Oregon Wine Sampler ... V Mertz Restaurant Omaha

When friends heard I was going to Omaha, they had a lot of snide comments like: "Oh, you're going to Omaha--well, have fun--if you can". I expected a decaying Midwestern town with a shabby Main Street lined with 1950's storefronts. Instead, Omaha is a vibrant modern town with sculpture gardens, clean wide boulevards, landscaped parks dotted with sculpture and glass and metal architecture mixed in with restored fine brick buildings. Besides Warren Buffet, Omaha is home to numerous billionaires and millionaires and several Fortune 500 companies, many of whom shower the city with their munificent philanthropy. And it has at least one world class restaurant, which I found through the useful TripAdvisor website. One enters V Mertz through a covered passageway between two exposed brick walls verdant with flowers. The restaurant decor is elegant but warm with soft pools of lighting. The evening we dined there, Executive Chef Kyle Anderson sent out an amuse bouche with a spoonful of salmon ceviche, a round of savory quinoa and tiny ramekin of tasty truffle soup that we all would have liked to have licked to the last drop. Sadly, my iphone couldn't take a good photo by candlelight, so I'm substituting one of the restaurant's website photos of a different fish dish to demonstrate their aesthetic presentation, but my entree was actually a perfectly cooked piece of wild salmon with corn succotash, watermelon cooked sous vide (boiled in a vacuum pack) with cracked pepper, lemon verbena, parsley and sherry vinegar (absolutely delicious!), roasted onions, greens, and a delicate corn foam and corn puree spiced with coriander, fennel, clove and allspice--the flavors of each part of the dish creating wonderful taste combinations with the rest. The V Mertz wine list has won awards from both Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. On the waiter's recommendation, the 2005 Robert Sinskey "Three Amigos" (Los Carneros, California) was an excellent pairing for the salmon. Speaking of Pinot Noir--the wine pairing recipe for this week's Pinot sale is for fresh figs stuffed with Mascarpone and Gorgonzola. These are a sensuous, luscious delight and you will love these as an appetizer, dessert or for nibbling while enjoying the 2007 Trifecta Pinot Noir in your Oregon Wine Sampler shipment.

FRESH FIGS STUFFED WITH MASCARPONE AND GORGONZOLA:
10 large figs
1/2 mascarpone (you can use creme fraiche + 1 Tbsp. lemon juice)
4 Tbsp. Gorgonzola
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup honey
mint leaves
This recipe requires fully ripe, but not mushy, figs. Cut them in half and scoop out a bit of the center for a place for the cheese stuffing. Toast the pine nuts until golden brown under the broiler. Let cool, then mix the rest with the cheese. Spoon the mixture into the figs and drizzle with honey. Garnish with mint sprigs. Serve with the 2007 Trifecta Pinot Noir.

Wine Events and Root 246

Two reasons for coming to Santa Barbara in September! Touring & Tasting is having a Northwest Wine Tasting Sept. 9th from 5:30-7 pm--only $20, half of which can be used toward purchase of bottles of wine you like during the tasting. And there will be a Warehouse Wine Sale Sept. 12th from 2-5 pm with unbelievably low prices. I stocked up during the last warehouse sale and this will be even better as the wines are at 60% discount and lower! Come early as some wines sell out. Call 800-850-4370 ext. 100 for more information or click here Fall is gorgeous in the Santa Ynez valley, the grapes are getting close to harvest, the days are sunny with a bit of a autumn crispness in the air, the you-pick apple farms are open, there are cherries and flowers for sale in the roadside stands along the rural roads between wineries, and you can stop and taste estate grown olive oil and enjoy wonderful meals. The Los Olivos Cafe is a favorite, but we drove out this week to try the new Root 246 restaurant in Solvang that's been the center of a lot of food blog buzz. (read Gayot's review) Chef Bradley Ogden is renown for his "New American" cuisine of fresh, highest quality ingredients and as being the winner of James Beard's "Best Chef of California", among other awards. The restaurant is elegant but not stuffy with comfy upholstered chairs, dark wood floor and recessed lighting. We tried two salads: the Roots’ farms baby bib lettuce with goat cheese, pears and honey lavender pistachios and the golden beet and artichoke salad with sherry vinaigrette, then the short rib stew with a parsley onion dumpling and the Ono "Nicoise" with julienned beans and olive tapenade, finishing with the butterscotch pudding "taster". Everything was fresh and lovely to both the eye and the palate. I prefer my beets roasted until they are carmelized, but there were no complaints with the delicate beet salad that had the perfect touch of vinegar in the dressing to complement their sweetness. The fish was cooked to perfection, moist and flavorful even if the tapenade overwhelmed it a bit. But, these were minor notes. The dumpling was fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth and the pudding to die for. The "taster" desserts are just a few mouthfuls--just enough sweetness to end the meal without feeling overstuffed--and at $4 for our taster, an affordable decadence.

