up with one large piece of essentially boneless turkey meat; the finished product will contain only the tip end of each leg bone and the first two joints of each wing. You will end up with one piece of completely boneless duck meat, and one piece of completely boneless chicken meat.

2. Be careful not to pierce the skin except for the initial slits. Cuts in the skin tend to enlarge during cooking and make the end result less attractive, as well as drier.

3. Allow yourself plenty of time, especially if you're a beginner. And even if you're experienced, approach the boning procedure with a gentle, careful touch –

in the meat is not tough and you want to end up with as much of it as possible.

4. Bone one side of each bird -- either the left or the right -- before doing the other side.

5. Use a sharp boning knife and use mainly the tip; stay close to the bone at all times with the knife. 6. It’s worth the time and effort!

To bone the turkey:

Place the turkey, breast down, on a flat surface. Make an incision the entire length of the spine through the skin and flesh. Starting from the neck end and using the tip of the knife follow as closely to the bone as you can cut, carefully teasing the skin and meat away from the frame. Toward the neck end, cut through the meat to expose the shoulder blade (feel for it first and cut through small amounts of meat at a time if you have trouble locating it); cut the meat away from around the bone and sever the bone at the joint so you can remove the blade.

Disjoint the wing between the second and third joint; free the heavy drumstick of the wing and remove it, being careful to leave the skin intact. Continue teasing the meat away from the backbone, heading toward the thighbone and being careful to keep the "oyster" -- the pocket of meat on the back -- attached to the skin instead of leaving it with the bone.

Cut through the ball-and-socket joint to release the thighbone from the carcass; you should now be able to open the bird up more in order to better see what bones are still left to deal with. Continue teasing the meat away from the carcass until you reach the center front of the breastbone. Then very carefully separate the skin from the breastbone at the midline without piercing the skin (go slowly because the skin is very thin at this point).

Repeat the same boning procedure on the other sides of the turkey, with the turkey still breast down. When both sides are finished, carefully remove the carcass. Save carcass for stock or gumbo.

Remove the thigh and leg bone on each side as follows: being careful not to break through the skin, use a small hammer to break the leg bone completely across, about two inches from the tip end. Then manipulate both ends of the bone with your hands to be sure the break is complete. Leave the tip of the bone in, but remove the leg bone and thighbone as one unit. To do this, cut the meat away from around the thigh bone first, using the knife tip; then, holding the thigh bone up with one hand, use the other hand to carefully cut the meat away from around the leg-thigh joint. (Don't cut through this joint, and don't worry if it seems as if you're leaving a lot of meat around the joint -- it can't be helped, and besides, it will add flavor to the stock you make with the bones!)

Then use the blade of the knife to scrape the meat way from the leg bone; remove the leg-thigh bone. With your hands or the knife, one by one remove as many bin bones from the leg meat as possible. Then, if necessary, pull the tip of the leg bone to turn the meat to the inside, so the skin is on the outside and it looks like a regular turkey again. Refrigerate.

To bone the duck:

Place the duck, breast down, on a flat surface and follow the same procedures you did to bone the turkey, except this time you will remove all of the bones, instead of leaving in part of the wing and leg bones.

To bone each wing, cut off the first two joints of the wing, leaving the wing's drumstick. Cut the meat from around the drumstick and remove this bone.

When you reach the thigh, follow the thigh-leg bone with the knife blade to release the bone as one unit; again, be careful not to cut the skin.

Trim some of the excess skin and fat from around the neck area. Cut the skin in small pieces and reserve it for making the gravy. Discard the fat. Refrigerate the duck and skin pieces.

To bone the chicken:

Use precisely the same procedure to bone the chicken as you used to bone the duck.

To assemble the Turducken:

Spread the turkey, skin down, on a flat surface, exposing as much meat as possible. Sprinkle the meat generously and evenly with a total of about 3 tablespoons of the Creole seasoning, patting the seasoning in with your hands. (Be sure to turn the leg, thigh and wing meat to the outside so you can season it too.)

Then stuff some of the cold Andouille dressing into the leg, thigh and wing cavities until full but not tightly packed.

(If too tightly packed, it may cause the leg and wing to burst open during cooking). Spread an even layer of the dressing over the remaining exposed meat, about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. You should use a total of about 7 cups dressing.

Place the duck, skin down, on top of the Andouille dressing, arranging the duck evenly over the dressing. Season the exposed duck meat generously and evenly with Creole seasoning, using about 1 tablespoon, and pressing it in with your hands. Then spread the cold cornbread dressing evenly over the exposed duck meat, making the layer slightly less thick than the Andouille dressing, about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the chicken and the oyster dressing.

Enlist another person's help to carefully lift the open Turducken into an ungreased 15x11-baking pan that is at least 2-1/2 inches deep.

(NOTE: this pan size is ideal because the Turducken fits snugly in the pan and stays in the proper shape while cooking).

As you life the Turducken into the pan, fold the sides of the turkey together to close the bird. Have your helper hold the turkey closed while you sew up all the openings, making the stitches about 1 inch apart. When you finish sewing up the Turducken on the first side, turn it over in the pan to sew closed any openings in the other side.

Then tie the legs together, just above the tip bones. Leave the Turducken to cook, breast side up, in the pan, tucking in the turkey wings.

