Do you enjoy an occasional mega pint wine glass while unwinding after a long week? You don’t have to be much of a drinker to indulge in something like that. After all, a glass of wine once in a while is good for you. But have you ever thought of consuming this alcoholic beverage differently? We have and want to encourage you to try!

Wine can be used to enhance the flavors of both sweet and savory dishes. Many people love making sauces with it, but you can do more. As there are three main types of wine – white, red, and rosé – we’ve prepared recipes to match. This week, our main focus will be seafood. But don’t worry, we won’t leave you without dessert.

 

1. Mussels in White Wine

The main star of the first recipe is something not many people reach for – mussels. They may not look appetizing, but that’s only because of their rigid appearance. Under that tough shell is delicious meat that you can cook to perfection. Plus, we’ll use one of the most popular white wine types to amp up the flavor. This recipe is easy to execute, but you’ll need to be careful when it comes to preparation. Here are the ingredients:

• 4 lbs live mussels
• 4 shallots
• 6 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups Sauvignon Blanc
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup fresh parsley or basil

 

Instructions

Before you get on with cooking, cleaning the mussels is imperative. You’ll need a paring knife, a sharp chopping knife, and a large pot. Eager to get cooking? Follow the steps closely:

1. Inspect the mussels for any cracks. If they’re broken or refusing to close – discard them. Wash and scrub the rest of the mussels to remove any sand residue.
2. Remove the “beards” (strings attached to the shell) with a paring knife and discard.
3. Chop your shallots, garlic, and herbs finely. Set herbs aside for later.
4. Set your pot on medium heat, add the butter, and let it melt. After that, add garlic, shallots, and salt. Sauté for a few minutes.
5. Add your wine and let it come to a boil. This will allow alcohol to evaporate. Wondering how long is white wine good for after opening? Don’t worry, it’ll be safe to drink for another week after this meal.
6. Toss mussels in, cover, and let them steam for 5 minutes or until they’ve opened. 
7. Sprinkle your herbs, remove from the heat, serve, and enjoy!

 

2. Red Wine Brownies

Feel like something is lacking with our previous recipe? It might be dessert, so let’s teach you how to make one. This recipe will feature the best red wine for sangria – Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, we won't be teaching you how to make an incredible red wine marinade this time, but wait until you try these brownies. Here’s what you’ll need:

• ¾ cup dark chocolate
• 1 ½ stick of unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• An egg + another yolk
• ½ cup Pinot Noir
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• ½ + 2 tbsp AP flour
• ¼ tsp cinnamon and ginger

 

Instructions

If you’ve ever made brownies before, you’ll know how the process goes. But when do you mix the wine in? We’ll tell you all about it. Ready your baking sheet, parchment paper, electric mixer, and mixing bowls. These are the steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 365℉ and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of boiling water.
3. Combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl – flour, cocoa powder, spices, and add a pinch of salt.
4. Use the electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until they’re creamy. Add the egg and yolk gradually and combine. 
5. Add your melted chocolate, wine, and dry ingredient mixture and combine them carefully.
6. Transfer the batter to the tin, bake for 15 minutes, and let brownies set and cool in the fridge before consumption. Bon appétit!

 

3. Shrimp Rosé Pasta

This recipe may not be mussels in white wine sauce, but we’re sticking with the seafood theme. This meal is enough to feed 4 people on any summer day. Especially those days when you don’t have enough time to prepare anything else. Why? Because this shrimp pasta only takes 30 minutes to make! The list of ingredients is as follows:

• 1 lb pasta of choice (spaghetti, penne, tagliatelle, etc.)
• 1 lb cleaned shrimp
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 shallot
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 cup Rosé
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• A handful of basil
• Salt and pepper

 

Instructions

Don’t let this long list of ingredients scare you. We promise this recipe is just as easy to make as the other two. You’ll need a sharp chopping knife, a non-stick pan or skillet, and a large pot. Let’s get cooking:

1. Cook your pasta according to instructions.
2. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and preheat your pan or skillet. Add 2 tbsp of butter and olive oil and let it melt.
3. Toss in the shrimp, cook for a few minutes on each side, and remove from the pan.
4. Add the remaining butter and a drizzle of olive oil again, then sauté chopped shallots and garlic with crushed red pepper flakes for 2 minutes.
5. Pour wine in, reduce it for 1 minute, then add cheese, lemon zest and juice and stir until the cheese melts.
6. Add your cooked pasta and let it soak up the sauce for about 30 seconds.
7. Put the shrimp back in, garnish with basil, and serve!

 

Wine Makes Dishes More Delicious

Hopefully, these recipes have encouraged you to incorporate this tasty beverage into your meals more often. Drinking a glass of wine with dinner is great, but think of all the things you can do with it if you start adding it to your food. There are many more recipes with wine for you to explore. For example, chicken piccata with wine is amazing!

If you like these recipes and want to treat yourself to a bottle of quality wine to make them with, check out our Wine collection. Experiment with your recipes because you never know how a bit of wine can enhance them.