Drink This Now! 2008 The Federalist Zinfandel

Looking for another great bottle of red wine that won't break the bank? I always am! Since it's election year, it seems only appropriate to get political with wine by drinking a bottle or two of the 2008 The Federalist Zinfandel. Learn more about their wines on their website here. If you don't get the reference/connection of "Federalist" and "politics" well, I don't know what to say - but Google it! I'm not usually a Zinfandel girl: I prefer Pinot Noir, but I try to keep an open mind and usually find something new to add to my list. At $29.00 retail (not restaurant), it's well-priced, versatile and delicious. We drank this over the weekend at Up Restaurant in Houston, and when you drink more than one bottle, as we did, you really get to know a wine. Usually summer heat is enough to make anyone go for a cold glass of white wine, but this red is spicy, light, and just right for a table or group even when people are having lots of different things. Our table had red fish, short ribs, lamb chops, and pasta. We all enjoyed it. Try it and let me know what you think!

Down the Hatch Chile, Caramelized Onion, Sirloin and Fontina Grilled Flatbread

It's HAAAAAATCH SEASON!!!! Are you excited? You should be. I am. Can you tell? This Hatch Chile, Sirloin and Fontina Grilled Flatbread is the perfect summer recipe. Especially if you aren't cooking it in Dallas, where you could probably grill it on the sidewalk or a car hood. If you have a man or grill master in your life, I strongly suggest you delegate. Works for me! This recipe is easy because many of the components are pre-made. You can make your own pizza dough or enchilada sauce from scratch, but this tastes pretty freaking good! So before you go showing off, you might want to try the easy way. Of course, the magic of flatbreads is that if you don't like one of the ingredients below, you can always switch it for something else. Make it your own!  Get the full recipe after the jump.

It's Bikini Season, But Who Cares, We're Making Homemade Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

While some might find Summer a good time to eat fruits, veggies, and other bikini friendly fare, Gour-maybe says, "C'est la vie!" and makes Fried Chicken. Evidently, a good piece of dark meat is more important to us than other things. I'm a little behind, but will post this soon. The recipe is spicy, savory and with the tartness of buttermilk in the mashed potatoes, a real Sunday Night treat. Check back next week for the details!

Cookbooks a Bread-Making Gour-maybe Can't Live Without 005: Tartine Bread

If you've never been to the Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, you have to go. Also go to Bar Tartine the restaurant associated with the bakery. I love a carbohydrate, and their breads and baked goods are worth breaking any Zone Diet or Atkins pledge. I've been coveting the Tartine Bakery cookbook for some time (the cover is soft, like bread - I'm not kidding), and finally broke down this weekend and got it! If you love bread as much as I do, this is the bread you must bake.

Gour-maybe Caveat - these are not recipes for the impatient or faint of heart, but they are very doable with a few key elements. Check out an upcoming post to see me take on their Basic Country Bread recipe. It will hopefully be filed under the Blowout section and not the Fails section!

Hide Your Picnic Basket - Egg Salad with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat

Another recipe reprint request for new Gour-Maybe followers. A perfect summer salad (or sandwich). Eggs are just so versatile, and most people almost always have them in the fridge. This egg salad is one that you can make for a group, but I like to make it for myself and not tell anyone so I can eat the entire batch. That's just me. Why might you ask, is Egg Salad "Gour-Maybe?". Typically it wouldn't be, but this is a big step up from the stuff they serve at delis and lunches. Lots of fresh herbs and good-quality eggs and mustard make it flavorful and fresh. I love the tarragon flavor in it. To really blow it out, stir in jumbo lump crabmeat once the egg salad has cooled. Please try it that way, at least once! You might die tomorrow and it would be sad to miss this. Serve it on toasted sourdough bread or just with greens - I love arugula because it has a little kick. Read the simple steps after the jump.

Halibut a la Moi! (a la Barigoule)

delicious meal for one or ten - such great flavors 

cippolini onions softening - love these little guys

Back by popular request - I initially published this back in April. This is a great summer fish dish, and perfect for Sunday night! I love halibut because it is mild, delicious, easy to handle, and appealing to a lot of fish eaters. It's not like some stronger types of fish, that will make some people turn up their noses when you mention you are serving fish. This halibut dish is adapted from a recipe in the fabulous (buy it asap!) Balthazar Cookbook. I use cippolini onions instead of pearl onions, because they have a better flavor, add cauliflower (I had some left over one time), leave out the white beans (I forgot to get them one time), and add capers at the end, because I like a touch of tart caper flavor. I also, as always play around with spices to adjust them to my palate. It's a really good one for entertaining, and as gour-maybes will appreciate - it is deceptively simple, yet looks like Julia Child herself has risen from the dead to cook dinner at your house.

Jump for the recipe:

Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Savory Sweet Potatoes and Leeks

I am a HUGE fan of swine, ergo, this recipe includes two different pork products: delicious thick-cut porterhouse pork chops and crispy pancetta. Adding more would kind of be pushing it, but don't let me stop you! Sweet potatoes are another fave, I feel like I gravitate toward them more in the fall, but when I realized I had two leeks just waiting to be used, this whole din came together as a summer pork chop and sweet potato extravaganza. This was inspired by a recipe that everyone seems to have- Smoked Gouda Sweet Potatoes. The Junior League of Houston's Peace Meals has a version that is delicious, but I wanted more savory flavor which I got by using leeks and pancetta. This is super easy and can be scaled up and down for guests or just dinner for two. Full recipe after the jump!