Stancato's Dining, Italian Restaurant, Catering, Banquets, at Stancato's Restaurant Cleveland

Sautéed Chicken with olives, Capers and Roasted Lemons

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 lemons, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 5-ounce bags baby spinach
2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup pitted green Sicilian or Spanish olives, sliced
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small dice
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup Stancato's Chianti
Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil on the parchment, then arrange the lemon slices in a single layer. Drizzle the lemons lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the lemons begin to brown around the edges.
Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet. Add the spinach and cook over high heat, tossing, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a strainer; press out the liquid. Wipe out the skillet and heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in it. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until toasted, 2 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
In a deep medium skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of Stancato's Chianti wine. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with the flour, shaking off the excess. Cook the chicken over high heat, turning once, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the olives, capers and stock and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the stock is reduced by about two-thirds, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted lemons, butter and parsley, season with salt and pepper and simmer just until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the sauce on top. Serve the spinach on the side.

Wine - Stancato's Chianti

Pork Chops with Roasted Parsnips, Pears and Potatoes

These succulent pork chops marinate in a fragrant mixture of rosemary, olive oil, garlic and lemon zest for at least one hour before being roasted, so plan accordingly.

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
4 large rosemary sprigs, cut into 2-inch lengths
Zest of 3 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler
Freshly ground pepper
Eight 8-to 10-ounce pork rib chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick
6 parsnips, quartered lengthwise
6 firm but ripe Bartlett pears, quartered lengthwise and cored
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
Kosher salt
Minted Bread Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Stancato's Merlot
Serves 8

In a large roasting pan, mix 3/4 cup of the olive oil with the smashed garlic, rosemary sprigs, lemon zest, Stancato's Merlot and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Arrange the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and turn to coat. Marinate the chops for 1 hour at room temperature or for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator; return to room temperature before roasting.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position the racks in the top and bottom of the oven. Remove the pork chops from the marinade; scrape off the rosemary, lemon and garlic and let the marinade drip back into the roasting pan. Transfer the chops to a platter.
Add the quartered parsnips, quartered pears and sliced potatoes to the roasting pan, season with salt and toss to coat with the marinade. Spread the pears and vegetables on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender; shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and turn them front to back halfway through roasting.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in each of 2 large skillets. Season the pork chops with salt, add them to the skillets and cook over high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Set 4 pork chops on the vegetables on each baking sheet and roast for about
minutes until slightly pink meat. Transfer the pork chops and vegetables to a large platter or to individual plates and serve with the Minted Bread Vinaigrette.

Wine – Stancato’s Merlot

Roasted Veal Chops with Mushrooms and Madeira

1 cup rich beef stock or canned double-strength broth
1/2 cup water
4 baby turnips, peeled
4 baby carrots, peeled
4 pearl onions, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 veal rib chops (3/4 pound each), cut 1 •'5f inches thick
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, quartered
1/4 pound shitake mushrooms, caps quartered
1/2 cup Madeira
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup Stancato's Chianti
Serves 2

In a small saucepan, bring the stock and water to a boil. Add the turnips, carrots, pearl onions and garlic, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, transferring them to plate as they are done, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve the garlic cloves and the broth.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the veal chops with salt, white pepper and the cloves and nutmeg. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet. Add the chops and pearl onions and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until the chops and onions are nicely browned, about 8 minutes. Return the onions to the plate with the other vegetables and transfer the chops to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven until pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the skillet. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and white pepper and cook over moderate heat, without stirring, until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Add Stancato's Chianti and the remaining •'5f cup Madeira and cook over moderately high heat for 2 minutes longer.
Transfer the veal chops to dinner plates and keep warm. Pour any veal roasting juices into the mushrooms. Add the vegetables and the reserved broth and garlic and simmer over low heat until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and swirl in the remaining1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and white pepper. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the veal chops, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

