Beginning of the World Mayan Dinner

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I missed it.  The end of the world came and went.  I didn't even notice.  When I woke up on December 21st, I looked out the window at the rising sun and realized I would have to go to work after all.  My disappointment deepened at the thought of missing the opportunity to throw an end of the world dinner party, even if the world didn't end.

So if the 20th of December was the last day of our existence, it only stands to reason that the 21st is a new beginning.  I used this logic to invite friends over for a Beginning of the World Mayan Dinner Party.  The menu included guacamole, fresh Ix'ni Pec salsa, Mayan shrimp ceviche, and Tikin Xic grilled fish.  You can find all the recipes at Yucatan Adventure Eco-Cultural Travel Guide.  I made a few substitutions out of convenience, but stayed true for the most part.  We enjoyed every bit of it.

All of the components of this meal are light, and feature healthy acidity.  There is also a bit of piquance from the habanero peppers and achiote marinade.  I decided on a 2009 Ledson Winery and Vineyards Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc.  The body was perfectly matched, the acidity well balanced with the food, and flavors of pear, pineapple and citrus a wonderful complement to our meal.

I decided to take an alternative approach to the typical photography I post.  Christmas came a few days early, so I decided to shoot the entire event with my new GoPro.  It was fun.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Crab Bisque, Crayfish and Cheese Grits, Cajun Fried Aligator with a Sweet and Spicy Remoulade Paired with Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling

In my last post, Adventures in Juice Land Aided by Cold Soup, I wrote about my recent exploration of a juice diet (strong armed by Chef Sue) along with my thoughts on moderation when embarking on any similar dietary trek.  This pairing is part of that moderation and features somewhat of a seafood theme of crab bisque (brackish water) , crayfish and cheese grits (saltwater), and fried alligator (fresh water).

My real dilema with this meal was the wine pairing.  Early on in the conception I settled on a refreshing Riesling.  I was confident a dry Riesling would pair well with the bisque and the alligator, but as I thought further I was concerned a dry Riesling might be challenged by the strong and spicy flavors of the crayfish and grits.  There was only one thing to do - select both a dry Riesling and an off dry Riesling and let the chips fall where they may.  It turned out to be a pleasing decision.

I selected two Rieslings from Chateau Ste Michelle; a 2010 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling, and a 2011 Columbia Valley Riesling.  The winemakers tasting notes for the dry Riesling state “The Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling is a crisp, dry and refreshing style of Riesling. It exhibits fresh flavors of white peach and mandarin orange, and ends with a clean finish. This is an incredibly versatile food wine and my favorite with oysters.”  I agree with these tasting notes and would add that the aromas nicely echo the flavors - you taste precisely what the nose foretells.  I would also add that the wine has a well balanced acidity that reinforces the winemakers claim this is a versatile pairing wine.

The 2011 Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling is the slightly sweeter sibling of the 2010 dry Riesling.  The sweetness is developed in moderation and does not detract from the prominent peach and citrus flavors.  Winemakers tasting notes: “Our Columbia Valley Riesling is a blend of Riesling from throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley. We craft it to be a refreshing, off-dry Riesling vintage after vintage. The wine delivers sweet lime and peach character with subtle mineral notes. This is our “any day Riesling” that is a pleasure to drink and easy to match with a variety of foods.”  At times, the sweetness of some Rieslings can limit pairing options, but in this case the sweetness is sufficiently moderated that pairing options are more diverse than the sweeter interpretations.

The great fun of this pairing - two wines and three components to the meal - presented six pairing combinations leading to a thoughtful and enjoyable meal.  I will start by saying both of the wines worked nicely across the plate.  The peach flavor featured in both wines worked splendidly across each of the pairings.  However, both Chef Sue and I had our favorites - and our assessment was in lock step.  The dry Riesling worked best with the crab bisque and the alligator.  Both benefited form the well balanced acidity.  Our favorite pairing was the 2011 Riesling with the crayfish and grits.  The added sweetness balanced perfectly with the piquance of the crayfish and cheese grits. 

At less than $10, these wines are exceptional values, magically enjoyable, and great choices for pairing with your favorite dishes.  I highly recommend both for your next pairing or simply enjoying as a refreshing choice on a warm summer day.


As you read through the recipes, you will note that the quantities far exceed a dinner for two designed for moderation.  I plan on enjoying the leftovers for a couple of days!  Blissful.


One final note - please accept my apologies for the photography.  Unlike my normal dining room photo studio products, these shots were taken with my iPhone.  I sadly forgot to pack my camera and lighting kit for our weekend retreat.  I will do better next time barring any further age induced memory lapse.


Recipes


Crab Bisque


Ingredients

• 1 pound freshly picked crab meat
• kernels from four ears of roasted corn
• 1/2 onion diced
• 5 basil leaves finely chopped
• juice from 5 large tomatoes (either use a juicer, or mash the tomatoes through a colander) 
• 1 pint heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine corn, onion, basil and tomato juice in a pot over medium heat and allow to cook for two hours (important in reducing the acidity).  Add water as necessary to maintain appropriate consistency.
2. Just before you are ready to serve, add the crab and heavy cream.  Bring to serving temperature and ladle into bowls.

Crayfish and Cheese Grits



Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup stone-ground grits
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 pound cleaned precooked crayfish
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 tomato finely diced
• juice from 1 lime
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Bring water and half and half to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil.  Sauté onions and garlic until onions are tender.
3. Add diced tomato, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, creole seasoning, and chili pepper. Sauté until liquid is reduced by half.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Plate the grits and top with shrimp mixture.  Enjoy.

Cajun Fried Alligator

Ingredients

• 1 pound aligator loin cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup corn meal
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare egg wash by beating egg with a dash of water.
2. Prepare breading by combining corn meal, panko, cajun seasoning and a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Coat alligator cubes in egg wash then coat with breading.
4. Gently place coated alligator in 375 degree oil and cook until golden brown.
5. Serve with sweet chili pepper remoulade for dipping.

Sweet Chili Pepper Remoulade

Mix 1/2 cup sweet chili pepper sauce (available at any Asian market) with 1/2 cup mayonaise.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Adventures in Juice Land Aided by Cold Soup

Earlier this year Chef Sue purchased a juicer.  I was skeptical.  Back in the mid 90s, we had a juicer which was a great idea, but cleaning the damn thing hardly justified the end result.  Things have changed since the 90s.  Today's juicers are better designed and easy to clean.  Making fresh juice now takes less time, from start to cleanup, than brewing a pot of coffee.

Since the time of her juicer purchase, Chef Sue concocted increasingly complex juices more and more frequently.  I was amused.  Eventually she began replacing meals with fresh juices made from kale, cucumber, spinach, celery, beats, carrots, apples, berries, oranges, melon, grapefruit, pineapple and just about everything else you can find at the farm stand.  I continued to smirk and giggle - when she wasn't looking.  Then I realized she was shedding weight.  Wow, there might be something to this.

After a bit of thought, I became less mocking and more intrigued.  Think about it; how big of a vegetable basket do you need to equal the calories in your perfectly prepared steak?  And what are the nutritional differences?  Now take that basket of vegetables and run them through a juicer to extract all the important stuff.  The result is a nutrient rich condensation of raw, unprocessed fresh veggies and fruits with comparably few calories.  It started to make sense to me, and I joined in Chef Sue's juicing - on occasion.

Chef Sue's juicer subversion strategy was beginning to take hold.  A couple of weeks ago, she sealed the deal.  One night she asked if I wanted to watch a documentary on juicing.  I reluctantly agreed.  After watching the movie, I decided to jump in with both feet.  If you care to watch the video "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" here is the link:  http://www.jointhereboot.com/.  I have been doing the juicing thing now for nearly two weeks and have shed seven pounds, regained lost hair, regrown a finger lost in a tragic golf accident, and watched that nasty rash disappear.  Well, at least I did lose the seven pounds.

Being a firm believer in moderation, I cannot live only on juice (or any other restrictive miracle diet).  I cannot live without something to chew on, and cannot imagine sustaining myself without the world of flavors I enjoy.  So I modified the approach to include principally cold soups (great during the heat of summer!), not feeling guilty if I decided to pan sear scallops, or enjoy a nice meal of pulled pork with friends.  And to my joy, I recalled that wine is grape juice!  No need to dump my favorite beverage!

Several bushels of fruits and veggies, and 7 pounds lighter, I am happy with my compromise.  Over the last couple of weeks I have researched/created several cool summer soups with something to chew on.  The only exception is the first recipe - I made this simply to satisfy my desire for wonderful flavor and a touch of variety (warm soup).

And don't worry, I have not conceded our routine wine pairing extravaganzas.  On the menu for this evening is crab bisque, fried crab and grit balls, crawfish and cheese grits (a take on shrimp and grits), and fried aligator strips paired with a yet to be determined Riesling.  My mouth is watering already!

Here are the recipes for the soups I have used to supplement the juice program.

Recipes


Curried Zucchini Soup

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Slice the zucchini lengthwise then cut into 1 inch sections
2. In a 4 quart or larger pot, sauté onions until tender with olive oil.  About half way through the process add the minced garlic.
3. Add curry powder and stir to coat evenly.
4. Add zucchini, chicken broth, and coconut milk.  Cover and continue to cook over medium low heat until zucchini is tender – about 30 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender.
6. Season to taste and serve.

Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 5 ripe tomatoes 
• 2 large cucumbers, chopped 
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped black olives 
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 2 1/2 cups water 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 1 green bell pepper, diced 
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced 

Preparation

1. Score a cross in the base of each tomato. Cover with boiling water for 1 minute, plunge into cold water, drain and peel away the skin. Remove seeds and chop the flesh so finely that it is almost a puree. 
2. Mix together the tomatoes, 1 of the chopped cucumbers, 1 of the chopped green pepper, garlic, olives, vinegar, oil and tomato paste, and season to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. 
3. Use 2 to 3 cups of chilled water to thin the soup to your taste. Serve chilled with the chopped onion, green pepper, scallions, cucumber, and herbs and served separately for diners to add to their own bowls. 

Mango Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 fresh mangos 1/4-inch-diced 
• 2 cups orange juice 
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch dice 
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice 
• 1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, basil or cilantro 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Preparation

1. Process mangoes, orange juice and oil in a blender or food processor until pureed. Transfer to a medium bowl, along with remaining ingredients. 
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Watermelon Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 6 cups cubed seeded watermelon 
• 2 cucumbers, chopped 
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped 
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 
• 3 tablespoons honey 
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice 
• 20 small mint leaves 

Preparation

1. Reserve a dozen (or so) small pieces of watermelon for garnish. 
2. Working in batches, place the remaining watermelon, the cucumbers, red bell peppers, onion, jalapeño pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, 3 tablespoons of fresh mint, the ginger, honey, and pineapple juice into a blender, and blend for about 30 seconds per batch. 
3. The mixture should be well blended but retain some texture. Pour into a large bowl, and refrigerate 1 hour. Serve in bowls, and garnish each bowl with a couple of chunks of the retained watermelon and 2 small mint leaves. 

Avocado and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 4 large tomatoes 
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced 
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels 
• 2 tomatoes, diced 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Preparation

1. Using a juicer, extract the juice of the 4 large tomatoes. 
2. In a medium bowl combine the tomato juice, avocado, corn, 2 diced tomatoes, cilantro, and lemon juice. 
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for 1 hour and transfer to serving bowls. 

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cantaloupe - peeled, seeded and cubed 
• 2 cups orange juice 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Preparation

1. Peel, seed, and cube the cantaloupe. 
2. Place cantaloupe and 1/2 cup orange juice in a blender or food processor; cover, and process until smooth. 
3. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in lime juice, cinnamon, and remaining orange juice. 
4. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with mint if desired. 

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Salmorejo, Curried Chicken and Crabcake Sliders

Sometimes an unplanned dinner can turn into something spectacular.  This was exactly one of those instances.  On Saturday, Chef Sue was picking up some veggies and in a moment of weakness bought a chicken.  Once home, she put it on the rotisserie thinking it might come in handy sometime later in the weekend.  Meanwhile, I was reading an article on salmorejo - a traditional Andalusian dish from Spain.

With my recent enjoyment of cold soup during the oppressive heat we are experiencing the DC area, I plunged ahead with my research of salmorejo.  Salmorejo is the creamy yet creamless cousin of gazpacho made with breadcrumbs, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and vinegar.  It is peasant food which puts good use to leftover bread.  Bless those peasants - it is simply delightful and creamy beyond belief.

As I researched salmorejo, I found the recipes did not vary much, but in each case the recipes emphasized the need for ripe tomatoes.  With the poor quality of store purchased tomatoes, I recommend buying them from your local farmers market or a road side stand to avoid the greenhouse ripened tomatoes that are hard as baseballs.  If you cannot get seasonal vine ripened tomatoes, canned tomatoes would be a better choice than the grocer version.

The meal came together when we decided to make curried chicken salad from the rotisserie chicken, add crabcake sliders from fresh Maryland crabs, and add freshly grilled corn on the cob.  In summary, a perfect meal for a hot summers day.

A couple of notes about the curried chicken salad.  Start with your favorite chicken salad recipe and add some curry, diced apple, halved grapes, and nuts of your choice (I prefer chopped walnuts).  Easy and tasty.

