Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Blueberry Pomegranate and Red Wine Reduction, Oven Roasted Parsnips Paired with 2007 Barboursville Vineyards Virginia Octagon

When conceiving of a wine pairing, there are two entry points; select a wine and prepare a menu complementing the wine, or start with a feature dish and select an appropriate wine.  Most of the time, my routine begins with the inspiration to prepare a dish followed by a wine selection.  This pairing is an exception.  Octagon is the signature wine produced by Barboursville Vineyards.  This exalted position is well deserved.  I sampled this wine at a tasting months before and was quite impressed.  Due to my affection for this wine, I was excited to prepare a meal that showcased the wonderful flavors in both the wine, and my yet to be conceived culinary creation.

Octagon exemplifies what the best of what Virginia wineries are striving for and more frequently achieving; a wonderful expression of terroir.  A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, one would think you were sipping a fine Bordeaux yet with a welcoming assertion of Virginia climate, exposure, altitude, care, and soil.

This full bodied red features aromas of berry, plum, and dark cherry which are echoed on the palate.  Rich, silky tannins lead to a lengthy and refined finish.  It is rich, elegant, and a real pleasure.

In conceiving this pairing, I needed a construction that first mated well with the full bodied Octagon while also complementing the berry, plum and dark cherry flavors.  To match the body, I began my thought process with lamb chops, then added the blueberry pomegranate reduction to echo the flavors of the wine.  The result was spectacular.

The key to this wildly successful pairing was selection of the lamb as the protein and adding the complementing flavors of the reduction.  In terms of principal flavors, the lamb and the reduction contributed equally and resulted in a pairing that was absolutely heavenly.

Recipes

Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Blueberry Pomegranate and Red Wine Reduction

Ingredients

• 8 lamb rib chops or one rack of lamb cut into 4 sections (8 ribs per rack)
• 2 tablespoons. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced shallot
• 1/2 cup blueberry pomegranate juice
• 1/2 of the berries from a pomegranate
• 1/4 cup full-bodied dry red wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter divided into small cubes
• Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Liberally season the lamb chops with salt and pepper on both sides. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. 
3. Sear the chops until browned on both sides (about 2 minutes per side for medium rare, or 3 minutes per side for medium). 
4. Place the chops on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
5. Add the shallot to the same pan with remaining fat and cook, stirring constantly, until browned. 
6. Add the pomegranate juice, wine, chicken stock, vinegar, and thyme and reduce by half 
7. Reduce the heat to medium low and add butter, keeping on the heat until the butter melts. 
8. Adjust seasoning.
9. Run reduction through a fine sieve and ladle over lamb.
10.   Garnish with pomegranate berries. 

For Oven roasted parsnips and onions, peel four parsnips (or whatever quantity you need for feeding your dinner crowd) and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Add to a large mixing bowl.  Slice an onion and add to the bowl.  Chop 1/2 cup of cilantro and add to bowl.  Drizzle contents with olive oil (enough to lightly coat), season with salt and pepper, and toss.  Spread evenly over a sheet pan and place in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until parsnips are tender.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Lamb Spinach Ricotta Ravioli in a White Wine Mushroom Cream Sauce Paired with 2009 14 Hands Washington State Chardonnay

I’m afraid the description of this pairing will not follow the normal form.  First, the pairing was supposed to be with a 2009 Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay – but Chef Sue and I drank it while preparing the meal – oops.  Second, I don’t have a recipe – this meal (and pairing) started as an idea and was a “cook on the fly” type experience sticking within the broad idea for the meal.  The dish is not difficult, so an idea was sufficient.  This is a common experience for our weekends at our secret Southern Maryland waterfront lair – no rules, just ideas.

Although I will not be providing a recipe, this was not that complicated with the exception of all the home made ingredients which include ricotta, lamb sausage, and the pasta.  If you are not prepared to whip up those parts in your kitchen, make a substitution from the grocery store and butcher – it won’t hurt my feelings.  Between my description and the photographs, I am confident you can recreate this wonderful dish.

