'Lunch / Brunch'

Recipe : Roasted Pork Belly on Kale Salad

June 3, 2012 by Dave the Wine Merchant

Dave the Wine Merchant - Roasted Pork Belly on Kale Salad with aromatic white wines

14 people. 6lbs of pork belly. Gone in 60 minutes.

This recipe is a bit time consuming for those on tight schedules, but well worth the trouble for fans of the pig.  I first had this dish at the Anderson Valley Alsace festival, where it was prepared in a demo session by Beau MacMillan, the Executive Chef at Arizona’s Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa.  I’ve adjusted some of the ingredients and procedures to make the recipe a little more home-friendly, for those of us who don’t benefit from a team of prep cooks. 

You may need to special order your pork belly, and if so it’s worth checking around for pricing. We found a wide variation, and settled on a great neighborhood butcher (Marina Meats) who allowed us to specify how much we wanted (others required us to purchase the entire cut) and offered a price of ~$5/pound.

The preparation begins with the rub applied to the meat, which remains on for a brief 2 hours before the meat is slow roasted.  The recipe is broken into three sections – one for the meat, one for the dressing, and one for the salad (photo, left).

Wine Pairing

Pair this with a rich and aromatic white wine or a good dry to off-dry rosé.  Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, or Riesling would be among my top picks.  Rosé fans will like the way the wine plays off the sweet-tart nature of the ingredients, and how the fruit complements the pork.  

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients – Pork Belly

  • 1-2 lb. Pork Belly
  • 1/2 lb. Salt
  • 1 lb. Sugar
  • Zest from one orange, one lemon, and one lime
  • 2 Sprigs fresh rosemary, stripped from stems and chopped

Combine all ingredients and cure pork belly for 2 hours. 20 minutes before the end of the next step, pre-heat your oven to 475 F.  Rinse thoroughly and place in roasting pan fat-side up.  Roast at 475F for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 300F and cook for 1.25 hours.  If the fatty top is not caramelized and bubbly, put it under the broiler for a minute or so – but watch it closely, and don’t take any phone calls from mom.

Ingredients – Soy Sesame Vinaigrette

 Yield:  approx. 1 cup                                                                                       

  • 1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Ginger, chopped fine
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Garlic, chopped fine
  • 1 Tbsp.   Green onion, chopped fine
  • 1 pinch     Red chili flakes
  • 1/4 cup   Rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup   Mirin
  • 1/4 cup   Soy sauce – low-sodium highly recommended
  • 1/4 cup   Brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp.  Cornstarch (dissolved in 1/4 cup water)

 Heat a saucepan over medium heat for couple of minutes. Add the oil, wait about 30 seconds, then add the garlic, ginger, green onion and chili flake. Sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds) and then add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer a couple of minutes until thickened.  Strain and cool (alternative – I liked the idea of a wilted salad, and although kale isn’t prone to wilting, I opted to heat the dressing and apply it to the kale salad just before serving.)

Kale Salad Ingredients

  • 1-2 bunches of Kale (1/2 – 1 pound)
  • 1 C Fresh blueberries or golden raisins
  • 1/2 C dried cranberries or cherries
  • 1/2 C pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 1/3 C Sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1 C Shredded carrots
  • 1 Tbsp Chopped mint

Wash kale, remove and discard stems, then chop.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, dress with the soy-sesame vinaigrette (hot, if you so choose) toss lightly and season with salt to taste.  Serve family style on a large platter, or on individual salad plates.  Top with pork belly cut into 1-inch slices.

Recipe originally from Beau MacMillan, Executive Chef.     

Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa
5700 E. McDonald Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ  85253
480.607.2302| Main

“#1 Resort in the United States” – Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards
“#1 Resor in Arizona” – Travel + Leisure 500 Best Hotels in the World for 2012

 

1 Comment | Filed in Dave's Journal, Food and Drink, Lunch / Brunch, Main Course and Wine & Food Recipes.

Perfect Pairing: Cider-Poached Salmon with Pinot

February 3, 2012 by Dave the Wine Merchant

The bane of the amateur gardener is that everything gets ripe all at once. And eating tons of the same produce, meal after meal, day after day, week after week… one’s tastebuds quickly tire.   So freezing, drying, canning, gifting and other forms of creative storage become highly valued.

