Cooking with Sherry

Try one of these delicious recipes with a sherry featured in this month's Buying the Label.

Wilted Greens with Warm Sherry Vinaigrette

This outrageously fast and delicious recipe comes from the October 2008 issue of Gourmet magazine.

1 small garlic clove

3 tbsp cream Sherry

2 tbsp white-wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp finely chopped shallot

1/4 tsp plus 1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)

3/4 pound (20 cups) mixed seasonal baby greens

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook Sherry, vinegar, mustard, shallot, garlic paste, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking, until heated through. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Toss greens with warm dressing. Serve immediately. Cook’s Note: Dressing can be made one day ahead and chilled. Heat through before tossing with salad. Serves 8.

Scallops and Shrimp with Sherry Paprika

This recipe — great for guests — comes from Kary Osmond, the host of CBC’s Best Recipes Ever. It was originally published as a Tested Till Perfect recipe from Canadian Living, which appeared in the National Post on Jan. 15, 2011.

2⁄3 cup drained and chopped jarred roasted red peppers


1⁄3 cup dry sherry


2 tbsp 10 percent cream


2 tsp smoked sweet paprika


1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary


1/2 tsp salt


1/2 tsp pepper


16 sea scallops


10 oz large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined


2 tbsp butter


3 cloves garlic, minced


1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley


In blender, purée together peppers, sherry, cream, paprika, rosemary, salt and pepper; set aside.
 Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary; pat scallops and shrimp dry.


In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat; cook garlic until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Add scallops and shrimp; cook over high heat, stirring, until shrimp begin to turn pink, about 1 minute.

Stir in pepper mixture; cover and cook until shrimp are pink and scallops are opaque, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
 Makes 4 servings.