Mole Marinated Flank Steak with White Wine Cilantro Sauce Over Celery Root Hash Paired with 2009 Barboursville Vineyards Virginia Reserve Cabernet Franc

Are you a seasonal wine drinker?  I don’t mean seasonal in the sense that there is a season for drinking wine, but rather a season for drinking different types of wine?  I am a seasonal wine drinker.  Over time, I have found my tastes shifting with the seasons.  For example, summer is often filled with Sauvignon Blanc, dry Rieslings, and other light, acidic and refreshing wines.  Spring and fall tend toward medium bodied Chardonnays, red blends, and Pinot Noir.  During winter, I find myself drinking full bodied reds; Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, and hefty blends.

Although this winter was, and remains ridiculously mild (highs in the low 80s over the last couple of days), I remain in winter drinking wine mode.  On top of that, I still have a long line of “winter” wines reserved for wine pairings.  I have a lot of work ahead of me before winter is officially ended.  With this in mind, I donned my creative culinary tocque and was inspired to create a mole marinated flank steak with white wine cliantro sauce over celery root hash paired with a 2009 Barboursville Vineyards Virginia Reserve Cabernet Franc.

At first blush, this appears to be an odd construction, but let me explain my thought process.  As you would guess, the flank steak with a mole marinade features deep rich flavors along with the contrast of strong piquance.  For additional balance, I decided to introduce some acid and brighter flavors.  A white wine sauce came to mind first, then I added the cilantro to further brighten the flavors while remaining consistent with the Mexican theme.  Finally, I completed the dish with a celery root hash.  I originally conceived this as celery root pancakes, but in the end went with a “looser” hash approach that worked nicely from a texture perspective.

Admittedly, these flavor combinations are difficult to get your head around.  Logically, it kinda-sorta-maybe-works, but up until plating time, I was haunted by fear that I was creating a colossal failure.  My fears were little more than creative insecurity.  The meal was fantastic, and the combination of contrasting flavors and balance worked better than I could have imagined.  Sigh of relief!

From the start, this recipe was conceived with the 2009 Barboursville Vineyards Virginia Reserve Cabernet Franc in mind.  Here are some notes from the winemaker:

“This vineyard’s renown for Cabernet Franc rests on the most consistent critical acclaim for any varietal red wine produced in the Eastern United States, but to be fair, this distinction comes from the ground. We grow the most diversified array of Cabernet Franc clones in the region - 4 from Bordeaux, 1 from the Loire - offering a wine-making palette of matchless permutation and subtlety. At the same time, the vineyard has so well established our Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, that the Cabernet Franc Reserve is never less than the most elegant exemplar of the varietal in any vintage. The House red wine at The Inn at Little Washington, it responds to a knowing demand for a characterful, intriguing, and refreshingly well-bred wine for dining, and indeed for conversation with friends who delight in fine wine for its own sake.”

Tasting notes from the winemaker:

“Dark garnet core, brilliant clarity in the glass. Intense, effusively luscious flavors of ripe red berries with caramelised notes of fig, cherry, and plum, elegantly woven together in barrel. Long-finishing and tannically vivid, yet with a remarkably soft palate.”

I would be challenged to improve on these tasting notes.  I would only add that “tannically vivid” should be interpreted as you might expect - this wine is not a wilting flower.  And as the winemaker states, this wine is very drinkable now, will likely peak in 2013, and will sustain for another three to six years.  The boldness of this wine was perfect for the pairing.  A lesser wine would not have stood up to the piquance of the mole, and yet play a welcome complementary role to the brighter flavors of the white wine cilantro sauce.

I remain very impressed with each and every bottle I open from Barboursville Vineyards.  Their wines are available at their online store, and I encourage you to visit.

Recipes

Mole Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 ½ cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped or shaved if you have a few extra minutes
• Sugar to taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon - sauté until onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix in chili powder and flour, stir for 3 minutes.
   Gradually whisk in chicken broth.
4. Boil until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low.
5. Whisk in chocolate; season with salt and pepper, if desired.
6. Whisk in sugar as desired to reach a balance with the heat of the chili powder. This is a matter of taste. I used three tablespoons.
7. When cooled, the sauce will thicken.
8. Season a 2 pound flank steak with salt and pepper, then generously coat with the mole.
9. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. The longer the better. If you have a vacuum sealer, this is the best approach (and the one I use for nearly all marinades).
10. Preheat your broiler for a few minutes, place your flank steak on a broiler pan, and sear both sides (3 to 4 minutes).
11. Slice into 1/4 inch strips across the grain.
12. Serve over celery root hash and top with white wine cilantro sauce.

