On a never ending search to find the perfect recipes and how they pair with the perfect Santa Margherita wines for that culinary “moment,” we take this search for finding these gems VERY seriously. LOL.

So grab your apron and your favorite corkscrew and let’s get to it!

RED PEPPER SALAD PAIRS WELL WITH SANTA MARGHERITA PINOT GRIGIO

4 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano
2½ cups fennel
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
8 cups baby arugula

Vinaigrette:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 tsp. honey
Salt and black pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, shave off 4 ounces of Parmigiano-Reggiano and set aside. Slice fennel using mandolin to about ¼-inch thickness. Toss sliced fennel with olive, sugar, salt and pepper and roast in a 400°F oven until light brown. Cool completely. Combine vinaigrette ingredients and season. Lightly dress cool fennel and in separate bow, lightly dress red pepper.

Rinse arugula and pat dry. Toss arugula with fennel and create the base of the salad on the 8 plates. Top arugula/fennel with the red pepper, make sure you can see some of the fennel on the top of the salads. Add a few drops of pistachio oil and a tiny pinch of fennel pollen.

This salad is nicely complemented by SANTA MARGHERITA PINOT GRIGIO.  The red peppers in the salad have an earthy flavor that is balanced by the lighter fruit flavors in the wine.

The salad is nicely complemented by SANTA MARGHERITA PINOT GRIGIO.  The red peppers in the salad have an earthy flavor that is balanced by the lighter fruit flavors in the wine.

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit Chef de Cuisine Jonathan Lindenauer
©2008 Condé Nast Publications

Suggested wine pairing: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

Now, to see what else your kitchen prowess and your passion for wines can do for you, and how you can turn a food and wine experience into even more, check out how to enter the Santa Margherita Great Taste Challenge! And show off your wine and food pairing skills!!!

Entering the contest is easier than ever – visit www.santamargherita.us/Contest and follow the steps to upload your entry.  All you need to start is one of your delicious recipes that pairs perfectly with Santa Margherita Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, or Chianti Classico.  Record a quick video of yourself with your finished recipe, explaining your inspiration behind the dish and why you think it is the perfect Santa Margherita pairing.  Upload the video and your recipe to the Santa Margherita site and you are in the contest! 

The three finalists will win a 2-day trip to Chicago to compete at the Great Taste Challenge Finale at the Chicago Gourmet Festival on September 25^th.   The Great Taste Challenge Winner will be awarded an exciting 3-day trip for two to Los Angeles, and dinner with Top Chef Fan Favorite Fabio Viviani!

The contest has just begun, so be sure to enter for your chance to win!

While the first finalist was selected live in Chicago, we saw a fevered race to the finish in the online competition!  Amateur chefs from across the country submitted their unique recipes paired with the Santa Margherita wines, and from day one the votes and comments poured in.  By the end of the voting period, our entrants received more than 7,000 votes and hundreds of comments!  With your votes tallied, we brought in our judging panel to test the top four recipes – a very tough decision.  In the end, Andreann G. and Debbie K. came out the winners with their delicious recipes and wine pairings. 

It has been thrilling every step of the way and the final show-down at the Bon Appétit Supper Club & Café in New York City will not disappoint.  This New York hotspot is the perfect venue for the conclusion to the Great Taste Challenge.  The moment of truth is upon us: it is time to have our three talented contestants – Colleen, Andreann, and Debbie – face each other head-to-head.  Who will take home the prize?  Colleen’s delicate scallops paired with the crisp, bubbly Prosecco?  Maybe it will be Debbie’s glazed pork that perfectly highlights the citrus notes in the Pinot Grigio?  Or Andreann, with her tender lamb paired beautifully with the soft tannins of the Chianti Classico?  With the prestigious judging panel composed of Bill Terlato (CEO, Terlato Wines International), Fabio Viviani (Top Chef Fan Favorite and Restaurateur), and Barbara Fairchild (Editor-In-Chief, Bon Appétit Magazine) we are eagerly awaiting the results!

We believe that the thoughtful pairing of great wine and food brings every gathering to a new level. As America’s favorite imported wine, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio has long complemented some of the best home-cooking across the country. With the recent release of Santa Margherita Prosecco and Chianti Classico, America’s aspiring chefs now have the perfect range of wines to pair with their delicious recipes.

Through the Great Taste Challenge, we’ve opened the door for food and wine lovers to share their favorite, original recipes. All they need to do is upload a homemade video where they discuss their unique dish and how it pairs with one of the Santa Margherita wines. We are using this challenge to set the stage for an innovative collection of recipes, all of which are complemented by Santa Margherita’s collection of authentic, Italian wines — Pinot Grigio, Chianti Classico, and Prosecco.

With the help of renowned chef, Fabio Viviani, we will select three finalists and, ultimately, one winner of the Great Taste Challenge. The winner will receive a trip for two to Los Angeles, dinner with Fabio, and more! Want to join in on the action? Stay tuned for more details on how to enter and win — let the challenge begin!

The Santa Margherita Team