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

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Pastured Chicken Paired with 2011 Barboursville Vineyards Virginia Sauvignon Blanc

This is a hurricane Sandy special edition of Craig's Grape Adventure.  When a hurricane is bearing down on you, what do you do?  Me?  I open a bottle of wine and head to the kitchen!

This meal was inspired by a recent visit to P.A. Bowen Farmstead which is an "old-fashioned pasture-based, mixed species, soy-free farm that uses modern technologies and biodynamic techniques."  Spectacularly rich cheese made from raw milk is the crown jewel produced by the farm.  My eyes get all dreamy when thinking of this wonderful cheese.  But cheese is not the only product sold at their farm store.  Pastured chicken, processed on the farm weekly, is a prominent offering.  Last Friday, I visited the farm to photograph and video chicken processing.

After four hours of shooting, I purchased a freshly plucked chicken for this meal.  I settled on roasting the chicken with rosemary and garlic.  This is a simple preparation that allows the flavor of the chicken to shine through.  In the case of a pastured chicken, this is important.  Unlike the relatively flavorless industrial chickens from a big box grocer, pastured chicken from the P.A. Bowen Farmstead is abundant with flavor.  However, the flavor is difficult to describe.  As I contemplated the flavor and tried to find words, I finally settled on an analogy.  This pastured chicken represents the terroir of the pasture it comes from, much as exceptional wines express the region and soil where the grapes are grown.  The flavors of clover, and multiple grass species speak through the chicken.

The 2011 Barboursville Vineyards Virginia Sauvignon Blanc is a treasure.  Although Virginia is not known for Sauvignon Blanc, the folks at Barboursville have broken the code.  The nose is light and floral with herbal hints.  The subdued and refreshing aromas are reinforced by a similarly subtle flavor - much less "in your face" than California interpretations or those of New Zealand.  Dried apricot is the most pronounced with supporting flavors of stone fruits and a hint of pear.  The acidity is well balanced with the flavors - it does not distract and is consistent with the subtle nature of this wine.  The finish is surprisingly long and elegant with a pleasing hint of honeysuckle.  I am impressed with wines that do not scream for my attention but rather invite me to explore - a much appreciated restrained approach.  Barboursville has hit all the right notes in this somewhat softened version of Sauvignon Blanc.  Well done!

The restrained approach to roasting the chicken with rosemary and garlic mated perfectly with the similarly restrained Sauvignon Blanc from Barboursville Vineyards.  Neither demanded undue attention, but rather invited enjoyment of the well balanced combination.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• 10 red potatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely ground with a mortar and pestle
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 head cleaned garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 stick of butter
• Salt and Pepper

Preparation

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.  Allow to rest and continue to air dry for 15 minutes.
2. Leave butter at room temperature to soften.
3. Combine ground rosemary and minced garlic with the butter to form a paste.
4. Season the inside of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, then stuff with the head of garlic and rosemary sprigs.
5. Coat the chicken with the butter-rosemary-garlic paste reserving approximately 1/3 of the paste for the potatoes.
6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan (with grate).
7. Put chicken in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
8. Melt the remaining butter paste in the microwave and pour over the potatoes in a large bowl.  Season the potatoes with salt and pepper then toss to coat evenly.
9. After 30 minutes in the oven, add the potatoes around the chicken and continue in the oven for another 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170-180 degrees.
10. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder with a Barbecue Rag Sauce

Hello friends.  Today we are going a little off script.  No photos, no wine pairing (although I will offer some suggestions).  Yesterday, Chef Sue smoked a pork shoulder basted with a barbecue rag sauce that was absolutely heavenly.  Although we did not intend this as one of our normal wine pairings (and therefore no photos and no wine pairing assessment), the smoked pork shoulder was just too good to keep to myself.

If you decide to try this preparation, there are a number of wines that I would recommend.  Here is my list of potentially good choices:

• Pinot Noir
• A red Bordeaux or a Bordeaux style blend
• Syrah/Shiraz
• Cabernet Franc
• Chenin Blanc
• Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in Pork shoulder
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper for rag sauce
• Salt and pepper for seasoning the pork shoulder

Preparation

1. Preheat smoker to 200-225 degrees
2. Generously season pork shoulder with salt and pepper and place in smoker.
3. Combine all non-pork ingredients to make a basting sauce also known as a rag sauce (the masters of BBQ often apply their basting sauce with a new clean rag mop or kitchen rag – hence a rag sauce).
4. Every half hour, brush basting sauce over the pork shoulder with a basting brush or your choice of clean rag.
5. Continue cooking in smoker until you reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees.  Plan on approximately one hour per pound.
6. Allow pork shoulder to rest, covered with a towel, for ½ hour.
7. Serve with any leftover rag sauce on the side.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Venezuelan Hamburger and Cuban Congri Paired with 2010 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Sarah Chapeau Virginia Vidal Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Blend

