Venezuelan Hamburger and Cuban Congri Paired with 2010 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Sarah Chapeau Virginia Vidal Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Blend

A true Venezuelan hamburger does not exist to my knowledge.  In fact, hamburgers are not very common in Venezuela other than the big chains that export the worst of our U.S. culture to all corners of the world.  Venezuelan’s have plenty of great street/fast food like pepitos, empanadas, and arepas – tough competition for the hamburger (for an arepa and pepito wine paring see my posts Venezuelan Arepas with Reina Pepiada and Pollo Mechado Paired with 2009 Benziger Family Winery Carneros Chardonnay, and Venezuelan Pepito, Guasacaca, Salsa de Ajo Paired with 2009 Clos Du Bois Sonoma Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay respectively). So rather than present a Venezuelan hamburger, I will be honest and present you with a Venezuela inspired hamburger.

By the way, for all my Venezuelan friends, if you care to correct me regarding my interpretation of a Venezuela inspired hamburger, I would love to hear from you.  I miss all of you, and your beautiful country (less so el presidente although he made every day an interesting one).

Conceiving of a Venezuelan Hamburger was quite easy.  Venezuelans like beef and pork equally and frequently enjoy both on the grill.  This gives us the first component – a burger made from 50% ground beef and 50% ground pork.  Next we add a slice of deli ham.  I’m not sure why, but just about every type of “fast food” or street food in Venezuela is adorned with a sliver or two of ham.

While not prevalent in all of the country, in the mountainous areas of Venezuela it is common to find a fried egg added to many dishes – particularly sandwiches, arepas, pepitos, and the like.  Finally, we top the burger with a slice of avocado and the ubiquitous Venezuelan salsa de ajo (garlic sauce).

If you follow the news, you know that Venezuela and Cuba enjoy close diplomatic relations.  As a result, the Cuban population in Venezuela has grown dramatically in the last 10 years.  One of the culinary delights that accompany Cubans is congri – seasoned black beans and rice.  If you don’t get excited at the sound of beans and rice, I understand.  However, I promise you that congri is much more than beans and rice.  It is rice and bean heaven!

I chose the 2010 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Sarah Chapeau Virginia Vidal Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Blend to for the pairing.  Normally, I would choose a medium to full bodied red to pair with a hamburger.  Routine choices might include a Bordeaux, Merlot, Zinfandel or Syrah depending on the cheese and other toppings.  However, this burger does not require a heavier bodied wine and features much lighter flavors.  First, the 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground pork brighten the patty flavors dramatically compared to an all beef burger.  Second, the choice of ham, fried egg, avocado and salsa de ajo beg for acidity, melon or bright fruit, and a lighter body.

Winemakers notes:  A hint of strawberries and rose petals.  The nose will entwine and tease you.  Flowery fruity yet tangy melon notes laced with a touch of semi-sweetness promises to satisfy your very soul.  To these notes I would add that the wine featured moderate acidity well matched to the food, and a hint of citrus that also worked exceptionally well.

If you live in the DC area, Aspen Dale Winery is just a short drive West on 66.  We had a very pleasant experience in a beautiful setting.  A visit is well worth your time.  I am confident that a visit to the tasting room will bring smiles – and a few bottles of wine for your collection.

Recipes

For the burger, mix 50% ground pork with 50% ground beef.  Prepare as you would any burger.

Salsa de Ajo

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper cleaned, deveined and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 of a medium onion chopped
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Cuban Congri

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Black Beans
• 2 Cups White Rice
• 5 Cups Water
• 12 ounces of Salt Pork cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1/2 Red Pepper chopped
• 1/2 Yellow Pepper chopped
• 1/2 Green Pepper chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 Onion chopped
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Cook black beans in water. I used a pressure cooker with 5 cups of water - it took just 20 minutes.
2. Roughly chop the peppers and onions.
3. Heat olive oil in 4 quart sauce pan over medium high and cook salt pork , stirring occasionally, until pork is golden and crisp.
4. Add onions, bay leaves, bell peppers, garlic and cumin. Sauté over medium-high heat until onion is tender.
5. Add rice and stir in.
6. Add the cooked beans along with the water used to cook them and let sit, do not cover or stir.
7. Continue to cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low, stir, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. 

Crispy Pan Seared Duck Breast with a Red Wine and Blueberry Reduction, Duck Fat Sautéed Potatoes Paired with 2009 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Parris County Blend Virginia Merlot

Way back in the early days of my culinary independence, I picked duck as a challenge not yet conquered.  This recipe is my first foray into the wonderful world of duck, and duck fat.  My first attempt was very successful, and I have prepared it several times since.  However, I realized I had not shared this recipe.  Today, I am rectifying this tragic oversight.

If you have not yet attempted duck, this is an easy and tasty place to start.  From prep to plating, this recipe takes only 30 minutes with the most difficult challenge for the uninitiated being cutting the breast from a whole duck.  If you are not comfortable with this, I am confident you will find plenty of resources on Youtube.  You can also follow these easy instructions. 

First, a boning knife is a real plus.  If not, any knife with a sharp tip will work.  Begin by scoring through the fat along the center of the duck.  Continue to lightly cut until you reach the bone.  Once you get to the bone, move you knife slightly to one side and continue to make scoring cuts along the bone until the breast is laying off to the side and connected by just the layer of fat.  Cut through the fat, and you have a duck breast ready for the pan.  Repeat for second breast.

The principal flavors in this dish include the mild gaminess of the duck, dark fruit flavors of the red wine and blueberry reduction, and the rich earthy flavors of the potatoes pan fried in duck fat (the fat is reserved from rendering the duck breast).  With the acidity of the reduction, this dish is well balanced and therefore selecting a wine with strong acidity is not particularly important.  The combination of duck and the reduction call out for a medium to full bodied wine (tending more to the full bodied).  A wine featuring dark fruit flavors and healthy earthiness will also echo flavors found in the dish.

To achieve the pairing characteristics I was looking for, I chose a 2009 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Parris County Blend Virginia Merlot.  You are first greeted with earthy and dark fruit aromas which are echoed in your first sip.  Although the flavors feature pleasant blackberry and plum notes, I find the earthiness most memorable.  The tannins accentuated the earthiness and promise this wine will continue to drink well for years to come.  I am confident this wine has not yet arrived at it’s peak.  I recommend picking up a few bottles to cellar for a few years.

The 2009 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Parris County Blend Virginia Merlot featured each of the flavor components I was looking for, and the pairing was a great success.  Although I was not looking for healthy acidity, the wine delivered and balanced the rich duck fat perfectly.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts
• 2 cups full bodied red wine (extra tannins are good)
• 1 pint blueberries
• 2 potatoes (thinly sliced – I used a mandolin)
• 1 onion (thinly sliced – I used a mandolin)
• red wine vinegar and sugar (to adjust balance of reduction)
• 4 tablespoons duck demi glace
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Score the fat on the duck breast in a 1/2 inch cross hatch pattern.
2. Place the duck, fat side down, in a cold skillet.  Render fat over medium low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Pour rendered fat into second skillet for frying potatoes.
4. While rendering the fat, pour two cups of red wine into a sauce pan and reduce by 1/2 over medium high heat.
5. When reduced by half, add blueberries (reserving about 1/4), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and demi glace.  Reduce by 1/2 again.
6. Increase heat under the duck to medium high and crisp the skin.  When crisp, return heat to medium, and turn breasts to the meat side.  Continue to cook for 8 minutes.
7. Remove the red wine and blueberry reduction from the heat and blend with an immersion blender.  Adjust balance by adding sugar or red wine vinegar. Add remaining blueberries and return to medium heat.
8. Bring your second skillet (with duck fat) to medium high heat, and add thinly sliced potatoes, onion, garlic, and 1/4 cup diced parsley leaves.  Continue to cook until potatoes are tender and just turning brown.  Season to taste.
9. Remove duck from heat, slice on the bias and plate with a drizzle of the reduction.  Plate potatoes and onions with parsley garnish.

In vino veritas, buen provecho

Craig