Wine - Stancato's Chianti

Pork Roast with a Walnut-Parmesan Crust

3/4 cup walnut halves (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup toasted fine bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper
One 3-pound boneless pork shoulder roast, butterflied
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Water
1/4 cup Stancato's Barbera
1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
Serves 6 to 8

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Let cool, then coarsely grind the nuts. Leave the oven on.
Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the onion and cook over moderate high heat until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ground walnuts, bread crumbs, parsley and sage and let cool. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper
Spread the pork roast open and season with salt and pepper. Spread half of the walnut mixture on the pork, then roll up the roast and tie it at 1-inch intervals with cotton string.
In a sturdy roasting pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil shimmering. Season the pork roast with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, 10 to 12 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Roast the pork for about 2 hours, basting occasionally and adding 1/4 cup of water to the pan each time you baste. The meat is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast registers 160 degrees. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour any pan juices into a measuring cup and skim off the fat.
Preheat the broiler. Discard the strings from the pork roast. Press the remaining ground walnut mixture onto the pork roast and broil 10 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes, or until the nut crust is golden and crisp. Let the pork stand while you make the sauce.
Set the roasting pan over high heat. Add Stancato's Barbera and boil until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and any reserved pan juices and boil until reduced by one-third. Whisk the flour into 2 tablespoons of water, then whisk the slurry into the sauce in the roasting pan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and no floury taste remains. Strain the sauce into a gravy boat and season with salt and pepper.
Carve the pork into thick slices and serve with the sauce.
Make Ahead – The pork roast with a walnut parmesan crust can be prepared through step 3 and refrigerated overnight.

Wine - Stancato's Barbara

Spicy Scallops with Capellini

1 pound scallops, quartered if large
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Stancato's Chianti
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small dried chipotle chile with seeds, stemmed and finely chopped
Fine sea salt
1/2 pound capellini
Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 400. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large glass or ceramic baking dish, toss the scallops with the extra-virgin olive oil, Stancato's Chianti, parsley, garlic and chipotle. Season with salt and bake for about 15 minutes or until the oil is sizzling and the scallops are firm.
Add the capellini to the boiling water and cook until just al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the scallops and their o the pasta, toss well and serve immediately.

Wine – Stancato’s Chianti

Veal Medallions with Fig and Almond Cream Sauce

1 1/2 pounds boneless veal loin, sliced into 8 medallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dry Marsala
1/3 cup blanched whole almonds
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 ripe green figs, trimmed and coarsely chopped (see note)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup Stancato's Merlot
Serves 4

Season the veal medallions generously with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add the veal medallions in a single layer and cook over moderate heat, about 6 minutes. Transfer the veal medallions to a plate, cover loosely with foil and keep warm.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the Marsala, Stancato's Merlot, and blanched almonds and boil over moderately high heat until the Marsala is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low, add the heavy cream and chopped figs and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and cook the sauce for 2 minutes longer. Pour in any accumulated juices from the meat and stir in the chopped mint.
Arrange the veal medallions on a serving platter and spoon the fig sauce on top. Garnish the veal with mint sprigs and serve immediately.

Wine - Stancato's Merlot

Vodka-Marinated Rib Roast

Vodka-Marinated Rib Roast
One 11 to 12-pound prime rib roast (5 ribs), chine bone removed
12 bay leaves
1/2 cup vodka
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Stancato's Merlot

Set the roast in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Using a sharp knife, make 12 shallow slits in the fat and insert the bay leaves. Rub the vodka, Stancato's Merlot, salt and pepper all over the roast and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roasting the meat in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to roast for about 1 3/4 hours longer, or until and instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 120 degrees for rare to medium-rare meat. Transfer the roast to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 30 minutes.
Set the roast on its side and run a long, sharp knife between the bones and meat; remove the bones. Turn the roast right side up. Carve the roast into thick slices and transfer to plates. Pour any carving juices over the meat and serve at once.