This meal was not planned as a wine pairing, so we pulled a bottle of daily drinker Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc.  It worked just fine and was a refreshing addition to the meal.

Recipe

Salmorejo

Ingredients

• ·      1 pound panko breadcrumbs
• ·      1 ½ pounds ripe red tomatoes (approximately nine medium tomatoes), peeled and seeded.
• ·      1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ·      1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ·      1 garlic clove
• ·      salt to taste
• ·      Serrano ham
• ·      2 hard boiled eggs

Preparation

1. 1.     Put the panko and the tomatoes in the food processor and blend until well combined.  If you don’t have a large food processor, you may have to do this in batches.  If you don’t have a food processor, a blender will work and will definitely require several batches.  Be sure to put the tomatoes in first then work in the bread crumbs.
2. 2.     Add the raw garlic and olive oil. Blend until the mixture turns creamy and smooth.
3. 3.     Add salt to taste and vinegar, and mix again.
4. 4.     Refrigerate at least three hours.
5. 5.     Garnish with Serrano ham and slices of boiled eggs.
6. 6.     Variations on this recipe include the addition of red peppers, onions, and lemon.  Experiment and have fun.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Avocado, Zucchini and Roasted Corn Gazpacho and Spicy Garlic Foam Paired with 2010 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Coast Wente Clone Chardonnay

There are few things more refreshing on a hot summer day than gazpacho.  And if you are trying to get back into "beach" shape or just eat healthy, it does not get much better than Gazpacho.  Neither of these are motivators for me - I just love the flavor and the feeling of being satisfied that I don't normally have following a bowl of soup.

Gazpacho is rooted in the Southern Spanish region of Andalucia and is traditionally tomato based.  The history of gazpacho in Spain goes back (in theory) to dishes introduced by the unwelcome visits of the Moors and/or the Romans that were adapted to local tastes to form what we know as traditional Gazpacho.  Since these times, creative cooks have introduced a number of variations that resemble gazpacho only from a fundamental perspective - a rustic and substantial cold soup made from uncooked vegetables.  With this long history of adaptation, gazpacho can rightfully or wrongly include any vegetable you can imagine.  Our adaptation (prepared by Chef Sue) takes full license to adapt - and is well worth it!

The principal flavors of this dish come from the creamy goodness of the avocados, texture and sweetness from the corn, added texture and mild flavor of the zucchini, and a touch of piquance from jalapeno.  To this, Chef Sue added a spicy garlic and cayenne foam.  To accompany our gazpacho, Chef Sue made grilled cheese sandwiches layered with goat cheese, gouda, and swiss with zucchini, pepper, and cucumbers mounted between fresh rye bread.  Ah, grilled cheese - a completely distinct discussion for another day.

With the spicy components of this dish, I would not normally choose a chardonnay - particularly one with notable oak, butter, or vanilla flavors that would likely clash with the spicy components.  However, the 2010 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Coast Wente Clone Chardonnay acts more like a Sauvignon Blanc with crisp acidity, peach, pear, and pineapple flavors, and barely noticeable oak influence although the wine is oak barrel aged for eight months.  This is a truly refreshing Chardonnay that complements the cool refreshing flavors of the gazpacho.  Unlike many wine pairings, we left this meal feeling invigorated - not a common experience.

Based on this experience, and my opinion of the 2010 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Coast Wente Clone Chardonnay behaving more like a Sauvignon Blanc, I would alternatively recommend a crisp, fruit forward Suavignon Blanc as a good choice.

Recipe


Avocado, Zucchni, and Corn Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini, coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 ripe avocados
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn, grilled, or oven roasted in the oven with husks on.  Finish under the broiler to add a light char.
• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 5 cups cold water
• season to taste with salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Put the zucchini, yellow onion, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno and garlic in bowl of food processor and pulse until the pieces are well chopped and short of being minced or pureed. 
2. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. 
3. Put 2 avocados in the food processor and pulse to puree while adding 3 cups of water.
4. Dice the remaining 2 avocados and add to the bowl of vegetables.
5. Add the avocado puree, fresh grilled corn, cilantro, lime juice, 2 cups of water, and season to taste after gently mixing with a large spoon.
6. Cover and refrigerate until cold. 
7. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with cayenne and garlic foam and cilantro garnish.