Chewy Red Wine Sale and Soupe Americaine Au Pistou

A big Napa red, two Paso Robles beauties, rich Monterey County Syrah...here's your chance to finish summer with a BANG and stock up on delicious red wine for fall. These four favorites are in short supply so order today and you'll be enjoying them for Labor Day and the weeks that follow.

• '03 Don Ernesto "Crescendo" (Napa, CA):
  Nose of smoky cherry and mouth of spicy red and black licorice with silky tannins. (Retail $24)
• '03 Martin & Weyrich Nebbiolo (Paso Robles, CA):
  Dark berries, plums and raspberries in the true Italian sense of this varietal. (Retail $22)
• '06 Peachy Canyon "Westside" Zinfandel (Paso Robles, CA):
  Sweet dark fruit, caramel, hint of smokiness, long juicy finish. (Retail $19)
• '07 Carmichael "Sur le Pont" Syrah (Monterey County, CA):
  Warm, roasted chestnut quality across the mid-palate and a full finish. (Retail $18)

How could one not feel exuberant after seeing the new film "Julie & Julia"? It's great entertainment with a tour de force performance by Meryl Streep, lots of laugh-out-loud, clever dialog and, best of all, it's an unabashed celebration of cooking and food! And who could not love and admire Julia Child? I'll never forget one TV episode where she picked up a chicken as one would pick up an infant and patted its little bottom with complete affection. You could see how much she loved food, cooking and her show. The film "Julie & Julia" is wonderful in the way it describes the arduous work that went into her fame, the battle against sexism, and the tireless working and reworking of her first cookbook "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking". What she knew could not be learned in a year, but the food blogger played by perky Amy Adams was fun. It's inspirational to see two women who found personal fulfillment and professional success as a result of their obsession with food. So, as an homage to the great Julia Child, this week's wine pairing recipe is a modern, American version of her "Soupe Au Pistou" from "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking". This is not the same recipe but is in the same spirit of using fresh, in season vegetables. Most of the ingredients are what is available now in a home garden or farmer's market.

SOUPE AMERICAINE AU PISTOU:
1 cup dry Great Northern beans
1 cup peeled, diced carrots
1 cup peeled, diced Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp. salt + more to taste
1 bay leaf
1 ear corn
spray olive oil
1 cup diced green beans
1/8 tsp. white pepper
pinch of saffron
1 large white roll, like a hoagie roll
about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Pistou:
1 large tomato peeled and pureed, with juice
1 clove garlic minced then mashed with side of knife or in pestle
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Wash and pick through the Great Northern beans to make sure there are no pebbles and put them in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit overnight, then rinse and drain. In a large pot, bring to boil 1 quart of water with the Great Northern beans, carrots, potatoes, onions, 1 Tbsp. salt and the bay leaf, then turn the heat down and adjust it so the water is just beneath a boil--just before bubbles break the surface of the water. Stir occasionally as it cooks, until beans are soft, about 40 minutes. There should be plenty of water, but add water if the water evaporates so much that the vegetables are not covered. In the meantime, spray oil on the husked corn on the cob and grill on the lowest temperature with a little foil tent as shown in the photo to keep the heat in. Turn now and then so all sides of the corn are cooked. A bit of char is fine. Prepare the Pistou by mixing the tomato, basil, garlic and olive oil then set aside. Remove bay leaf from the soup and add green beans, pepper, saffron and the corn cut off the cob and turn down the heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Slice the white roll diagonally and brush the top of each slice with olive oil, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Broil until bread is golden brown. Set one piece of the bread aside per serving (photo shows two slices). Chop the rest of the bread slices into small 1/8" cubes. Stirring continuously, slowly pour the pistou into the hot soup, then stir in the cheese covered bread cubes. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately with the bread toast placed in the soup bowl--it's yummy to dip the bread in as you eat the soup! Serves 4. Wine pairing for this recipe: the lovely French-style wine from Monterey County: the 2007 Carmichael "Sur le Pont" Syrah.

Steak with Cabernet Mushroom Sauce and CAB SALE!

One of the joys of summer is grilling dinner and sitting outside for the meal with nice company and a good glass of wine. One of the joys in cooking is when you find the perfect balance in a recipe. You can find any number of recipes for mushroom sauce but this hits the spot. This mushroom sauce has a bit of richness from the cream, but avoids being heavy or cloying. It has a bit of bite from the mustard and Worstershire but never loses the good mushroom flavor. Try it, it's bound to be a favorite!Personally, I don't eat beef, but I have eager taste testers for my meat recipes in friends and family. I served this with a rib eye steak, but for me, used the mushroom sauce to top a vegetarian nut loaf. A good wine pairing will be the 2005 Salisbury Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.