A true Venezuelan hamburger does not exist to my knowledge.  In fact, hamburgers are not very common in Venezuela other than the big chains that export the worst of our U.S. culture to all corners of the world.  Venezuelan’s have plenty of great street/fast food like pepitos, empanadas, and arepas – tough competition for the hamburger (for an arepa and pepito wine paring see my posts Venezuelan Arepas with Reina Pepiada and Pollo Mechado Paired with 2009 Benziger Family Winery Carneros Chardonnay, and Venezuelan Pepito, Guasacaca, Salsa de Ajo Paired with 2009 Clos Du Bois Sonoma Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay respectively). So rather than present a Venezuelan hamburger, I will be honest and present you with a Venezuela inspired hamburger.

By the way, for all my Venezuelan friends, if you care to correct me regarding my interpretation of a Venezuela inspired hamburger, I would love to hear from you.  I miss all of you, and your beautiful country (less so el presidente although he made every day an interesting one).

Conceiving of a Venezuelan Hamburger was quite easy.  Venezuelans like beef and pork equally and frequently enjoy both on the grill.  This gives us the first component – a burger made from 50% ground beef and 50% ground pork.  Next we add a slice of deli ham.  I’m not sure why, but just about every type of “fast food” or street food in Venezuela is adorned with a sliver or two of ham.

While not prevalent in all of the country, in the mountainous areas of Venezuela it is common to find a fried egg added to many dishes – particularly sandwiches, arepas, pepitos, and the like.  Finally, we top the burger with a slice of avocado and the ubiquitous Venezuelan salsa de ajo (garlic sauce).

If you follow the news, you know that Venezuela and Cuba enjoy close diplomatic relations.  As a result, the Cuban population in Venezuela has grown dramatically in the last 10 years.  One of the culinary delights that accompany Cubans is congri – seasoned black beans and rice.  If you don’t get excited at the sound of beans and rice, I understand.  However, I promise you that congri is much more than beans and rice.  It is rice and bean heaven!

I chose the 2010 Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn Sarah Chapeau Virginia Vidal Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Blend to for the pairing.  Normally, I would choose a medium to full bodied red to pair with a hamburger.  Routine choices might include a Bordeaux, Merlot, Zinfandel or Syrah depending on the cheese and other toppings.  However, this burger does not require a heavier bodied wine and features much lighter flavors.  First, the 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground pork brighten the patty flavors dramatically compared to an all beef burger.  Second, the choice of ham, fried egg, avocado and salsa de ajo beg for acidity, melon or bright fruit, and a lighter body.

Winemakers notes:  A hint of strawberries and rose petals.  The nose will entwine and tease you.  Flowery fruity yet tangy melon notes laced with a touch of semi-sweetness promises to satisfy your very soul.  To these notes I would add that the wine featured moderate acidity well matched to the food, and a hint of citrus that also worked exceptionally well.

If you live in the DC area, Aspen Dale Winery is just a short drive West on 66.  We had a very pleasant experience in a beautiful setting.  A visit is well worth your time.  I am confident that a visit to the tasting room will bring smiles – and a few bottles of wine for your collection.

Recipes

For the burger, mix 50% ground pork with 50% ground beef.  Prepare as you would any burger.

Salsa de Ajo

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper cleaned, deveined and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 of a medium onion chopped
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Cuban Congri

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Black Beans
• 2 Cups White Rice
• 5 Cups Water
• 12 ounces of Salt Pork cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1/2 Red Pepper chopped
• 1/2 Yellow Pepper chopped
• 1/2 Green Pepper chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 Onion chopped
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Cook black beans in water. I used a pressure cooker with 5 cups of water - it took just 20 minutes.
2. Roughly chop the peppers and onions.
3. Heat olive oil in 4 quart sauce pan over medium high and cook salt pork , stirring occasionally, until pork is golden and crisp.
4. Add onions, bay leaves, bell peppers, garlic and cumin. Sauté over medium-high heat until onion is tender.
5. Add rice and stir in.
6. Add the cooked beans along with the water used to cook them and let sit, do not cover or stir.
7. Continue to cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low, stir, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. 

Broiled Oysters Paired with 2009 Mayo Family Winery Emma's Vineyard Napa Valley Unwooded Sauvignon Blanc

This pairing was inspired by two recent events.  The first was the Old Ebbitt Grill annual Oyster Riot, and the second a visit to Senart’s Oyster & Chop House on Barracks Row in Washington DC.  In the last month, I have consumed more Oysters than I normally slurp down over the course of several years.  What have I been thinking?  I love oysters!

