Let’s face it, we could all use another reason to drink more wine. If you spend any time in the kitchen whipping up meals then you know wine serves multiple purposes, workingΒ as a medium to conjure up inspiration orΒ as an ingredient to round out a meal. A splash of red or white is all you need to liven up a recipe, plus it setsΒ you up to offerΒ a perfect pairing when the meal is served.
Skillet Chicken with Bacon White Wine Sauce
Crispy chicken skin, salty bacon, sweet shallots and a tangy white wine sauce…that’s the kind of dirty kitchen talk that’ll have you mounting the butter quicker thanΒ you can say “mise en place”. And it keeps getting better becauseΒ you only need one pan, which means cleaning up a breeze, assuming you didn’t splatter all over the stove.
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Drunken Cheesy Bread
With a name like this, you know it’s gonna be tasty. This is a spin on theΒ classicΒ Croute au Fromage, and you can easily take it in a few different directions. No ham? Substitute shrimp instead. Maybe add a fried egg on top. The choice is yours. Just make sure you don’t go heavy on the wine, or the bread will be too soggy – which leavesΒ more forΒ your glass.
Get the recipeMussels with Garlic Wine Sauce
Some people are scared of cooking mussels. All it takes is one bad mussel to ruin your night and scare you away from every trying them again. The secret is to make sure every single one is tightly closed. If you see oneΒ slightly open, tap it and see if the shell snaps closed. If not, toss it.
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Photo by Melanie, A Beautiful Bite
Beef Brisket in Red Wine
Is there any meal more capable of warming you up on a cold winter evening? Melt in your mouth brisket braised in red wine, with some potatoes and carrots makes for a straightforward and totally delicious dinnerΒ that will feed your family for days.
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Photo by Ellen Silverman
Shrimp Scampi
The first time I made this I was amazed at how simple it was. You only needΒ a few ingredients and you end up with a dishΒ that’ll have your guests pinching their fingers together and exclaimingΒ “buonissimo!”. Bonus tip –Β buy the pre-peeled prawns to save a few minutes, along with the humiliation of de-veiningΒ the little buggers.
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Do you have a favorite recipe that uses wine? Let us know in the comments below!