Well hi, and welcome to To Taste. As a bonus to you, our newest subscribers, we’ve partnered with The Wine Party to give you an exclusive code for 15% off their wine club AND we’re sweetening the deal with a just-for-you wine party playlist plus two great recipes, all below.
We’re just here to make your at-home party way more fun.
First and foremost…
Get 15% off some badass bottles of natural wines from The Wine Party Co. with code TOTASTE. You’ll get 4 hand-picked organic and natural wines, all made by small producers, delivered right to you each month. At a discount. Damn.
Then, hit play on this exclusive wine party playlist while you sip and swirl.
For dinner? To Taste recipes to the rescue:
by Jenn de la Vega
10oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon of miso
1/4 cup pesto
1 shallot, chopped
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
4 thick slices of crusty bread
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 cup of water
Salt
Step 1
Set your oven to broil.
Step 2
Slice the mushrooms into 1/4” pieces and place in a pan on medium heat to dry them out.
Step 3
Meanwhile, spread a thin layer of pesto on each slice of bread. Whisk the remaining pesto in a small bowl with ½ cup of water and the miso.
Step 4
As the mushrooms release water, add the butter and shallot. Once the shallot is translucent, add the garlic. If the mushrooms aren’t sizzling and look too dry, add a swirl of olive oil. Saute for 5 minutes. Turn the heat all the way up and deglaze the mushrooms with the miso-pesto. Reduce for 4-5 minutes on low heat until it forms a thick sauce. Turn off the heat and let rest in the pan. Taste and salt it as needed.
Step 5
Broil the bread for 1-2 minutes until toasted. Place mozzarella on each slice and broil until the cheese melts. Turn off the oven, move the toasts to the highest rack and hold there until you are ready to eat.
Don Roberto’s Penne alla Bolognese (above)
by Nicole Campoy Jackson
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Scant 1 tablespoon butter
1 medium or ½ large white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 pound ground beef
Salt to taste
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or red pepper flakes, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/3 - 1/2 cup red wine
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (28 oz) can organic diced San Marzano tomatoes
1 - 1 1/2 pounds penne pasta
1/2 cup ricotta, for topping
Step 1
Heat olive oil and butter in pan over medium heat, adding chopped onion once the butter has melted and begun to foam. Stir in garlic or garlic powder. Cook until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add meat to pan, crumbling as it browns and cook just until it’s no longer pink. Season with a pinch of salt, Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes), tomato paste, red wine, mustard, and sugar. Mix well and allow to cook down until everything’s starting to thicken, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Add tomatoes last and bring everything to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for at least 1 hour, but ideally 2. Stir occasionally, do not cover.
Step 4
When you’re just about ready to serve, cook pasta according to package directions. Add pasta to pan with meat sauce and stir to combine. Add ¼ cup or so of the pasta’s starchy water to the sauce and stir to combine everything.
Step 5
Top with a large glob of ricotta (do not stir it in) and drizzle with very good extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm.
Cheers!