Dishing it Up Taste and Aroma With Help From Holland House

Disclosure:  I received the products below to review in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

Honestly when recipes have called for cooking wine in the past, I passed them up, I didn’t know what cooking wine was and it just seemed complicated to me.  Little did I know that you can actually buy cooking wine just like you buy olive oil or other condiments.

Holland House Cooking Wine is exactly just that, a wine made for cooking.  Holland House uses premium quality wine stock to create a perfectly balanced taste and aroma in whatever your cooking.  Each cooking wine, yes there are different varieties, is selected for its rich robust flavor and is meant to stand up to cooking temperatures that cause the flavor of other table wines to cook away.  Holland House Cooking Wines actually keep their flavor and the flavors do not vary from bottle to bottle.

Whether you need to add flavor to a sauce, marinade, glaze or saute, Holland House is perfect for the occasion. I have been using these cooking wines like a kid at Christmas time plays with a new toy – I love expierementing with both old and new recipes and incorportaing in Holland House Cooking Wine.

Recently I made the Saké Shrimp Skewers with Citrus-Saké Dipping Sauce and they were absolutely amazing and the best shrimp I have ever cooked at home!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. peeled and deveined large raw shrimp (21/30 size)
• 6 Tbsp. HOLLAND HOUSE Sake Cooking Wine
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. grated or minced ginger
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Here are some Marinade & Grilling Tips from Holland House:

Marinate your meat. Marinating is a great way to add flavor and save money by tenderizing tougher, cheaper cuts of meat. A well-prepared marinade can help an amateur on the grill prepare food that tastes like it was prepared by an experienced grill master!

Select your marinade elements. Marinades vary from recipe to recipe, but they all generally contain three basic components – oils, acids and seasonings. Oils lock in the natural flavor and prevent vegetables from drying out, while acids allow flavors to be absorbed. Seasonings provide the unique flavor. Garlic, ginger and herbs are the most common marinade seasonings. 

Keep an eye on the time. As a general rule, the longer food is left to marinate, the more flavorsome it will become. Small or tender cuts, such as lamb and beef fillets, chicken breasts and seafood, require shorter marinating times (usually two to four hours). Larger or tougher cuts such as leg, rump or shoulder will need longer (usually four to six hours). Never marinate in aluminum, cast iron or copper, as these metals will react with the acids and salts, resulting in off flavor.

Use the right tools. When grilling, always use tongs to turn the meat. A fork should never be used as it will punch holes in the meat and allow the natural juices to escape, causing the meat to lose flavor and become chewy.

Don’t rush it. Meat will tell you when it’s ready to flip. If the meat is still hanging onto the grill, it’s not ready to flip. Once a good sear is established, it will release on its own.

Want more tips? Check out Holland House’s marinade and grilling cooking video.

FIND IT:  Look for Holland House products from the Mizkan Brand at a store near you or check out their Store Locator.

WIN IT:  (1) US winner will receive a Holland House Prize Pack

(Products may vary)

Need help entering a giveaway?  Check out my blog post for some help!

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This Giveaway Ends May 4, 2015.