In the last year, Chef Sue has tilted over the edge and decided that we should be making our own cheese.  Being a Homer Simpson-like fan of cheese, I don’t complain.  And because this is Chef Sue’s little running science project, all I have to do is sit back and enjoy the fruits of her labor.  Not a bad deal.  This dish started with Chef Sue making fresh ricotta.  Yum.  There is a world of difference between home made ricotta and the stuff that comes in the plastic tub.  Added to this cheesy goodness is some garlic sautéed spinach and some freshly ground lamb combined with some fennel and ground mushrooms to form the loose lamb sausage.

Next comes the pasta for creating the ravioli – just follow the pictures – easy stuff.  Once the pasta is ready, stuff it with the spinach-ricotta-lamb sausage mixture, seal it with an egg wash, cut to shape and it is ready for the swimming pool.

Finally, Chef Sue topped the cooked ravioli in a white wine mushroom cream sauce.  We used dried mushrooms, so the soaking water was a key ingredient in the sauce.  Plate, garnish (parsley and shaved parmesan), and enjoy.

The flavors in this dish are the ones that make you smile involuntarily.  Earthy mushroom, creamy smoothness from the sauce and the fresh ricotta, a little gaminess from the lamb and a touch of bitter from the spinach and garlic.  A other-worldly mixture and balance of flavors.  Add a touch of truffle oil or truffle salt to achieve interplanetary travel.

I have to be honest and tell you that it has been over a month since we prepared this meal, and I don’t recall the specific flavors of the wine (maybe the fault of that first bottle of Cakebread).  But I am confident in saying the wine was a delight and the pairing a real treat.  Lacking a crystal clear memory, here are a few notes from the people at 14 hands:

“14 Hands Chardonnay offers bright aromas of apples and pears with a touch of caramel and spice. Elegant fruit flavors give way to hints of butter and coconut, ending with a juicy finish. Balanced and approachable, this wine can stand alone as an aperitif or partners well with buttered fish, grilled pork or pasta with cream sauce.”

Sounds about right to me – and pasta with cream sauce – YES!  The fruit and buttery finish I hazily recall as prominent and key to working well with the ravioli and cream sauce.  At $12 a bottle, this wine definitely falls into the category of excellent value.

My apologies for the less than precise rendering of this pairing, but every once in a while it is good to use your imagination.  Maybe one of these days I will post a pairing with nothing but photos and let you figure it out – now there is a challenge!

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Taste and Flavor for Food and Wine Pairing

The photograph leading off this post is simply gratuitous.  Unlike most posts, this one is more about words than photos.  So if you are just looking for the pretty photographs of great food, you can turn back now.  However, if you want to read about taste and flavor, read on.

My purposes for Craig’s Grape Adventure are several including a great excuse to enjoy great food and wine, explore food and wine pairings I have not yet experienced, uncover the “why” of food and wine pairing that creates a sensation greater than the sum of it’s parts, and of course to enjoy making it all look good through photography. The purpose of this article is to begin discussing our experience of taste and flavor to lay the foundation for understanding why food and wine pairings work – or don’t.

For those of you who already have a solid understanding of this, I apologize – like my good friends who enjoy all the pretty pictures, you too can turn back now. However, among my group of friends and others who have written to me, I know that the understanding of pairings vary dramatically; from those who are eager learners to those who are more skilled than I am. I trust everyone will find a grain of useful information. To begin the discussion I want to focus on taste and flavor. While some argue the distinction between taste and flavor is a matter of splitting hairs, I believe there is good reason to distinguish and hope to make the case here.

We are all aware of the five basic tastes; sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness and the less well understood and more recent acknowledgement in western cuisine – umami. And this story of tastes is a debate that has not yet ended. Consider the flavor of piquance that comes from the Spanish word “picante” which reflects our sensation of spiciness – as in spicy hot – a taste with roots in Chinese, Indian, and Japanese cuisine. Personally, I like the expanded definition of tastes; it gives us more and better ways to describe our experience. For my less than scientific purposes, I will admit all six.

