Steak Tartare and Bacons Sauteed Brussels Sprouts Paired with two Pinot Noirs and a Tempranillo

Since releasing my eBook - Craig’s Grape Adventure – Loving Life with a Skillet and a Corkscrew - I took a small break from posting new pairings.  However, I was still cooking, pairing, enjoying, and have a number of great recipes and wines lined up in the on-deck circle.  The pace of life (meaning work) is picking up dramatically, but I hope to get back on schedule.

Steak tartare, tuna tartare, salmon tartare, and all the rest of the brothers, sisters, and cousins in the extended tartare family are among my favorites.  I love the basic and distinct flavors these dishes highlight.  Last year when I was working in Israel and Jordan, I went on somewhat of a steak tartare binge.  We would routinely hold “business meetings” at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem.  I did not expect to find steak tartare on the menu, but sure enough, it was there - and it was spectacular.  I never got around to sampling the rest of the menu.

Another wonderful experience with steak tartare came from my visits to Ethiopic – an Ethiopian restaurant on H Street NE in Washington DC.  It is prepared with traditional Ethiopian spices and is worlds away (well at least a continent and a big ocean) from my experience in Jerusalem.  If you happen to be in Washington DC, or Jerusalem, I recommend you give these folks a try for a memorable serving of steak tartare.

The trips to the American Colony hotel and Ethiopic inspired me to try my hand at steak tartare.  The result was terrific and I’m glad I did.

Pairing wine with steak tartare presents a broad range of possibilities.  In the raw, steak has a much brighter flavor than when cooked.  Add to this the spicy components and capers - the range of wines can vary from medium bodied and fruity to bold, full bodied, and spicy.  We decided to try the medium bodied end of the spectrum with the intent of matching the body and flavor intensity in complement rather than the contrast of a spicy Shiraz or Zinfandel.  Mission accomplished.

We started with the 2008 Cloudline Oregon Pinot Noir.  We found the tasting notes from the winemaker consistent with our experience.

“On the nose, there is an immediate burst of bright, fresh red fruits, including strawberry and raspberry, followed by an earthy quality. On the palate, the wine has fine texture, soft tannins, good acidity and a strong core of fruit. It is a wine that offers immediate pleasure, on its own, or better yet, in the company of a delicious meal.”

The acidity and distinctive fruit flavors were key in our judgment of success for the pairing.  The body, intensity of flavors and acidity not only make this a great paring with steak tartare, but a great pairing wine in general with a noteworthy range of possibilities.  At $18, it is an excellent value.

We next moved on to the 2008 Xwinery Carneros Napa Valley Truchard Vineyard Pinot Noir.  Tasting notes from the winemaker:

“Bursting with raspberry and red cherry aromas, this austere 2008 Pinot Noir from Truchard Vineyards in Los Carneros is both clean and elegant. This wine offers bright fruit flavors of strawberry, red cherry, and raspberry as well as notes of cola and prune. It finishes with nutty, oaky flavors and offers minerality native to the Los Carneros region.”

We found the the 2008 Xwinery Carneros Napa Valley Truchard Vineyard Pinot Noir to be comparable to the Cloudline, yet a bit more intense, complex, and featuring slightly darker fruit flavors.  The acidity and body were well matched to the tartare and we gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up.  At $25, it is yet another good value and a versatile pairing wine.

Finally, the 2009 Trader Joe's California Petit Reserve Tempranillo.  The 2009 Trader Joe's Tempranillo Petit Reserve is a wine purchased in Virginia, made from a Spanish grape grown in California and sold by a Germany company.  The wine industry is really stretching its geographic legs these days.  Here are the tasting notes from the bottle:

“Our rendition of this native Spanish grape displays distinctive, focused aromas of blackberry and dried currant with a hint of smoke on the finish.”

We found it to be fruity and smooth with a bit of tartness in the finish.  It was not as complex as the Pinot Noirs, and the tartness was not ideal for the pairing.  I would not recommend this wine for your pairing with steak tartare.  On the other hand, at $6 this is an economical daily drinker.

As a final note, we added bacon sautéed brussels sprouts, egg noodles and Swedish meatballs to the menu for a certain someone in the crowd who is not pleased with the idea of raw anything. 
While on the subject of raw, prepare this dish at your own risk.  Regardless of what I say about raw food, seared food, medium rare steaks and anything short of cooking the hell out of something, follow the USDA guidelines for safely cooking meat. Your choice, like mine, to live on the edge with less than fully cooked meats is exactly that – your decision.

Recipe

Steak Tartare

Ingredients

For 2 servings

• Assorted fresh greens (optional)
• 12 ounces beef tenderloin or sirloin
• Worcestershire sauce
• Trinidad pepper sauce (or your favorite pepper sauce)
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• 2 egg yolks
• Toast points drizzled with olive oil (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Finely chop the beef with a very sharp knife - a dull knife is frustrating and results in something more akin to ground beef.
2. Season to taste with Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper. I used Trinidad Pepper Sauce.
3. Gently fold in the onions, capers and parsley
4. Shape the meat into 2 patties and form a small bowl in the center to place the egg yolk.
5. Center each on a plate - putting on a bed of fresh greens is a nice optional touch.
6. Carefully break the 2 eggs, and gently place only the yolk in the "bowl you formed in the patty.
7. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with additional pepper sauce, Worcestershire and olive oil on the side. Optionally, include toast points.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Fresh Seafood Medley of Cod Fillet, Shrimp, And Bay Scallops in a Turmeric Basil Marinade with Mushroom Risotto and Garlic Sautéed Brussels Sprouts Paired with 2009 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Coast Wente Clone Chardonnay

Chef Sue and I were recently inspired by Anthony Bourdain (“No Reservations” on the Travel Channel) and Luke’s Lobster (see my recent post “Maine Lobster Roll from Luke’s Lobster Paired with 2008 Ledson Sonoma Coast Tres Frais Chardonnay”).  Let’s start with the Luke’s Lobster part of the inspiration.  In my post featuring a pairing of a Taste of Maine from Luke’s Lobster, I completely gushed about the simple elegance of the lobster roll, shrimp roll, and crab roll.  The application of condiments and flavors supporting the seafood was light handed and clearly designed to let the star of the show stand in the spotlight.  It was simple, and it was spectacular.

Now for the Anthony Bourdain part of the inspiration.  Chef Bourdain produced a series of episodes focusing on the history and future of El Bulli in Costa Brava Spain led by the incredible Chef Ferran Adria.  Chef Adria and his phenomenal work at the culinary Mecca of El Bulli are known for a lot of things – simplicity is not one of them.  With 50 course meals served in “The Best Restaurant in the World” at a meticulous pace and deft sequencing using Chef Adria’s research into molecular gastronomy, El Bulli is anything but simple.

In one of the episodes, Bourdain accompanies Chef Adria to his favorite coastal restaurant that features only seafood served fresh within hours of being caught.  This fresh flavors are further focused by simplicity in preparation with only minimal ingredients – olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon, and garlic.

The combined inspiration of Luke’s Lobster and Anthony Bourdain is clear; prepare seafood simply, with minimal ingredients, and let the flavor of the seafood shine.  The pairing featured in this post is Chef Sue’s interpretation of this challenge to present seafood in all it’s rich simplicity.  I have to admit that I planned to take a more literal translation of the Anthony Bourdain experience and limit myself to the seafood, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon, and garlic.  Alas, it was the weekend, and it was Chef Sue’s cooking therapy time.  Check back soon to see my interpretation as our friendly kitchen competition rages on.

Although Chef Sue took a bit bolder approach than I had conceived, I am oh so happy she did.  This was a wonderfully balanced dish with layer upon layer of complimentary and contrasting flavors.  The umami filled mushroom risotto is the foundation layer.  Add to that the pleasant bitter flavors of the garlic sautéed Brussels sprouts, and finally the pinnacle of this pyramid; sweet shrimp and scallops marinated in olive oil, garlic, fresh squeezed lemon, ground turmeric, diced tomato, and finely chopped basil – surrounding a beautiful cod fillet broiled under a generous coating of the marinade.  In other words, we have a solid umami foundation, very mild bitterness from the Brussels sprouts and garlic to contrast with the delicate sweetness of the seafood, all balanced with the acid from lemon juice and tomatoes.  Simply brilliant.  As a side note, Chef Sue applied a deft hand with the addition of the turmeric to the marinade.  This addition was intended to add color rather than flavor.  She accomplished this with alacrity – great color, and only the slightest hint of added flavor.

For the pairing, I selected a 2009 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Coast Wente Clone Chardonnay from the dangerously low selection of white wines in the Corl wine vault (I will work on remedying this soon – subtle hint to the wine makers – send me something, I will work with it!).  Here are the tasting notes from Benziger:

“The southern end of Sonoma produces wines with crisp acidity and fresh citrus flavors. On the palate, the wine is supple and long, with a touch of oak and butterscotch cookie in the finish. Enjoy with fried calamari, scallops in a light curry sauce, crab cakes, filet of sole with almonds, or turkey Panini.”

Our experience with the wine confirmed the bright citrus and crisp acidity which formed a perfect balance with the seafood.  Both Chef Sue and I translated the “butterscotch cookie” as more of a buttery flavor (probably a subtle distinction) which gave the sensation of pouring a perfect portion of clarified butter over the seafood – a natural combination.  The oak was subtle, pleasant, and did not detract from the wonderful layers of flavor mutually enhanced by the food and the wine.  In summary, the Benziger Chardonnay was a perfectly balanced compliment in all respects and achieved the “better than the sum of the parts” result we relentlessly pursue.  At $29, the 2009 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Coast Wente Clone Chardonnay is a good value and can be ordered online at http://www.benziger.com/2009_wentechard.

Remember to check back soon to see my interpretation of simplicity applied to a seafood medley of cod fillet, shrimp, and bay scallops.  I’m pretty sure this will be another Chardonnay pairing with a focus on buttery flavors.  If you have a wine you would like to suggest for this pairing, let me know.

Recipes

Garlic Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

You don’t need me to tell you how to do this.  Clean some garden fresh Brussels sprouts, halve them, and sauté with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 lb assorted fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 ounce fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1 ounce fresh grated Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Sautee mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil and butter for two to three minutes.
2. Add rice. Stir until center of rice looks like a pearl - translucent white
3. Add chicken stock 1/4 cup at a time. Continue to add as the liquid evaporates
4. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice is tender - you may not use all of the chicken stock.
5. When rice is tender, stir in grated cheese.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with chives.

Marinated Broiled Cod Fillet, Shrimp and Bay Scallops

Ingredients

• One pound (mas o menos) cod filet
• 1/2 pound fresh shrimp with heads on - cleaned
• 1/2 pound fresh bay scallops
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Juice from 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon for marinade and other half for cod fillet.
• 1 large tomato diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine olive oil, basil, turmeric, and diced tomato in a bowl for marinating the shrimp and scallops
2. Add shrimp and scallops to the marinade and toss to coat well
3. Cover your broiling pan with tin foil with a few holes poked in it
4. Broil cod and scallops first - 2 inches from broiler, covered with marinade and lemon juice
5. After five minutes, add the shrimp and broil for another four minutes.

In vino veritas, buen provecho

Craig