Wine - Stancato's Merlot

Vegetables Ragout with Fresh Herbs

6 cups water
1 tarragon sprig, plus 1 teaspoon minced tarragon
1 thyme sprig
Kosher salt
1 pound pearl onions, peeled and cut into 2-by-1/3-inch sticks
1 pound haricots verts or thin green beans
6 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-by-1/3-inch strips
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 large garlic clove, minced
Freshly ground pepper
Serves 12

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, bring the water to a boil with the tarragon and thyme sprigs and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Add the peeled pearl onions to the casserole cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a large shallow baking dish. Add the carrot sticks to the simmering water, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer the carrots to the shallow dish. Repeat with the haricots verts (about 4 minutes), followed by the zucchini halves (about 3 minutes) and, finally, the red and yellow pepper strips (about 3 minutes). Cover the vegetables with foil and keep them warm in the oven.
Boil the vegetables cooking liquid over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in the minced tarragon, parsley, chives and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, toss gently and serve.

Wine - Stancato's Merlot

Beef Goulash with Spaetzle

1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons minced marjoram
1 teaspoon minced thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
2 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Spaetzle (recipe follows)
1 cup Stancato's Merlot
Serves 6

In a small skillet, toast the caraway seeds over moderate heat until darkened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the caraway seeds to a spice grinder and let cool completely, then grind to a powder.
2. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large enameled cast iron casserole. Add the sliced onions, Stancato's Merlot and sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are evenly browned, about 20 minutes. Add the minced garlic and ground caraway to the casserole and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sweet paprika, hot paprika, marjoram, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about
minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and then the chicken stock or broth. Add the meat, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Skim off the fat, season the goulash with salt and pepper and serve with the Spaetzle.

Make Ahead – The goulash can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Spaetzles

4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups milk
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Serves 6

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the whole egg and milk. In a large bowl, mix the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt, •'5f teaspoon of pepper and the nutmeg. Add the egg mixture and stir just until blended; do not overmix. Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 4 hours.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a rubber spatula and working over the pot, push the batter into the boiling water through a colander with large holes, stopping once or twice to stir the water. Cook until the spaetzle are tender, about 4 minutes; drain.
Ina large skillet, heat the peanut oil until shimmering. Add the spaetzle and cook over moderately high heat, without stirring, until they are beginning to brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Wine - Stancato's Merlot

Fragrant Five-Spice Salmon with Savory Cabbage

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 pound sliced bacon (4 slices), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
One 1 1/2 pound head of Savory cabbage, cored and finely shredded
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 cup Stancato's Pinot Grigio
Serves 4

Ina shallow dish, mix 3 tablespoons of the oil with the ginger, garlic, Stancato's Pinot Grigio and five-spice powder. Add the salmon and coat with the marinade. Cover the fish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 4 hours.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and cook over moderately low heat until the bacon is lightly brown, about 4 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then stir in the cabbage. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring a few times until the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper, cover and keep warm.
In a large skillet, Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper. When the oil is almost smoking, add the fish, skinned side-up, and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and turn the fillets. Cook until browned on the other side and barely opaque in the center, about 3 minutes. Spoon the cabbage onto 4 plates, top with the salmon and serve immediately.

Served With – Whipped sweet potatoes and sautéed apples.
Wine – Stancato’s Pinot Grigio

Fettuccine with Quick Tomato Sauce and Hot Chili Oil

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 dried spicy red chile
1 small dried chipotle chile
4 Szechuan peppercorns
3 black peppercorns, cracked
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 med. sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 serrano or large jalapeno, very thinly sliced crosswise
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Scant 1 teaspoon minced oregano
1cup Stancato's Barbera
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound dried egg fettuccine
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Serves 6

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil with the dried red chile, the chipotle chile, Szechuan peppercorns and black peppercorns and bring to a simmer. Cook over very low heat for 15 minutes, then strain the hot chili oil into a jar.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until simmering. Add the minced garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped onion Stancato's Barbera and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, sliced Serrano or jalapenos, thyme and minced oregano, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook the tomato sauce over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente. Drain the pasta, shake it dry and return it to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, chopped basil, freshly grated Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the hot chili oil and toss. Serve the fettuccine in bowls and pass grated Parmesan and the remaining hot chili oil at the table.
Make Ahead – The hot chili oil can be refrigerated for 2 months

Wine – Stancato’s Barbara

Moral and Sweet Pea Risotto

1 cup dried morels (1 ounce) or 1/2 pound fresh morels, lightly rinsed
Boiling water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
10 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cups Italian rice for risotto, preferably carnaroli
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 cups Stancato's Chardonnay
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen peas
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
7 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Serves 12

In a heatproof bowl, cover the dried morels with boiling water and soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Rub the morels to loosen any grit, then lift them out; discard the soaking liquid.
In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. Add the fresh or soaked morels, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer; keep warm over low heat. In another large saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the rice until the grains are evenly coated with butter, then add the thyme, sage, Stancato's Chardonnay and cook, stirring until the wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes longer.
Add 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice and stir over moderately high heat until it has been absorbed, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook the risotto, adding 1 cup of stock at a time and stirring constantly until it is absorbed before adding more. Stir in the morels and peas. The risotto is done when it is creamy and porridgelike and the rice is al dente, about 30 minutes total. Remove the risotto from the heat. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Top with the goat cheese and the parsley, if desired, just before serving.

Wine – Stancato’s Chardonnay

Lemon Oregano Chicken Breast

6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (6oz each)
1/2c Dry Breadcrumbs
1/4c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3T Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 1/2t Dried Oregano
Salt to taste
1c Stancato’s Chardonnay
1/2c Chicken Stock
1/4c Lemon Juice
1t Crushed Hot Red Pepper
4 Cloves garlic (peeled)

Between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound the breasts with a mallet to about 1/2 inch thick. Mix bread crumbs, 1T oil, 1t parsley and 1/4t oregano with salt to taste. Use 2 t of this mix to spread over each breast and roll up with the crumbs inside. Fasten with a toothpick.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place filled and rolled breasts in a 13x9 inch-baking dish.
Mix together wine, stock, lemon juice, hot pepper, remaining 3T olive oil and the remaining teaspoon of oregano. Pour into baking dish with the chicken. Roughly chop garlic cloves and scatter in the baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle remaining breadcrumb mixture over the chicken. Bake approximately 5 more minutes or until crumb topping is golden brown. Remove pan from oven and gently place chicken rolls on a heated serving platter. Pour all pan juices in a saucepot and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened. Serve sauce with chicken rolls.

Merlot Glazed Veal Chop with Fontina

2 14oz bone in Veal Rib Chops
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 1/4 Stancato’s Merlot
1/4c. Crumbled Fontia Cheese
Pre Heat oven to 350 degrees

Season Chops with Salt and Pepper
Grill Veal Chops over a medium high heat to desired temperature.
Place Merlot in a wide shallow pan and reduce to a syrup consistency.
When Veal Chops are done place on plates, coat with Merlot Glaze and top with Fontina Cheese.
Place plates in the oven just long enough to melt the Cheese and serve at once.

Shells with Shrimp and Fennel

1 medium Fennel Bulb
1/3c extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic peeled and lightly crushed with the side of a knife
1lb Medium Shrimp shelled, deveined, and cut in half
1lb Pasta Shells
2T Unsalted Butter
Crushed Red Hot Pepper
1/4c Stancato’s Pinot Grigio

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Trim the stalks and leaves from the fennel bulb and cut into quarters. Place into boiling water and cook for three minutes after the water returns to a boil. Drain fennel pieces reserving 1/4c of the cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, cut the core from the fennel pieces and slice thinly. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic cloves until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Raise heat to high and immediately add the shrimp pieces. Cook until shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. Remove skillet from the heat.
Cook shells in boiling, salted water according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, return skillet to medium heat. Add fennel, butter, salt, crushed red pepper, fennel liquid and Stancato’s Pinot Grigio. Boil for 5 minutes until sauce is thickened and fennel is tender, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and crushed red pepper. Add reserved shrimp and cooked, drained pasta shells. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