White Wine Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (a wine with strong acidity like a Sauvignon Blanc is the best choice)
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro (stems removed and finely chopped, leaves coarsely chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Add onion to preheated olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté until onions are tender.
2. Stir in garlic, wine, and cilantro stems, and continue for another 2 minutes over medium high heat.
3. Season to taste, add cilantro leaves and keep on heat for another minute.
4. Remove from heat and serve over flank steak.

Celery Root Hash

Ingredients

• 3 peeled celery roots
• 1 medium onion
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup matzo meal
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil.

Preparation

1. Grate celery root and onion by hand or the grating blade of your food processor.
2. Place grated celery root and onion in a strainer to drain excess liquid.
3. Once drained, gently press out more of the liquid, add to a bowl with 4 beaten eggs, matzo meal, salt and pepper.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a coating of vegetable oil.
5. Spoon the mixture into skillet and turn occasionally to achieve a general browning.
6. To use all the mixture, you will likely cook several batches. You will need to add oil on occasion.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Fresh Tuna Three Ways; Tuna and Avocado Tartare, Seared tuna with Mango Peach Salsa, and Toasted Fennel and Cumin Crusted Tuna Steak on a Bed of Spicy Summer Vegetable Quinoa

If you are a fan of fresh tuna, you are going to love this three course tuna love fest.  The courses were inspired by the idea of using tuna as the central theme running through three preparations of increasingly cooked approaches.  The other theme that runs through the courses is seasonal fruits and vegetables.  Joining Chef Sue and I for this adventure in tunatopia were good friends Don, Beth, Richter and Meredith who contributed to the adventure by bringing wine for the second and third courses – each a beautiful choice.



Fresh tuna, the foundation for this meal is, is the critical step in ensuring success.  Fortunately, living in DC, we have the Maine Avenue fish market where fresh seafood is plentiful.  Picking up a tuna steak at your local grocery is not recommended.  Sushi restaurants use both fresh and frozen fish. With today’s freezing technology, fish can be frozen quickly to retain freshness, flavor and color. As long as it is not kept frozen a long time and goes to the market quickly the fish will have a good fresh flavor.

However, I recommend you stay away from packaged frozen fish, unless it is sold specifically as sushi grade.  When selecting your fish, look for bright fresh color and avoid off or pale colors.  Try to avoid purchasing Ahi tuna or albacore loins that have too many distinct white lines in the flesh.  This sinew is not so much of an issue for the seared tuna, but can make the preparation and enjoyment of the tartare more challenging.  Finally, the flesh should be firm, and should not smell “fishy.”


First Course:  Tuna and Avocado Tartare with Avocado Butter paired with 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Estate Bottled Riesling Kabinet.




Along with the fresh tuna flavors, this dish features strong tartness from the avocado butter, and pleasant piquance from the Trinidad pepper sauce.  These flavors led me to select the 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Estate Bottled Riesling Kabinet balancing the tart and piquance with the mild sweetness of the Riesling.  This wine is subtle and pleasant with flavors of honeysuckle and pear.  These subtle flavors let the flavor of the tuna shine through and made for an enjoyable pairing.




Second Course:  Seared Tuna with Mango Peach Salsa Paired with 2009 Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay




I am a big fan of properly prepared seared tuna, and this pairing took it to a new level.  The deep rich flavors of the seared tuna combined with the fresh flavors of the mango and peach (with a touch of heat from the jalapenos) were elevated to a new level when enjoyed with the 2009 Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay.  This Chardonnay hits you first with big buttery flavors – a wonderful butter bomb.  Next you are treated to some wonderful fruit and a delicious mouth feel.  In the words of the winemaker “On the palate, flavors of pears, peaches and melons are backed with lively acidity. A nice touch of vanilla-scented oak provides an added flavor dimension. The creamy palate has a lingering finish of melon and citrus fruit with a satisfying buttery complexity.”  The melon and peach flavors present a splendid compliment to the peach and mango salsa.  This is a wonderful wine that will be making my list of favorites.


