Sonoma County chefs share 9 tips for cooking with wine and spirits

Wine and spirits can be incredibly versatile ingredients in the kitchen, and not just for drinks.

Classic dishes such as coq au vin, boeuf Bourguignon, crepes Suzette — and even the humble rum ball — have all been elevated with the addition of booze.

But there are some fundamentals to remember when cooking with alcohol, such as how the acidity, tannin, alcohol and sugar level in a wine can affect the flavor of a finished dish.

We asked three winery chefs to provide some helpful tips for cooking with alcohol. Here are nine pointers from Thomas Bellec of Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor, Tracey Shepos Cenami of Kendall-Jackson winery in Santa Rosa and David Frakes of Lynmar Estate Winery in Sebastopol, plus a few of their favorite alcohol-imbued recipes.

1. Don’t cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink: While the complexities of a good wine may get lost in the cooking process, the qualities of a bad wine can be emphasized. In other words, don’t cook with your best wine, but don’t reach for schlock either.

“You don’t have to be a snob when you choose a wine to cook with,” Frakes said. “There are plenty of decent wines under $10 that are perfect for cooking.”

2. Cooking with wine, spirits or beer does not remove all the alcohol: According to Harold McGee, author of “On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen,” alcohol added to a dish won’t dissipate completely, even after prolonged simmering or baking. How much alcohol remains depends on the recipe’s other ingredients and the temperature and duration of cooking. This is something to keep in mind when cooking for people who don’t drink, including children.

3. Avoid “cooking wine”: Don’t be tempted to buy a product labeled “cooking wine,” which is often found near the vinegar at the grocery store. These are typically loaded with salt, pepper, sweeteners and preservatives and can unbalance the flavors in the finished dish.

4. The flavor of a wine or spirit will change once it’s cooked: The sweet, acidic and bitter flavors of a wine will become more pronounced when cooked. While tannins also increase in intensity, they bind to the proteins in meat dishes and stocks, so this typically isn’t an issue.

5. When deglazing a pan, add the wine in three parts: Deglazing involves adding a liquid (like wine) to a hot pan to loosen the stuck-on food particles after cooking. The resulting liquid can become the base for a delicious sauce.

“One of the first things I learned in culinary school was to deglaze a pan by adding one-third of the wine and letting it reduce before adding the next portion,” Bellec said. “This prevents the tannins in the wine from becoming bitter.”

6. Want to flambé? Tilt the pan away from you: When preparing classic desserts like bananas foster and cherries jubilee, home chefs can be intimidated by the flambé finish, which involves adding alcohol to a hot pan then lighting the dish on fire for a dramatic burst of flames.

Here are some tips: Use a long-handle lighter. Choose a spirit or liqueur that is at least 40% alcohol by volume, which will ensure a good flame. Turn off the heat, then tilt the pan away from you when adding the alcohol to prevent singed eyebrows.

7. Red wine specifics: In general, when choosing a red wine for cooking, select a wine that aligns with the intensity of your finished dish. In other words, big, bold wines like cabernet sauvignon are best suited to bold dishes like boeuf Bourguignon, while a sangiovese might be perfect for a tomato sauce.

Shepos likes to use syrah or malbec in her lamb and barley stew, which complements the salty Kalamata olives and sweet dried figs. But she doesn’t get too hung up on which wines to cook with.

“Red wine is perfect for cooking as it adds richness, depth of flavor and another layer of lusciousness to the dish than just stock or broth alone,” she said. “Typically I don’t worry too much about the specific styles of wine I’m cooking with. It’s more about cooking with what I’m drinking so it’s purposeful for both applications.”

For Bellec, herbs and spices that align with red wine include coriander, clove, juniper, thyme and bay leaf.

8. White wine specifics: The acidity in white wine is a match made in heaven for seafood, cream-based sauces, classic beurre blanc and even desserts, like poached pears.

At Lynmar Estate, Frakes poaches seckel pears in late-harvest riesling or gewürztraminer, then serves them warm with vanilla ice cream and a seasonal cake (See recipe).

While sweet white wines can work in desserts, it’s best to use dry white wines in savory dishes. It’s also recommended to avoid heavily oaked wines, which can overwhelm a dish.

For Bellec, herbs and spices that complement white wine include basil, oregano and even a hint of clove.

9. Boozy whipped cream: Adding a small amount of bourbon, brandy, amaretto or dessert wine to your homemade whipped cream can take it from good to glorious.

To add, gently fold in 1 tablespoon of booze after you’re done whipping the cream. That will ensure the flavor remains strong.