Place the Turducken pan in a slightly larger pan with sides at least 2-1/2" deep, so that the larger pan will catch the overflow of drippings during cooking. Season the exposed side of the Turducken with about 2 tablespoons of Creole seasoning, patting it in with your hands. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Bake the Turducken at 190 degrees F, about 12 hours, until done, or until meat thermometer inserted through to the center reads 165 degrees F.

(NOTE -- there's no need to baste, but you will need to remove accumulated drippings from the Turducken pan every couple of hours so that the lower portion of the turkey doesn't deep fry in the hot oil.

When done, remove the Turducken from the oven and let rest and cool for 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the gravy with some of the pan drippings and the reserve duck skin.

With strong spatulas inserted underneath (remember there are no bones to support the birds' structure), carefully transfer the Turducken to a serving platter and present it to your guests before carving. Be sure to make your slices crosswise so that each slice contains all three dressings and all three meats. Serve additional bowls of the dressings on the side.

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SWEET POTATO EGGPLANT GRAVY

1/2-cup drippings from the Turducken, plus the reserved duck skin

4 cups eggplant, peeled and chopped

1-1/2 cups onions, chopped

1 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

3 whole bay leaves

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1-1/2 teaspoons white pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

8 cups turkey or chicken stock

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1-cup sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice

3 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped

Place the drippings and duck skin in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 cups of the eggplant and sauté until eggplant starts to get soft, translucent and brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onions and remaining 1-cup eggplant. Cook until the onions start to brown, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the finely chopped sweet potatoes. Continue cooking and stirring for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon each of the white and red peppers, the mustard and thyme. Stir well, scraping the pan bottom as needed.

Stir in 1 cup of the stock into the vegetables and cook 2 minutes, and then add 1 more cup of stock. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup of the sugar and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 1- cup of stock and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1/4-cup sugar and 1-cup more stock. Cook 10 minutes, then add another 1 cup of stock and cook 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low and simmer 13 minutes. Stir in another 1 cup stock and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain well, forcing as much liquid as possible through the strainer.

Place the strained gravy in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the diced sweet potatoes and 1 cup stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, skimming any froth from the surface. Stir in the Grand Marnier and continue simmering for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green onions, the remaining ½ teaspoon each of salt, white and red pepper, and the FINAL cup of stock. Bring gravy to a boil and simmer until it reduces to about 3 cups, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield about 3 cups

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ANDOUILLE SMOKED SAUSAGE DRESSING

4 tablespoons oil

4 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped green bell peppers

1-1/4 pounds Andouille

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

2 cups turkey or chicken stock

1-1/2 cups very fine dry French bread crumbs

Place the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 cups of the onions, 1 cup each of the celery and bell pepper.

Sauté until the onions are dark brown but not burned, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Andouille and cook until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining 2 cups onions, 1 cup celery and bell pepper, the butter, paprika, garlic and Tabasco, stirring well. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the stock and bring to a simmer; continue cooking until the oil rises to the top (until the water evaporates), about 10 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to an ungreased 8x8" baking dish; bake uncovered in a 425degrees F oven until browned on top, about 45 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom well every 15 minutes.

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CORNBREAD DRESSING

Cajuns like their cornbreads and dressings sweet, so the crumbled cornbread we start with in this dish is sweet (the cornbread referenced in the link below should have the sugar increased from 1/3 cup to 2/3 cup). If you prefer less sweet dressings, you may omit the sugar entirely.

Seasoning mix:

4 tablespoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1-1/2 teaspoons white pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon granulated onion

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Dressing ingredients:

1 stick sweet butter

4 tablespoons margarine

3/4 cup onions, finely chopped

3/4 cup green bell peppers, finely chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 whole bay leaves

3/4 pound turkey, duck or chicken giblets, boiled until tender then ground (preferred), or finely chopped

1-cup turkey or chicken stock

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

5 cups finely crumbled cornbread (increasing sugar to 2/3 cup)

1-2/3 cups evaporated milk

3 large eggs

Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and margarine with the onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic and bay leaves over high heat. Sauté about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the seasoning mix and continue cooking until vegetables are barely wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the giblets, stock and Tabasco. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add the cornbread, milk and eggs, stirring well. Spoon dressing into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F until browned on top, about 35-40 minutes.

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OYSTER DRESSING

Seasoning mix:

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon granulated onion

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Dressing ingredients:

About 20 small to medium oysters in their liquor, about 1/2 pound

1 cup cold water

1-1/2 sticks sweet butter

1-1/2 cups onions, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup green bell peppers, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 cup very fine dry French bread crumbs

2 tablespoon sweet butter, softened

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, finely minced

Combine the oysters and water; stir and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Strain and reserve oysters and oyster water, refrigerate until ready to use.

Melt 4 tablespoons of the margarine in a large skillet over high heat. When margarine is almost melted, add ¾ cup of the onions, 1/2 cup each of the celery and bell peppers. Sauté over high heat until onions are dark brown but not burned, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, combine the seasoning ingredients and mix well. When onions are browned, stir 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix and the garlic into the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 3/4-cup onions, 1/2-cup celery, 1/2 cup bell peppers and 1 stick margarine, and 1/4 cup of the green onions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and the bay leaves. Stir until margarine is melted.

Continue cooking about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining seasoning mix and enough breadcrumbs to make a moist but not runny dressing. Remove from heat. Stir in the drained oysters. Spoon dressing into an ungreased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, discard bay leaves and stir in the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup each green onions and parsley.

Chef Les Kincaid

les@leskincaid.com

www.leskincaid.com

871-5145

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