Gruyere Cheese Puffs (Gougères)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 200 g Gruyère cheese, grated
    • (~ 2 cups or 7oz)
  • 120 g whole milk
    • (~½ cup)
  • 120 g water – (Alternatively, use 240g (1 cup) of 2% milk instead of milk + water)
    • (~½ cup)
  • 5 large eggs, divided
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 1 egg white (reserved)
    • 1 whole egg (for egg wash)
  • 113 g Salted Butter (for choux base)
    • (~ 1 stick)
  • 125 g All-purpose flour
    • (~ 1 leveled cup + 1 tbsp)

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Finely grate the Gruyère and set aside. Mix the milk and water together in a measuring cup (or measure 240 g (1 cup) of 2% milk).

STEP 2: Separate 4 egg yolks into a bowl. Reserve 1 egg white in a separate bowl. Beat 1 whole egg and set aside for brushing the puffs.

STEP 3: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and allow it to brown lightly. Add the flour and stir until fully combined. Let the mixture cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes to help dry it out.

STEP 4: Add the milk mixture and stir until smooth and thick, resembling mashed potatoes. Continue cooking briefly until the mixture smells like cooked flour and milk.

STEP 5: Remove the pan from heat and transfer the dough to a stand mixer or mixing bowl (without a stand mixer this can be a rough mix on your arm. If mixing by hand, be sure to use a hard wooden spoon. If using a stand mixer, you’ll want the paddle attachment). Begin mixing here before adding egg yolks so that you can cool the flour mixture down a bit so that it doesn’t cook your eggs right away. Mix it for about 5 minutes to cool.

STEP 6: Your target temp here is 140-145°F so you don’t scramble the eggs. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough becomes smoother and slightly looser. When the dough is smooth, cohesive and thick, add the grated cheese and mix until fully incorporated. Finish by mixing in the reserved egg white which will loosen and thin the dough just a bit more.

STEP 7: Transfer the dough to a piping bag or use a small scoop. Pipe or scoop evenly sized mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (slightly smaller than golf ball size is a good target for these as they puff up quite a bit).

STEP 8: Brush each puff generously with the beaten egg. Bake at 425°F until puffed, deeply golden, and crisp on top. Let them cool a bit before serving and enjoy!

 

Sausage & Sage Pies

Pairing Suggestion: Gewürztraminer

Yields 4-6 Servings

Shortbread Crust (Bottom Layer)

INGREDIENTS:

  • Flour: 60 g
  • Butter: 60 g
  • Reserved Pancetta Fat: 60 g
  • Egg: 1 each
  • Kosher Salt: 6 g

IINSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: In a bowl, combine flour, salt, butter, and pancetta fat. Mix until crumbly and sandy.

STEP 2: Add the egg and mix just to bring the dough together (do NOT overwork).

STEP 3: Press crust mixture into the bottom of each black ramekin. Chill while preparing filling.

Sausage Filling (Middle Layer)

INGREDIENTS:

  • Mild Italian Sausage: 1 lb
  • Green Onion (scallion): 20 g (about 1 small stalk)
  • Yellow Onion: 1 piece
  • Carrots: 100 g
  • Celery: 0.125 stalk
  • Kosher Salt: 13 g
  • Nutmeg: 2 g
  • Garlic Powder: 10 g
  • Dried Sage: 10 g
  • Dried Thyme Leaves: 2 g

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Chop onion, carrot, celery, and scallion finely. Add sausage and cook until browned, leaving a little moisture (“gently undercooked”).

STEP 2: Deglaze pan with Veggies and a couple splashes of Gewürztraminer & sauté vegetables in the reserved fat until soft. Add salt, nutmeg, garlic powder, sage, thyme off heat.

STEP 3: Use a potato masher or similar technique to squish everything together into a cohesive mixture. Divide filling evenly across the 6 prepared ramekins (135 – 150g each).

Puff Pastry (Top Layer)

INGREDIENTS:

  • Puff pastry: 1 sheet yields 6 tops

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Cut the sheet into 6 round toppers sized to your ramekins. Place over sausage filling.

STEP 2: Crimp edges lightly; cut a small vent slit. Brush with egg wash.

STEP 3: Bake in a 425 degree oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let them cool and enjoy!

 

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Bisque

Pairing Suggestion: Dry Rosé

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted Peppers & Garlic

  • * Reserve all liquid in the roasting pan after roasting and add to your reserved tomato liquid for finishing the soup later.
  • 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes, tomatoes removed and liquid reserved
  • 2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • ~½ tsp kosher salt (to taste)

Mirepoix & Base

  • 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 rib celery, roughly chopped
  • ½ large carrot, roughly chopped
  • 1–2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (or fresh equivalent)
  • 1½ cups chicken broth or stock

Finish

  • Reserved tomato liquid
  • Reserved roasting liquid
  • 1/4 can water (to rinse tomato can)
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place drained tomatoes in a roasting pan. Add red peppers cut-side down and peeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, season with kosher salt, and toss to coat. Roast until pepper skins are blistered and darkened.