Because umami is less well understood in Western culture, let me take just a moment to talk about it. Umami comes from the Japanese and means a pleasant savory taste. Some research suggests that rather than a distinct taste, umami refers to a distinctive quality or completeness of flavor which in the West we would generally describe as savory or simply delicious. Personally, I generally use it as a declaration of particularly delicious food like a steak fresh off the grill when I exclaim “ooooooh mommy!” Umami is common among proteins, like the NY strip steak I just seared and grilled to perfection, and vegetables – think of ripe tomatoes, eggplant, fish, mushrooms, soy sauce, and spinach. When you think of these foods, you can imagine the mild and pleasing taste that is difficult to describe. Just thinking about it starts the salivation and conjures flavors concentrated in the back of the mouth.

While on the subject of umami, a good question is whether we experience umami in wine. The answer is yes! But unfortunately it is not commonplace. Umami develops in wines that are at the peak of maturity and quality and typically appear in wines that have been treated with extreme care and involve artisanal methods such as barrel or cuve fermentation, malolactic fermentation, extended barrel development, bottling with no filtration, and aging in temperature and humidity controlled cellars. Chances of experiencing umami in wine increase with bottle aged wines in the three to ten year range.

The debate of umami and wine continues to rage – mostly because of the chemical-receptor processes involved (too deep for me!), but I am confident I have experienced it. A recent umami experience with umami in both the wine and the food came with my Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon pairing with lamb from the Decanting Napa Valley cookbook. That was a serious ooooh mommy moment. Finally, don’t expect to find umami flavors in young fresh wines. These wines focus on the tastes that generally do not include umami. When it comes to umami and wine, think of mature rather than fresh.

When we experience food, these basic tastes are just the start. Other strong contributors to our experience include smell, texture, temperature and the visual component. I won’t dwell on the visual component, but I am confident we have all had the pleasure of a beautiful dish (or not so much) that affected our expectations and therefore influenced our judgment of the flavor.  Now we get to the hear of the matter; the difference between taste and flavor. Taste refers to the receptors that send a signal to the brain. Flavors are the more complex combination of all these additional components. In other words, when you take your first bite of a perfectly prepared and plated foie gras, the combination of appearance, aroma, texture, taste, and temperature all contribute to your experience and judgment of flavor. It is this integration of the senses that compose the flavor. This helps explain why we describe wine in terms of flavors (fruit, citrus, acidity, earth, fresh, dark, deep, spice, and so on) rather than taste. Another way to think about it is understanding taste as physical (bitter, sour, salty, sweet, umami) and flavor is the sum of our perceptions from all these tastes plus the aroma, texture, temperature, and appearance. Flavor is cognitive – meaning it is the recognition that happens after the taste signals are transmitted. Taste is a finite chemically induced piece of information, while flavor is an infinite mental construct which can also include intangibles of memory and place such as that bite of lobster macaroni and cheese that takes you back fondly to a New England dockside food shack with lobster boats bobbing in the distance.

To wrap up this first installment of the “stuff” that informs our choices of food and wine pairing, the conclusion is that flavors are complex and infinite. The good news is that with an infinite (ok, maybe almost infinite) set of flavors and flavor combinations, we have lots of room for making food and wine pairing an extremely pleasurable experience. In future posts we will look at flavor descriptions, flavor and aroma, and some of the rules of thumb that help us understand why pairings work – or don’t.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Lamb and Cauliflower Purée Paired with 2006 Ghost Block Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

As promised in the preview, I am back to share all the tasty details of this pairing.  First, I want to note that I deviated a bit from the original recipe out of necessity.  The full title of the recipe from the Decanting Napa Valley cookbook is “Spiced New Zealand Lamb Loin Fennel Frawns, White Pepper Foam, Cauliflower Purée.”  My decision to prepare this dish was a bit last minute based on a welcome surprise visit by Photo Buddy John (John A Downey II Photography) who also served as the guest photographer for this pairing.

Due to the last minute decision, the lead role of New Zealand Lamb Loin was adeptly played by a gorgeous Lamb Shank.  The supporting role of White Pepper Foam was omitted due to the lack of lecithin and a failed attempt to use unflavored gelatin in place of the lecithin.  Otherwise, the recipe was played according to script.