And if a bunch of apple trees happen to grow on your property, you eventually ask for a cider press when your handy-man Father in-law asks for Christmas ideas.  You can see what he came up with in the photo here – looks as if it should be launched!  It’s just a happy coincidence that his name is Johnny, one long associated with apples and their seeds.

The first cider from our late-ripening tree was so delicious, I’ve spent some enjoyable hours conjuring up or searching for recipes that feature cider.  Like this one, which I came across in Wine Spectator, for a Cider-Poached salmon.  It’s been adapted slightly from its original version (as seen in “Maine Classics: More Than 150 Recipes From Down East,” by Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier. Running Press) to make it a bit more Pinot friendly.  But it already had a good start, and the bonus of featuring Morgan’s 2009 12-Clones Pinot Noir ($32), a wine I’d recently featured in one of our wine club shipments.

INGREDIENTS
1 gallon apple cider
2 tsp each fresh rosemary and thyme (with extra for garnish)
¼ cup (plus 1/4 tsp) brown sugar or 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp fennel seed
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground pepper
6 Salmon fillets, 4-6 oz. each
1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 – 2 Generous pinches Cinnamon and Cumin
4-6 Tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

PROCEDURE
1. Heat cider in a fish poacher or (if you haven’t stocked up on Williams Sonoma’s entire storew-wide inventory yet!) a broad-based, saucepan, until liquid is reduced by half its height.

2. Add the rosemary, thyme, brown sugar (or syrup), fennel seed, salt and pepper. Bring to a
full boil and then reduce to just below a simmer – you want steam but no bubbles.

3. Gently place the salmon in the liquid and cook for 6 minutes.  Test for doneness (I suggest an instant-read thermometer, but you can pull one out and take a peek at its center.

4. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a sauté pan until melted but not smoking.  Add apples and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the aromatic spices (Cinnamon and Cumin) and the additional 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar (not too sweet or it will fight with the wine!)

5. Using a slotted spatula, remove the salmon directly from the poaching liquid to individual serving plates, and garnish with the poached apples and a sprinkling of the fresh chopped herbs. 

Serve with steamed broccolini or asparagus and good rolls warmed in the oven.  

Wine Pairings – You can’t go wrong with any of the lighter style Pinots from cooler growing regions (Sonoma Coast, Monterey, Anderson Valley, New Zealand, Germany…) – you’ll find many options in our virtual Pinot Aisle – as well as a nice Pinot Gris or even a richer, off-dry Rosé.  

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Main Course, Shrimp in Sriracha-Butter

January 31, 2012 by Dave the Wine Merchant

Sriracha (Se Racha).  I’m amazed at how quickly the American palate has adopted this spicy-sweet condiment from Thailand.  It is named after the coastal city of Si Racha, where it was first produced to accompany the many seafood dishes such a town is generally known for.  Its use has grown, and it is now a popular addition to any dish that can use a bit of a kick, which in my book, is just about anything that comes after the breakfast cereal.

It’s a simple paste, with just five ingredients – ground chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt.  We found a recipe on line and had it  jarred and labeled within several hours, but you can find it for a few bucks in most good grocery stores.

Here, we use it to form a simple compound butter that is used to flavor this simple fish dish.  Hey, let’s make it even easier and skip making a compound butter, which has to sit overnight, and just add the sauce to the melting butter in the… but I get ahead of myself.  Just read the recipe.  It’s easy as pie.  Easier even.  A lot easier.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter at room temperature
2 Tbsp Sriracha
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 – 6 good-sized shrimp per person, peeled (the shrimp, not the persons) with tail left on.
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped

Preparation

Using a fork, combine butter and Sriracha in a small bowl until well mixed.  Heat a saute pan over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes, add a little of the butter (to test) – if it smokes, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for about 20-30 seconds before adding the butter.  When well melted, return to heat and add the chopped garlic, cooking just until fragrant, then add the shrimp – don’t crowd the pan, be sure each little bug is in full contact with the pan.