Beef Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

750-milliliter bottle dry red wine
3 to 4c Chicken Stock
1/2c dried porcini mushrooms
6lbs beef short ribs cut into 5- to 6- ounce pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4c vegetable oil
2 large onions chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4c minced bacon or pancetta
1 1/2c grated carrots
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 fresh or dried bay leaves
6 whole cloves
1/3c tomato paste
2c crushed Italian plum tomatoes in their liquid

Bring the red wine to a boil in a medium saucepan. Lower the heat so the wine is boiling gently and cook until the wine is reduced to one cup. Set aside.
Pour one cup of the hot stock over the mushrooms in a small, heatproof bowl. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms in a sieve lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a coffee filter; reserve the soaking liquid. Rinse the mushrooms briefly to remove any grit. Chop the mushrooms coarsely and set them aside.
Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy braising pan over medium heat. Lay as many as the short rib pieces as will fit into the pan in a single layer. Cook, turning as necessary, until evenly and well browned on all sides. Remove them to a plate and repeat with the remaining ribs. Adjust the heat as the ribs cook, so that they are brown without burning.
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Stir in the onions and bacon and cook, stirring, until the onions are lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the carrots, rosemary, bay leaves and cloves. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until the carrot is wilted, about 3 minutes. Drop in the tomato paste and stir well until the vegetables are coated and the tomato paste begins to darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the reduced wine and the crushed tomatoes and tuck the browned short ribs into the pan. Pour in enough of the remaining chicken stock to barely cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid is a lively simmer. Cook, adding the remaining stock a little at a time as necessary to keep the ribs covered, until the ribs are tender and just about to fall off the bone, 2 •'5f t 3 hours. Taste the cooking liquid from time to time as the ribs cook and add salt if necessary.
Pick out the ribs from the sauce, carefully so as to prevent the bone from falling out, and set them on a baking sheet. Ladle the cooking liquid into a saucepan and reduce until well thickened. Serve the sauce over the ribs.

Roast Salmon with Chardonnay Lime Salsa

2 large limes
1/3 cup very thinly sliced red onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 small jalapeno-halved, seeded and very thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons canola oil
Pinch of sugar
Sea salt
Four 6-ounce center-cut skinless salmon fillets
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup Stancato’s Chardonnay
Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 425. Using a sharp knife, carefully peel the limes; be sure to remove all of the bitter white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the lime sections into the bowl. Cut each section into the bowl and stir in the onions, cilantro and jalapenos. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, the sugar and a pinch of salt and toss well.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in an ovenproof skillet until shimmering. Season the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skinned side up. Cook over moderately high heat until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the salmon for 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer to 4 dinner plates, spoon the salsa on top and serve.

Wine: Stancato’s Chardonnay

Chianti Rissotto

2c. Stancato’s Chianti
5 c. Vegetable Stock
1/4c. Olive Oil
1/2c. Onion diced
2c. Arborio rice
2T Butter
2/3c. Grated Parmesan Cheese plus a little extra for serving
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Place vegetable stock in a medium sauce pan and heat to a simmer.
Heat oil in a large, heavy, wide pot. Sauté onion until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the arborio rice and sauté for about 2 minutes making sure to stir, evenly coating the grains of rice with oil. Add the 2 cups of Chianti. Stir often to prevent sticking. The rice will absorb the wine.
As the rice cooks, add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock at a time stirring often until almost all is absorbed by the rice. Then repeat. Continue adding the stock and stirring until the rice is tender with a slight firmness, about 15-20 minutes. Finish with butter and parmesan and serve in heated bowls with an extra sprinkling of parmesan and black pepper.

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