I attended the Oyster Riot with a group of friends that made for a wonderful evening.  Not only is this event a celebration of oysters, it features the top wines from an international competition of oyster and wine pairing – right up my alley.  Unsurprisingly, the wines were dominated by Sauvignon Blanc – a pairing that virtually guarantees success.  The real surprise was the variety of flavors represented by oysters harvested up and down the East and West coasts of the U.S. and Canada.  I had no idea there was such a diversity of flavor from the humble oyster.

The three dimensions on which the flavors varied were salinity, sweetness, and earthiness – in order of prominence.  The oyster riot features stands of oysters each labeled with the location they were harvested making comparisons easy and quite enjoyable.  The first two dimensions of flavor were easily distinguishable – salinity and relative sweetness jumped out immediately.  More subtle was the component of earthiness – a mushroom-like flavor that was particularly noticeable in the Rhode Island oysters.  Coincidentally, the Rhode Island oysters were my favorite closely followed by a selection from British Colombia.

More recently, Chef Sue, Golf Buddy Steve, Formerly of Austin Dawn and I visited Senart’s Oyster & Chop House following an exciting victory of the New England Patriots over the Washington Redskins.  I am a fan of both teams, but was happy the game was close and the Pats came out on top.  I instantly targeted the broiled oysters on the menu to cap off a great day – and what a good choice they were.  I also came to the conclusion “hey, I can make these!”  My approach to preparing the broiled oysters is directly inspired by the expert preparation at Senart’s Oyster & Chop House and is a near relative to Oysters Rockefeller.

Sauvignon Blanc is a classic pairing for Oysters.  The 2009 Mayo Family Winery Emma's Vineyard Napa Valley Unwooded Sauvignon Blanc is no exception.  The great folks at Mayo Family Winery recognize this holy marriage as well - as they state on the bottle “Serve this crisp, fruity, elegant wine alongside oysters on the half shell…”

Notes from the winemaker:

“Emma's Vineyard in Napa Valley is the source of Sauvignon Blanc grapes that always possess a citrus character we love so much and you will too. This wine has always been one of our most popular bottlings for its expressive and refreshing qualities. The 2009 vintage is made from the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines on the property and delivers stone fruit notes, a fresh palate presence and hints of grapefruit and lemon. Perfect for the last warm days of the year.”

So why do Sauvignon Blanc and oysters work so well together?  The answer is that not all Sauvignon Blancs work well. To achieve a well balanced pairing, seek out a Sauvignon Blanc that features fruit that is not over ripened and sweet.  A light bodied, crisp, grassy, Sauvignon Blanc with healthy acidity and minerality will echo the flavors in the oyster while offering a balancing level of acidity much like the wedge of lime we often add.  A joyous experience – precisely accomplished by the 2009 Mayo Family Winery Emma's Vineyard Napa Valley Unwooded Sauvignon Blanc.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 fresh oysters in the shell
• 6 ounce package of baby spinach cleaned and dried
• Gruyere cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 strips bacon
• White caviar
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. Halve the bacon lengthwise then cut into one inch lengths.
2. Render bacon in a large skillet over medium low heat. Do not allow the bacon to crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Finely dice when cooled.
3. In same skillet with remaining bacon fat, add minced garlic and sauté until just browning.
4. Add spinach, wilt, and sauté. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and reserve.
5. Clean the oysters under cold water and scrub with a brush to remove whatever may be left clinging to the shell.
6. Shuck the oysters with an oyster knife and a oyster glove or knife glove. Shucking oysters can be a challenge until you find the little opening near the hinge. Insert the knife, and twist to open. Using an oyster knife and a oyster shucking glove is important to keeping you from the emergency room and unwanted stitches. Retain the oyster in the deep side of the shell.
7. Assemble the oysters by placing a small bed of spinach in the bottom of the shell, add the oyster, then a one inch square sliver of gruyere cheese and top with diced bacon from step 2.
8. Place under a broiler for five minutes or until cheese melts. For those of you who do not like the slimy texture of oysters, no fear. The broiling process takes care of this.
9. Remove from broiler top with caviar and serve with a wedge of lemon.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Korean Tacos with Marinated Sirloin Cooked on a Himalayan Salt Plate Paired with Sauvignon Blanc

Chef Sue and I went shopping for a couple of kitchen gadgets yesterday, something I used to dread, but now enjoy almost as much as a good round of golf…almost.  One of the items on the list was a Himalayan salt plate.  If you are not familiar with a Himalayan salt plate, don’t worry.  I had no idea either.  Hey, Chef Sue said it would be cool, and I never argue when she wants something new for the kitchen.

