WINE & FOOD AFFAIR RECIPES

Appetizers

Gem Lettuce Turkey Cups with Spiced Plum Sauce

J. Rickards Winery

24505 Chianti Road
Cloverdale, CA 95425
jrwinery.com

Our harvest-season take on the ever-popular Asian lettuce cups, this recipe utilizes fresh produce from our neighbors at Bernier Farms and our own Elephant Ear plums and walnuts grown on our estate.

Spiced Plum Sauce

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound fresh plums, halved and pitted
  • 1/4 small red onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Directions:
To prepare the spiced plum sauce, in a blender or food processor, combine the plums, onion and garlic and puree until smooth. 

Transfer the plum mixture to a saucepan and stir in the sugar, vinegar, ginger, mustard, cinnamon, cloves and red pepper flakes. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by one-third, about 1 hour. 

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving. Makes about 2 cups.

Gem Lettuce Turkey Cups

Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 16 Little Gem lettuce leaves
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, crushed
Directions:
To prepare the turkey cups, in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add the cooked vegetable mixture, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is cooked through.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Serve the turkey filling and lettuce leaves family-style, along with the plum sauce for drizzling and the crushed walnuts for garnish.

J. Rickards Winery

24505 Chianti Road
Cloverdale, CA 95425
jrwinery.com