Wine and Food

Wine and Food Pairings
by Paula Getzelman, Chalk Ridge Vineyard

Paula Getzelman is a gourmet cook, certified sommelier and the vineyard manager of Chalk Ridge Vineyards in the San Antonio Valley.


Paula's Harvest Recipes 2004

The harvest is finished and we begin to see rich and beautiful colors of autumn in the landscape. The syrah vineyards across the valley began turning from green to burnished copper several weeks ago, and now, everywhere I look there's evidence of Mother Nature preparing for the winter ahead.

Now that daylight savings time is over for another year and it's dark before dinnertime, I'm in the mood for hearty meals and the lovely, rich red wines of Bordeaux and the Rhone. These are the wines we do so well in the San Antonio Valley, and they pair perfectly with beef and lamb.

As the holidays approach, we're all busy preparing for festivities with friends and family. Here's a satisfying meal you can prepare without a lot of fuss.

It pairs especially well with a mellow Merlot or smoky Syrah, but works just as well for you died-in-the-wool Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers.


Braised Short Ribs

Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

Pan-roasted Cauliflower


For the Short ribs:

6 meaty short ribs
1 yellow onion, diced medium size
1 large carrot, diced medium size
2 cups red wine
Beef stock (or broth) to cover
1/4 cup butter
7 sprigs thyme fresh thyme or 1 t. dried
6 cloves garlic, chopped


Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Combine red wine, carrot, onion, garlic and thyme. Pour over the short ribs in a non-reactive pan or bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove short ribs, strain vegetables, and reserve wine for cooking. Over medium-high heat, sear the short ribs in a small amount of vegetable or olive oil in a Dutch oven or oven-proof casserole; remove ribs. In the same pan or casserole, sauté the onion, carrots and garlic until lightly brown. Discard drippings and add reserved red wine; reduce for three minutes. Add short ribs and stock to cover, and bake for 2-3 hours until tender. Remove short ribs and keep warm. Strain the liquid and reduce by half. Whisk in butter and season to taste.


For the Spaghetti Squash:

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place squash cut sides down in an oven-proof dish with 1/4 cup water. Bake in a 350 degree oven until tender, approximately 45 minutes, depending on size of squash. Add more cooking time if necessary.

With two forks, "comb" out the strands. Season with butter, salt & pepper and grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

5 cups cauliflower florets, (from 1 medium cauliflower)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped chives, for garnish


Pre-cook the cauliflower by plunging in boiling water for approximately three minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside.

Place the cauliflower florets in a large saute pan or a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Place the saute/roasting pan in a 350 degree oven and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting.

When cauliflower is tender, remove from the oven and garnish with chopped chives. Serve immediately.