WINE & FOOD AFFAIR RECIPES

Appetizers

Chive and Semolina Fritter with Mushroom Ragu

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

300 Via Archimedes
Geyserville, CA 95441
francisfordcoppolawinery.com

A delicious appetizer to enjoy with friends or family on a cool, Fall or Winter evening. This dish highlights our local, wild mushrooms and the components can be made ahead of time and simply finished when you are ready to serve.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 each eggs
  • 1/2 cup semolina flour
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chives thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 pound wild mushrooms rough chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 ounces dried porcini
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • oil for frying

Directions:

For the fritter, combine the buttermilk, olive oil, and eggs, to a mixing bowl and whisk to fully incorporate. 

In a separate bowl, combine the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk to fully incorporate. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to bring the batter together. Finally, mix in the sliced chives. 
Refrigerate for at least one hour. 

In the meantime, make the mushroom ragu by setting a small, shallow, wide bottomed sauce pot over medium heat and adding ¼ cup of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped mushrooms and season with the salt and pepper. Cook for several minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Dust the mushrooms with the flour and cook for an additional two minutes, stirring frequently. 

Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken stock and whisk to incorporate the flour. Add the dried porcini mushrooms and simmer until proper consistency is achieved (about 5 or 10 minutes) and keep in a warm place. 

Add the fresh thyme to the ragu at this time. 

To fry the fritters, add olive oil (or your favorite vegetable oil) to a small sauce pot and place over medium heat. When the temperature reaches 350° F, carefully place spoonful's of the batter into the hot oil. Flip the fritters over halfway during the cooking process. Remove the fritters from the oil when they are golden brown and onto a plate lined with a paper towel. 

To serve, place some of the ragu in the bottom of a bowl and top with the semolina fritters. 
Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of the Francis Ford Coppola Director’s Cut Pinot Noir.