Third Course:  Toasted Fennel and Cumin Crusted Tuna Steak on a Bed of Spicy Summer Vegetable Quinoa Paired with 2009 Takutai Nelson New Zealand Pinot Noir



Finally, our third application of heat.  The tuna for this course was prepared much like the seared tuna in the second course, but at a lower heat and longer time resulting in a beautiful piece of fish heated through while maintaining bright beautiful internal color.  The fennel and cumin crust added deep complimentary flavors that worked brilliantly with the piquance component of the summer vegetable quinoa.  In contrast to the first two courses, this dish demanded a wine with more body, and the 2009 Takutai Nelson New Zealand Pinot Noir responded perfectly.  According to the winemaker, '”The cool, stony-soiled maritime region of Nelson often delivers lighter, fragrant and taut pinot noirs. This Pinot has a lovely nose of cherry jam, mint, wood spice and toasty notes. It’s mid-weight, fairly supple, silky and smooth on the mid-palate, with fine tannin and a toasty, bitter coffee finish.”  This pairing was a pleasant surprise with the relatively deeper and richer medium bodied flavors of both the dish and the wine complimenting each other with brilliant elegance.


Recipes

Please note that these recipes are based on servings for six (and a few leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch!)


Tuna and Avocado Tartare with Avocado Butter
Avocado Butter


Ingredients

• 2 diced ripe avocados
• Juice from two freshly squeezed limes
• 4 teaspoons honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. This is a tart sauce that you can adjust by adding either more or less honey. I recommend going with the quantities listed, then adjusting to your taste. Don't be afraid of the acidic tartness, it works great with the tartare.

Tartare


Ingredients

• 1 grated celery root
• 3 fresh medium tuna steaks (sushi grade tuna) finely diced
• 2 tablespoons course mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon Trinidad pepper sauce (see my recipe for Trinidad Pepper Sauce)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 bunches finely sliced green onion
• 1 diced ripe avocado
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine tuna, olive oil, mustard capers, pepper sauce, cilantro, and green onion in a large bowl.
2. Gently fold in the avocado and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Plate with a small bed of grated celery root, top with tartare then finish with a dollop of avocado butter.

Seared Tuna with Mango Peach Salsa


Ingredients

• 3 fresh medium sized tuna steaks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 diced medium onions
• 2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 diced ripe mango
• 1 diced ripe peach
• Juice from 1 freshly squeezed orange
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 minced fresh seeded jalapeno peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

Preparation

1. Sauté the olive oil, onions, and ginger in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Add the diced mango and peach, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and jalapeno; cook for 10 more minutes, until orange juice is reduced, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat and add the mint.
6. Heat a sauté pan over high heat until very hot.
7. Season the tuna liberally with salt and pepper.
8. When the pan is very hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and then the tuna steaks.
9. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the outside is browned.
10. Slice the seared tuna about 1/4 inch thick and serve over the the salsa.

Toasted Fennel and Cumin Crusted Tuna


Ingredients

• 1/3 cup whole fennel seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup cumin seeds, toasted
• 3 tuna steaks
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Place fennel and cumin seeds in a coffee grinder and coarsely grind.
2. Add ground seeds to a hot skillet over high heat and toast until the first signs of smoke appear. Remove from heat and spread over a large plate.
3. Brush tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat .
5. Dredge both sides of the tuna in the toasted fennel and cumin seeds.
6. Sauté, for 5 minutes over medium heat until golden brown, turn over and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Summer Vegetable Quinoa


Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups Quinoa
• Water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow zucchini julienned or cut into 1/4 inch rings - your choice
• 1 green zucchini julienned or cut into 1/4 inch rings - your choice
• 1 leek finely sliced
• 1 onion finely sliced
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Trinidad pepper sauce (see my recipe for Trinidad Pepper Sauce)

Preparation

1. Prepare quinoa according to directions or 2 cups water for one cup of quinoa. Add water to quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover for 18 minutes.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan and sauté the vegetables until just cooked through.
3. Add the vegetables, 3 tablespoons olive oil, Trinidad pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar to the quinoa.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Plate a bed of quinoa and top with 1/2 of a tuna steak.