The idea is simple and elegant.  Salt retains heat (or cold)…and of course is, um, salty.  Image a block of pure, unprocessed salt in a block (it looks like a slab of granite) roughly 1 1/2 inches thick, 10 inches wide and about 16 inches long.  For those mid-western hunters out there, don’t go out to the woods and retrieve the salt-lick you put out for the deer – not the same thing.  And besides, you don’t know what the deer have been doing with that salt.

Salt plates can be used to cook nearly anything and can be placed on the grill, on the stove top, or in the oven where they do a wonderful job of evenly distributing the heat.  You can also heat the salt plate in the oven and use it to do the cooking right on the dining room table as you would with fondue.  This was the approach we took for our Korean Tacos.

With our new Himalayan salt plate in hand, I was anxious to put it to work.  With the recent influx of Korean taco trucks, I was inspired to give crack at creating my own, and the salt plate seemed to be perfect for the task.  Or at least, the Korean taco gave me a good excuse to play with our new toy.

Korean tacos, from my experience, are simple and delicious.  Marinated and grilled or barbequed meat topped with a slaw dressed with traditional ingredients, and topped with pepper/chili paste or sauce.  My interpretation was easy, tasty, and a crowd pleaser.  I am not a connoisseur of Korean tacos, but the flavor was spectacular and I believe I came pretty close to this wonderful bite of street food.

Using the Himalayan salt plate in this preparation worked extremely well and served as a center piece for conversation as the dinner guests cooked the meat at the dinner table.  One of the lessons learned from this event included care in how long the meat stays on the salt plate.  If left too long, the salt flavor combined with the sirloin and marinade and tended toward to the too salty.  The key is to cook only the amount of meat necessary to construct your taco, then start over for the next serving.

The wine pairing for this dish was not planned.  From the time we picked up the salt plate, conceived the dinner, and sat down to eat was about two hours…and nobody thought about the wine.  We pulled a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc out of the rack and it worked well.  It was a cheap and cheerful wine but still had the characteristics for a good pairing.  The key to pairing with this dish is selecting a wine with light body, healthy acidity, and a touch of sweetness all intended to balance the piquance of the taco and condiments.

The next time I prepare this, I will choose another Sauvignon Blanc or a Riesling with medium acidity, bright fruit, and a touch of sweetness.

Recipe

Korean Sirloin and Marinade Ingredients

• 1 pound sirloin sliced thin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 ounces mirin
• 2 ounces sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 scallions
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

Korean Slaw Ingredients

• 1/2 head of Napa cabbage thinly sliced
• 1 cup daikon, julienned
• 1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 6 scallions, diced
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice from 1 freshly squeezed lime
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (or equivalent chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for Assembly

• 1/2 cup of marinade reserved as condiment
• Sambal oelek to taste as a condiment
• 8 tortillas

Preparation

1. Blend soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, scallions and ginger.
2. Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce and add to a sauce pan. Reduce by 1/2 then refrigerate for later use as a condiment when assembling the tacos.
3. Place sliced sirloin in a small container and add the sauce. Cover and refrigerate to marinade for at least one hour - the longer the better.
4. Prepare Korean slaw dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, mirin and sambal oelek.
5. Add Napa cabbage, daikon, spouts, scallions and cilantro to a large bowl and dress with slaw dressing. Toss to ensure uniform coating.
6. Place your Himalayan salt plate in the oven and slowly heat to 450 degrees. If you don't have a Himalayan salt plate, sauté sirloin in the marinade over high heat.
7. Carefully remove Himalayan salt plate from the oven and place in the center of the table. Allow your guests to cook their sirloin on the salt plate.
8. Assemble tacos with sirloin, a drizzle of marinade reduction, Korean slaw, and sambal oelek to taste.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Chile Verde Paired with 2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir and 2010 Matua Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

This pairing marks the official kick-off of the 2011 football season and is the first in what I intend to be a series of finger licking good football food.  All the football fans out there know exactly what I am talking about.  There is a whole class of foods that we fans of the game find nearly enjoyable as the game itself.  Settling down for a Saturday afternoon of college football or a Sunday afternoon of NFL football demands a certain cuisine.  Unfortunately, football food and wine pairing is not the first thing that comes to mind when dreaming of our weekends at the game, or in front of the TV cheering for our favorite teams.  Football (or pretty much any other sport) is usually synonymous with beer.  I like beer, but believe there is an unexploited audience of wine lovers that would enjoy a good football food wine pairing – and I am just the person to fill this void.

To kick off the season, we are starting with chili – a time tested favorite football food.  Never one to draw within the lines, we are flipping the coin in favor of Chile Verde, a favorite dish in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.  The offensive line for this meal is a pair of New Zealand wines which makes great sense – they play the more civilized cousin of US football – rugby.

The quarterback (chef) for this meal was “not so much a football fan” Dawn.  Golf buddy Steve and I were at the wide receiver positions and selected the wine.  After hearing Dawn’s description of the recipe, we decided on a double wide-out pairing with Steve selecting a Pinot Noir, and me selecting a Sauvignon Blanc.  Our selections included a 2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir and a 2010 Matua Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  I chose the Sauvignon Blanc with the idea of balancing the piquance of the recipe.  We hedged our bets, not having previously tasted the recipe, with Steve’s selection of a Pinot Noir with the thought of a better body balance.

Although the bright citrus flavors and healthy acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc did a fine job of balancing the heat of the chili, the heft of the dish overwhelmed the light body of the Sauvignon Blanc.  While enjoyable, the Sauvignon Blanc just could not stand up to the weighty front line of the chile verde.

On the other hand, the 2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir went toe to toe across the line of scrimmage with the chile verde with perfect balance in body.  This Pinot Noir was not only a well balanced compliment to the chile verde with respect to weight, but was impressively smooth with well integrated tannins and flavors of bright berry fruits with darker berries lingering in the finish with a nice touch of sweetness that worked very well in balancing the mild heat of the chile verde.  While everyone enjoyed both wines, the 2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir was clearly the best pairing choice.  At $15, both wines are very good values.

For the recipe used by Chef Dawn, follow this link to the Sunset Cookbook.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Hurricane Irene Wine Tasting Aftermath; A Night of Welcome Surprises

My last post, Hurricane Irene Wine Pairing, I wrote about our intention to stare down Hurricane Irene and press on with our wine tasting and hors d’oeuvre pairing.  Our face off paid handsome dividends.  Hurricane Irene did not live up to the forecasts, at least in Washington DC, and we had an enjoyable evening.  Of course, some people in DC did not fare as well as we did – you can see some evidence of this if you visit my photography blog documenting the ill fate of a number of cars in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of DC; “Hurricane Irene Crushed Cars in Washington DC.”

While we had several cancellations in our party (and those who did not come will be appropriately ridiculed for their lack of fortitude), six hearty souls made the pilgrimage, and we were all treated to great wine and memorable pairings.

As a refresher, here were the guidelines for the pairing;

1. Each couple brought a bottle of Pinot Noir and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.
2. Each couple paired one of their wines with an hors d’oeuvre.
3. As we progressed through the wines, each hors d’oeuvre was presented by its creator along with the thought process for the pairing.

We started with a Lilliana Conegliano Valdobbiadene Proseco and moved on to the Sauvignon Blancs:

• 2010 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc
• 2010 Starborough Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
• 2010 Mirassou California Sauvignon Blanc
• 2010 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

And here is the list of list of Pinot Noirs:

• 2008 Benziger Family Winery Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
• 2009 Clark &Telephone Vineyard Belle Glos Santa Maria Valley Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
• 2010 Cavit Collection Provincia di Pavia Pinot Noir

The pairings included

• Mirasou Sauvignon Blanc paired with cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers wrapped in bacon prepared and paired by Formerly Dawn of Austin and Golf Buddy Steve.
• 2010 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blancpaired with mini crabcakes, curry sauce and tomato red pepper tartar sauce by Super Realtor Kelvin.
• Benziger Pinot Noir paired with pan seared New York Strip steak sliders on fresh baked brioche with caramelized onions and horseradish sauce by Chef Sue.

The bacon wrapped stuffed peppers are one of Dawn’s specialties and fortunately, she made a healthy portion.  I say fortunately because there were enough for us to try with each of the Sauvignon Blancs.  The lively acidity and citrus fruit flavors of each Sauvignon Blanc was a perfect pairing to balance the heat and bacon fat goodness of the stuffed peppers.

The 2010 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc selected by Super Realtor Kelvin was a flavorful surprise that perfectly matched the wonders of crab cake (with a dollop of curry sauce).  The wine was a surprise because it was my first experience with a buttery Sauvignon Blanc.  The characteristic acidity and citrus flavors with notes of peach and melon were present, but the buttery component was a “wow” type experience that demanded the attention of all tasters as they realized this wasn’t your average Sauvignon Blanc.  The butter flavors were a perfect match for the delicate warm flavors of the crab cake while the acidity and fruit played exceptionally well with the curry sauce.  The 2010 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc will be making my list of favorite wines.

