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Home : Biltmore Living : Food and Wine : Winter Recipes : Soups & Stews

Banish The Chill

This time of year, nothing satisfies like piping–hot soups, flavorful stews, or a traditional cassoulet—a delicious French dish that typically combines a hearty blend of meats (often pork sausage or poultry) and white haricot beans. Enjoy the following recipes with suggested Biltmore™ Wine pairings from our winemakers.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients: • 1 28 oz cans of red peppers or 2 fresh peppers, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Few sprigs parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste Method: Sweat the onion, shallot and garlic, in a little olive oil until soft. Add the peppers and cover with chicken stock. Add the herbs and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove the herbs and purée the soup in a blender until smooth. Strain into a clean pot then add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Cardinal's Crest® Red Wine

French Onion Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients: • 1 pound onions, sliced
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups chicken or beef stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices of crusty French baguette
• 2 cups Swiss cheese (preferably Gruyere) Method: Cook the onions in the butter with salt and pepper and the bay leaf over medium–high heat, stirring to release caramelizing onions from the bottom of the pot. Once a deep, dark color is obtained, add the sherry and reduce until dry. Add the chicken or beef stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and spoon into bowls. Place the bread slices on top and sprinkle the cheese over the bread. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve immediately. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Pinot Grigio

White Bean, Kale and Ham Hock Soup (Gluten–Free)

Serves 4

Ingredients: • 1 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 2/3 cup fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup blended oil (Canola/oil mix)
• 1 1/2 pounds dry Cannellini beans
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• 1 bag kale, washed, stemmed, and chopped
• 1 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chicken base
• 11 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 4 3/4 cups cold water
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 bouquet* of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 spring of rosemary, 1 bay leaf, 4 peppercorns, 1 clove
• 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp celery seed
• 2 tsp dry thyme
• 2 tsp dry oregano
• 1/3 cup sherry (dry)

*To make bouquet, wrap all ingredients in cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine.

Method: Sweat onions, celery, carrots and garlic in oil in a large pot until they become very soft. Add the remaining ingredients except the kale and sherry. Bring to a bare simmer and cook until beans are just tender and not mushy. Remove ham hock and set aside to cool. Add the kale and cook until kale is tender. Dice meat from ham hocks, removing any fat. Return meat to pot. Add sherry and adjust seasoning with salt if needed, ham hocks are salty. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Chardonnay Sur Lies

Butternut Squash Bisque

Serves 4

Ingredients: • 3 butternut squash
• 1 onion, small chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 6 oz sherry cooking wine
• 16 oz chicken stock or broth
• 12 oz heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp Kosher salt Method: In a heavy–bottom sauce pot, sauté onions, celery, garlic and shallots until translucent. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and roast in 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Deglaze with sherry and reduce wine by 2/3. Peel squash and add pulp to soup pot and bring to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients to soup pot and simmer for an hour. Puree soup with a stick mixer or food processor until smooth. Strain soup and serve. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Riesling

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Serves 6-8

Ingredients: • 4 lbs beef chuck roast, cubed to 1"
• 6 oz bacon, medium diced
• 2 cups yellow onions, medium diced
• 1 1/2 cups red peppers, medium diced
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, large diced
• 1/2 cup poblano peppers, seeded and medium diced
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chipotle pepper puree
• 1 tsp flour
• 2 cups canned black beans, rinsed
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• 3 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, diced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp sugar Method: In a stock pot over low heat, add bacon and render fat until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon for later use but retain the fat. Season beef with salt and pepper. Turn heat up to medium–high. Working in small batches, brown beef making sure not to add too much at one time. Once one batch is browned, remove from pan and repeat until all beef is browned. Set beef aside.

Lower heat and add vegetables to pot with bay leaves and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 10–12 minutes. Add spices and continue to cook 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and flour and cook an additional minute. Stir wine and broth into pot. Add beef. Bring to a simmer, cover tight and let simmer slowly for 1 hour. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black beans, and continue to simmer uncovered until both beef and sweet potatoes are tender and chili is thick. Add lime juice, sugar, and season with salt and black pepper. Finish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream and crispy bacon. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Merlot

Braised Lamb White Bean Cassoulet

Serves 6

Braised Lamb
Ingredients: • 1 Lamb Shoulder (may substitute lamb shanks)
• 4 onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 anchovies
• 2 cups tomato paste
• 1 bottle Madeira
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 4 qt. veal, chicken, or meat stock
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 bunch rosemary
• 1 bunch thyme
• 1 bunch parsley
• 15 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 10 black peppercorns White Bean Cassoulet
Ingredients: • 1 1/2 qt. Cannellini beans, soaked overnight
• 3 Merquez sausage or breakfast sausage, sliced into rounds
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup leeks, brunoise and rinsed
• 1 small onion, brunoise
• 1 carrot, peeled and brunoise
• 1/4 qt. blonde roux
• chicken stock, enough to cover
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 bunch thyme
• 1/2 bunch rosemarybr/> • 1/2 bunch sage
• 2 bay leaves Method: Sear lamb in very hot pan, brown on all sides. Remove from pan and add the onions, carrots and anchovies. Caramelize over medium heat, then add tomato paste. Deglaze with Madeira and wine, reduce by 1/2. Add broth, remaining lamb ingredients and reserved lamb. Bring to simmer and cover with aluminum foil. Braise in a 250 degree oven for 5–6 hrs. or until meat falls off the bone.

For the cassoulet, render sausage in a rondo or large stock pot over low heat until browned. Add onion, carrot and leeks, sweat until translucent. Add garlic, sweat lightly, and add soaked beans. Cover with chicken stock about 2 inches over beans. Create a sachet with the remaining herbs and add to pot. Simmer over low heat until beans are tender. Do not add any salt until beans are completely tender. Once tender, add roux a little at a time and stir until beans are thickened, then season with salt and pepper. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Beef Bourguignon with Soft Polenta

Serves 8

Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients: • 5 lbs stew beef, cut into chunks
• 1 bottle Biltmore™ Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 12 oz bacon • 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 pint pearl onions, peeled
• 1 lb button mushrooms, sliced Polenta
Ingredients: • 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp salt or more
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups instant polenta
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese Method: Combine the beef pieces in bowl with red wine, carrots, onion, garlic and thyme, and marinate for 12 hours under refrigeration, stirring every few hours. Take meat out of bowl and reserve wine and vegetables. Brown vegetables in half the olive oil. Remove vegetables and reserve. Brown meat in remaining olive oil over high heat. Place browned meat and vegetables in oven–safe pot along with red wine and beef broth. Bring to a simmer on stove top and then place in a 325 degree oven for approximately 3 hours. Meat is done when easily pierced with a paring knife. Strain stew in colander, reserving cooking liquid. Discard herbs and vegetables reserving only the braised beef. Reduce cooking liquid on stove until reduced by half, simmering off excess fat. Wrap beef in plastic wrap so it doesn't air dry. Cut bacon into thin strips and brown in medium size pot. Remove bacon when crisp. In remaining bacon fat brown mushrooms and pearl onions, season with salt and pepper. Add reduced cooking liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Just before serving, combine braised meat and heat gently for five minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve in hot bowls with soft polenta.

For the polenta, bring a pot with 6 cups of water to a boil, add bay leaves and salt. Working with a small amount of polenta at a time, slowly pour into boiling water, constantly stirring with wooden spoon. When all polenta is added the mixture should begin to perk like a volcano. Add additional water if needed to loosen consistency. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in butter and cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Winemaker's Suggested Pairing: Biltmore® Zinfandel