Grilled New York Strip Steak Garlic Foam and Garlic Sauteed Beets Paired with 2008 RdV Vineyards Virginia Rendezvous

This pairing is a celebration of grilling season.  Well, to be quite honest, I tend to grill all year long, but at the moment, we are quickly approaching Memorial Day in the U.S. which marks the unofficial beginning of summer and a traditional grilling weekend.  I tend to side with the Aussies, who I have learned through some good Aussie friends, take their grilling very seriously.  It is not just a cliche.  As the stories have unfolded over a couple of drinks milling about the grill, Aussies approach grilling with the same dedication as rugby - it is a full contact sport.

One evening in Abu Dhabi, I was at the home of my good Aussie friend Steve as he was preparing kangaroo loin on the grill.  Don’t ask how he was able to get kangaroo in the U.A.E., that is another story.  As Steve was carefully grilling the kangaroo, I asked about the barbecue culture in Australia and heard the stories that support the commonly held belief that Aussies love to barbecue.  One story that supported the “full contact” version of Aussie grilling is the favored pass time of standing around the hosts grill and critiquing his work.  It sounded much like the trash talking that commonly occurs on playing field.

As you honor our U.S. grilling tradition this weekend, here is a tasty, garlicky approach to making your steak something special.  I would only add that maybe some potato salad would be a nice addition.

First we will start with the steak and my full proof method for perfectly medium rare steak with nice surface texture.  Start with a trip to a good butcher and have your steaks cut between 1 and 1/2 inches thick.  Avoid freezing - fresh is always more flavorful.

Before grilling, leave the steaks at room temperature for one hour.  If you are using a gas grill, bring it up to full temperature.  High heat is important to getting a good seer.  Set your timer for two minutes and put the steaks on the grill.  If you are using charcoal, place the steaks just off center of the heat.  When the timer chimes, take a sip of wine, and make your way back to the grill...don’t be in a rush.  Rotate the meat 90 degrees, take another sip of wine and start the timer.  Repeat the process flipping the meat on the next turn, and a final 90 rotation to get the hallmark grill lines.  In total, the grill time should be about 10 minutes.  To test for medium rare, pinch your thumb and forefinger together and feel the pad on your palm just below the thumb, this is what a medium rare steak should feel like.

This pairing featured the much anticipated RdV Vineyards 2008 Virginia Rendezvous.  I had not previously tasted the Rendezvous, but it came highly recommended not only from friends, but from neighboring wineries.  We were not disappointed.  The wine is exceptionally well balanced - a complete wine with a strong French influence.  Rendezvous is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.  The nose is slightly soft but foretells the wonderful subtlety of the wine.  With a firm foundation of earthy flavors and well rounded tannins, the wine presents pleasing flavors of dark berries, black cherries, coffee and a hint of leather.  A further hint of oak brought this wine back to its roots as a fine Bordeaux style blend.  This full rich wine was begging for a bite of the steak.

The pairing was heavenly.  With perfectly matched body, the flavors of the wine were free to play joyfully with the perfectly grilled steak and mild garlic presented in the garlic foam and garlic sautéed beets.  Other reviews of this wine have noted the strength of the tannins.  When paired with the rich steak, this was not a problem for our dinner party as the tannins brought a healthy structure that worked well in combination.  However, if you plan to simply sip and enjoy this wonderful wine, I would recommend decanting for an hour or so to let it open up.  For our purposes, we decanted, but only for about 30 minutes - more than sufficient for our meal.

Recipe

Garlic Foam

Ingredients

• 5 cloves roasted garlic halved
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese

Preparation

1. Simmer in sauce pan for 15 minutes.
2. Strain, allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.
3. Pour into ISI foamer and discharge. If you don’t have a culinary foamer, add a tablespoon of Lecithin to the simmer and when cooled, create the foam with an immersion blender.

The beats were prepared in sauté pan with garlic and butter.  Peel and slice the beats, heat the butter and minced garlic, and sauté until tender.