Just before the shrimp turn fully pink, add the lemon zest, mint and basil.  Toss to coat.  When shrimp are done and herbs have wilted, serve immediately.  We like this with good side dishes of Jasmine Rice or Quinoa cooked in chicken or veggie broth and a salad dressed with rice wine vinegar, honey and sesame oil.

My Recommended Wine Pairing

The heat in this dish requires something with some sweetness and lower acidity.  Relax, relax, I’m not talking about disgusting cheap stuff that’s going to shred your cred with your date, friends, spouse or family.  It’s all about balance here, and with your tongue dancing with spice, you’ll be begging for a wine with these characteristics.  Look for a German Riesling (preferably Spätlese or Auslese) or a muscat/Moscato.  An off-dry Rosé would also be nice, but avoid the dry ones, I think they will clash quite badly with this dish.  To pull the dish more towards a drier wine, amp the garlic and turn down the Sriracha.  

Cheers!

Dave “the Wine Merchant”

Adapted from Bon Apetit, though altered to make the dish far more wine compatible.  See their original recipe here.

2 Comments | Filed in Lunch / Brunch, Main Course and Wine & Food Recipes.

Hamburger Wine – What to drink?

May 11, 2011 by Dave the Wine Merchant

The common mantra for choosing a wine for burgers is “just use the cheap red stuff!”  I have a couple dozen reasons you don’t want that rock-gut wine for a good burger at home.  But before we begin to consider which wine to serve with your burger, let’s first define your burger!  What is it, exactly?  (click image at left for some great recipes)

First, let’s wade into the debate over how to best cook a burger at home – grilled vs. griddled.  As you can see here at Chowhound, the debate is not without proponents on both sides.  The topic arose again in this month’s issue of Food & Wine magazine, proving that the final word has yet to be established or that it’s been established but is worth re-hashing every year as grilling season flares upon us (pun intended though weak).

In sorting through all the opinions on how to cook the best burger, grilling is ahead by a length, with a cast iron skillet a distant second, and your basic frying pan and George Foreman grill getting pooh-poohed by foodies.  Just a few tips I’ve picked up along the way for grilling the perfect burger:

  • Bring your burger up to room temperature before grilling.  This helps assure an even doneness without drying out the meat.
  • Coat your grill with a high-temperature cooking oil just before setting your burger down.  Peanut oil works well.  This helps keep your burger from sticking, obviously, but also allows you to begin with thinner burgers, which shorten cooking time and helps assure the meat doesn’t dry out before it’s done!
  • Cook over direct heat for a long minute, flip for one more long minute.  Then move your burger to indirect heat for a couple minutes per side.  That’s all you’ll need if your patties are no more than 3/4 inch thick.
  • Adding cheese?  If you want it melted, be sure to add it during the cooking time or the meat will dry out.  To help melt your cheese, cover your grill or top your burger with an inverted pot.

BURGER TOPPINGS

Whether you grill or griddle, how you top your burger makes a big difference in the wine you’ll want to drink.

What Meat? The first consideration, when pairing a wine with your burger, is the meat used to create the burger.  Beef is most common, of course, but I’m quite partial to the LAMBurger, and that link will take you to a wonderful recipe from Bistro Ralph that may just put you off cowburgers for life.  The gamier taste of lamb argues for earthy wines such as Pinot and Chianti.  Even grilled portobellos provide a tasty, low-fat alternative (which also begs for Pinot, in my book!)

Grilled onions? The caramelized sweetness of grilled onions (particularly red onions, or the naturally sweet ones such as Walla Walla) works well with many new world reds (Finally!  A meal you can have with some of those California Cabs!)  Other pairing suggestions include Zinfandel, Syrah and Bordeaux blends.  Afraid to  pull the cork on your high-scoring wines?  Get over it!  You just KNOW they’re going to sit there, waiting for the perfect moment until, years from now, you discover they’re over the hill.  Do it now, the world ends on the May 21st anyway.  ;-)

Mushrooms? I like to grill the mushrooms right on the grill, wrapped in foil with some vent holes, and a simple dash of soy sauce, a quick grind or two of fresh nutmeg (trust me), and a bit of pepper and thyme for seasoning.  Whether cooked on the grill or on the stove-top, mushrooms pull your burger’s wine pairing in the direction of earthy red wines like Pinot Noir or Chianti or Spanish reds.  Go for it!

Cheese? Man, this ads another layer of complexity as far as what wine to choose with your burger. From the vast sea of cheesy options, which do you choose?  Is your burger topped with melted Kraft Singles or Swiss?  Blue cheese or goat cheese?  Cheddar?  Limburger??  It’s impossible to recommend a single wine that will be a home run with each cheese option, but as a general rule of thumb the added complexity cheese brings to a simple burger argues for a more complex, earthy wine. There you go again, getting all spendy on me.

Sauce? The most common, of course, is ketchup.  And the sweet/acid nature of the beast makes me think of blush wines.  A dry Rosé works with so many foods, it should be one of your go-to utility players.  Get over the pink color, Mr. Macho!  These wines also offer a bit of cool refreshment for those used to chilled drinks with their meal (and who among us didn’t grow up drinking iced Cokes with our Burgers?)  Plus, they generally have good acidity, which helps refresh our palate for the next bite of fatty meat/cheese/onion…

For those opting to top their burger with a bit of BBQ sauce, compatible wine pairings move towards the sweeter or fruitier side – a high-alcohol Zin might be just the ticket, as the fruit extraction is a metaphor for sweetness, a taste experience enhanced by the alcohol.  Just remember my first rule of thumb for food and wine pairing?  Match sweet with sweet, acidic with acidic.

Wait, that was rule number two.  But who’s counting?  Just go enjoy your burger.

Cheers!

Dave “the Wine Merchant” Chambers

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Gourmet Macaroni n’ Cheese with Pecans and Truffle Oil

June 22, 2010 by Dave the Wine Merchant

This dish was a huge hit among my skeptical tasters.  The first thing you have to do is delete the memories of our childhood “Mac and Cheese” – the orange-coated pasta that came inside the blue box for about 30 cents (back then).  Yes, they’re both comfort food dishes for the Fall / Winter months.  But other than that they’re as different as an iPhone and a telegram.

Try this dish with a full-bodied wine with nice acidity – cool climate Pinot, blends from the Northern Rhone, even un-or-lightly-oaked Chardonnay from solid producers.  The pecans and truffle oil provide a great bridge to the wine, while the salty bacon plays to the wine’s fruitiness and the herbs work with the wines minerality.

Ingredients
6 Small ramekins, buttered and set aside 2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp Kosher salt 1 1/2 Cups heavy cream (or cut with up to 1/2 with whole milk or Half-and-Half)
8 Ozs (1/2 lbs) Penne pasta 1 Tbsp minced basil
1 Tbsp truffle oil 1/3 tsp minced thyme, plus one sprig for each ramekin
2 Tbsp shallots, minced White pepper to taste
3 – 4 Ozs Applewood smoked bacon, minced 3 Cups white, sharp cheddar, chilled and shredded
1-2 Cloves minced garlic ½ Cup pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp butter 1 Cup cheddar, chilled and shredded

Procedure

Heat oven to 350 and put on a gallon of cold water to boil.  When it reaches a rolling boil, add the 3 Tbsp salt.  Add pasta, stir, and boil for 5 – 6 minutes, then turn off heat and drain water through a colander.  Pasta will be very under-done, but don’t worry.  Drain pasta for a minute, gently shaking off excess water, turn into in a bowl and add the truffle oil.  Stir and set aside.

Heat a 4-qt stock pot over med-low heat for a couple minutes, add the butter and when melted, add the shallots and bacon and cook for 7 minutes, stirring periodically.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Stirring constantly, add the flour and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  While still stirring, slowly add the cream, then raise the heat until cream almost boils.  Reduce heat to low and cook another 10 minutes.

Add the basil, thyme and pepper and once combined well, add the white cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth.  Add the pasta and combine.  It will gloppy.  Don’t worry, it does that.

Distribute evenly across ramekins, top with shredded cheddar and chopped pecans and bake for 10 -15 minutes or until browned on top.  Serve with sprig of fresh thyme on top.

Pairings – For lunch, brunch or light dinners serve with a side salad dressed simply with really good olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.  Add garlic crouton (drizzle sliced bread with olive oil, pinch of salt, hot oven till dried, swipe once with peeled garlic clove) and you’re happy.

1 Comment | Filed in Lunch / Brunch, Main Course, Side Dish and Wine & Food Recipes.

Rhone-Style Red Wine with Bistro Jeanty’s Tomato Soup

June 22, 2010 by Dave the Wine Merchant

Many of my suggested wine-and-food pairings are discoveries I’ve made after trying them at some of my favorite eateries.  While this may seem like an open-court layup, you’d be surprised how often such pairings fail to inspire much more than a shrug.  Not so with Bistro Jeanty, whose tomato soup is a great side for a robust grilled cheese sammy!

Bistro Jeanty

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)
1/2 Stick (+ 1 TBSP) unsalted butter 1 1/2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Yellow onion, peeled, halved and sliced 1 1/2 Lbs Ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
3 Cloves garlic, minced 2 Cups (1 Pint) Heavy cream
1/2 Bay leaf 2 Pinches Ground white pepper
1 Scant tsp whole black peppercorns Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Thyme 1 Package frozen Puff Pastry
  1 Egg beaten with ½ Tbsp water

Preparation

In large stockpot over medium-low heat, melt the half stick of butter. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Cover; cook 5 minutes or until onions are soft (do not let brown.)

Bistro Jeanty Tomato Soup

Add tomato paste; cook gently, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and if needed, 1/4 cup of water (only if tomatoes are not ripe and juicy). Simmer over low heat 30-40 minutes, or until tomatoes and onions are very soft.  Purée through food mill (Phillipe Jeanty prefers a food mill, but a stick blender followed by straining with mesh sieve are just fine).

Return soup to stockpot and add cream, pepper and remaining butter; season with salt. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cooled completely.  Divide soup among six 8-oz. ramekins, soup cups or bowls.

Roll puff pastry to 1/4-inch thickness and cut 6 roughly round shapes slightly larger than the tops of bowls you’ve chosen. Paint the rounds with egg wash and place, washed-side down, over the cups, making sure the soup does not touch pastry. Press overhanging dough against sides of cups, pulling lightly to make a taut lid. (Can be assembled 24 hours in advance if refrigerated and covered.)  Cut unused pastry into strips for dipping – roll in coarse salt, herbs, or Parmesan for added flavor.

To serve, lightly paint top of dough with egg wash. Bake at 450F 10-15 minutes or until dough is puffed and browned (do not open oven in first several minutes of cooking to prevent dough from falling).  Bistro Jeanty is in Napa Valley’s Yountville.  You must eat there on your next visit!  http://bistrojeanty.com/

2 Comments | Filed in Lunch / Brunch, Main Course, Side Dish and Wine & Food Recipes.

Nacho Mama Surprise – Guest post

February 8, 2010 by Dave the Wine Merchant

Part of my meandering career path found me in Chicago for several years, where I came across a direct marketing wiz named Elizabeth “Sunny” Heyer.   Little did I know she was also known as Naco Mama.  Here’s why.

Here’s a different take on nachos . . .  I used to make this when I lived in Boulder . . .from leftovers initially.  Take a baking dish and line with refried beans – a thin layer . . . then make ‘stripes’ across the beans using everything and anything that’s left over.  We started with a small piece of steak from a doggy bag, sliced, it made our first stripe.  Then we laid down some slices of leftover chicken next to it, then a stripe of sour cream, then a stripe of salsa, then some chopped veggies (any kind will do), and then… you get the drift!! One layer was different types of olives, then peppers – roasted or chili . . . depends on your taste. Once we added a stripe of rice and topped the whole dish with shredded jack cheese.  It’s fast, easy and you can put anything in it . . . I added cubed tofu to the rice and no one was the wiser – given that it was a meat eating, sprout stompin’ crowd.

Pop it in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes and serve with chips on the side . . . or spoon it directly into the mouth. . .  I named it ‘Nacho Momma Surprise’  and it became a huge hit at parties . . .

I always had it with wine. . . but it goes well with beer too!

Thanks Sunny!
Dave
www.DaveTheWineMerchant.com

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Easy Bacon, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

February 5, 2010 by Dave the Wine Merchant

Years ago, long before I worked in wine, I visited wine country whenever extra time and money made themselves available.  Over the years, I warmed the sheets in quite a few wine country Inns. This tart recipe is from one such place – Sonoma’s Hidden Oak Inn.  It features a tangy goat cheese which is the classic pairing with crisp Sauvignon Blanc, both items being native to the Loire Valley, where one is seldom found without the other.

It is a simple recipe, but an enjoyable one – a perfect combination.  It calls for a frozen pie crust, but those with the inclination and time can certainly bake their own.

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Ingredients (Serves 6-8)
5 Slices bacon, fried, drained & crumbled
½ Lbs (8 Ozs)  goat cheese
1 Tbsp bacon grease
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Shallot, finely chopped
½ tsp Salt
~ 5 spears of asparagus, stalks shaved and then cut in 1-inch pieces
½ tsp pepper
½ Lbs puff pastry, defrosted
1 Egg yolk

Procedure

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Sauté shallot in 1 tablespoon of bacon grease for about 1 minute.  Add asparagus and cook over medium-high heat until the asparagus is tender.  Remove the pan from heat and add crumbled bacon.  On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the pastry to a 10 by 16-inch rectangle.  Transfer the pastry and the parchment to a baking sheet.Using your fingers, pat the goat cheese onto the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.  Sprinkle the asparagus, bacon and shallot mixture evenly over the goat cheese.  Sprinkle with fresh basil and season with salt and pepper.  Whisk together the egg yolk and a splash of water (~1.2 tsp) then brush the edge of the tart with egg wash.Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Let cool slightly, slice and serve warm with a simple salad of mixed greens splashed with really good olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.  Pairs perfectly with a crisp white wine such as a racy Sauvignon Blanc or old world Chenin Blanc.

Cheers, Dave the Wine Merchant

1 Comment | Filed in Appetizer / Tapas, Lunch / Brunch, Main Course and Wine & Food Recipes.

“Runaway” Chicken Chowder

October 29, 2009 by Dave the Wine Merchant

I’m never sure if the name for this dish refers to the chicken seeking escape from the chopping block, or the recipe’s run-away popularity.  Either way, its bright orange color (and great flavor!) has made it the traditional dish at the annual family Halloween party hosted by our friend (and club member!) Laura Nagle.

It is one of the rare dishes featuring Halloween colors that is not a contrivance, but rather a memorable dish in its own right.  In fact, at the Nagle’s annual Halloween bash, it just may be as big an attraction as the candy.  At least for some attendees  ;-)

Recommended Wine Pairings
This chowder has the sweetness of the yams, a bit of a warming kick from the peppers and the rich texture of  the chicken and hominy.  To compliment all elements, I recommend an off-dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer (click to buy) or one featuring a nose-full of fragrance and a fuller body – a classic California Chardonnay or a rich white Rhône wine such as Viognier.

Ingredients
 3 Boneless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Med onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 or 2 Large golden yams,  peeled and sliced thin (2-3 millimeters)
4 1/2 Cups Chicken stock or broth
1-2 Serranno peppers seeded and minced
1/2 tsp Ground coriander
2-3 tsp Ground cumin
2 Cans golden hominy (16-Ozs), drained
2/3 Cups fresh cilantro
Toasted Black sesame seeds or toasted Rye bread croutons for garnish (optional)
Sour Cream for garnish

Procedure
Remove the skin and fat from the chicken and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Over high heat, melt butter in stock pot or large sauce pan and stir-fry chicken, stirring constantly, just until no longer pink. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside to drain.

Add onion and potato slices to pan with 4 1/2 cups of stock. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft, about 20 minutes. Add the peppers, coriander and cumin and blend in the pot with a stick blender, or in batches in food processor or blender. Whatever your blending tool of choice, continue until smooth.

Return all ingredients to the pot and add the chicken and the hominy. This chowder can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for up to two days.  Also freezes well.  When ready to serve, simply heat, top with cilantro leaves and garnish with sour cream, if desired.

Serving Ideas
This chowder is welcome throughout the cold winter months. But to leverage the Halloween theme (for which this orange soup is ideal!) sprinkle with black sesame seeds or croutons made from dark rye bread.

Cheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant

0 Comments | Filed in Appetizer / Tapas, Lunch / Brunch, Main Course and Wine & Food Recipes.

Moules Marinieres – Mariner’s Mussels, the Highway to Heavean!

October 19, 2009 by Dave the Wine Merchant

Mussels Marineires recipeFor one of my rather large birthdays, the kind that either demands a grand celebration with friends or a quiet closet in which to whimper, Superwife and Cole surprised me with a trip to the Loire Valley.  One of my favorite meals was at this street side cafe in Tours.

This simple meal – mussels, crisp french fries, a fresh baguette and a cool glass of local Chenin Blanc – brought me closer to heaven than I probably deserve (or will ever be again, now that St. Peter knows I’ve found this loophole).

Wine Pairing Ideas
When paired well, the right wines can provide the same slice of Tours street side nirvana. So pull a cork on one of these wines, splash some into your glass, then add some fresh-shucked oysters or steam some mussels (recipe below) and you’re in for an hour of pure happiness.

Moules Marinières with Lardon

Moules Marinières are also known as “Sailor’s mussels” or “Mariner’s mussels.”  This basic dish consists of fresh mussels delicately steamed in white wine with garlic, parsley, butter, onion and cream sauce. The addition of lardons by the chef at our sidewalk cafe was a unique twist, adding a permeating smokiness.   Along with the small amount of cream added to the juice, this extra richness suggests a fuller-bodied white wine – an austere wine will fight this dish.  Think Dry or off-dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay and perhaps even Viognier from a cooler clime.

Be sure to have a good baguette (more than you think you’ll need) to dip into the delectable sauce and juices once your mussels are gone. Mussel veterans eat by using an empty mussel shell as a pincer to pick the remaining mussels from their shells – a fun way to eat with your fingers!

Ingredients (serves 2 as a main course, 4 as an opening course)

  • 2+ Lbs of fresh, live mussels
  • 1/2 Pound thick bacon or pancetta, cubed
  • 2 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 1 finely chopped shallot
  • 5 fl oz (1 glass) of dry white wine
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 large handful of finely chopped parsley
  • 4 tbsp of cream
  • salt and pepper

Procedure
Clean, debeard and rinse the mussels several times in cold running water. Discard any that do not snap shut when tapped and set the rest aside in a colander. Cook the lardons in the bottom of a wide, deep pot until crispy but not burned. Remove, drain on paper towel.  Remove all but one Tbsp of bacon fat, add enough butter to equal 2 Tbsp total, then add the chopped shallot and garlic. Cook for a few minutes on a medium heat until the shallots have softened.

Add the white wine and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add mussels and cover, cooking on a high heat for several minutes. Gently shake the pan several times during cooking to redistribute the mussels. It is best to remove the mussels one by one as they open, placing them in a colander with a bowl underneath to catch the juices – liquid gold. Again, discard any mussels that have remained tightly shut, as they may produce unpleasant gastro-intestinal side effects (you don’t want to know).

Return the lardons to the liquid and boil until reduced by half. Stir in the cream and parsley. Taste the sauce and add salt or pepper to taste. Transfer the mussels to a large bowl, pour the reduced liquid over the mussels, and serve immediately. Pair with any of these wines and you’ll agree that happiness is at hand.

Les_moules_cropped_and_lightenedCheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant

Quote of the Day
“Tell me what you eat, and I’ll tell you who you are.”
~Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, French gastronome (1755 – 1826)

 

1 Comment | Filed in Appetizer / Tapas, Lunch / Brunch, Main Course and Wine & Food Recipes.

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