In vino veritas, buen provecho

Craig

Open Faced Steak Sandwich Topped with Sautéed Celery Root and Leeks Paired with 2006 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma County Merlot

For quite some time now, I have wanted to construct a pairing that featured pureed celery root.  Unfortunately, the celery root has not been available for several weeks (at least while I was visiting the grocery).  Well, I found celery root yesterday, and came close to making the celery root puree.  I say almost because as I looked at the stock in the fridge I found a leftover steak from the weekend grill-fest and decided to do something with it – and include the celery root.  The result was an open faced steak sandwich with a mound of sautéed celery root and leeks, oh, and a little cheese to hold the mound of flavor in place.

This wonderful little sandwich is rich in umami and layered with the aromatic celery flavors from the celery root and just a touch of piquance from the cayenne.  Warming the leftover steak in the beef broth was a key part of the process which “rehydrated” the steak and made things nice and juicy.

These flavors were joyously complimented with dark and vibrant flavors of blueberry and pepper supported by soft tannins in the 2006 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma County Merlot.  This Merlot is silky smooth and perfectly echoed the flavors in the sandwich.

I have to admit that like the dish, the pairing was not planned in advance.  Similar to the steak, the 2006 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma County Merlot was a leftover – we tapped into this bottle the night before to enjoy just a taste of our recent shipment from Benziger Family Winery.  We joined the Benziger Family Winery wine club during our January trip to California, and were ecstatic to find this Merlot living up to the wonderful experience we had while visiting the winery in Sonoma County.  We thoroughly enjoyed every wine we tasted, and I highly recommend you give them a visit at www.benziger.com.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 leftover steak sliced in to 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips
• 1 loaf of par baked bread (or make your own from scratch)
• 1/2 medium sized celery root coarsely grated
• 1 leek chopped
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup grated cheese (your choice of cheese, but I recommend something mild)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Finish baking the par baked bread, in my case it was 15 minutes in a 375 degree preheated oven.
2. Coat the bottom of a small pan with olive oil and place on medium high heat.
3. Add leeks and cayenne pepper.  Sauté for about one minute.
4. Add the grated celery root and sauté until tender.  Season with salt and pepper then remove from heat and set aside.
5. If you time this right, your bread should be done now.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
6. In a medium sauce pan, bring two cups of beef broth to a simmer.  Just before you are ready to assemble the sandwich, add the steak strips to the broth and warm through.  The idea is simply to warm the meat, not cook it.
7. Cut the bread into 1 inch or so slices.  In my case, the steak made three sandwiches which miraculously meant three slices.
8. Assemble the sandwich by laying slices of steak across the bread, adding a stack of the celery root and leek sauté and lightly coating with grated cheese.
9. Place the sandwiches on sheet pan and place under the broiler until the cheese melts. 1-2 minutes.
10. Remove from broiler and plate with a small saucer of the beef broth (for dunking bread).
11. This is somewhat of a “vertical” sandwich, so bring along a fork and knife.

My apologies for the lack of photography with this post.  It was a last minute thought and last minute happy coincidence.  However, if you give this pairing a go the next time you have a leftover steak in the fridge, I’m confident it will make up for the lack of pretty pictures.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Glazed Duck Breast Quinoa, Cipollini Onions, Black Trumpet Mushrooms Paired with 2006 ZD Carneros Pinot Noir

I love duck.  I love preparing duck.  I love the way duck plays so well with a number of wines.  But this is not about my infatuation with duck, it is about our latest wine pairing.  This pairing returns us to Decanting Napa Valley the Cookbook. 

When it comes to food and wine we should not be in a rush.  As testament, this is just the third wine paring from my inspiration for this blog - Decanting Napa Valley the Cookbook – since the inception in early February 2011.  I am ok with this pace – so much food, and so much wine to explore, why rush?

With this pairing, I cannot provide the recipe (buy the book) but Photo Buddy John was part of the dinner party – which means that between his photography and mine, we have a bunch of good imagery to make up for a lack of recipe. 

Also in attendance were John’s wife – Super Artist Ji, El Jefe Abel and his wife, Banker Beth, and of course Chef Sue.  It was wonderful having these good friends to share this pairing, but it also presented a couple of challenges – including insufficient range space for 6 duck breasts, quinoa, and sauté of several veggies…all at the same time.

The Food

First I have to admit a couple of substitutions.  I was unable to find cipollini onions (substituted yellow and red pearl onions) and Black Trumpet mushrooms (subsituted a blend three mushrooms).  These substitutions had no bearing on the delight delivered by this meal.  I have already declared my love affair with duck, and to that we added another favorite – quinoa.  Quinoa is an experienced chameleon that assimilates the surrounding flavors while maintaining a delightfully distinct texture that is a fine addition to most dishes.

In addition to the wonderfully delicate gamey flavor of the duck, the dish had a nice balance of acid (sherry vinegar), sweetness resulting from the direct use of honey in the glazed pearl onions, and a honey shallot glaze for the duck.  Everyone was pleased with the duck breast – crispy skin and butter tender.  Similarly the quinoa was enjoyed by all with comments of “nicely sweet, but not too sweet,” and perfectly balanced with the second wine (more on that in a moment).

Another component that added an interesting flavor to the quinoa was the celery root.  This was the first time I had (intentionally) tasted celery root and quite positively the first time I cooked with it.  My response is unconditionally favorable.  It has s concentrated aroma and flavor of celery while adding an earthiness that contrasted nicely with the sweet components of the quinoa.

The Wine

OK, another substitution…actually two.  The pairing from Decanting Napa Valley the Cookbook lists the 2007 ZD Founder’s Reserve Pinot Noir.  We were anxious to prepare this pairing and rather than go through the wait of ordering this wine, we found a bottle locally of 2006 ZD Carneros Pinot Noir to stand in.

The 2006 ZD Carneros Pinot Noir is a full bodied Pinot Noir featuring aromas of cherry, dark fruit and cocoa which is quickly rewarded with deep flavors of black cherry, plum, toasted almond, and a delicate touch from the oak that it communed with for 10 months.

My planning was not the greatest for this pairing.  While we have plenty of wine, I had only one bottle of the ZD Pinot Noir for the meal.  Clearly this would not be sufficient.  I quickly ran to the cavernous wine cellar, found the Pinot Noir section, and nearly became lost finding my way back to the dinning room (OK, the “wine cellar” is the recovered space under the stairs in the basement).  Fortunately, my daughter had gifted us a wine club membership which had arrived just days before. The latest shipment included a bottle of 2008 Rutz Cellars Sonoma Cuvée Pinot Noir.  Thanks Dana!!

The 2008 Rutz Cellars Sonoma Cuvée Pinot Noir is a delightful wine and a great value at $21.  While certainly a nice wine, I will not put the ZD Pinot Noir in the good value category at $50.  The Rutz Pinot Noir, like the ZD, is aged in oak for 10 months and features similar aromas and the same black cherry, and plum flavors with the addition of a hint of cocoa and a delicate touch of earthiness-smoke-oak.  This Pinot Noir is silky smooth which is a wonderful compliment to the terroir and smoke-oak hints.

The Pairing

The pairing was exceptional.  The dark cherry and plum flavors of both wines made a wonderful foil for the sweet honey flavors in the duck and quinoa.  The added smoke and earthiness of the Rutz Pinot Noir intensified that contrast even more.  The contrast seemed to enhance or brighten the flavors in both the duck-quinoa and the wine.

Interestingly, the 2008 Rutz Cellars Sonoma Cuvée Pinot Noir was clearly the star among the two wines.  Our conclusion is that this resulted from three aspects.  First, the ever so slight bitterness in the cocoa flavors contrasted brilliantly with the sweetness in the duck and quinoa.  Second, the hints of smoke, oak and earthiness added a compelling dimension.  And finally, the 2008 Rutz Cellars Sonoma Cuvée Pinot Noir was so silky smooth the impression was immediate and lasting.  This smooth character seemed to work particularly well with the duck – almost as if putting an exclamation point of softness on the extremely tender duck.

Final Words

This pairing also included an impromptu desert paring between a blueberry pie with sorbet and a 2006 Royal Tokaji.  The house was split regarding this pairing.  One half of the table declared a win, while the other half maintained that both were good, but didn’t care for the resulting union.

I hope you enjoyed the additional photographs in this post.  It is always good having Photo Buddy John around to make sure I don’t miss anything and to also take advantage of his very creative perspective.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig