This recipe can be found in The Winning Certificate. The mystery won the 2011 Global eBook award in the amateur sleuth category.
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As the evenings get cooler, a plate of Polish beef rolls covered with
gravy and some mashed potatoes or a potato dumpling on the side become the ultimate
in comfort food. The Alloy, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and
Petit Verdot is bold enough to make this meal memorable.
Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
6 strips bacon, sliced
3 dill pickles, peeled, cut out lengthwise into sticks
Salt and pepper
21/2 tablespoons flour
11/2 tablespoons bacon drippings
1/2 cup water
1-cup onions
1/2-cup sour cream
Cut each flank steak into 4 strips widthwise. Pound well. I ended up using the flat side of a hammer.
Arrange
the bacon, onions, and the pickles on each piece. Roll and fasten with
toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour.
Brown in the hot drippings.If you don't have any drippings, just cut off some of the fat from the bacon slices.
Transfer to a baking dish, add 11/2 cup water, cover. Bake in a moderate 350 degree oven for 11/2 hours. Remove to a warmed platter. Add the leftover flour to
the gravy, and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat, and add sour cream. Pour
over the meat. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or potato dumplings
The Wine--Silver Mountain's Alloy
Jerold O'Brien, an Air Force fighter pilot, and a commercial
pilot, bought the Silver Mountain property in 1973. He planted ten acres of
grape vines and built a barn where he lived for two years. This structure was
then converted to the winery, which was bonded in 1979.
That first year he produced 350 cases of Zinfandel from
purchased grapes. For the first ten years, wines at Silver Mountain were made
primarily from purchased Chardonnay and Zinfandel grapes with some
experimentation with Merlot and Pinot Noir.
In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake, which was centered two
miles away, destroyed the original winery and house and all of the stored wine
was lost. However, he rebuilt the winery, and his wines have been winning
awards.
O'Brien has been working to make his winery green. The
winery has been organic since 1980 and in 1991, his vineyard was officially
certified as organic. He completed one of the largest solar arrays in
the Santa Cruz Mountains, a new 6000 square foot roof, and 46-kilowatt solar array
which in addition to generating power provides 120,000 gallons of rainwater
runoff per year. Silver Mountain is entirely energy self-sufficient,
and generates extra energy for the power grid.