STEP 2: Transfer peppers to a sealed container and steam ~15 minutes, then peel skins. (Reserve the skin of 1 of the halved peppers and discard the rest). Add any liquid and bits in your roasting pan to your reserved tomato juice.

STEP 3: Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown butter lightly until nutty. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sweat until softened and onions are translucent. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook ~1 minute, stirring constantly.

STEP 4: Add roasted tomatoes, peeled peppers, garlic, and oregano. Stir to combine and cook 1–2 minutes. Add chicken broth — just enough to cover vegetables snugly. Simmer gently 30–45 minutes, partially covered.

STEP 5: Add reserved tomato liquid, can-rinse water, and heavy cream. Stir gently and keep at a very light bubbly simmer. Blend smooth with immersion blender or countertop blender (off heat). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

STEP 6: Serve hot and garnish with fresh basil, croutons, and optional crème fraîche!

 

Chef’s Notes:

  • Roast garlic peeled with peppers for easier transfer and deeper umami browning
  • It’s best to add some liquid to the hot roasting pan and scrape off any delicious bits that are stuck and add it all to your finishing liquid for later.
  • Peppers and garlic can be roasted in advance and frozen for later soup batches
  • I reserve ½ pepper’s worth of skin and add it back during emulsification
    → adds bitterness and subtle texture; discard the rest
  • Mirepoix rule: onion : celery : carrot = 2 : 1 : 1
  • Broth should cover vegetables tightly — think braise, not soup pot
  • Simmer time can range 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on depth desired
  • Avoid boiling after cream is added to preserve pepper aromatics

 

Pear & Bleu Cheese Puff Pastry Tart

Pairing Suggestion: Winzer Select Riesling S

INGREDIENTS:

Yields 12 Tarts

  • 1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry, thawed but still firm (½ thaw)
  • 2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced (Mandolin is your best friend here)
  • ~⅓ cup fig jam (~approximation as you really need just a very thin layer)
  • Tempesta pancetta (enough thinly sliced so as to cover the tart)
    • Can substitute any cured high fat meat
  • Blue cheese crumbled (enough to cover tart)

  • Freshly cracked black pepper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment and place the puff pastry on the tray. Lightly dock the center with a fork. Just lightly score the pastry around about 1/8th of an inch from the sides to create a nice “crust”.

STEP 2: Spread a very thin, even layer of fig jam over the pastry (this should lightly coat the surface — not pool). Arrange the pear slices directly over the jam in a single, even layer. Lay the thinly sliced pancetta over the pears, spacing it evenly. Scatter the crumbled blue cheese over the top. Finish by adding a few cracks of black pepper to taste and brush the edges of the tart with beaten egg.

STEP 3: Bake for 18–25 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp, has risen to form a crust on the sides, and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

STEP 4: Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before cutting (use a pizza roller if you have one). Cut into 12 equal pieces and serve warm or room temperature!

 

Chef’s Notes:

  • ½ Thawed Puff Pastry… trust me it’s far easier to score your edges and spread your jam when it’s still a bit frozen but still pliable. If you assemble quickly there is no need to let it thaw entirely.
  • Puff Pastry tends to cook and puff better if cooked directly from frozen. Preparing these in advance and keeping them in the freezer until ready to bake is ideal.
  • Tempesta pancetta is air-dried and cured, not raw.
    It is sliced thin and placed directly on the tart — no rendering required.
    During baking, it gently crisps and seasons the tart without releasing excess fat.

    • You could substitute any dried/cured meat that can be sliced thin. The thinner the better.
  • Layering matters:
    Jam → pear → pancetta → blue cheese
    This keeps the pastry crisp and allows the pear to soften naturally under the cured meat. Be very reserved with the jam, less is more with this recipe.
  • Bosc pears are preferred because they hold their shape when baked. This works well with any tart fruit that holds shape well including apples.
  • Keep the fig jam restrained — it should support the pear, not dominate.
  • *Alternate method: You can assemble everything and thaw the puff pastry all the way and roll it into a log to cut pinwheels out of this as well.

 

Carrot Soup with Ginger

Pairing Suggestion: Heart of the Lake

IINGREDIENTS:

Yields 4 Servings

  • 250g carrots
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 can San Marzano tomatoes, 14.5oz
  • 2 tsp icing sugar
  • 3 1/3 cup stock, vegetable or chicken
  • 1 red apple (we use a mixture of local Gala and Cortland)
  • 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 2 slices garlic
  • ½ – 1 tsp mild curry powder
  • 200g cream
  • 3 tbsp cold butter
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/8th shaved nutmeg seed
  • Salt + pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Peel carrots and onion, dice

STEP 2: Caramelize icing sugar in a saucepan on low heat. Add carrots, onions, and tomatoes and braise lightly with curry powder

STEP 3: Add stock, and simmer for about 20 minutes

STEP 4: While simmering, infuse cream with cinnamon stick, shaved nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

STEP 5: Peel, core, and cut apple into quarters. Add to soup with ginger and garlic.

STEP 6: Remove cinnamon from cream, add to soup with 3 tbsp of butter; puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Allow to simmer on low until ready to serve.

STEP 7: To serve, whisk soup once more with immersion blender until foamy and pour into warmed soup bowls.

 

Cabernet Franc Braised Brisket

Pairing Suggestion: Zweigelt & Petite Sirah

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 large yellow onions, diced
  • 3 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
  • ½ head of garlic, crushed
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 brisket flat w/ ¼’’ fat cap, no point (5-7 lbs)
  • Garlic powder
  • Freshly cracked pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • Nutmeg
  • 2 cups Weis Cabernet Franc
  • 1 ½ cups beef stock

Dry brine brisket for up to 48 hours uncovered on wire line baking sheet in fridge

  1. Coat with garlic powder, freshly cracked pepper, 1/8th nutmeg seed shaved
  2. Completely cover brisket with kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 275° Fahrenheit. After brining, sear brisket on all sides in a large sauté pan. Remove brisket from pan, allow to rest while sautéing aromatics.

STEP 2: In the same sauté pan, add yellow onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add crushed garlic, sauté until garlic becomes fragrant.

STEP 3: Add tomato paste to the pan, mix to combine and sauté an additional 3-5 minutes to develop flavors and fond.

STEP 4: While vegetables sauté, add brisket to the bottom of a large dutch oven. When done, pour contents of sauté pan over brisket. Deglaze sauté pan with wine and beef stock; scrape fond from bottom and pour entire contents of pan into dutch oven.

STEP 5: Add bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary to dutch oven. Place dutch oven in preheated oven, cook brisket to internal temperature of 180° Fahrenheit (about 3 hours)

STEP 6: Rest brisket in fridge and slice and serve with some of the veggies and sauce

 

Potato Au Gratin Cups

Pairing Suggestion: Chardonnay

SAUCE

Yields about 24 servings

IINGREDIENTS:

  • 50g butter, melted
  • 400g of cream
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • Salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste
  • Splash of dry white wine (Dry Riesling)
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, destemmed
  • 60g shredded parmesan cheese
  • 100g chicken stock

IINSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: In a saucepan, add cream. Closely monitor, and immediately remove from stovetop as it begins to boil. Add halved garlic clove, 2 slices of ginger, and 1 full sprig of thyme to cream. Allow to steep all together for about 5 minutes.

STEP 2: Pass cream sauce through a fine mesh sieve and season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

STEP 3: In a large sauté pan, melt 50g of butter. Add crushed garlic, sauté on medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes; do not allow to brown. Add 200g white wine cream sauce, allow to come to temperature before adding destemmed thyme; simmer on low for 5 minutes.

STEP 4: Whisk in shredded parmesan. Add chicken stock, continuously whisking on medium heat to assist with melting of the cheese and emulsification of the sauce. Simmer, reduce sauce for about 5 minutes.

STEP 5: Reduce heat to low, allow to cool and move on to preparing potatoes.

Potatoes

Yield: 1 Potato = 3 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 chef potato
  • 60g shaved gruyere cheese
  • 60g shaved parmesan cheese
  • 10g extra virgin olive oil
  • Shredded parmesan to garnish
  • Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat convection oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Thinly slice potatoes using a mandolin.

STEP 2: In a large bowl, combine gruyere, extra virgin olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Toss potatoes in gruyere mixture.

STEP 3: Grease muffin pan, sprinkle thin layer of shredded parmesan cheese in the bottom of each cup you’ll be filling. Fill each cup about half with layered potato slices. Lightly pour original, cooled cream sauce over potatoes, not covering. Fill remainder of each cup with more layered potatoes.

STEP 4: Pour another dash of cream sauce over each potato cup, top with shredded gruyere. Place silicone baking pad over muffin tops, and cover with sheet pan.

STEP 5: Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover muffin pan completely and bake until browned. Remove from oven, allow to cool on wire rack before removing from muffin pan.

 

Maple and Pine Crème Brûlée

Pairing Suggestion: Winzer Select Riesling Edel Süss

INGREDIENTS:

Yields 6 Servings

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 625g heavy cream (35-40% fat)
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup (160mL) maple syrup
  • 6g pine needles, pressed under knife blade to release oil and roughly chopped (must use only edible pine needles, such as eastern/northern pine, otherwise omit)
  • 3 rosemary needles, roughly chopped
  • 5g of finely ground espresso beans
  • 1 clove

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Add heavy cream and vanilla to saucepan on low to medium-low heat and stir, bringing cream to a simmer but not a full boil; bubbles should be tiny and contained to the sides of the pan.

STEP 2: Slowly add maple syrup, egg yolks, and salt. Slowly whisk to combine and bring mixture back to a slow simmer.

STEP 3: Add pine needles, rosemary, and espresso to cream; reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes maintaining a temperature between 120°-140°F.

STEP 4: Five minutes before removing from heat, add clove to mixture. Remove from heat, strain through fine mesh sieve. Evenly distribute cream mixture between custard cups; place cups onto a baking sheet; pour hot water into baking sheet half-way up cups.

STEP 5: Bake for 22 minutes. Transfer cups to a cooling rack to cool.

STEP 6: Before service, pour a thin layer of sugar and brûlée!

New York State Winery of the Year 2022, 2024 & 2025!

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