We all enjoy cooking with wine…and yes, sometimes we even add it to the food! If you’re in the mood for warm & cozy dishes that pair well with your favorite wines, we have got you covered. Satisfy both desires at once with these comforting, autumnal recipes that feature our favorite ingredient.

As a recipe ingredient, wine reinforces the existing flavors and aromas of a dish. Adding it can complement, magnify and accent the other ingredients. Alcohol evaporates during cooking, leaving a concentrated flavor behind. Experimenting can be great fun – just remember a few things. First, if you wouldn’t want to drink it, don’t cook with it! Next, follow the amounts in the recipe (important) and avoid adding wine right before you serve the dish. And keep in mind that reds can be left to cook for a longer time than whites. Here are a handful of wine-infused recipe ideas for your inspiration. Happy cooking – and sipping!

 

6 Wine-Infused Recipes You Need to Try This Fall

Take a dip in this velvety fondue, made even better when simmered with wine.

Almond Cheese Fondue
Servings: 20 (2 tablespoons each)

PAIRS WITH: Dusk 2016 Chenin Blanc

INGREDIENTS: 

1 clove garlic, smashed
3/4 cup Kitchen Basics® Original Chicken Stock
3/4 cup Monarch 2017 Riesling
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Almond Extract
12 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
4 ounces aged Gouda cheese, grated
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ginger, Ground
Pinch McCormick® Cloves, Ground

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rub inside of medium saucepan with garlic clove and leave it in the pan. Add chicken stock, wine, lemon juice and almond extract. Bring to simmer on medium heat. 

2. Mix cheeses in medium bowl. Add flour; toss to coat. Gradually add cheese mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, to simmering wine, stirring with wire whisk until melted after each addition. Stir in ginger and cloves.

3. Transfer cheese mixture to warm fondue pot or slow cooker. Serve with assorted dippers, such as cubed crusty bread, pretzels, broccoli or cauliflower florets, carrots, asparagus, and pear or apple slices.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

When there’s a chill outside, you’ll be chill inside with this hearty, wine-kissed favorite.

Easy Tuscan Beef Stew
Servings: 8

PAIRS WITH: Halcyon 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon

INGREDIENTS: 

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons oil
1 package McCormick® Beef Stew Seasoning Mix
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup Nouveau Muse 2016 Rhapsody
1 teaspoon McCormick® Rosemary Leaves
2 cups cut-up potatoes
1 cup cut-up carrots
1 cup cut-up celery
1 cup cut-up onions

DIRECTIONS:

1. Coat beef with flour. Heat oil in large deep skillet or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add beef; cook until browned on all sides.

2. Stir in Seasoning Mix, tomatoes, wine and rosemary.

3. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables; simmer 1 hour or until beef and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Thicken stew with additional flour, if desired.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Give simple chicken a VIP upgrade with a savory braise of Chardonnay, plums, olives and capers.

Braised Chicken with Plums
Servings: 8

PAIRS WITH: Glory Cellars 2015 Chardonnay

INGREDIENTS: 

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Thyme
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Black Pepper, Coarse Ground
8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, about 2 1/2 pounds
1/2 cup Halcyon 2017 Chardonnay
1/2 cup dried plums, pitted and halved
1/2 cup Kitchen Basics® Original Chicken Stock
1/2 cup pitted green olives, quartered
1/4 cup capers, with juice
4 McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Bay Leaves, Turkish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix 1/4 cup of the oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme, sea salt and pepper in small bowl. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well.

2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is browned. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits in bottom of skillet. Add chicken stock, dried plums, olives, capers and bay leaves; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

4. Place chicken on serving platter. Keep warm. Discard bay leaves. Simmer sauce 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Ocean-fresh seafood makes a dazzling dish when bathed in a garlicky wine and tomato broth.

Tuscan Seafood Stew
Servings: 10

PAIRS WITH: le Cadeau Rosé Sparkling Wine

INGREDIENTS: 

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 leaf McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Bay Leaves, Turkish
1 tablespoon McCormick Gourmet™ Tuscan Seasoning
1 cup Tatu Estates 2017 Pinot Grigio
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound firm white fish, such as halibut, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in 6-quart shallow Dutch oven or saucepot on medium heat. Add onion and carrots; cook and stir 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, bay leaf and Seasoning; cook and stir 1 minute or until fragrant.

2. Stir in wine and tomatoes. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Return to boil on medium-high heat. Gently stir in all of the seafood. Cover. Cook 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork and clams and mussels open. (Discard any clams and mussels that do not open.) Discard bay leaf.

3. To serve, ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with parsley.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Glorious golden risotto reaches new heights when Sauvignon Blanc is added to the mix.

Butternut Squash and Kale Farro Risotto
Servings: 6

PAIRS WITH: Halcyon 2016 Pinot Noir

INGREDIENTS: 

3/4 cup farro
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Crushed Rosemary
1 cup Fleur Bleu 2016 Sauvignon Blanc, divided
2 cups Kitchen Basics® Organic Creamy Bean & Vegetable Stock
1/2 cup chopped kale leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place farro and water in small bowl; soak 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid.

2. Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Add squash, onion, garlic, salt and rosemary; cook and stir until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add farro; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the wine; cook and stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed.

3. Stirring constantly, add remaining 3/4 cup wine, reserved soaking liquid and bean stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until liquid is absorbed by farro after each addition. Stir in kale. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Cabernet brings a blissful new layer to an already-fab dessert experience, so why not?

Molten Spiced Chocolate Cabernet Cakes
Servings: 4

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie California Merlot

INGREDIENTS: 

4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tablespoon Glory Cellars 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Cinnamon, Ground Saigon
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Ginger, Ground
1/8 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Cloves, Ground

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 4 (6-ounce) custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted.

3. Stir in wine, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs and yolk. Stir in flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pour batter evenly into prepared custard cups.

4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully loosen edges with small knife. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

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