The Food

This was a wonderfully balanced dish.  The unique gamey flavors of the lamb were balanced by the fennel and in particular the lemon vinaigrette dressed fennel frawns perched atop the medium cooked lamb.  Prior to going into the oven, the lamb was coated in a spice mixture of fennel seeds, bay leaf, coriander and salt.  After a quick searing, the lamb headed for the oven and was brought to an internal temperature of 140 then left to rest for about 20 minutes as the cauliflower purée was finished.

The tasting team (Chef Sue, Golf Buddy Steve, Photographer Buddy John, and Formerly of Austin Dawn) all had high praises for the dish.  Across the board, we agreed that the most pleasing bite included a small bit of everything; lamb, fennel, fennel frawns, and cauliflower purée.  It is clearly a recipe designed to have everything play harmoniously in a single mouthwatering bite.  Chef Sue was particularly enamored with the cauliflower exclaiming “I could make a meal out of this alone.”  Formerly of Austin Dawn  was the big surprise of the night.  Dawn is not a fan of lamb although she has tried it in many forms.  In this case, she was literally dancing in her seat.  Follow this link to hear about it in her own words.

Normally when discussing the dish, I pick out the key flavors that are the headliners and those that are playing a supporting role – important when it comes time to discuss the pairing.  In this case I am at a loss – this was a symphony of glorious harmonies.  The lamb was balanced by the fennel and vinaigrette, which was complemented perfectly by the creamy sweetness of the cauliflower purée.  In addition to the harmony of flavors, the contrasting textures made each bite a true pleasure.

The Wine

The recipe was paired with a 2006 Ghost Block Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  In a word it was spectacular!  Of course I have more words, but first lets see what the winemaker says about this wine.

“The 2006 vintage has elegant aromas of cherry, blackberry, spice and roses. The palate confirms the nose with flavors of ripe blackberry, chocolate-covered cherries and coffee.  The finish is long and lingering, with notes of toffee and cherries. This wine is both  complex and balanced.”

My only issue with this description is that it should include a bunch of expletives pronouncing the spiritual experience you will have upon the first sip.  Yes, choirs of angels, euphoria, and a sense that all is right in the world accompanies each drop.  As we were nearing the end of the bottle, each of us were taking smaller, and smaller sips in the desperate hope we could make it last just a few minutes longer.

In addition to the wonderful flavors (and choirs of angels), the wine makes an unforgettable first impression with the combination of complexity and smoothness as the winemaker promises.  In other words, all the flavors mentioned in the tasting notes are there, but they are all subtle and perfectly in balance.  This wine makes you think; the flavors do not assault you but rather tease you to find them as they play hide-and-seek.

Just a bit ago, when I wrote about “Butternut Squash and Chorizo Empanadas with Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay” I expressed my opinion that while an excellent wine, the Cakebread Chardonnay was over priced at $44.  As evidence that I was not just being cheap, we all concluded that the Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon is worth every penny of the $65.

The Pairing

Like the perfectly balanced recipe and the exquisitely balanced wine, the dominant impression of the pairing was also one of perfect symmetry.  None of the flavors from the food nor wine were screaming for attention but rather melded in a wondrous sense of tranquility.  It was akin to old friends meeting in a familiar embrace after a long absence.

I would be very pleased to go on at length about how one aspect of the lamb or cauliflower complemented or contrasted with some aspect of the wine – but I can’t.  This was one of the most congruous and synchronically composed pairings I have ever experienced.  The stunned silence around the table as we began to indulge was clear evidence this is a winner (along with the ooohs, aaahs, and other moans of enchantment).

Final Words

If you have not been to church, temple, ashram, hanging out with Himalayan Monks, mosque, or otherwise have not had a significant spiritual experience in last few weeks, I highly recommend this pairing.  Here are a couple of options; 1) buy the wine and do your best to mimic the description I provided, 2) visit the good folks at Decanting Wine Country, buy the book and skip the recipe guessing (I am not supported or sponsored…just a dedicated foodie), or 3) buy a couple bottles of the wine and a loin of lamb, come to my place and I will gladly do the cooking.

Thanks again to Photo Buddy John for playing guest photographer and thus allowing me to focus on the food and wine.  I encourage you to visit and check out his remarkable photography.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Preview: Lamb and Cauliflower Purée Paired with Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon

This is just a short posting to whet your appetite.  Last night we launched back into the Decanting Napa Valley cookbook for our second pairing – lamb and cauliflower purée paired with Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon.  This pairing can be easily summed up in the sounds freely flowing around the table last night as we took our first bites and sips.  Oooh.  Aaaaaah.  Wow.  Oh my.  Mmmmmmm.  It seemed that no one was capable of delivering a hard consonant.

The tasting crowd included Chef Sue, Golf Buddy Steve, Photographer Buddy John, and Formerly of Austin Dawn.  Most surprised among the crowd was Formerly of Austin Dawn who does not like lamb, but in this case quickly fell in sync with the oooohs, aaaaahs, and mmmmmms.  But don’t take my word for it.  I ‘m quite sure that Formerly of Austin Dawn will be describing it in her own words.
Check back later this week for all the tasty details.
In vino veritas, buen provecho.
Craig

Lamb–And the Answer is 2009 Don Miguel Gascón Malbec

And the wine I (hastily) chose for the Rosemary, Thyme and Mint Crusted Leg of Lamb was the 2009 Don Miguel Gascón Malbec from Mendoza Argentina.  If you are confused, follow the link back to the first in this two-part post.  The first article discusses the food and challenged you to pick a wine.  Several of you left comments or sent me a note with your choices.  Each were very good choices – one of which was a Cotes du Rhone that I think would have been spectacular.  However, my choice was this Malbec, and I am now here to defend my choice.
Don Miguel Gascón produces only Malbec.  From year to year, this wine is a consistent great value at a mere $10 (+/-) and frequently is rated between 85 and 90.  But being a good value is not sufficient reason to pair this with Chef Sue’s wonderful boneless leg of lamb (and supporting cast).  I chose this Malbec because I couldn’t think of anything else at the moment of the acidity it brings to balance the sweet mint jelly and the full fruit notes blended with the game flavors of the lamb.  Along with the acidity, this Malbec adds some fine tannins and flavors of blackberry, plum and a nose that includes a dusty earthiness.  The earthiness in the nose was a nice compliment to the gamey lamb…I could almost smell the field where our little lamb once frolicked…until we ate it.  Finally, the adequately long finish of this wine brings hints of cocoa – another nice match for both the lamb and the mint jelly.
I have to admit that the mint jelly was key to making this pairing work.  Chef Sue, Steve the Golf Buddy, and I all tried portions of the lamb with and without the mint jelly.  Our panel agreed that the combination of young tannins and acidity were too much for the lamb alone.  The mint jelly was a key component to creating a balance.

If you have not spent much time exploring Malbecs, I encourage you to do so.  There are some great flavors and great values.  And just in case you had not noticed, the Malbecs are one of the hottest things going now…Merlot was kicked aside by the Pinot Noirs, and now the Pinot is feeling the pressure of the the spirited Malbec.  On the other hand, I could care less about trends.  I drink what I like, and you should too!
In vino veritas, in victus sanitas
Craig

Rosemary, Thyme and Mint Crusted Leg of Lamb

Oh dear baby Jesus (thanks Ricky Bobby for that quote)!  It was a Friday in Washington DC and my wife (Chef Sue) and I took the back door out of DC and headed down to our weekend getaway on the Potomac river (affectionately known as the Crab Shack).  I met Chef Sue at the house and was greeted with a pronouncement of the menu for the evening.  I was both excited to indulge, but unprepared with wine…and therefore…oh dear baby Jesus!

Here is the menu:

• Baked elephant garlic with brie on toasted baguette
• Roasted butternut ginger soup garnished with pan fried ginger strips
• Rosemary, thyme, and mint crusted Australian boneless leg of lamb
• Garlic, truffle, and parmesan gnocchi
• Roasted cauliflower with chickpeas and onions
• Two tickets to the phat pharm.

As Chef Sue stunned me with this great news, I instantly thought this deserved a feature on the blog…but I needed the right wine.  With no good wine stores within 30 minutes of our secret Potomac lair, I quickly called Golf Buddy Steve who was on his way the Crab Shack and placed a wine order.  It was a hasty decision, but one that worked well.  Alas, you will have to wait until the next posting before my choice is revealed.

