RIVERBEND INN & VINEYARD COCKTAILS AT OAKLANDS Winter

TWISTED COSMO

1.5 oz Wayne Gretzky Estates

Ice Storm Vodka

.5 oz Cointreau

.5 oz lemon juice

.5 oz white cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a few frozen cranberries.

PAPER PLANE

.75 oz Bourbon

.75 oz Aperol

.75 oz Amaro Nonino

.75 oz lemon juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

NEW YORK SOUR

1.5 oz Wayne Gretzky Estates

Red Cask Whisky

1.5 oz KVAS Whisky Sour Syrup

.25 oz Wayne Gretzky Estates

Baco Noir

Shake the whisky and syrup with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with the Baco Noir by slowly pouring over a teaspoon to create the ‘ombre’ effect.

Fresh Lobster, Ricotta, and Basil Lasagna

by executive chef jason parsons, the winery restaurant at peller estates

1 lb lobster, canned, frozen, or fresh

1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped

2 cups zucchini, small diced

2 cups portobello mushroom, peeled, gills removed, and small diced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped splash of wine

2 tbsp butter

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 cup ricotta cheese

12 Barilla egg lasagna sheets bechamel sauce

4 tbsp each flour & butter

1 cup wine

3 cups milk

Method: In a large frying pan, melt the 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add in the shallots, garlic, and sauté for one minute. Then add in the mushrooms and zucchini. Continue to sauté for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add a splash of wine, basil, chives, and the lobster. Stir well, season with fine salt, ground white pepper and set aside. In a medium pot, warm the milk over low heat. In a separate pot, melt the 4 tbsp of butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour until smooth. Slowly warm over the heat and then whisk in the white wine. Bring up to temp and then whisk in a third of the milk. Repeat this until all the milk is added. Simmer for one minute and remove from the heat. Season with fine salt and ground white pepper, pass through a fine strainer and set aside.

Assembly: Spread a very thin layer of the bechamel in the bottom of a medium-sized casserole dish (approx. 12x8). Lay 3 lasagna sheets side by side to cover the bottom. Take a third of the lobster mix and spoon a very thin layer over the pasta sheets, top this with a third of the ricotta, a quarter of the mozzarella, and a quarter of the remaining bechamel sauce. Next, top this with another three of the pasta sheets. Repeat two more times. Use the remaining mozzarella and bechamel to cover the top sheets of pasta.

Place in a 350°F pre-heated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Pappardelle with Braised Lamb Shank, Lemon, Sage, and Pecorino

by executive chef ross midgley, oaklands at riverbend inn

2 lamb shanks

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup celery, diced

1/4 cup carrot, diced

2 1/2 cups dry red wine

1 L chicken stock

1 cup tomato puree, strained

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

6 leaves fresh sage (4 to chiffonade into ribbons)

1 lemon, finely zested

8 oz Pecorino cheese, grated Pappardelle noodles, fresh or dry

Season fresh lamb shanks with salt and pepper and sear all sides in a heavybottomed pot until well browned. Remove shanks from the pot and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook the vegetables over medium heat until they begin to color (approx. 5 mins). Return the shanks to the same pot, increase the heat to high and then ‘deglaze’ the pot with the wine, chicken stock, and tomato puree. Add the fresh herbs (reserving 4 sage leaves for plating). Cover pot with a lid or wrap with oven-proof foil. Place covered pot in an oven at 325°F and braise the lamb until the meat is ‘fall off the bone’ tender - this will take 2 ½ to 3 hours. Once the lamb is tender, carefully pull the meat from the bones and reserve on the stove top. Strain the liquid and reduce by half, this will be your sauce.

In boiling salted water, cook 4 portions of pappardelle to package directions. Once pasta is cooked, strain and add to a large, warmed bowl, toss with the lamb meat, and sauce. Transfer evenly to 4 bowls. Garnish each portion with the grated Pecorino, lemon zest, and chiffonade sage leaves.

Serves 4

Gamay Braised Rabbit, Mushroom, Spinach Fettuccine

by executive chef jason parsons, the winery restaurant at peller estates

5 rabbit legs

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

1 cup diced carrots, celery, onion, garlic

1/2 cup mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)

1 cup Peller Estates

Private Reserve Gamay Noir

3 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup butter

4 cups forest mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, king eryngii)

3 cups baby spinach, fresh

8 cloves garlic, roasted

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, shaved

1 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 pack 454g fettuccine pasta

Braised Rabbit Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Heat the grapeseed oil in a shallow pot over medium to high heat. Add in the rabbit legs and slightly brown them on all sides. Add in the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and mixed herbs and sauté for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the gamay noir and the chicken stock. Cover the pan with a lid or tinfoil and place in oven. Braise the legs for at least 40 to 50 minutes, until the meat can pull from the bone. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave covered until they cool. Remove the legs and pull the meat from the bone. Reserve the meat and discard the bones. Strain off the liquid from the pan. Throw away all the bits and pour the strained broth in a pot. Heat the broth over high heat until it reduces to approximately one cup, then set aside for the pasta.

Pasta Directions: Bring a large pot of water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Once boiling, add in the fettuccine. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the shallots, mushrooms, and roasted garlic cloves. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add in the cup of braising broth. Bring to a boil and add in the braised rabbit meat and the cooked fettuccine. Season with fine salt and ground white pepper. Remove from heat and add in the spinach, toasted pine nuts, and shaved parmesan cheese. Check the seasoning and serve.

Serves 5

Pesto Crusted Chicken with Saffron Tomato Gnocchi

by executive chef maurice desharnais, wayne gretzky estates

pesto chicken

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, halved

4 chicken breasts, boneless

2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tsp red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/4 cup Pecorino cheese, grated

1 tsp coarse ground pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp grapeseed oil saffron and cherry tomato gnocchi

2 500g packages of dried gnocchi

1/2 cup shallots, julienned

4 cloves garlic, roasted, smashed

1 156 ml can tomato paste

5 cups whole cherry tomatoes

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup 35% cream

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 tsp saffron

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese to taste

Pesto Chicken: Place the sun-dried tomatoes into a medium bowl with two cups of boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain tomatoes keeping 3 tbsp of the soaking liquid. Roughly chop up the tomatoes. In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, cheese, olive oil, tomato water, vinegar, garlic, chili paste, cheese, pepper, and salt. Process in short bursts, mixture should be slightly chunky. This pesto can be made up to three days ahead and stored in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat grapeseed oil in a sauté pan and brown the chicken on both sides. Place chicken in an oven proof dish and cover with the pesto. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and boil for three minutes, strain. Melt butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan, sauté the gnocchi until crisp. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat the other two tbsp of olive oil and sauté the shallots and garlic. Add the saffron, do not burn. Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes start to soften up. Add the tomato paste and and once incorporated, add the wine, and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and the basil. Add the crisp fried gnocchi and serve, garnished with Parmesan cheese

Serves 4

Spaghetti with Fresh Broccolini, Preserved Lemon, and Chickpeas by executive chef frank dodd, trius winery restaurant

8 cups salted water

8 oz spaghetti, fresh or dry 10-12 oz broccolini, cut lengthwise

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large shallot, finely diced

6 cloves garlic, rough chopped

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1/4 tsp sumac

1-2 tbsp preserved lemon, chopped, or lemon zest from one lemon plus 2 tbsp juice

1 cup chickpeas, cooked salt and pepper

1 cup preserved hot pasta water

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, olive oil or butter

In a large pot, bring 8 cups of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti and simmer until al dente. Add broccolini to the pasta water and cook 2-3 minutes, or until tender and vibrant green. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic 3-4 minutes until fragrant and tender. Add chili flakes, sumac, preserved lemon, and the pasta water. Add chickpeas then season with salt and pepper. Toss in the spaghetti and broccolini. Add the fresh parsley and pecorino and portion into bowls, finished with a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4-6

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage and Browned Butter

by executive chef frank dodd, trius winery restaurant

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded

2 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, peeled, minced

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1 egg separated

48 square wonton wrappers

3/4 cup unsalted butter

12-15 fresh sage leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated

Parmesan cheese kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste freshly grated nutmeg

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Heat a frying pan on medium-high, add olive oil and shallot. Cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the squash and stir to coat with the oil. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl. Use a potato masher or a large fork, to mash until smooth. Stir in egg yolk then season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the egg white in a small bowl and beat it with a fork. On a clean work surface, lay down 24 of the wonton wrappers. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each wrapper with the egg white. Place a heaping teaspoon of the squash filling in the middle of each wrapper. Top each with another wrapper, pressing firmly to seal the edges and taking care to press out any air bubbles. Turn down the heat under the boiling water to medium. Gently lower the ravioli into the boiling water, 6 at a time, and cook until the wonton wrappers are soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer each batch of ravioli to an oiled baking sheet.

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until crispy, and the butter is brown. Carefully add the ravioli to the pan, 6 at a time, and turn very gently to coat with the brown butter. Transfer the ravioli to a serving dish. Top with the remaining butter and sage leaves in the pan, sprinkle with the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Roasted Garlic and Maple Syrup Salmon with Yukon Gold Potato, Orzo, and Bacon Cake

by executive chef maurice desharnais, wayne gretzky estates

salmon

4x5oz salmon fillets

1/2 cup maple syrup

6 cloves garlic, roasted, smashed

1 pinch coarse black pepper

1 pinch coarse sea salt

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 lime, sliced into rounds potato cakes

6 large Yukon gold potatoes

2 cups orzo pasta, cooked

1/2 cup bacon, cooked, chopped

2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 cup green onions, chopped, small dice sea salt and black pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter

Salmon: Place the salmon fillets into a sealable container. In a mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the fillets, making sure they are fully coated. Seal the container and place into the fridge overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sear the salmon on both sides. Place the salmon into an oven-proof baking dish. Top with the maple syrup and roasted garlic mixture and the lime slices. Bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until medium-rare.

Potato Cake: Cook the potatoes whole in a pot of salted water. Once they are about 80% cooked, remove from the heat. Drain the potatoes and place into a large bowl. Peel the potato skin off with a spoon while still warm and grate the potatoes on a box grater. Place the grated potatoes into a large mixing bowl and add the cooked, chilled orzo pasta, bacon, green onion, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well and form into little cakes - about the size and shape of a hockey puck. Place into the fridge to cool for at least 3 hours. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan and fry the potato cakes on each side turning over once each side has browned. Place into a 350°F oven and bake for 15 minutes, turning halfway through cook time. Serve with a salmon filet on top.

Serves 4

Farfalle with Walnuts, Gorgonzola, and Chives

by executive chef ross midgley, oaklands at riverbend inn

4 orders Farfalle pasta, cooked to the package directions

1 cup 35% cream

4 tbsp walnuts, chopped

3 tbsp aged Gorgonzola

2 tbsp chives, chopped

In a dry pan or in oven, toast the chopped walnuts until they are fragrant. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, reduce the cream by half and add the Gorgonzola until melted. Remove from heat and toss the warm pasta into the sauce. Add the chopped chives and portion into four bowls.