Lamb and Barley Stew with Dried Figs, Olives and Gruyere Toasts

A stew cooking slowly in the oven makes a winter day a whole lot nicer. To offset the gamey richness of lamb, Tracey Shepos Cenami cooks it with salty Kalamata olives and sweet dried figs. The fig seeds add a crunchy counterpoint to the tender meat. Taking a page from French onion soup, she serves this stew with golden-brown Gruyère cheese crostini.

Makes 8 servings

1 cup pearled barley

4 pound boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups peeled carrots, medium dice

2 cups celery, medium dice

2 cups yellow onion, medium dice

6 cloves garlic, sliced

¼ cup tomato paste

1 bay leaf, 1 star anise pod and 1 small cinnamon stick, tied in a sachet

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2½ cups dry red wine (such as syrah or malbec)

4 cups lamb or beef stock

2 cups peeled parsnip, medium dice

2 cups peeled rutabaga, medium dice

¼ cup dried figs, stemmed and halved lengthwise

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices

1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the barley with water to cover and set aside.

To cook the stew: Heat an 8-quart pot over medium-high heat until hot. Meanwhile, pat the lamb dry with paper towels and season generously with 2 tablespoons salt and the pepper. Add 4 tablespoons of the oil to the hot pot and, working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the meat on all sides. As each batch is ready, transfer to a bowl.

When all of the lamb is browned, reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for six to eight minutes, until the vegetables are well caramelized.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute. Add the sachet, thyme and a pinch of salt, then pour in the wine and cook for about five minutes, until reduced by half. Add the stock and the reserved browned lamb and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Cover, transfer to the oven and simmer for 45 minutes to one hour, until the meat is tender.

Remove the pot from oven and let stand for about five minutes, until the fat rises to the surface. Using a ladle, skim off and discard the fat.

Drain and rinse the barley. Add the barley, parsnip, rutabaga, figs and olives to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat on the stove. Skim off any additional fat from the surface, then re-cover the pot and return it to the oven for about 35 minutes, until the barley is soft.

Remove the stew from the oven, scoop out and discard the sachet and taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover to keep warm.

To prepare the crostini and serve: Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Arrange the baguette slices on a sheet pan and top with the cheese, dividing it evenly. Place in the oven for about six minutes, until the cheese melts and starts to brown. Transfer the crostini to a serving platter. Reheat the stew if needed, then serve with the crostini.

— Tracey Shepos Cenami of Kendall-Jackson Winery in Santa Rosa

Dessert Wine-Poached Seckel Pears

Makes 4-6 servings

1 bottle (325 milliliters) late-harvest dessert wine, such as riesling, gewürztraminer or semillon/sauvignon blanc blend

2 cups water

1-1½ cups sugar (depending on sweetness of wine)

2 lemons (juice only)

1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch piece

2 green cardamom pods

2 anise

2 cloves

2 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

10 seckel pears (or other pear)

Place first 10 ingredients together in a medium nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes to concentrate flavors.

Peel and core pears and place them in water with about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (to prevent pears from turning brown). Once all pears are peeled and cored, drain off the lemon water and carefully add the pears to the spiced broth.

Return broth to a simmer and continue to cook pears over medium heat for about 15 to 25 minutes or until the pears are fork tender; turning over halfway through to cook evenly.

Cool the pears in the liquid and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve warm or cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or seasonal cake.

— David Frakes, Lynmar Estate Winery

Brown Butter and Almond Bundt Cake

For the cake

Melted vegetable shortening, as needed

⅓ cup turbinado or raw sugar

9 ounces (18 tablespoons) unsalted butter, browned and cooled completely

2 cups (9 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups (7 ounces) almond flour (from either natural or blanched almonds)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2¼ cups (16 ounces) granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoon dark rum or bourbon

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

For the glaze

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1½ cups powdered sugar, plus more as needed

Pinch table salt

1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon dark rum

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan liberally with shortening and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the granulated sugar and eggs on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, four to five minutes. With the mixer running, add the rum and extracts. Reduce the speed to low and drizzle in the cool brown butter, making sure to include all the browned bits. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a silicone spatula.

With the mixer on its lowest speed, whisk the dry ingredients into the batter in three batches, alternating with the milk just until combined and scraping down the bowl as needed.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Invert the cake onto the rack and remove the pan. Cool completely.

Make the glaze. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown it as you did for the cake (it won’t take as long for this small amount). Remove from the heat and cool completely. In a medium bowl, whisk the butter, sugar, salt, 1 tablespoon milk and the rum. Add a little milk if too thick or a little powdered sugar if too thin. Pour over the cake and serve.

Store covered at room temperature for up to three days.

— Thomas Bellec, Bricoleur Vineyards

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @whiskymuse.