GRILLED STEAK WITH CABERNET MUSHROOM SAUCE:
3 cloves minced garlic
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
2 steaks
Sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup thin sliced shallots
1/2 cup red wine (try this week's 2004 Yosemite View)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. Worstershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/3 tsp. ground pepper
salt to taste (start with 1/8 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. half and half
Heat the grill to high and wipe an oiled cloth over the grill before putting on the steak. Sear one minute on each side, then turn the grill to low and cook to desired doneness, turning halfway through the cooking. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan, then the shallots and mushrooms and cook over low heat, stirring often until mushrooms are cooked. Add the wine, parley, Worstershire, mustard, oregano and pepper, cover and cook a 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the half and half just before serving and season to taste with salt. Serves 2. A good wine pairing will be the 2007 Mariposa Yosemite View Cabernet Sauvignon.

Save Over $120 On A Full Case Of California Cabernet Sauvignon With FREE Shipping* Save $9 per bottle on Order B or over $10 per bottle on Order A! Read Offer

• 2005 Salisbury Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon:From Paso Robles' warm inland vineyards comes this luscious Cabernet. (Retail $27)
• 2007 Mariposa Yosemite View Cabernet Sauvignon:Currant and herb aromas; light toasty bouquet. (Retail $15)

2002 Silver Mountain Alloy:Explodes out of the glass with rich blackberry and currant flavors. (Retail $27)

2002 Martin & Weyrich Etrusco Cabernet Sauvignon:Paso Robles produces stellar Cab, 85% of this blend. Sangiovese adds bright flavors, layered complexity, and velvety texture. (Retail: $22)

Japanese Knives

Prepping vegetables is no longer a chore; it is an exhilarating, slightly dangerous, fully engaged experience! My new Hattori chef's knife arrived from Japan: a gleaming silver art piece of layered Damascus steel both beautiful and wickedly sharp. Touch the edge to a cucumber and just the weight of the knife propels it cleanly through to the cutting board, no effort required. The slices are translucently thin. But this is not a knife for the careless; one slip could mean the loss of a digit. After all, generations of Japanese sword smiths are behind the crafting of this blade. Gruesomely, the sharpness of the Japanese samurai sword was tested by seeing how many human bodies it could cut through in a single swipe. I'm keenly reminded of this when the Hattori comes close to my fingers; slicing vegetables becomes an example of the exhortation to "be in the moment". One has to be extra alert and focussed when using a knife like this, so I experience the knife, the vegetable, the cutting board and my fingers with heightened awareness--is this the true Zen of cooking? This is not a low maintenance piece of cutlery. You cannot simply use a sharpening steel or commercial knife sharpener. It requires three whetstones; five passes back and forth across the first stone starting with the tip and working up towards the handle, again with the second, then the third. Sharpening takes about 20 minutes: a commitment to the upkeep of the blade, but resulting in pure pleasure for those of us who love the process of cooking as much as savoring the result.

I've had two other pieces of Japanese cutlery in my kitchen for years, both of which were purchased in L.A.'s Little Tokyo: a yanagiba for delicate slicing of fish for sushi and a Shigemitsu deba bocho for the heavier fish prep. Otherwise, my block set of stainless steel has plodded along for many years. Why upgrade my cutlery now? Because after a lifetime of learning how to create the tastes I want, I'm looking for a better presentation--clean, precise edges being part of a polished look. It took two days of intensive research online to decide on the Hattori HD 7 Gyuto and the soon to arrive Misono 130mm Sweden Steel Petty. Two days' worth of research yields only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what there is to know about chef's knives. In brief, in the European tradition, there were essentially 3 types of knives used in prepping vegetables: the "cook's knife" or "French knife" which is long (around 300mm or less) and broad with a curved belly making a 'rocking-horse' motion while slicing, the paring knife (around 190mm) that fits easily into the hand and used mainly, as can be surmised by the name, for paring and decorative work, and the utility knife which is halfway between the two. Knives were commonly made of carbonized steel, which takes a very sharp edge but required vigilant maintenance to avoid rust and to keep the edge. The advent of stainless steel eliminated the need for such rigorous maintenance but the edge was hard to keep honed. Modern stainless for knives is made of steel with added carbon to try and improve the knife edge; there are dozens of types of steel: Cromova 18, Cowry-X, MC66, etc. and several chef's forums online where the merits of each is debated (ChefTalk is one). Layered steel is discussed below.

There is another line of kitchen knives originating in Japan. During the US occupation of Japan after WWII, the creation of samurai swords was prohibited and the generations of knowledge about the hand-forging of blades was nearly lost. Some of the sword smith families, primarily in the city of Sakai carried this knowledge forward into the present and are making kitchen knives in the same tradition. A truly hand-made chef's knife costs thousands of dollars, so they also manufacture affordable knives using factory manufacture with some hand finishing.
Dozens of specialized knives appear in a Japanese professional kitchen, including a Takohiki just for preparing octopus and a Udon-Kiri for slicing noodles. The main tools for prepping vegetables in a Japanese kitchen are hybrids of the tradtional and modern. A Santoku is the "cook's knife" equivalent (the Japanese style is a Gyuto), a Nakiri is a thinner version of the Chinese cleaver and the Petty spans the size from paring to utility knife. The traditional Japanese knife (though they now make traditional forms with European edges) is straight on one edge and beveled on the other, or beveled just 30 percent on one side and 70 degrees on the other. This also makes a sharper edge possible and gives a cleaner cut. European style knives are bevelled evenly, 50/50, like a "V".