Gorgonzola Juicy Lucy Hamburger with Sautéed Onions and Mushrooms, Garlic Aioli Paired with 2009 Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet

This pairing was inspired by my recent and intense exploration of California blends and an episode of America’s Test Kitchen.  If you have not explored the many blends coming out of California, I recommend you give them a chance.  Most popular among these blends are a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel.  Of course there are other blends, but these seem to be the dominant grapes used in these proprietary blends.

Out of the many I have recently tasted, I am very pleased.  It is a tough job, but I am up to the challenge.  These wines are smooth, layered with flavor, and generally inexpensive.  The 2009 Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet was next on deck and was my choice to pair with the Juicy Lucy Hamburger.

Before viewing the episode of America’s Test Kitchen that inspired this pairing, I had never heard of a Juicy Lucy Hamburger.  Simply put, a Juicy Lucy is a hamburger stuffed with cheese.  According to Wikipedia;

“Two bars on the same street in South Minneapolis both claim to have invented the sandwich: Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club. They differ in how they spell it; the former omits the letter "I" in "Juicy", while the latter uses the standard spelling. Shirts worn by staff at the 5-8 Club have the motto "if it's spelled right, it's done right" while advertising for Matt's Bar says, "if it's spelled correctly, you're at the wrong place."

If you are like me, the Juicy Lucy solves an important hamburger challenge – melted cheese.  I consider the construction of a hamburger something of utmost importance.  In other words, all the stuff that goes on a hamburger must be placed in a specific order to ensure the flavors combine optimally, and most importantly, the cheese must be placed directly on the burger to ensure it melts. 

There may be a few of you that are thinking I’m a lunatic.  But most of you will secretly admit you have your own routine and rationale for the proper order of hamburger ingredients.  I know you do – don’t be shy.

The Juicy Lucy elegantly takes care of the melted cheese issue by putting the cheese inside the burger and ensuring gooey, cheesy goodness in every bite – and no sliding cheese issues.  America’s Test Kitchen went into great detail on the best way to form the burger with the cheesy surprise in the middle.  They suggested taking a chunk of cheese and forming a small burger around the cheese to seal it completely.  The next step involves adding another layer of ground beef to form a fully sized patty.

Chef Sue decided she wanted to use crumbled gorgonzola which made the America’s Test Kitchen method difficult.  Chef Sue decided to go with two thin patties to encapsulate the cheese and firmly seal the edges to keep the cheese in place.

Chef Sue also decided to make her own hamburger from fresh sirloin and a handful of other ingredients you will find in the recipe.  Chef Sue’s unbridled creativity paid great dividends.  The burger was absolutely fantastic.

To accompany our Juicy Lucy hamburgers we chose the next California blend which was patiently waiting on deck – the 2009 Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet.  From the winemaker:

“Our first blended red wine for Cupcake Vineyards has over the top aromas of chocolate, deep rich blackberries, red fruits that follow through the palate to a creamy mocha finish that is unmistakable in its intensity and length, with a hint of coconut. It’s reminiscent of a blackberry chocolate cupcake with a mocha coulis.”

“Red Velvet is a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah; each variety lending structure, aroma, depth of flavor and a long creamy finish to this wine.   The grapes were harvested from some of the finest vineyards of California’s viticultural areas; each picked for their ability to engender these grapes with distinct characteristics that will add to this blend. Each varietal was fermented separately and later blended and put through a unique oak regime that imparts a certain creaminess.”

We concurred with the tasting notes with the exception of the hint of coconut we did not pick up.  The body of this wine was perfectly matched to the hamburger and the chocolate and fruit flavors were a wonderful complement.  The wine also worked surprisingly well with the twisted pasta and vegetables we chose to accompany the burger.  Overall, this was an exceptional pairing.

This pairing is another great choice for your grilling season and certainly works great as another arrow in your quiver of great football food.

Recipes

Gorgonzola Juicy Lucy

Ingredients

• 1 pound sirloin
• 10 cloves roasted garlic
• 4 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 medium red onion (for burger mixture)
• 1 red onion, sliced, to top burger
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 6 cloves roasted garlic (for burger topping)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. Run sirloin, garlic and onion through meat grinder
2. Combine salt and olive oil with ground sirloin.
3. Form two thin patties, about 3/8" thick. (you will have enough ground sirloin for four complete burgers)
4. On one patty place 1 tablespoon of gorgonzola cheese in the center.
5. Top with second patty, and form into a single patty.
6. Continue until you have prepared all four burgers.
7. Place on preheated grill for four minutes.
8. Flip, puncture with a small hole to release the steam from the cheese, and continue to grill for another three minutes.
9. Top with sautéed onions, mushrooms, and garlic.
10. Drizzle with garlic aioli

Twisted Pasta with Anchovies and Fresh Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fettuccini (Chef Sue made fresh pasta and twisted)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 3 anchovy fillets finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 ounce grated parmesan cheese.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Sauté garlic and anchovies in olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Add remaining vegetables and 1/2 cup liquid from the pasta boil
3. When the tomatoes become soft, add pasta, remove from heat and let set for 2 minutes.
4. Season to taste.
5. Top with grated parmesan.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Rotisserie Grilled Prime Rib and Spinach Soufflé Paired with 2006 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and 2007 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Valley Merlot

The brisk fall breezes were blowing leaves across the street, pumpkins with tortured faces stared from every doorstep, and grills were on sale at the Home Depot.  Fall clearance sales on grilling gear (and golf shorts) mark a special time for the golfing griller.  This was exactly the case a couple years ago when I purchased my Goliath size, stainless steel monster grill…and a striking pair of plaid golf shorts.  Along with a couple dozen burners, several ceramic searing burners, 500 watt work lights, and a dozen Titleist golf balls, the grill came equipped with a turbo charged 10 horsepower motorized rotisserie.

I love my grill even more than my stylish plaid golf shorts.  Unfortunately, the rotisserie sees about as much action as my 3 iron (I just can’t hit that club – it now serves duty as part of my sophisticated home security system).  The rotisserie was recently called off the bench to the starting lineup for prime rib.  The result was fantastic, and the rotisserie is now officially off the “injured reserve” list.



The grilling process was about as easy as it gets.  Chef Sue decided on the low and slow process which involved trussing up the prime rib so it would not disintegrate while cooking, skewering the beautiful piece of meat on the rotisserie, bringing the temp up to 300 degrees, and waiting.  Of course the prime rib was well seasoned with salt and pepper before heading to the hot house.  The prime rib spun happily on the grill until it reached an internal temperature of 120 degrees. 

I removed the prime rib and let rest while covered with aluminum foil for 15 to 20 minutes.  The internal temperature continued to rise and reached 125 to 130 degrees during the resting period.  Avoid the temptation to cut into the prime rib during this resting period.  The objective is to keep all the wonderful juices inside.



If you you don’t happen to have Tim the Tool Man’s manly man’s grill with 10 horsepower turbocharged rotisserie attachment, you can achieve the same results in the oven using a roasting pan.  But if you are using the oven, don’t wear the plaid golf shorts.  That is just not right.

To go along with our joyous Barney Rubble sized prime rib, Chef Sue and Formerly of Austin Dawn prepared spinach soufflé.  This choice was a key aspect of choosing our wine for the evening.  The prime rib demands at least a medium bodied wine, but we did not want to go too heavy and have the soufflé suffer from being terribly overpowered.  We reached a good compromise position and chose a medium bodied Pinot Noir and a delicious full bodied Merlot.



Our choices were a 2006 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and a 2007 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Valley Rose Ranch Merlot.  Here are the tasting notes for the two wines:

2006 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir:  Medium garnet in color, this wine has a nose of cranberry and a lightly spicy cherry liqueur quality. In the mouth it is smooth and silky with very nice balance and a core of cranberry and raspberry flavors, that give way to a cocoa, and light smoky quality on the finish.

2007 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Valley Rose Ranch Merlot:  The 2007 Rose Ranch Merlot is supple and full-bodied with velvety texture and rich flavor. Its aromas evoke connotations of dark fruit and pepper. Robust flavors of currant, black raspberry, anise and ripe plum linger on the palate.



