Kistler Vineyards Dinner Recipe

Prepare crostini

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the baguette into 1/2-inch slices on an angle. Arrange on a baking sheet, brush lightly with 1 tbs olive oil, and toast in the oven 6–8 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove and let cool slightly.

Infuse ricotta

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, finely chopped bay leaves, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tbs olive oil, sea salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble

Spread about 1 to 1.5 tbs of the bay-leaf ricotta on each toasted crostini. Drizzle each with a small amount of honey (approximately 1/4 tsp per crostini). Top with a few microgreens or a small pinch of baby arugula and a light grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Prepare duck

Remove duck breasts from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat skin dry with paper towels. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern being careful not to cut into the meat. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Render skin and sear

Place a cold, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-low heat. Place duck breasts skin-side down (no oil needed initially). Cook slowly 8–12 minutes until most fat has rendered and skin is golden-brown and crisp; tilt skillet occasionally and spoon off excess fat into a heatproof container. Flip breasts, add 1 tbs neutral oil if needed, and sear the flesh side 2–3 minutes until nicely browned. Transfer duck to a cutting board and rest tented loosely with foil for 8–10 minutes (internal temperature target ~ 130–135°F / 54–57°C for medium-rare).

Make Pinot reduction

While duck rests, wipe skillet of excess burnt bits leaving a little fat (or use a clean saucepan). Add 1 tbs butter and the minced shallot over medium heat; sauté 1–2 minutes until softened. Pour in 1 cup Pinot Noir and 1/2 cup stock, scraping up browned bits. Add 2 tsp fresh thyme. Simmer briskly until reduced to about 1/4–1/3 cup (8–12 minutes). Whisk in 1 tbs cold butter off the heat to finish the sauce for gloss. Taste and add 1 tsp honey or maple syrup if reduction is too tart. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Celery root purée

In a medium pot, cover the cubed celery root with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until very tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot or a blender. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tbs butter, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Purée with an immersion blender or in a stand blender until completely smooth. If too thick, add up to 2 tbs more cream to reach a silky consistency. Keep warm and re-season if necessary.

Char the carrots

Toss the peeled baby carrots with 1 tbs olive oil and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Add carrots and cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender when pierced with a knife, about 6–8 minutes. Alternatively, roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes. Finish with chopped parsley.

Plate and finish

Slice duck breasts thinly on the bias. Spoon a smear of celery root purée on each plate, arrange a fan of duck slices atop, and nestle the charred carrots alongside. Spoon the warm Pinot reduction over the duck and around the plate. Garnish with a few thyme leaves or chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Bloom gelatin

Place 3 tbs cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle 1.5 tsp gelatin over the surface. Let sit 5–10 minutes until gelatin has absorbed the water and become spongy.

Prepare panna cotta base

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbs honey, and the split vanilla bean (scrape seeds into the cream and add pod) or 1 tsp vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling (do not simmer vigorously). Remove from heat.

Incorporate gelatin and set

Stir the bloomed gelatin into the hot cream mixture until completely dissolved. Remove the vanilla pod if used. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring cup for easy pouring. Divide into 4 serving glasses or molds. Chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or until set (overnight is best).

Poach pears

Peel pears, leaving stems if desired, and core slightly from the bottom. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup Pinot Noir, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar (optional — use 1/4 cup if you prefer less sweet), cinnamon stick, star anise, and 1 tsp lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer to dissolve sugar, then add pears. Poach at a gentle simmer, turning occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 12–18 minutes depending on ripeness. Remove pears and let cool slightly. Continue to reduce poaching liquid until syrupy (5–8 minutes) and spoon a few tablespoons over the cooled pears when serving.

Finish and serve

To serve, unmold panna cotta if desired or leave in glasses. Slice poached pears in half or quarters and arrange atop or beside the panna cotta. Drizzle with the reduced poaching liquid and a little extra honey if desired. Sprinkle toasted almond slices over the panna cotta and garnish with a small mint leaf. Serve chilled.