In the mean time, I encourage you to take a look at the menu, the recipes, and make your decision.  Which wine would you choose?  As a hint about my selection, the thought process was focused solely on the lamb.  Take a moment and leave a comment with your choice.

And here are the recipes:

Baked elephant garlic with brie on toasted baguette

First, admire the majesty of the elephant garlic, then cut off the pointy end, drizzle on some olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, and place in a preheated oven at 350 for about an hour or until the exposed garlic cloves turn golden brown.

Slice and lightly toast a baguette – I’m sure you can handle this without insulting but potentially comical directions.

When the garlic is done, crank the knob up to 400 and throw in (ok, gently place) a whole brie (straight from the fridge) for 15 minutes.  Spread a clove of buttery smooth garlic on your toast, add a generous dollop of brie lava flow, close your eyes, and moan seductively.  This, along with a pomegranate martini should keep you entertained through the rest of the preparations.

Roasted butternut ginger soup with pan fried ginger strips

Quarter two butternut squash and remove the seeds along with the other stringy stuff.  Once cleaned and pretty, finish cutting the squash into roughly one inch squares and place on a sheet pan.  Do the same favor for a large onion by cutting into large chunks and separating the pieces.  Now give the squash and onion some company by cutting an inch and a half piece of fresh ginger root, peal, and slice into thin strips.  With the trio mingling on the sheet pan, fulfill their last wishes by drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

After the 45 minute sauna, add the happy veggies to 4 coups of chicken stock.  Blend, strain, and combine in a pot with two cans of coconut milk and another one inch section of thinly sliced fresh ginger.  Season to taste, heat and serve with pan fried ginger strips as a tasty garnish (one and a quarter inch section thinly sliced and fried to a medium crisp in veggie oil). 

Rosemary, thyme, and mint crusted Australian boneless leg of lamb

Head out to the back yard and slaughter a lamb.  Fresh is best.  If your butchering skills are under developed, pick up a boneless leg of lamb (which normally comes with a handy net around it) and tuck herbs into the webbing (rosemary, thyme and mint)  Alternatively, combine your herbs in a food processor with butter to make a tasty suntan oil for your lamb.  Massage the paste into the lamb with lots of love.

Place your herb happy lamb in a roasting pan and then into your 400 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes (uncovered).  Reduce heat to 350 and cook until the lamb is at a pleasant internal temp of 140 (approx 1.5 hours).  Wrap in aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.

Now, the juicy good part: put the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat and deglaze with 1 cup of madeira followed shortly by one cup of water.  Stir until all the little tasty chunky parts are swimming in unison and singing a 60’s folk song.  Reduce in the same pan by 1/3 then strain into a small sauce pan and reduce again by 1/3.  Adorn your lamb with this tasty reduction when serving.  A final blessing with a dab of mint jelly completes the miracle upon plating.

Garlic, truffle, and parmesan gnocchi

Boil three potatoes and rice them (see the steamy photo below).  Make a bowl with the riced potatoes, add 1 cup of flower to the bowl, then 2 egg yolks and one complete egg (less the hard stuff).  Mix with a fork then add 1/2 cup of parmesan, salt, pepper and pinch of nutmeg.  Lightly form a ball bigger than a golf ball, but smaller than a baseball then roll into a log of one inch diameter.  Cut into 1” pieces, and repeat until you have no more gnocchi dough.  Boil water and add gnocchi - boil until they float then drain. Sauté some chef selected mushrooms and shallots in olive oil and add a touch of truffle salt to excite your adoring fans.  Add the sauté to the gnocchi, toss and cover with freshly grated cheese.

Roasted cauliflower with chickpeas and onion

Cut a whole cauliflower into 1/2 inch slices cutting from top to stem.  After a back flip and 1 and a half twists, the cauliflower should be resting on a sheet pan with a thinly sliced vidalia onion to keep company. Make it a harmonious trio by adding a can of drained garbanzo beans, coat with olive oil, cumin, salt pepper, coriander, paprika, and minced garlic.  Bake for 25 minutes at 400 or until cauliflower is smiling (crispy brown on the edges).

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig