Cooking With Wine

Cooking with wine is a great way to concentrate intricate flavors and tenderize meat without adding extra fat. Depending on how you prepare your food, some or all of the alcohol in the wine will evaporate, leaving behind a sophisticated blend of flavors.

The key to great flavor is to cook with wine that you would use for drinking —not the expensive bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion— not something labeled “cooking wine” either. Cooking wine just cooks down adding a saltier flavor while drinking wines have more complex flavors, so a wine with a fruity flavor, for example, will add a concentrated fruitier flavor to your meal.

If you aren’t sure what type of wine to use, keep in mind what you are cooking and the overall flavor you want it to have – sweet, dry, spicy, etc. Wine should be added toward the end of the cooking process unless used as a marinade and if you want the flavor of wine without the alcohol, be sure to reduce your sauce until no liquid remains, keeping in mind that white wine alcohol evaporates more quickly than red.

Who Cut the Cheese?

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Well if you haven’t, or don’t how, I’m going to show you how to do something quick and easy –but still very elegant– with cheese.

Bueno, si usted no tiene, o no sé cómo, yo voy a mostrarte cómo hacer algo rápido y fácil todavía, pero muy elegante con el queso.

Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner Secrets

Chef LaLa knows her way to a man’s heart, and now she shares her secrets for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. It’s bound to be a night to remember, so let’s get cookin’…

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Tequila Garlic Shrimp Recipe

© Chef LaLa

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons clarified butter*
• ¼ cup garlic, minced
• 1½ pounds large raw shrimp (8-12 ct), peeled and deveined
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup white tequila 
• ½ lemon 
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• salt
• black pepper
• lemon wedges (optional)

*To clarify butter, melt butter over low heat. Skim off white foam that forms on top, then strain clear golden butter through cheesecloth. Discard milky residue at bottom of pan. Clarified butter will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Preparation

1. Heat clarified butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until soft but not brown. Add shrimp and green onions cook for 2 minutes. Add tequila, flambé and cook until shrimp turn pink and opaque, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook.
2. Squeeze juice from lemon half on shrimp add chopped parsley and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon.

Berries and Cream with Chocolate Liquor Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy wipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon bailey’s or kalua
• mixed berries
• additional liquor for berries (optional)

Preparation

Whip cream with hand mixer or whip until smooth. Fold in sugar and liquor. Fill martini glass with berries. Pour more liquor into glass top with whipped topping mix

Tequila Receta Camarones al Ajillo

© Chef LaLa

Ingredientes

• 2 cucharadas de mantequilla clarificada *
• ¼ de taza de ajo, picados
• 1 ½ libras de camarones grandes crudos (08.12 quilates), pelado y desvenado
• 6 cebollas verdes, en rodajas finas
• ¼ de taza de tequila blanco
• ½ limón
• 1 cucharada de perejil fresco, finamente picado
• 1 cucharada de cilantro fresco, finamente picado
• sal
• pimienta negro
• rodajas de limón (opcional)

*Para clarificar la mantequilla, derretir la mantequilla a fuego lento. Quite la espuma blanca que se forma en la parte superior, entonces la tensión de mantequilla dorada clara través de una gasa. Descartar leche de residuos en el fondo del molde. Mantequilla clarificada mantendrá, cubierta, en el refrigerador hasta por 2 meses..

Preparación

1. Calentar la mantequilla clarificada en una sartén grande a fuego medio. Agregue el ajo y cocine y revuelva por 1 a 2 minutos o hasta que esté dorado suave, pero no. Agregue los camarones y cocine las cebollas verdes durante 2 minutos. Añadir el tequila, flambeado y cocine hasta que los camarones rosado y opaco, revolviendo ocasionalmente. No cocine demasiado.
2. Exprima el jugo de medio limón sobre los camarones agregar el perejil picado y el cilantro, sazonar con sal y pimienta. Decore con limón.

Bayas y crema de chocolate con licor Receta

Ingredientes

• 1 pinta de crema Wipping pesados
• 1 cucharada de azúcar
• 2 cucharada de Bailey o Kalua
• bayas mixtas
• licor de bayas adicionales (opcional)

Preparación

Batir la crema con una batidora manual o el látigo hasta que quede suave. Veces en el azúcar y el licor. Llena el vaso de martini con bayas. Vierta más licor en la parte superior de cristal con la mezcla de crema batida.