What made samurai swords so sharp and capable of the grisly body tests described above was the technique of lamination and layering. The Japanese discovered a solution to the dilemma of steel--that softer steel is sharper but isn't as durable and hard steel, though it withstands shock and force better is not as sharp. They came up with a method of encasing a core of softer steel inside a protective outer sheath with the soft steel exposed at the edge for maximum sharpness. Their swords were not only layered from hard outer to softer inside, but each of the steels was hammered out repeatedly and folded over, creating layers within the steel and driving out any impurities that could weaken the metal. Small crystals in the metal, some barely visible to the naked eye, give the hand-forged Japanese blade a misty glow, the patterns of which are used by fine art sword experts and collectors to assess the age and provenance of a samurai sword. If you have the chance to see a fine example of this artistry, please appreciate the beauty that has gone into the creation of it. There are some fine blades in the "Lords of the Samurai" exhibit at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

(*note: since this post, I bought a Shun Chef's knife at Sur la Table and have been using it the most of all my large knives as it has more weight than the Hattori, making it more useful for the wider range of cutting jobs. I still love to use my Hattori Gyuto for fine knife work with vegetables. I also bought an inexpensive Swiss Kuhn Rikon that never needs sharpening and use it more than my expensive Wusthoff or Misono. Just $9.95!)

Good meals this week...plus popover recipe

Good restaurant meals this week: Ensalada de Tofu Picosa at Alcazar Tapas bar in Santa Barbara with sauteed bell peppers, tofu, pasilla chilis over greens with goat cheese and tomatillo dressing; seared ahi salad with an extra side of their herb crusted warm goat cheese in a balsamic vinagrette at perennial favorite Fresco, also in Santa Barbara; and lunch at Mariposa in the Neiman Marcus in Newport Beach. The latter is a hidden gem: a light, airy lunch-only spot tucked into the second floor of the department store. As it turns out, Neiman Marcus popovers are well-known and much appreciated--crisp on the inside and creamy soft inside the crust, served with a delicious whipped butter/strawberry concoction. Below is the recipe from an article by By Joyce Saenz Harris of The Dallas Morning News. The meal was so good, we ordered the cookbook which should have the recipe for the sweet and citrusy Mandarin Orange Souffle' which accompanies the chicken salad. We had ice tea, but I would pair a nice California Chardonnay with these tasty popovers.

NEIMAN MARCUS POPOVERS
3 ½ cups milk
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 large eggs, at room temperature
Place milk in bowl and microwave on High (100 percent power) for 2 minutes, or until warm to the touch. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in large mixing bowl. Crack eggs into work bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk, and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until foamy and pale in color. Turn down mixer to low and add warm milk. Gradually add flour mixture and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Turn machine off and let batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray popover tin generously with nonstick spray. Fill popover cups almost to the top with batter and place popover tin on cookie sheet. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down oven temperature to 375 F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, until popovers are deep golden brown outside and airy inside. Turn out popovers and serve hot with strawberry butter. Makes 12 popovers. Note: Chef Garvin advises: "The key to making great popovers is having the eggs and milk warm before mixing. It is also important to let the batter sit for an hour before baking it. Popovers do not freeze well, and pre-made batter has a tendency not to work properly the next day.
STRAWBERRY BUTTER
1 ½ cups butter, at room temperature
1 cup good-quality strawberry preserves
Place butter in work bowl of electric mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy. Add preserves and beat until well combined. To serve, spoon or pipe the flavored butter into ramekins or onto side plates. Makes about 2 ½ cups. Note: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container. This spread will last for two to three days.

Vegetarian Meatloaf and One Cent Wine Sale!

Flavorful Vegetarian Meatloaf:
3/4 cup TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
2/3 cup boiling water
3/4 cup French lentils
2 cups water
3 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. minced onion
2 button mushrooms, minced fine
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
spray oil


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put TVP in a large mixing bowl and add boiling water, stir and set aside. Simmer the lentils in 2 cups of water, covered until soft (about 20 minutes). Using a slotted spoon or Chinese wire strainer, carefully spoon the lentil into a blender, adding just enough water to be able to blend into a puree. Alternatively, strain the lentils through a colander, preserving the cooking water. Put the lentils in the blender with just enough water to puree. Add the lentils to the TVP. In the meantime, heat the oil in a pan over low heat and simmer the garlic, onions and mushrooms until onion is translucent and mushrooms cooked. Add to the TVP mixture with the basil, oregano, pepper, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Spray a loaf pan with oil. Mix the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard and apply 1/3 of the sauce with a basting brush to the bottom of the pan. Pour in the meatloaf and cook for 40 minutes and remove from the oven. The meatloaf should be firm on top, but not yet fully cooked. Carefully brush on the remaining sauce and return to the oven for another 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean. Slice the meatloaf and serve with mashed potatoes and a glass of the smooth, jammy 2001 Hunt Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Bon Vivant".

Save Over $60 On Delicious Cab And Get A Highly-Rated Bordeaux For Just 1-Cent!
Score three "trophy" wines: big, rich California Cabs, medal-winners with solid scores, limited production, with near-zero availability outside a small radius from the winery! TO SWEETEN THE DEAL...we are going to give you for ONE CENT an 88 point Bordeaux! Receive one 375 ml bottle of the 88 Point Belle-Vue Haut Medoc with 3 Cabs; two 375 ml bottles with a 6 bottle order! But hurry! Before our limited supply sells out, you'll save $60+ on the Cabernet, get free shipping and this highly-rated Bordeaux for just ONE CENT!
-2001 Hunt Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Bon Vivant":

6 gold medals! (Retail: $42)
-2006 Silver Horse Cabernet Sauvignon:
Black cherry, cassis, and nose of blackcurrants from East Paso Robles AVA. (Retail: $40)
-2002 Collier Falls Cabernet Sauvignon:
A rich mouth feel full of nuances of chocolate and sweet berry fruit. Only 990 cases made. (Retail: $40)
 
The weekly Online Grapevine wine discount special to accompany this recipe is the ONE CENT BORDEAUX SALE. Click to view.

Tomatillos and Tomatillo Avocado Dip

The tomatillo plant is an annual that is easy to grow and graces the garden with its lacy foliage and lovely lantern-like fruit. The plant grows to about 3' tall and has long, oval leaves of a pleasing green that shows off the yellow blossoms. Grow it in full sun or part shade with well drained soil. Soak well, then leave off watering until the top 1 1/2" is dry before watering again. The fruit is ready to harvest when the paper "lantern" bursts but before the tomatillo turns yellow. You may still be able to use yellow tomatillos but the flavor will probably have changed and some of the sweetness lost. If you are picking out the fruit at the grocery, look for healthy green paper and fruit; avoid shriveled husks or blemished or soft fruit. For cooking, the striped paper covering is peeled off (save this to infuse into the broth for tamale masa to make it flufflier) and the hard, green inside is used. There is no need to peel or seed the tomatillo as one does with its tomato cousins. The history of tomatillo cultivation begins in Pre-Columbian Mexico, then spreads to Europe via Spain. It is a staple in most Latin American countries and a primary ingredient in salsa verde. Thanks to Laurie of Santa Barbara for sending us this recipe which combines the tanginess of the tomatillo, the tartness of lime, the bite of garlic, and the accent of salt to creamy avocado:

Tomatillo Avocado Dip:
1 lb. tomatillos
1 avocado
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 medium jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded, chopped fine
Salt to taste
Remove the husks of the tomatillos, wash, dry and chop them fine. Place in a mixing bowl with the meat of the avocado. Add the rest of the ingredients with 1/4 tsp. salt and mash together until well mixed. Taste and add more salt or more lime juice to taste. Serve with tortilla chips and the 2008 Keyways Sauvignon Blanc.

 

Ginger Carrot Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots--white bulb only, minced
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger or 2 tsp. dry ginger
1 tsp. curry powder
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste
4 oz. half and half
paprika as garnish

Put oil in a soup pot over low heat and simmer the shallots, garlic, ginger, and curry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and carrots and turn the heat up to medium. When the broth begins to simmer, adjust the temperature to keep it simmering without boiling and cook until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let sit for a couple of minutes before pouring into a blender (so you don't scald yourself with splashes of hot soup!). Mix on highest setting until the soup is pureed. Add the pepper, turmeric and salt to taste, then add the half and half to the blender and whirl until well mixed. Chill for cold soup, or return to the pot and heat over low for a few minutes to serve warm. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with a glass of the 2006 Bargetto Central Coast Chardonnay and fresh French bread spread with goat cheese.

The weekly Online Grapevine wine discount special to accompany this recipe was the CLOSE-OUT CHARDONNAY SALE below. Click to view this week's special.

• 2007 Chehalem "Inox" Chardonnay:
  Gold Medal Winner! 88 Points/Top Value: "Light and appealing for its gentle pear and peach fruit, lingering softly." Wine Spectator. The hallmark of a cool climate-brightness, pinpoint fruit, and explosive aromas and flavors.
• 2007 Healdsburg Ranches Chardonnay:
  Citrus fruits including grapefruit, lemon, and pear shine through with subtle aromas such as honey, kumquat, and fig. Healdsburg Ranches: "Ever humbly, our artistic intent: The 2007 Healdsburg Ranches Chardonnay represents a new direction in winemaking. Fresh and fruity, the stainless steel fermentation allows the varietal character to show through, while the malolactic conversion creates a larger 'mouthfeel'."
• 2006 Bargetto Central Coast Chardonnay:
  This Chardonnay has aromas of citrus, green apple and light hints of oak. The wine has a crisp acidity with a lingering finish that will go well fish dishes.
• Saddlerock 2006 Chardonnay, Central Coast (CA):
  Pale gold in color, our 2006 Chardonnay hints of Braeburn apples and tropical fruit flavors.

 

Zinfandel Paired With Chicago Style Ribs

From About.com, Derrick Riches. Good for a large party as it serves 16-20!
10 racks baby back ribs
For rub:
1 cup paprika
1/3 cup celery salt
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
For barbecue sauce:
3 cups ketchup
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Preparation:

In large saucepan, sauté garlic. Add remaining ingredients and allow to come to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool. While sauce is simmering, combine rub ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside. Trim and clean ribs. Rub ribs with spices and let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat grill. Cook over indirect medium heat for about an hour Turn once and cook for additional 30 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. You might need to grill large quantity of ribs in shifts. When the ribs have finished cooking a knife will pass easily into the meat between the ribs and you can see no or very little pink. Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours
Servings: 18-20
Wine Pairing: serve with the 2005 Manzanita Creek "Stealth" Zinfandel.

SORRY-this weekly Online Grapevine special sold out! Click to view this week's Online Grapevine wine discount special.

• Carol Shelton "Wild Thing" '05 Old Vine Zinfandel (Mendocino, CA):
  4 Gold Medals; 92 Points Connoisseurs Guide. Intensely jammy with a long, lush finish. ($28 retail)
• Manzanita Creek "Stealth" '05 Zinfandel (Alexander Valley, Sonoma CA):
  91 Points: Connoisseurs Guide; Double Gold Winner: Pro Wine Buyers Competition. A rich explosion of ripe fruit flavors ($55 retail)
• Carol Shelton "Rocky Reserve" '05 Old Vine Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, CA):
  90 Points Wine Spectator, Multiple Gold Medals. Inky purple with lots of spice and dark chocolate flavors. ($33 retail)
• Hunt Cellars "Outlaw Ridge" '02 Zinfandel (Paso Robles, CA):
  Multiple Gold Medals and Best of Class Awards. A rich, delicious wine that seemingly jumps out of the glass with flavors. ($44 retail)

 

Sustainable Food

A quick trip to San Francisco yielded a couple of beautiful images: a double rainbow over the Giants-Padres game (only one showed up in the photograph) and a kaleidoscope of tropical fish at the new Academy of Sciences. We didn't hit our usual restaurants, so had only one great meal: sashimi at the Sanraku in the Moscone Center. The sashimi appetizer was only $7, with four huge slices of fresh tuna and yellow tail. The only other culinary exclamation point was at the AT&T ballpark--not really health food, but it tasted great--an enormous pile of Gilroy garlic fries, piled high with chopped garlic and parsley and washed down with a glass of DeLoach Syrah. With the sunset illuminating the bay and rainbows arching overhead, it was worth every calorie.


The Academy of Sciences is sustainably designed and operated. They hand out a pamphlet outlining ways to cut our carbon footprint; the section "On The Menu" lists ways to bring awareness into our food shopping and consuming.
The Academy of Sciences suggestions are in italics below, I've added a few other ideas:

Meat and Dairy:
Industrial farming of livestock is very energy-intensive, and is responsible for more global warming emissions than the entire transportation industry.
1 Look for free-range, grass-fed beef and organic dairy products.
2 Eat less beef by substituting chicken or seafood—it’s the easiest and fastest way to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. The average 150 lb. individual needs about 55 grams of protein per day--that's about 8 oz. or two hamburger patties. Remember, grains, legumes, and soy contain protein, so you probably only need one 4 oz. serving per day, IF you eat meat.
3 Eat more vegetarian meals. This saves money as well as helps our planet.
Seafood:
1 Purchase seafood that has been harvested sustainably from the ocean. A good resource is the Seafood Watch guide.
2 Bring the Seafood Watch guide to restaurants you frequent and ask the staff to consider sourcing only sustainable seafood.
3 Ask the government to pass legislation protecting fisheries from overfishing.
4 Eat from the bottom of the ocean food chain: small fish like anchovies, clams, and rockfish and less of the top of the food chain such as tuna and shark which are overfished.
Shopping:
1 Cut down on processed foods.
2 Look for local, seasonal, organic foods. Shipping foods that are locally out of season from overseas creates carbon emissions from boats and planes.
3 Subscribe to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program—CSA members receive regular baskets of organic produce from a local farmer, in return for helping to fund the farm.
4 Bring your own reusable bags for shopping.
5 Buy things in bulk, using your reusable containers. For example, find freshly ground peanut butter and reuse your container.
6 Try to choose items with the least packaging. The production of plastic and paper wrapping uses a lot of energy and fresh water.
7 Make a list before you shop and plan your meals so you don't throw away extra food that goes bad before you have the chance to use it.
8 Eat your leftovers! A 2004 USDA study found 14% of food in the US was thrown away--that's about $600 wasted per household.
Eating Out:
1 Choose local restaurants over chains. They are more likely to operate sustainably.
2 Patronize those local restaurants which source local, seasonal and organic ingredients.
3 Bring your own reusable take-out containers from home.
4 Have a coffee thermos in your car and use it when you buy a latte or other beverage.
5 Ask your server not to bring water, unless you want it. The world is facing a freshwater crisis.

Garden Vegetable Meal For One

Summer is in its glory--stone fruit falling off the trees and the vegetable patch full of good things: potatoes, herbs, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, beans, yellow squash, carrots, onions and strawberries. Bring in your harvest or find a farmer's market and simmer the vegetables together with herbs. This recipe was created after a morning of harvesting small bits of produce in the vegetable garden. It's a quick, easy, very filling meal with approximately 580 calories and 20 grams of protein. You can easily double the recipe for two.Serve this recipe with the Silverhorse 2006 Big Easy. Silverhorse makes hand-crafted wines in small lots that are almost impossible to find in stores. This week you can buy this wine at a great price, along with the Silverhorse 2006 Tomori and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon through the Online Grapevine. READ MORE... | ORDER 6 bottles and save $80!.

GARDEN VEGETABLE MEAL FOR ONE:
1 1/2 cup total chopped or sliced vegetables: eggplant, red bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, carrots
1 small tomato
2 small new potatoes: purple, red or Yukon gold
2 oz. goat cheese
1/2 Tbsp. basil
1/2 Tbsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
Steam the new potatoes until easily pierced with a fork (about ten minutes). Wash, dry and chop your vegetables. Bell pepper, carrots and any other hard vegetables should be thinly sliced. Squash, peeled eggplant, and zucchini can be chopped. Melt the butter in a saucepan with a lid and add the raw vegetables and herbs. Cover and simmer over low for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. The vegetables should be moist, if they start to dry out, add a bit of water as they cook. At the end of the cooking time, add salt and pepper to taste. Put the potatoes on a plate and roughly cut into quarters with a fork, so the skin side is down. Break up the goat cheese and sprinkle the bits onto the hot potatoes so the cheese softens. Top with the vegetable mixture. Serves one, but recipe can be easily multiplied. Nice served with a glass of the 2006 Silver Horse Big Easy.

Thanks to Susie of South Dakota! She sent in a recipe for using the Lemon Preserves:

MOROCCAN BAKED CHICKEN WITH PRESERVED LEMON:
4 chicken breasts, unboned
1 white onion
5 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 threads saffron
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 cup kalamata olives pitted
5 slices of preserved lemon
1/8 cup water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the lemon slices, then chop. Slice the onion and the olives separately. Put the oil into a Dutch oven or Moroccan tangine. Heat the oil over low and sautee the garlic and onion for two minutes, then add the rest of the spices. Turn up the heat to medium and brown the chicken. Turn the chicken so the skin side is up, add the water, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, stir in the olives and preserved lemon, then cover and bake another 10 minutes. Test the chicken for doneness and add salt to taste. The lemon and olives will add salt, so additional salt may not be necessary. Serves 4. I didn't try this recipe, but I think it would pair well with the 2007 Healdsburg Ranches Chardonnay.

See June 14 09 post for recipe for Preserved Lemons. Please email your tasting notes and comments! Or, use the "Comment" link below.

Costa Rican recipes -- wine pairings

There was no Online Grapevine last week; we were in Costa Rica exploring the cloud forest, rain forest and beach! Costa Rican food is fresh and made with local ingredients. Their main dish is "gallo pinto" which is black beans with rice. Most Costa Ricans have gallo pinto two or three times a day; the most common menu item is a "casado" which consists of grilled meat, chicken or fish with gallo pinto, salad and fried plantains. They don't use many spices; the flavor in their food comes mainly from the fresh ingredients--fruits and vegetables thrive in the rich volcanic soil. The two most unusual, and delicious, items are featured this week. These recipes are American interpretations, since we could not obtain the recipes or exact ingredients. One of the best meals we had was from the food court of a mall in San Jose! Imagine a cheesy mouthful of fresh herbs and guacamole--prepped and cooked in minutes! These were cheese and guacamole gallos-a gallo being anything wrapped in a corn tortilla, usually meat and vegetables, so this cheesy treat was unusual. The second recipe recreates one of the best salads ever tasted--fresh and full of flavor. The dressing is very light and slightly sweet which goes well with the saltiness of the capers and olives.

COSTA RICA GALLO:

1/2 avocado
1 Tbsp. lemon
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
oil spray
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. onion, minced
1 button mushroom, minced
1 pat butter
sprig parsley, about 2 tbsp. chopped
sprig cilantro, about 2 tbsp. chopped
sprig fresh basil, about 2 tbsp. chopped
1/2 cup (loosely packed) grated white cheese (cheddar or half Manchego, half Monterey Jack mixed well)
1/2 egg, mixed
2 corn tortillas
1 peeled sliced carrot

Have all the ingredients ready before starting to cook as the gallos will cook fast. Chop the parsley, cilantro and fresh basil together, mix, and set aside. Mix the 1/2 egg with the grated cheese and set aside. Mash the 1/2 avocado in a bowl and season with the oregano, lemon, salt and pepper to taste, set aside. Heat a nonstick frying pan over low heat and spray with oil. Cook the tortillas briefly to soften them, then set aside on plate. Spray the pan again if it is dry. Cook the garlic, onion and mushroom over medium heat for just a minute, stirring them often, then set aside in small dish. Turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Add 1/2 the butter to the frying pan and melt the butter, swirling it around the pan to coat the bottom (keep the coating of oil left from cooking the vegetables, do not wash the pan in between steps). Pour half of the egg/cheese mixture onto the pan, patting it down until it is a low disc. Sprinkle half the cooked vegetable mixture on top, then put half the chopped herbs and cook until the egg sets on the bottom is brown. Spoon half the avocado mixture on top, then carefully fold the egg/cheese filling up like a burrito. Remove with a spatula to one of the tortillas. Cook the remaining ingredients for the second gallo as you did for the first. Garnish with salsa and serve with beans and chips. Serves one. You'll like this recipe paired with the 2005 Punta Mita Merlot.
COSTA RICAN FRESH VEGETABLE SALAD:

Small head leaf lettuce
1/8 head red cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1 carrot
6 button mushrooms
1 small yellow zucchini squash
spray oil
1 small ripe tomato
1 avocado
1/4 cup drained capers
1/4 cup pitted green olives
1/4 cup pitted black olives
1/8 cup white sesame seed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup sherry
1/8 cup white vinegar
To make the dressing: mix the vegetable oil, sherry and vinegar. Do not use heavy oil such as sesame or olive oil; safflower or light vegetable oil works best. No salt is required as the olives and capers will provide the salt. Wash, dry and shred leaf lettuce. Slice the olives. Julienne the red cabbage, peeled carrot, red and bell peppers, and yellow squash into thin strips. Wash, dry and slice the button mushrooms. Spray a frying pan with oil and cook half the red and green bell pepper, half the mushrooms and half the squash over medium heat until the vegetables are lightly cooked and not mushy. Toss the lettuce, raw vegetables and half the dressing and place on platter. The salad should be very lightly dressed, so add more dressing sparingly only if needed to barely coat the salad. Slice the tomato and avocado and place them around the salad. Sprinkle the cooked vegetables on top, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serves 4. This salad is perfect paired with the 2006 Kennedy Shah Picnic Blend, which is one of our favorite white wines. 50% Viognier and 50% Chenin Blanc, the Picnic Blend is balanced and crisp, with a touch of minerality.

Click HERE to save money on the Kennedy Shaw mentioned above, through the Online Gr@pevine.

Preserved Lemons Recipe

Preserved lemons are used in Moroccan cuisine and can be purchased at a high price in some boutique markets. Why not make them yourself? They take a month to cure, but the recipe is easy and you'll have plenty of preserved lemon to add their unique lemony, salty, sweet, yet a bit sour, flavor to salads, appetizers and entrees--they're particularly good for grilling fish. Just chop fine and sprinkle on or in your fish or toss with your salad. Make sure you rinse them first, pat them dry, then use for a gourmet touch!

PRESERVED LEMONS:
8 organic lemons, Meyer's lemons work best (maybe more or less depending on size of lemons)
salt
1 qt. glass jar with sealing lid
Organic lemons have no preservatives, chemicals or wax on the skin. Scrub the lemons and pat dry. Spread 1/8 cup of salt in the bottom of a glass jar. Slice off the ends of 6 lemons, then slice into even slices about 1/4" thick. Sprinkle each slice with salt on both sides and pack into the jar, pushing them down. When the slices fill the jar, fill the air spaces with lemon juice until they are all covered, then sprinkle 1/8 cup salt on top. Let sit at room temperature (out of the sun) for half a day, then turn the jar upside down, let sit another half day, continue for a total of 2 days, then put the jar in the refrigerator, turning upside down every few days. The preserved lemons will be ready, when you want to use some, remove that portion and rinse well. Let drain for a minute, then add to your recipe. The lemons will keep in the refrigerator for up to a year.