Recipe: Bittersweet chocolate pate with zinfandel and berries

Note: When staff writer Mary Curtius profiled Napa Valley chef Greg Cole, he shared a few recipes from his restaurant Celadon. Among them was Bittersweet Chocolate Pate With Zinfandel and Raspberries. It’s essentially a slab of soft, luxurious chocolate with raspberry sauce, simple to make but completely irresistible to chocolate lovers.

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

CHOCOLATE PATE

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup Zinfandel or other red wine

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

* Combine chocolate, wine and cream in top of stainless steel double boiler and cook over simmering water over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts and mixture is just smooth. (It’s important that chocolate not get too warm.) Remove from heat and mix well with balloon whisk.

* Depending on how deep you want the pate, pour into 1 (8x4-inch) or 2 (5x2 1/2-inch) loaf pans lined with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, unmold and slice with knife dipped in hot water.

BERRY SAUCE

Active Work Time and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes

2 pints fresh berries, such as raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

* Puree berries and sugar in blender until smooth. Serve with Chocolate Pate.

8 servings. Each serving: 389 calories; 6 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 2.87 grams fiber.