A Spread Fit for Spring, Paired with PA wines

The first signs of spring have us craving the fresh flavors and crisp wines to shake us out of our winter funk. Chef Subarna Sijapati of Subarna’s Custom Catering in Gettysburg presents an exciting spread of seasonal food, while Rob Peters, a Fine Wine & Good Spirits wine specialist, pitches in to pair local wines with the mouthwatering dishes.

If you want to know more about the state’s bountiful agricultural products, check out PA Preferred. The program’s blue-and-yellow check mark is an easy way to identify products grown, produced or processed in Pennsylvania.

To get you started, Chef Subarna has shared some recipes from the video below. Enjoy!

Spring Samosas with Fresh Cherry Chutney
YIELD: 16 Appetizer Size Samosas

INGREDIENTS
For the Dough:

•  3 cups all-purpose flour
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  2 tablespoons curry powder
•  1 cup cold butter or shortening
•  3/4 cup iced water
•  1 tablespoon vinegar
•  2 egg yolks
•  Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water)

For the Filling:

•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 medium onion, diced
•  1 tablespoon fine chopped ginger & garlic
•  4 sprigs scallions, sliced
•  1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
•  1/2 teaspoon serrano pepper, seeded, chopped
•  1 pound fresh (or frozen and thawed, if fresh not available) peas
•  1 cup diced baked potatoes
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  Fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the dough: Combine flour, salt, and curry powder in a work bowl or food processor and
pulse mix to combine. Add the butter and continue to mix until the mixture has a crumb-like
consistency. In a bowl combine water, vinegar, and egg yolks. Add wet mixture to work bowl
and pulse until a ball forms. Cover dough in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.

For the filling: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat, add onions, chopped ginger & garlic,
scallions, cilantro, and serrano peppers. When onion begins to soften, add salt. Add diced
baked potatoes & fresh peas and adjust with salt and pepper, allow to cool.

Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3 inch
square. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling onto half of each dough round. Brush the edges of the
dough with the egg wash. Fold the dough over the filling to make a triangle shape and press to
seal. Place the patties on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in the oven for 25 to 35
minutes until golden brown.

Fresh Cherry Chutney
YIELD: 2 cups of fresh Cherry Chutney

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups fresh cherries (pitted)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raw cane sugar
• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
• 5 each green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup finely minced red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes
• 1/4 cup sherry wine
• 1/2 cup fresh pea shoots

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, cranberries, sugar, molasses, ginger, cloves
cardamom and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer
over low heat until the cranberries are hydrated, about 5-7 minutes.

In a separate medium pan heat the butter and add onion and chili flakes; continue to cook,
stirring occasionally until the the onions are caramelized, deglaze the pan with sherry wine, turn
off the heat, and add this mix to the first saucepan.

Cook everything together in one saucepan until the mixture begins to thicken, approx. 5-10
more minutes. Transfer to a container and let it cool slightly. Refrigerate overnight to allow
flavors to meld.

To serve the samosas with the sauce, display room temperature samosas on a serving platter
and add one teaspoon of chutney over each samosa. Garnish with fresh pea shoots and serve
while warm.