The group of Chef Sue, Golf Buddy Steve, Formerly of Austin Dawn and I all concluded both wines worked exceptionally well particularly with respect to the berry flavors in compliment to the prime rib.  While both wines were excellent, we conceded the 2007 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma Valley Rose Ranch Merlot as having an edge over the 2006 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.  The deeper, richer flavors of the Merlot resulted in a combination that was well beyond the sum of the parts – our holy grail of wine pairing.



But lets not forget the spinach soufflé. This is not yet in my repertoire and was glad that Chef Sue and Formerly of Austin Dawn decided to take on this task as I wistfully watched the prime rib slowly lull me into hypnosis.




Recipe


Spinach Soufflé





Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish
  
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1 bunch spinach, stems removed, or 12 to 16 ounces loose, young spinach leaves
  
• 2 cloves garlic minced
  
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 1 1/3 cups milk
  
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 4 egg yolks
  
• 6 egg whites

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 4 6 ounce soufflé dishes .
   
2. Wash the spinach well, then wilt it in a skillet without drying the spinach.
   
3. Drain into a colander, press out the moisture, then finely chop.
   
4. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, saute the garlic for approximately 2 minutes. stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
   
5. Whisk in the milk and stir until it thickens.
   
6. Add 1 teaspoon salt, then stir in the Parmesan.
   
7. Turn off the heat and stir in salt and pepper to taste.
   
8. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form firm peaks that are just a bit on the soft side.
   
9. Fold the whites and base together.
   
10. Scrape the batter into the prepared dishes and bake until golden brown and set, about 25 minutes.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Grilled New York Strip Steak with Craig’s Bourbon Rub, Grilled Garden Fresh Vegetables Paired with 2007 Mayo Family Winery Napa Valley Random Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Labor Day, the official end of summer in the U.S. has come and gone.  Like many people, part of our holiday weekend included well spent time in front of the grill.  Although Labor day marks the official end of summer, it should not mark the end of your grilling season.  Quite the contrary.  With football season underway and the first week of the NFL schedule capped off by a spectacular and record crushing win by my beloved New England Patriots over the Miami Dolphins, we now enter the serious tailgate grilling season.  If you want to take your grilling experience to a new level, my bourbon rub is a tasty way to do so.

I have to admit that “bourbon rub” is a bit of a misnomer.  On the other hand, it is not a barbeque sauce either.  It is somewhere between the two – it is a barbeque paste.  The word paste just doesn’t have the same appeal as a “rub” so I am taking a bit of culinary creative license…because I can.

When you look at the seasonings in this concoction, it looks like a rub…until you get to the brown sugar and bourbon.  These two ingredients rule out use as a “rub.”  If you use this as a rub, the bourbon will give you a fun moment of pyrotechnics as the bourbon ignites.  As the bourbon ignites, it caramelizes the sugar, and if left on for the full grilling time, will go beyond caramelization to a full-on char.  For this reason, I am providing specific directions for when and how to use the rub.

But before we get to that, we need to discuss meat.  The best way to buy meat is from a butcher.  Not the butcher at your local grocery store (there are exceptions) who cuts the meat, wraps it up and places it in the display cooler.  I mean a real butcher where you can pick a slab of meat, have the butcher trim it to your specifications then cut the steaks to your favorite thickness.  Personally, I prefer the Barney Rubble size steaks – 1 1/2 inches thick or even a touch more.  Why?  Thickly cut steaks allow you to get a nice sear, grill for an appropriate time, and leave the center a beautiful and tasty medium rare.  Honestly, it should be a criminal offense to cut a thin steak, grill it until uniformly brown throughout, and serve it as a substitute for shoe leather.  I cringe when I hear someone order a steak well done.  Why bother?

With my “well done” rant out of the way, lets talk about the appropriate use of Craig’s Bourbon Rub (paste).  First I will explain my formula for grilling Barney Rubble sized steak.  Heat the grill so when you set your first steak on the grates you hear that wonderful sizzling that lets you know the fun is underway.  I set my timer to two minutes and flip the steaks three times so the steak is on the grill for 10 minutes.  But you say “three flips multiplied by two minutes does not add up to 10 minutes Craig!”  I will prove that it does.  Place your steaks on the grill, close the lid, pick up your glass of wine, take a joyful sip, then turn on your timer.  When the timer runs down, take another sip of your wine, put the glass down, turn off the barking timer, walk over to the grill, lift the lid, flip the steaks and repeat the process.  This leisurely approach to enjoying your wine, fiddling with your timer, and maybe a kiss for your spouse will account for the missing two minutes.

Now the critical part – applying Craig’s Bourbon Rub.  The rub should be applied at the last flip and will be on the grill for just two minutes to avoid going from caramelized to char.  Specifically, when you get to the last flip, take the steaks off the grill.  THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!  With honest to god real bourbon in the recipe, you do not want to risk a flame-up while you have your hands over the grill.  With the steaks off the grill apply the “rub” to both sides of the steak using the back of a spoon to compress the “rub” onto both surfaces.  Send the steaks back to the grill, and flip after one minute to get good caramelization on both sides.

For the pairing, I ventured to the depths of the Corl wine vault and selected a 2007 Mayo Family Winery Napa Valley Random Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  Here are some notes from the winemaker:

“Officially this vineyard is in Napa Valley. However, it really sits on the very top of the mountain that divides Sonoma Valley from Napa Valley. The mountain grown grapes give us obscenely rich, intense wine that is stuffed full of dark berry and cassis flavors backed up by a structure that begs for cellaring. Very little is produced in part because yields are so low in the vineyard, but also because fruit from this vineyard is very difficult to come by. Fortunately, our relationship with the owner/grower is quite solid. Enjoy this wine with a medium rare, well seared rib eye.”

Although the winemaker suggests this wine begs for cellaring, we found it silky smooth and ready to drink now.  The dark berry flavors were a wonderful flavor compliment to the bourbon rubbed NY strip steak, and the body was a perfect match.  Steak and Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural pairing – like Tom Brady and Wes Welker – you just can’t lose!

This wine is available online from Mayo Family Winery.  This is a small Sonoma winery that produces spectacular wine.  You will not find it at your local wine store, so give them a visit and enjoy some fantastic wine.

Recipe

Craig’s Bourbon Rub, errr Paste

Ingredients

This recipe provides enough "rub" for two to three steaks

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Grind fennel seed and dried rosemary leaves in a coffee grinder.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Add bourbon (I used Maker's Mark) and mix into a paste.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
5. When you are ready to grill your steaks, season with salt and pepper, and begin grilling using my secret timing formula.  Apply the paste (OFF THE GRILL) to both sides for the last two minutes of the grilling time making sure each side gets one minute of flame time.
6. Happy grilling!

Grilled Vegetables

For the gilled vegetables, I selected a variety of vegetables from the local farm stand that included three different colors of eggplant, potatoes, red pepper, and onion.  I cut the vegetables into bite size chunks, placed them in a foil packet with a pad of butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Place the packets to the side of the grill (off direct heat) when you put the steaks on.  Grilling in the tent for 10 minutes makes for nicely al dente veggie morsels that maintain some texture to match nicely with the steak.  If they are too al dente for you, just leave them on the grill for a few extra minutes while you let the steaks rest before serving.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Grilled Flank Steak Marinated in Balsamic Vinegar with Fresh Garden Vegetables on Garlic and Truffle Focaccia Paired with 2007 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Notwithstanding golf obsession, summer is all about grilling and locally grown fresh produce.  If you are looking to add some variety to your summer grilling adventures, you have come to the right place.  This creation of Chef Sue’s is sure to be a winner with the anxious onlookers standing around your grill.  Chef Sue’s tasty combination of focaccia, fresh vegetables and marinated flank stake have a wonderful depth of flavor and freshness that will gain the envy of your grilling mates.

While this recipe is quite easy, the depth of flavor from each of component stands out brilliantly.  First, we have to start with the marinated flank steak.  The balsamic vinegar adds some nice acidity and the first of many flavor layers (note; balsamic vinegar can be treacherous territory with respect to wine pairing – fortunately no problems here) .  Next, the fresh vegetables (grape tomatoes from Chef Sue’s garden, and onions and zucchini from the local farm stand) add wonderful summer freshness.  The combination of gorgonzola and mozzarella cheese add, eh, cheesy goodness.  Finally, the addition of truffle oil ties all the flavors together with a wonderful earthy bass note.  All these wonderful flavors are supported by a beautifully puffy and equally tasty garlic truffle focaccia.

With respect to the wine pairing, this dish offers a number of possibilities.  Certainly a Chardonnay would blend well with the truffle, garlic, and vegetable combination.  We decided to focus the pairing on the flank steak and went with the 2007 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  We were delighted.  The inviting deep ruby color and rich aromatics of cassis, roasted espresso bean and dark ripe plum follow through with flavors of blackberry, and hints of minerality that linger.  While not an ideal flavor construction for the “fresh vegetable” aspect of the food, it danced beautifully with the flank steak and produced an overall effect that accentuated the flavors of both the food and wine.  We will likely give this paring a another go with a Chardonnay or a light bodied Pinot Noir– just because we can.  And other than the flank steak marinade and the focaccia starter, this meal takes very little forethought.

Recipes

Balsamic Marinated Grilled Flank Steak

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

Preparation

1. Marinate flank steak with all ingredients for at least 4 hours.
2. Grill steak to medium rare - about 6 minutes per side. This may very depending on the temperature of your grill.

Focaccia Starter

Ingredients

• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 cup of warm water
• 3 tablespoons flour

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients and let set for at least 4 hours. If you have more time, that is better. You can let the starter set for up to two days.

Focaccia

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• Focaccia starter
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 - 1 cup of water (depending on humidity - higher humidity = less water)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons truffle oil
• 1 sliced zucchini
• 1 sliced onion
• 12 grape tomatoes sliced in half
• 3/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Combine flour, yeast, herbs, salt, starter and 1/2 cup of water. Mix and continue to add up to an additional 1/2 cup of water or until the dough becomes sticky - whichever comes first.
2. Let rest for one hour.
3. Dust preparation surface with flour and kneed dough for 5 minutes.
4. Cover with towel and let rest for one to three hours.
5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (with pizza stone in the oven)
6. Stretch dough and place on a pizza stone and brush with truffle oil
7. Add zucchini, grape tomatoes, onion, and cheeses.
8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Cut the focaccia to desired serving sizes then top with thinly sliced flank steak, fresh off the grill, being sure to cut across the grain.
10. Just for fun, drizzle a bit more truffle oil over the top of your creation, the aromas will draw everyone to the table.

With the 2 1/2 pound flank steak Chef Sue grilled, we were left with ample leftovers.  I have a great recommendation for this tasty hunk-o-meat.  See my post on “Open Faced Steak Sandwich Topped with Sautéed Celery Root and Leeks Paired with 2006 Benziger Family Winery Sonoma County Merlot.”

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Hard Shell Chicken and Beef Tacos from the Austin Grill Food Truck Paired with 2010 La Ardilla Moscato de Valencia

The recent growth of gourmet food trucks is a good thing.  It is a particularly good thing if you live in a place that has some healthy competition among a number of these creative vendors.  In Washington DC, we are lucky enough to have a great variety of these young entrepreneurs. We have a sufficient number of trucks to warrant a website and an app for both iPhones and Android phones that shows you (in real time) where all the food trucks are located.  Go to Food Truck Fiesta to locate the trucks and find out about the App.

At the moment, Food Truck Fiesta lists 55 trucks with 12 more on the way.  With only a couple of exceptions, these trucks are all offering some unique cuisine.  These are not the hot dog trucks of our childhood.  About a month ago, I decided to make it my mission to methodically and scientifically work my way through each of these food trucks.  I started today with the Austin Grill food truck.

I will be honest and tell you that today’s wine pairing represents about 30 seconds worth of forethought.  Here is my story.  I was walking home from a meeting in NW DC and realized it was closing in on noon…my stomach let me know before my watch did.  So I pulled out my Food Truck Fiesta App and found the trucks that happened to be on my route home.  I selected Austin Grill.  Austin Grill specializes in Tex Mex and today had a $7 special that included two hardshell tacos (one with grilled chicken and the other with grilled steak), rice and beans.

At first, the tacos did not seem to be anything particularly special; corn shells, diced onion, diced tomato, lettuce and shredded cheese.  However, after the second bite, the magic started to happen.  The secret ingredient is the exceptionally well seasoned grilled meat (both the chicken and the beef).  Included in this seasoning is a hint of heat that accentuates the rest of the flavors.  The beans are better than average, and the rice is a unremarkable.  The reason to buy these tacos clearly lies in the perfect grilling and seasoning of the meat – worth the price of admission.

Paired with this little lunch time treat was a 2010 La Ardilla Moscato de Valencia.  When I saw the taco special at Austin Grill, I immediately thought of this Moscato I had tried just the night before.  I really enjoyed this wine.  It is intensely floral on the nose with crisp citrus, and complimentary flavors of citrus, honey, and apricot.  Many times with Moscatos, the sweetness buries the fruit flavors.  Not so with the La Ardilla.  I did not have to hunt for the flavors.  And this wine had a very pleasant surprise – a light effervescence.  The first impression is a wonderful balance between the sweet and the fizz that make this wine both fun and refreshing.

When I purchased the tacos, I was expecting a little piquance and therefore immediately thought of the 2010 La Ardilla Moscato de Valencia to balance the heat with the sweet, fruit, and effervescent components.  The tacos did not have as much heat as I expected, but the pairing still worked exceptionally well – particularly on a hot-almost-July day in DC.

Other pairings that I might try with these tacos would be:

• Beef taco: Zinfandel, Malbec, Syrah, Shiraz, Spanish Rioja.
• Chicken taco: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc.

When you have a choice, support our DC Food Trucks.  I want to see them stick around and continue to surprise us with their creativity.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Carne Adobada: Grilled Adobo-Marinated Skirt Steak Paired with 2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

Chef Sue was on a role yesterday – sending me a number of recipes to add to the batting order for upcoming wine pairings.  She found some dishes that I am very excited about.  Not being one to waste time in such matters, we went straight to work last night.  After picking a recipe and a pairing for last night, I asked Chef Sue “so who is cooking tonight?”  She replied “us.”  That didn’t work out exactly to plan.  Chef Sue loves the kitchen.  Not only does she enjoy creating wonderful meals, she finds her time in the kitchen as a creative and therapeutic release.  I understand this and gladly took up my role as photographer.

When we selected Carne Adobada: Grilled Adobo-Marinated Skirt Steak I was very excited; the recipe made my mouth water well before the wonderful aromas began filling the kitchen.  However, I was very skeptical of the wine pairing – a 2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon (the recipe and pairing came from Epicurious.com).  Chef Sue and I lived in Northern California for a couple years in the mid-1980s.  Living on the meager salary of a US Coast Guard Ensign, we spent many weekends visiting Napa Valley wineries – a cheap way to make an enjoyable weekend.  In these days, my impression of Robert Mondavi winery was equated to a jug wine.  I can’t say what has transpired since this time, but the impression has remained, and wines from Robert Mondavi rarely (ok, never) make it to our table.

My second level of skepticism was that of pairing a Cab with the spicy Carne Adobada.  I was afraid that a Cab would be too heavy and just not feel right with the adobo.  Gratefully, my skepticism was unfounded and we had a great meal and pleasing pairing.

The extremely flavorful adobo marinade (with a portion reserved to use as a salsa when plating) coupled with the smoky flavors added from the grill made the flank steak a truly tasty centerpiece for the meal.  The Mondavi Cabernet was not as heavy as I feared, and the dark fruit flavors played nicely with the high notes of the adobo and guacamole.  Overall, it was very well balanced.

In the end, I concluded that it would be a good idea for me to check my biases toward Robert Mondavi wines (and others I had paced in the jug wine category) and let the wines speak for themselves.  At under $10, the 2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is a good value and a good pairing wine.

Here is the link to the Carne Adobada: Grilled Adobo-Marinated Skirt Steak recipe at Epicurious.com.  I give this recipe two big thumbs up and definitely recommend it for your summer grilling season.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig