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Five recipe ideas for cooking with sparkling wine

 
Sparkling Wine Risotto takes risotto up a notch.
Sparkling Wine Risotto takes risotto up a notch.
Published May 19, 2017

With high school and college graduation season upon us, you might find yourself stocking up on sparkling wine (if you don't normally). Though the obvious choice is to drink it all, you may find yourself with leftovers after all the parties are over. These five recipe ideas will use up that grad-friendly bubbly so that you can make sure none of it goes to waste. If you've ever wanted to have bubbles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, now is the time to do it.

Carlynn Crosby, Times correspondent

Baked Brie With Sparkling Wine Jelly

Baked Brie is good enough all on its own, but adding this jelly makes the appetizer not only taste better but more visually appealing, too. You'll have to make the jelly ahead of time, so make sure you give yourself at least a night before you plan to serve it. To make the sparkling wine jelly, combine 1 (750-milliliter) bottle sparkling wine and 1 cup sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 packet gelatin with ¼ cup warm water until gelatin is dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture to the sparkling wine mixture in the saucepan and whisk fully. Remove from heat, pour into a jar and refrigerate overnight. This recipe makes 4 cups, so keep leftovers in the refrigerator to put on scones or toast. When you're ready to serve the baked Brie, cover the bottom of a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the rind off the top of the wheel of Brie and place on the baking sheet. Spoon ¾ cup jelly across the top and cover with 8 to 10 seedless grapes cut into slices about ⅛ inch thick. Bake the Brie until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with crackers. Recipes adapted from boulderlocavore.com.

Sparkling Wine Risotto

Risotto is a great idea for an easy, low-key dinner, but adding sparkling wine takes it up an extra step without adding any extra work. In a large saute pan on medium-low heat, melt together 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Next, add ½ minced yellow onion and a pinch of salt. Keeping the pan on medium-low, sweat the onion until it's soft and translucent. Then, add 1 ½ cups arborio rice to the onions and cook until the rice is also translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup sparkling wine, turning the heat to medium and stirring the rice until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this step with 2 more cups of sparkling wine, stirring the liquid in one cup at a time. Add 3 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water, stirring the liquid in one cup at a time until the rice is a creamy texture. Turn down the heat to low and add 1 cup finely grated Parmesan and stir, seasoning with salt to taste. Serve garnished with thyme, prosciutto crumbles and more Parmesan. Recipe adapted from heatherchristo.com.

Sparkling Strawberry Cups

Some people frown on day-drinking, so make these jelly cups and no one will ever know. In a medium saucepan, combine 3 packets gelatin with 2 cups cold water on high heat. Bring to a boil and continue stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved, then remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 cup sugar, again stirring until dissolved. Next, add 1 ½ cups cold sparkling wine and 1 ½ cups ginger ale. Refrigerate until thickened to a syrupy consistency and fold in 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries. Portion into individual molds (like an ice cube tray) and refrigerate until firm. Remove from molds and serve. Recipe adapted from cookingchanneltv.com.

Fluffy Sparkling Wine Pancakes

Add a splash of wine to your pancake mix and have a breakfast of champions. Start by heating a griddle pan to 375 degrees. Whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk and 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 tablespoons sugar. Slowly, add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir together, making sure the flour is fully combined. Fold ¼ cup sparkling wine into the batter and spoon batter onto the greased griddle pan. Cook until the edges begin to firm and bubbles form in the batter. Gently turn and cook until golden brown. Remove from heat and top with syrup, berry compote or powdered sugar. Recipe adapted from veggieandthebeastfeast.com.

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Sparkling Wine Vinaigrette

This recipe takes a few weeks because you have to let leftover sparkling wine ferment for a little while and turn into vinegar. But don't panic; it's well worth the wait. Store at least ½ cup sparkling wine in a wide-mouthed vessel, covered with a cheese cloth, at room temperature for a few weeks. Once ready, whisk together ¼ cup of the vinegar with 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in a small bowl. While whisking, drizzle in ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Store in the refrigerator and use on top of your favorite salad. Recipe adapted from marthastewart.com.