The final pairing, prepared by Chef Sue, was another pleasant surprise.  I have to admit that I had reservations with Chef Sue’s choice of pairing after announcing the 2008 Benziger Family Winery Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.  This Pinot Noir is medium bodied with very pleasant and well balanced flavors of cherry and raspberry.  My fear was that the wine would not stand up to the steak which would normally demand a more full bodied and bold wine.  I was wrong and the pairing worked splendidly.  My theory is that the horseradish sauce brightened the slider which made all the difference in making the pairing work.

A couple of notes are in order with the other wines we tasted that were not paired.  First, the 2010 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was a real treat with rock solid refreshing acidity and big fruit forward flavors that make this a beautiful pairing wine.  This is the second Sauvignon Blanc that will be making my favorite wines list.

Always full of wine surprises, Kelvin’s choice of the 2009 Clark &Telephone Vineyard Belle Glos Santa Maria Valley Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir caught the group off guard – in a pleasant way.  This Pinot Noir is not your run of the mill Pinot.  It was full bodied with deep rich flavors of currant, plum, and dark cherry that you would normally expect from a Cabernet Sauvignon.  The deep ruby color also belied the label of a Pinot Noir.  At first taste, everyone had a “hmmmm” moment as we expected Pinot Noir, but tasted something closer to a Cabernet Sauvignon.  Once we overcame the surprise, the conclusion was clearly one of admiration for a spectacular wine.

As a final note, one of the pleasing revelations over the course of the evening, was Kelvin’s new found interest in Sauvignon Blancs.  Kelvin is a connoisseur of bold Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays.  After this evening, he has a new found appreciation and interest in refreshing Sauvignon Blancs.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Trinidad Doubles, Cucumber Chutney, Trinidad Pepper Sauce Paired with 2010 Cupcake Vineyards Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

At the time of this post, the most viewed pairing/recipe to date is “Curried Chicken and Potato Roti Paired with Chenin Blanc.”  The Roti post is so popular that it triples the next most popular post “Shrimp and Grits Paired with 2009 Cuvaison Chardonnay.”  The clear message is that there are a boatload of Trini food lovers out there.  With this in mind, I decided to press on with my next favorite Trini culinary delight – doubles.

For the uninitiated, doubles are a favorite street food among Trinidadians as well as the many visitors to Trinidad.  Next to roti, doubles are a bucket list worthy experience for anyone visiting Trinidad.  In my opinion, your gastronomic adventure in Trinidad must also include “shark and bake,” coconut water fresh from one of the Savannah vendors, corn soup, and cow heel soup.  Back to the double – doubles consist of two rounds of fried dough served with channa (curry spiced chick peas) and traditionally topped with cucumber chutney and the ever present Trinidad pepper sauce.  If you are visiting Trinidad and have not experienced the wonders of Trinidad pepper sauce, I recommend caution.  Doubles vendors will offer a slight, medium, or spicy option for your double.  I suggest starting with the “slight,” and work your way up the heat chain.  While on the subject of pepper sauce, it is interesting to note that Trinidad pepper sauce is a matter of national pride and every family has their favorite secret recipe for “the best” pepper sauce.  Sampling these highly guarded recipes is a sensational experience – in the truest sense of the word.

Like roti, doubles vendors pepper (pepper, get it?) the Trinidad landscape.  Although doubles are a relatively simple dish with little variation in the ingredients and preparation, ask any Trini and you will promptly be directed to their favorite vendor.  The origin and history of doubles are clouded in myth.  The apparent best accounts track doubles to the valleys of the Ganges in Northern India where many Trindadians can trace their roots.  Over the years, and as these East Indian laborers were released from indenture, small shops and stalls were established by entrepreneurs and the evolution of the double became a Trinidad staple.

Doubles are constructed by by placing two of the fried dough rounds (barra) on a piece of thin waxed paper, adding a serving of channa and topping with cucumber chutney and pepper sauce.  The waxed paper is then folded up at the corners bringing the double into somewhat of a taco type configuration, then expertly spun by the corners to hold everything together.  I have witnessed two primary methods for eating a double.  The first method involves carefully opening the waxed paper, using the waxed paper as a way to hold things together and eating the double in taco fashion.  The second method involves fully opening the waxed paper, removing the bottom barra and using it to scoop or pinch the channa while leaving the second barra to act as a kind of plate supported by the waxed paper.  When you are done with the bottom/scoop barra, enough of the channa sauce will remain to accompany the remaining barra.  Clear as a rainbow leading to a pot of gold, right?

As you might expect, the flavors in a double are dominated by the curry, tumeric and piquance of the pepper sauce.  These are supported by the deep buttery flavors of the chick peas and barra and a nice cool freshness of the cucumber chutney.  For such wonderfully simple food, this combination of flavors results in a wonderful layering for which each component can be readily discerned – as long as you use the pepper sauce in moderation.  Heavy use of the pepper sauce tends to overwhelm the other flavors and tips the balance in favor of the piquance.  This is not a bad thing – it just depends on whether you are in the mood for some serious heat, or desire a more balanced flavor profile.

Like many of the spicy foods I have written about and paired, doubles require attention to overall balance in acidity, sweetness, body, and alcohol content.  In choosing the wine, I not only wanted to account for these characteristics, but also pay homage to the casual, street food heritage of the double.  In other words, I needed to find a wine with the right profile and keep it casual rather than something more pricey, complex, or extravagant.  For these reasons, I chose the 2010 Cupcake Vineyards Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – a staple for many of my friends who look for an inexpensive wine they can enjoy regularly in the summer heat of Washington DC.  Here are the tasting notes from the winemaker:

“It’s the long cool season that allows the grapes to mature slowly, giving them levels of complexity and a vibrant zing, reminiscent of a lemon chiffon cupcake. It’s made up of integrated flavors of Meyer lemons, Key limes and a finish that awakens the appetite.”

This wine features bright citrus flavors with lemon taking the lead role.  The citrus flavors are supported by healthy acidity which in combination makes this wine both very refreshing and a piece of cake for wine pairing.  It is not as sweet as many Sauvignon Blancs.  While not critical, a touch more sweetness would have helped balance the piquance of the Trinidad Pepper Sauce and the cucumber chutney.  Overall, the pairing was a rousing success.  Doubles remind me of standing in the streets of Port of Spain Trinidad – in temperatures not unlike our DC summers – and enjoying some doubles at one of the many stands.  The crisp freshness of the 2010 Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon brought a cool invigoration to the memory of Trinidad, and the heat of the doubles. 

Recipes

Trinidad Pepper Sauce

The following recipe for Trinidad Pepper Sauce is very similar to others you will find around the web.  The big difference with my interpretation is using a variety of peppers.  I did this with the intent of adding some depth of flavor to the intense heat.  I think I succeeded, but I won’t really know until my tongue grows back.  Unless you are Trini through and through, this recipe makes enough Trinidad Pepper Sauce to last several years, if not a lifetime.

Ingredients

• 5 Scotch Bonnet peppers
• 5 Serrano peppers
• 5 habanero peppers
• 5 Jalapeno peppers
• 5 Hot cherry peppers
• 3 heads of garlic
• 2 cups vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 bundles fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Separate and clean garlic.
2. Wash and coarsely chop cilantro, removing large stem pieces.
3. Add garlic, cilantro, and 1 cup of vinegar to a blender. Blend until nearly smooth. Pour into bowl and set aside.
4. Remove stems from peppers and add to blender with one cup of vinegar. Blend until nearly smooth.
5. Add pureed peppers to garlic and cilantro mixture. Add salt and mustard; stir until thoroughly combined.
6. Pour into a clean bottle or jar, cap, and store in a cool place or the fridge. Don’t forget to label with "XXX," skull and crossed bones, or a toxic warning sticker. This stuff if potent and could do untold damage in the wrong hands.

Cucumber Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon finely diced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon Trinidad Pepper Sauce
• 4 cloves garlic finely diced
• Juice from 1/2 of a freshly squeezed lime
• 1/2 teaspoon - brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Julienne cucumber. If it is a long cucumber, cut to lengths of about two to three inches. Do not discard the center section with the seeds - julienne this as well - it will add moisture to the chutney.
2. Place cucumber in a bowl and add garlic, cilantro, Trinidad pepper sauce, and chives.
3. Adjust flavor with salt, pepper, brown sugar, and additional Trinidad pepper sauce. I would recommend using a light hand with the pepper sauce - you can always add more later.

Barra

Ingredients

• 4 cups - all purpose flour
• Dash of saffron powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric root powder
• 3 teaspoons - yeast
• 1 teaspoon - brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon - salt
• Canola oil for frying

Preparation

1. Put 1 cup of lukewarm water in a small bowl, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast over water and let sit until the yeas has activated and formed a thin cohesive mound over the surface of the water.
2. Combine flour, salt, saffron, 1 cup of water, cumin and yeast in a large bowl or the bowl of your Kitchen Aid.
3. Mix into a slightly firm dough - it will be plenty sticky. Adjust with water or flour to arrive at a consistency a bit less firm than peanut butter. Cover and let rise to double original volume.
4. Form dough into balls just a bit larger than golf balls. Coating your hands with oil will ease the process.
5. While assembling your golf balls, put a pot of oil (just an inch or so deep with oil) on to heat.
6. After you have assembled your golf balls, pat and roll the balls into thin circles roughly four inches in diameter. The thinner, the better.
7. Fry in hot oil, turning once. The dough turns a nice golden brown quickly, so pay attention.
8. Drain on plate with paper towels and cover to keep in the moisture. Stacking as you produce the barra is acceptable, and even encouraged.
9. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Channa

Ingredients

• 1 (16oz) can of chick peas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric root powder
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium sliced onion
• 4 cloves finely diced garlic
• 2 tablespoons finely diced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon Trinidad pepper sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Sautee onions in the vegetable oil over medium high heat until translucent.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add all remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Add water to cover the chick peas by about one inch, then raise the heat and boil chick peas until soft.
4. Remove about 1/4 of the chick peas and crush with a potato masher. Recombine and stir to incorporate. This should leave you with mostly intact chick peas, with the small part that was mashed becoming a thick sauce.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Chilorio with Mexican Rice Paired with a Long Line-up of Wine

To celebrate cinco de Mayo, Chef Sue and I decided to put together a Mexican based wine pairing featuring Chilorio with Mexican Rice.  Unfortunately, none of my favorite wine shops carried Mexican wine.  And to be quite honest, I don’t believe I have ever tasted or even seen a Mexican wine.  I’m sure they exist, but for the purposes of this pairing we had to make do.

We invited over several friends which resulted in a long line-up of wine ranging in price from under $10 to over $20.  With the Mexican theme in mind everyone brought wine to pair with the spicy chilorio.  The selection was dominated by Sauvignon Blanc along with a Pinot Grigio, Viognier, and a Moscato.

In addition to the wine line-up, we were treated to Formerly of Austin Dawn’s spicy shrimp.  The shrimp was a perfect addition to the chilorio – and they did not last long.  Dawn was nice enough supply the recipe you will find at the end of this post.

All of the Sauvignon Blancs provided the fundamentals to pair well with the chilorio – mild sweetness, well balanced acidity, and pleasing fruit flavor.  The Pinot Grigio was very pleasant and worked well for much the same reasons.  The only wines that we found questionable were the Viognier and the Moscato.  I find it hard to describe now, but the Viognier paired with the spicy ancho chiles of the chilorio resulted in some off flavors – nearly offensive.  The Moscato might have been a reasonable choice except for the company it was keeping.  Side by side with the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, the Moscato felt too sweet.  I think it suffered by simple contrast to the higher acidity and moderate sweetness of the other wines. 

The next time you are looking to add a little spice to your life (the food type), this recipe and a nice Sauvignon Blanc will surely do the trick.

Recipes

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 lg clove garlic

• 1 TB coarse salt

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 2 TB olive oil 
• 2 tsp lemon juice 
• 2 lbs large shrimp, peeled & deveined

• lemon or lime wedges, for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat grill for medium heat. 
2. In a small bowl, crush garlic with the salt. Mix in cayenne pepper and paprika, then stir in olive oil and lemon juice to form a paste. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with paste until evenly coated.
3. Lightly oil grate (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). Cook shrimp for 5-7 minutes or until opaque, turning often with spatula.
4. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Chilorio

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless pork
• 4-5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3-4 dried ancho chiles (dried hablano peppers)
• 1/2 of an onion

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, simmer the pork in the vegetable broth, covered, for 2 hours.
2. During the last 20 minutes, ladle out enough liquid to cover the dried chiles in a bowl. Let the chiles soak in the liquid until they are soft then remove the stems and seeds.
3. At the 2 hour mark, drain off the liquid and reserve 1 cup.
4. Using a fork, shred the pork.
5. Using the pot or Dutch oven that held the pork, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add the pork and fry until browned. Remove the pork and set aside.
7. In the same pot and same oil, sauté the onions until translucent. Remove them from the pan and set aside to cool.
8. In a blender, add the chiles, onions, spices and reserved liquid (1 cup). Blend until smooth.
9. Combine pork, and chile sauce back in the same pot and simmer for 10 minutes then serve with rice or tortillas.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked white rice
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 large diced onion

• 1 large diced tomato

• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (add at the end)
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preparation

1. Using a small amount of the oil, sauté onions over medium heat in a large skillet until tender.
2. Add remainder of oil along with the rice and remainder of ingredients except cilantro, diced tomato and chicken stock. Stir for one minute.
3. Add diced tomato and chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
4. Lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Add chopped cilantro, stir and serve.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig