October's Eat This! Drink That!
Comfort foods just in time for BC’s fall harvest!
October’s chilly weather calls for warm, home-cooked meals accompanied by a glass of local wine—that’s why we’ve selected an assortment of wines that emphasize some of our favourite fall dishes.
Enjoy the bounty from BC winemakers and farmers with a lineup up of hearty and delicious recipes that highlight the wines’ flavour profiles and seasonal vegetables that are perfect for a cozy night in.
Blasted Church Big Bang Theory
Dried cherries and strawberries open the wine with plum and chocolate carrying through the mid-palate as the tannin builds into the balanced finish.
Medium-bodied and silky with aromas of cherry, cocoa, wild strawberry and earthy leather tones.
Aromas of apple, pear and peach, with a toasty touch and a note reminiscent of the cloverleaf. Both fresh and textured with delicately mineral flavour.
Beaujolais nouveau style: light, unoaked wine. Refreshing on the palate, this wine presents ripe fruit flavours of plum, raspberry and spicy black cherry.
RECIPES:
Pork Roast with Root Vegetables
Author: Food.com
Wine pairing: Blasted Chuch Big Bang Theory
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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 mins Ready In: 4 hours
INGREDIENTS:
Roast:
- 4-5 lbs boneless pork loin roast
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, crush
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Vegetables:
- 1 medium potato, peeled and quartered
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and quartered
- 1 turnip, peeled and quartered
- 2 carrots, scraped and quartered
- 2 parsnips, peeled and quartered
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme
- ½ tsp fresh rosemary, crushed
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1:
Place roast on a roasting pan and rub crushed garlic over it. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle herbs. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Step 2:
Preheat oven to 500°. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Bake at 500° for 15 minutes.
Step 3:
Vegetables: Combine all ingredients in a Ziplock bag, toss well.
Step 4:
Reduce heat to 325° and bake for an hour longer or until 160° on meat thermometer. Place vegetables around pork after you have reduced heat to 325°.
Step 5:
Bake until roast is done and serve with pan juices.
Pecan Stuffed Mushrooms
Author: The Modern Proper
Wine Pairing: Quail's Gate Pinot Noir
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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb mushrooms (about 25 large mushrooms)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 oz goat cheese
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Honeyed Pecans
- 25 pecan halves
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2:
Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
Step 3:
Heat butter over medium heat in a small skillet. Add in shallots, pecans, mushroom stems and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until everything has softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 4:
Add warm ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl and stir in goat cheese, parsley, bread crumbs salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
Step 5:
Spread out mushroom caps on a large baking sheet. Working with one mushroom at a time brush both inside and outside with olive oil and stuff with 1 tsp of filling. Place on center rack and bake for 20 minutes.
Baked Butternut Squash Pasta
Author: Bon Appetit
Wine Pairing: 50th Parallel Pinot Gris
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Serves: 4 Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time: 55 mins
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup hazelnuts or walnuts
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved seeded, cut into ½ inch cubes (about 6 cups)
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb rigatoni
- Kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups parmesan, finely grated, divided, plus more for serving
- 1 cup basil leaves, torn
- Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet or quarter sheet pan, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in 2 tbsp. oil; set aside.
Step 2:
Heat remaining 2 tbsp. oil in a medium pot over medium-high. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant and garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Add squash and toss to combine. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until squash is tender, 12–15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Step 3:
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water.
Step 4:
Transfer squash mixture to a blender. Add 1 cup parmesan and purée until smooth; season with salt.
Step 5:
Pour ½ cup squash purée into a 13x9" baking dish and spread to edges. Scatter pasta over sauce, then pour remaining sauce over. Top with ½ cup parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Uncover and increase oven temperature to 425°. Continue to bake until top is darkened in spots and sauce is bubbling, 10–15 minutes.
Step 6:
Add basil to bowl with reserved hazelnuts, season with salt, and toss to combine. Spoon hazelnut mixture over pasta. Top with more parmesan and black pepper.
Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Author: Food Network
Wine pairing: Sea Star Marechal Foch
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 strips thick cut bacon
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
- ½ large onion, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1:
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, then roughly chop.
Step 2:
In same pan with bacon fat, melt butter over high heat. Add onions and Brussels Sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 3:
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss bacon back into pan. Serve immediately.
BUY THE WINES THAT PAIR WITH THESE MEALS!
BON APPETIT!
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2021