Cayenne and Garlic Foam

Ingredients

• 1 pint of heavy cream
• 2 cloves diced garlic
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 handful of cilantro chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon cream cheese

Preparation

1. Add all ingredients to a sauce pan and bring to boil.  
2. Remove from heat and let cool.  
3. Strain and pour into a culinary foamer.   Refrigerate for one hour.  If you do not have a culinary foamer, chill, add 1 tablespoon of lecithin granules and create foam with an immersion blender.  Serve over gazpacho.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Spicy Chocolate Covered Pork Belly Paired with 2009 Delaplane Cellars Virginia Tannat

This weekend I hosted a birthday party for Chef Sue.  For months I tried to decide how to handle this event - surprise party, rent space at a restaurant, or any of a half dozen other options.  I eventually settled on the idea of inviting a group of good friends to our home and use our wine tasting group formula.  It worked perfectly and we all had a wonderful time.

The format for the evening involved each couple bringing a bottle of white and red wines along with an hors d'oeuvre paired with one of the wines.  With nearly 30 people in attendance, we were treated to some great wine and creative food.

For my part, I made a spicy chocolate covered pork belly and paired it with a 2009 Delaplane Cellars Virginia Tannat.  I started with the idea of chocolate covered bacon, then thought "where can I go with this?"  It didn't take long to substitute pork belly for bacon, and add some cayenne pepper to bring a balance of creamy pork fat, the mild sweetness of dark chocolate, and the piquance of the cayenne pepper.

I started by heating oil in a dutch oven until just before smoking.  I seasoned the pork belly and seared on all sides.  I then added enough chianti and a diced onion to just cover the pork belly and put in the oven to braise for 2 hours at 300 degrees F.  When complete, I cut it into 3/4 inch cubes, cut off the skin, and skewered the cubes with tooth picks.  After allowing to cool for 1 hour, I prepared the chocolate by putting a steel bowl over a pot of boiling water, added 86% cacao dark chocolate, 1 tablespoon of butter and gradually added cayenne pepper while whisking until I arrived at the level of spicy heat I had in mind.  I'm guessing it was about 1 tablespoon.  The cubed and skewered pork belly was then dipped in the chocolate, placed on a piece of parchment then off to the fridge to set the chocolate.  This is best served at room temperature, so remove from the fridge about an hour before serving.

I chose the 2009 Delaplane Cellars Virginia Tannat because it is a big full bodied rich wine with strong tannins and wonderful dark berry flavors accompanied by a wisp of oak.  My mental picture of the wine matched perfectly with my pork belly creation - big, flavorful, chewy and dark.  We were rewarded with a wonderful pairing.  The berry flavors and tannins played magically with the deep rich chocolate and sweet pork belly while the cayenne added a fun overlay of flavor.

Sorry for the photography - with an event for nearly 30 people, I was not in a position to set up my typical lighting rig and camera gear.  Instead, we have to make due with a shot from my iPhone.

Happy Birthday Chef Sue.  You survived another year!  And thanks to everyone who shared in the celebration.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Taking Liberties with Stuffed Cabbage Paired with 2010 Crios Mendoza Argentina Rosé of Malbec

One of the great pleasures of cooking is transforming the familiar to something new and (hopefully) excitingly delicious.  I am presently in the midst of a little bender in this regard.  A couple of weeks ago I had a long conversation with my mother that focused on some of the favorite foods of my childhood.  She followed up the conversation by sending me a dozen recipe cards for some of my favorites.  To set the stage a bit, I came from a small farm town in Michigan that was defined by lower middle class, equally divided between those working the fields, and the factory lines in nearby Grand Rapids.

My culinary exposure growing up under these circumstances was limited at best.  Compounding these circumstantial limitations is what I would classify as a challenged culinary tradition.  Before I get all the hate mail from Michigan, please know that my comments are a result of MY experience...I hope yours was better.  Around the U.S., you can go to many regions and expect to be treated with unique and enjoyable local cuisine.  I never had that sense of local tradition in Michigan.  Most dishes of interest resulted from less than remarkable poor immigrant food from the many Dutch, Germans, and Polish.  Unfortunately, my experience told me that many of these traditional foods were either lost or diluted over time.

One of the remarkable gastronomic pleasures in Michigan comes from the abundance of freshwater fish and game.  Trout, salmon, pheasant, wild turkey, venison, etc.. Each of these went under appreciated in my youth.  A shame I try to rectify whenever possible.  One particularly weighty memory from my youth was the smelt run.  In the spring, as the streams and rivers feeding the great lakes warm, the smelt begin their voyage.  At this point in their maturity, they are just several inches long and are caught with nets - otherwise known as "smelt dipping."  This process of netting smelt resulted in drums of fish being brought home and divided among the extended family.  A full day would be devoted to cleaning smelt with the reward of fresh smelt pan fried in butter waiting at the end of our labors.  A fond memory.

Back to stuffed cabbage.  Stuffed cabbage was a common guest at our table that continued when I was eventually married...completely different execution, but the same premise.  Just days ago, Chef Sue and I were out running errands and began to talk about dinner plans.  Stuffed cabbage had been on my mind since the conversation with my mother and I offered it as an option.  We quickly settled on stuffed cabbage but were in agreement with the idea of reinterpreting.

Stuffed cabbage rolls, otherwise known as galumpkis or Gołąbki (Polish), are traditionally served casserole style with a stuffing of ground beef (and/or pork) with a tomato sauce.  Our first modification was to substitute diced NY strip steak (because it was a leftover from a recent grilling extravaganza).  Next we decided to put the tomato sauce inside the cabbage rolls in the form of diced tomato.  The next modification was born from our experience of roti in Trinidad; we used curry for the seasoning of the stuffing along with some diced jalapeño pepper.  Finally the greatest herresy - we dipped the cabbage rolls in flour, applied an egg wash, then bathed them in a mixture of panko and corn meal which was finished off in a jacuzzi of heated oil.  The result was a spectacular melding that one might expect from a Polish-Trini - something I'm not sure that actually exists.  Regardless it was tasty.

While conceiving of this, my mind went directly to "what wine will work?"  As is the difficult case of pairing any spicy concoction, I quickly thought of wines with strong acidity and mild sweetness.  Our chosen day for this preparation was also a hot one, further reinforcing my thoughts of citris acidity and slightly off dry.  I have recently been intrigued by a class of wine for which I have little experience - Rosé.  Over the years, I have not had much interest for Rosé because it reminded my of the wine drinkers gateway drug - mass produced boxed White Zinfandel.  This was only reinforced when I was talking to a winemaker who shared his secrets of Rosé in a moment of weakness.  "Rosé is money!  It is a byproduct of producing my other wines - I used to pour it down the drain.  Now I bottle it, and it is pure profit."  In fact, this is one of the three methods of producing Rosé and is called Saignée.  The other two methods involve reduced skin contact (just a few days) to impart color when Rosé is the primary product, or the less common blending of red and white wine.

In my attempt to eliminate, or at least diminish, my bias against Rosé I decided to forge ahead with a pink pairing.  Wandering the rows of wine I found a bottle that caught my eye.  The 2010 Crios Mendoza Argentina Rosé of Malbec.  I was attracted to this wine for a couple of reasons.  First, just days before I had sampled the 2010 Crios Argentina Torrontes which was fantastic.  Second I was interested in a Rosé made from Malbec.

I was not disappointed with the 2010 Crios Argentina Rosé of Malbec.  This wine has more structure than I am accustomed to with Rosés (which I like), bright fruit flavors with strawberry most prominent, great acidity, and a nicely restrained touch of sweetness.  And best of all, it paired perfectly with the stuffed cabbage.  The acidity and fruit balanced the piquance and curry in the stuffing and mango chutney.  In combination, the experience greater than the sum of its parts.

Recipes

Spicy Mango Chutney

Ingredients

• Juice from two oranges
• 2 mangos diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely diced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• water

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat adding enough water to cover the diced mango.
2. Stir occasionally and reduce until thickened.

Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

• Approximately 1 pound leftover grilled steak - or substitute any meat you care to - diced.
• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 onion diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tomato diced
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups panko
• 1 1/2 cups corn meal
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Prepare rice as you normally would.  Add the curry powder to the rice while boiling.
2. Sautée the onions and garlic until onions are translucent.
3. Combine rice, meat, sautéed onions, and tomato.  Mix well.
4. Microwave cabbage (whole) for five minutes.  Peal away leaves that have cooked and encase t tablespoons of the stuffing mixture.  Repeat microwaving procedure until the stuffing is exhausted.
5. Combine the cream and eggs in a bowl and mix to form an egg wash.
6. Combine the panko and cornmeal in a shallow bowl or plate.
7. Preheat vegetable oil in a fryer, large sauce pan, or as in our case - a fondue pot to 375 degrees F.
8. Roll the stuffed cabbage in the flour, then dip in the egg wash, and finally roll in the panko-cornmeal mixture.
9. Fry the stuffed cabbage until golden brown.
10. Serve with the spicy mango chutney on the side.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig