A couple of hard frosts in the Comox Valley recently have more or less finished off the most delicate of outdoor salad greens; but there’s still plenty of kale! If you’re on the fence about a raw kale salad, try drizzling the leaves with this balsamic vinaigrette. Add some lentil dal and serve with a glass of Ça Beautage and all will be well!

INGREDIENTS Makes enough to dress a salad for 3-4 people

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Half a small clove of garlic, finely grated

Salt and pepper

METHOD

Place all of the ingredients in a glass mason jar and secure the lid tightly. Shake well to mix and emulsify. The vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for a week – just bring to room temp and shake well.

This recipe should help you squeeze the last out of summer – smoky BBQ mushroom sandwiches, paired with 100% Beaufort-grown Ça Beautage. We’ve long since figured that Marechal Foch pairs like a charm with mushroom based dishes, so grab a bottle of the recently-released 2017 vintage Ça Beautage and give this recipe a go!

INGREDIENTS Makes 4 sandwiches/sliders

4 large portabello mushrooms

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tblsp molasses

2 tblsp white vinegar

1 tblsp demerara sugar

2 tbslp soy sauce

1 tbslp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sriracha (or your favourite hot sauce)

1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

*You will also need 4 buns or sliders (or you can use a baguette cut into 4 as we did in the photo)

*Other sandwich fixings of your choice; we used coleslaw and lettuce but we think red onion and avocado would be a great addition too!

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the mushrooms into .5cm slices and arrange on a baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and season with some salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25minutes or until tender, turning once half way through the baking time. Set aside to cool slightly. In the meantime, prepare your BBQ sauce…
2. Combine the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, mustard, sriracha, and spices with 4 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over a high heat, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer gently for approximately 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and is thick and glossy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Toss the mushrooms in the hot BBQ sauce and divide between 4 buns. Add you favourite sandwich fixings and serve immediately.

Life would be so dull without avocados, and tortilla chips! This is a super simple recipe for summertime snacking. Use ripe avocados and a vegetable masher for the best consistency. Make lots and keep leftovers in the fridge in a tall Tupperware container (or a glass jar) with a layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation.

Have you tried our 2018 Ortega yet? If not, stop by the tasting room soon! This guacamole is a perfect accompaniment to a chilled bottle of Ortega. Just add a couple pals and a big bowl of Abuelo’s corn tortilla chips. You can find Abuelo’s chips in our tasting room, as well as at the Courtenay Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

INGREDIENTS Makes about a pint

4-5 large ripe avocados

1 medium tomato

1/4 of a small red onion

juice of 2 limes

1/2 tsp dried granulated garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsps ground coriander

2 large handfuls of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Peel and pit the avocados and place the flesh in a large bowl. Give them a rough mash.
2. Finely chop the tomato (leave the skin on!) and the onion.
3. Add the tomato, onion, lime juice, granulated garlic and spices to the avocados; mash to mix.
4. Finely chop the cilantro (leaves and stalks), and add that to the guacamole. Give the mix one final mash (it should still be a little lumpy). Season to taste.
5. Serve heaped up in a big bowl for dipping.