A Chilean Wine Adventure- Part 2

Casillero del Diablo Carmenére 2010 Versus Primus Blend 2008

What a fun night!  My husband is definitely enjoying being my guinea pig!  Okay, so let’s cut to the chase.  I tasted both wines without food and both wines with food.  I have to be honest by telling you that I did not expect to like the Carmenére.  I was wrong.  Without food, the Carmenére was fruit forward and tasted of cherries and raspberries.    The flavors were fresh and bright, not jammy, and with a nice amount of acidity.  I liked the fruit and could see it pairing nicely with our meal but it is not the kind of wine I would open if a friend stopped by for a glass or two.  This wine begs for food! 

The Primus was what you would expect out of a blend.  It was much bigger and smoother in the mouth.  It was still fruit forward but without the acidity.  It was delicious: perfect to drink on its own.  Adam (who is a big cab guy) really liked this wine and definitely preferred it to the Carmenére.

Evan Goldstein, a master sommelier and the author of Daring Pairings really nailed it with his pairing recommendations for Carmenére.  The Rack of lamb with Rosemary and Garlic (meat with herbs) was a huge hit, as were the brussel sprouts braised with bacon (smoked foods).  The salmon, on the other hand, was a bomb.  The preparation was too simple and it just didn’t hold up to the wines.  The roasted Carrots and Parsnips were absolutely delicious but didn’t work either because they were too sweet for the wines.   A savory mashed potato would have been a better choice.

The Perfect Menu for a Carmenére 

•      Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic
•      Brussel Sprouts braised with Bacon
•       Mashed Potatoes or a Potato Celeriac Purée 

Adam and I both agreed that the Castillero del Diablo Carmenére was the winning wine with this meal.  The acidity of the wine contrasted perfectly with the fattiness of the lamb.  The fruitiness of the sprouts and the smokiness of the bacon coaxed out even more of the fruit and smoke flavors in the wine.  It really was the perfect pairing and at $11 a bottle, you can’t go wrong. The Primus on the other hand was just too much.  It made the meal seem heavier and richer than it was OR could it be that the Castillero del Diablo made the meal seem lighter than it was!  Don’t get me wrong, I would still serve the primus again but with a different menu, a cheese plate or just on its own.  The Primus retails for $18 a bottle.

RECIPES

BRUSSEL SPROUTS BRAISED WITH BACON (serves three)

1 pound brussel sprouts, halved

1/3 cup chopped bacon

1 shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 ½-2 cups of chicken stock

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

In a large pan over medium heat, add bacon and cook until the fat renders for 2-3 minutes.  Add the shallot and crushed garlic clove and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add the brussel sprouts and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the thyme and the chicken stock until the stock covers half of the brussel sprouts.  Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sprouts are just about fork tender.  Remove cover and turn heat to high.  Add the vinegar and reduce the cooking liquid until there are just a few tablespoons left in the bottom of the pan.  Season with salt and pepper.

RACK OF LAMB WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC (serves 3)

1 rack of lamb

3 tablespoons of garlic flavored olive oil

3 teaspoons chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Salt & Pepper

Make the garlic flavored olive oil by placing 1/3-1/2 cup of olive oil in a small Pyrex glass bowl.  Add two crushed cloves of garlic and place in the microwave for 25 seconds.  You can use the leftover oil all week to sauté veggies in or to roast fish and meats with.

Combine 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil with the rosemary, thyme and salt & pepper. Rub the herb/oil mixture all over rack of lamb and place on a baking sheet.  Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove lamb from refrigerator 2 hours before cooking time so the meat can come to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake lamb for 25- 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice chops between the bones and serve 2-3 chops per person.

A Chilean Wine Adventure

I have been studying hard this week in preparation for part 1 of the 2-part exam required to become a certified sommelier.  This week my studies have been focused primarily on Chilean and Argentinean wines.  I really don’t drink many South American wines so I thought some hands-on experience would be helpful.  Tonight I will be making a dinner and pairing it with two Chilean red wines.  One is a varietal and the other is a blend(blended with cabernet sauvignon).  What they both have in common is the grape Carmenère.

Carmenère was planted in Chile in the mid-1800’s after being brought over from the Bordeaux region of France.  The vines ended up thriving in Chile, however did not fare so well in France.  After the majority of grape vines were wiped out in Europe due to pesky little insects called phylloxera, carmenère was never replanted there.  So even though there is much more cabernet sauvignon grown in Chilè, Carmenère has become their signature red grape.

Based on information gathered from my “recommended reading”, Carmenère has flavors of mocha, sweet herb, black cherries, blackberry and spice.  Recommended food pairings are smoked foods, herbs, meats paired with herbs (think steak with chimichurri sauce), pasta in tomato based sauces, eggplant and lentils.  Below is a menu I thought would pair well with the wines.

·      Wild Salmon with Lentils and Arugula

·      Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic

·      Roasted carrots & parsnips

·      Brussel Sprouts braised with bacon

Now I don’t mind studying so much when I have a fantastic wine-paired dinner to look forward to!  I am off to the library but will let you know what we thought of the wines and share the recipes with you tomorrow!

Banana Cream Pie

Practically everyone who knows me, knows that I am crazy about Martha Stewart.  I am without a doubt her biggest fan.  Not only do I have almost every one of her books, but I have also been reading Living Magazine since the very first month it hit the newsstands. Living Magazine made its debut in the early nineties.  Back then,  every month, I would pour through each issue, deciding which recipes I was going to make and when.  I have made so many of Martha's recipes over and over again throughout the years that quite a few of them have become family favorites.  One of them is her Banana Cream Pie.

For many years my son requested this pie for his birthday.  I made it this past summer for his graduation dinner and most recently my stepdaughter requested it for her birthday dinner.  As with most recipes, I have tweaked this one so it works better for me.   I have deleted an unnecessary straining step that only added more time and more dirty dishes.   I've also added a step by spreading a thin layer of semisweet chocolate on top of the crust before the first layer of bananas are added.  Another difference is that Martha finishes off her pie by topping hers with a second layer of bananas; however, I cover the second layer of bananas with the whipped cream and top mine with chocolate curls.  We usually have pie leftover so by topping the second layer with the whipped cream, the leftover pie can be kept in the fridge without the bananas turning brown. Last but not least (and I will deny this if anyone mentions it to Martha), I do not make my own piecrust. First of all, I really don’t enjoy making it and second of all, the frozen piecrust from Trader Joe’s is far superior to anything I have ever had, including my grandmother’s (of course I’ll deny this too).  If you are not lucky enough to have a trader Joe’s in your area then opt for the Pillsbury piecrust in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.  If you are one of those people who enjoy wielding a rolling pin then by all means, knock yourself out!

Banana Cream Pie


Frozen or refrigerated pie crust(unbaked)
4 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4-5 medium ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
chocolate curls

Bake pie crust according to directions.  Let cool to room temperature.

 Prepare an ice bath; set aside.  In a bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks; set aside.  In a saucepan, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Bring to a simmer(do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3-4 minutes.  Turn off the heat.

Whisk a quarter of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them; whisk the egg/milk mixture into the remaining milk in the pan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in the center, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla.  Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent skin from forming.  Set in the ice bath until completely chilled, 30-35 minutes. (Filling can be kept in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap up to 1 day.)

Place chocolate chips in a microwave proof bowl and microwave for 30 second increments, stirring every time until chips are melted and smooth.  Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of the cooled crust with the melted chocolate. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until firm to the touch, about 10 minutes.

Cut bananas crosswise into 1/4 inch slices, slightly on the bias.  Beginning at the outer edge of the piecrust, arrange half of the slices in slightly overlapping rows.  Cover with the custard using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer.  Top the custard with the remaining banana slices in overlapping rows.

Beat the cream and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.  Spread the whipped cream on top of the bananas.  Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours before serving.  Top with chocolate curls just before serving.

Weekend Lunch

Zucchini,  Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata

Because of our modern day Brady Bunch style family, our three remaining children (the fourth is in college!), alternate between our home and the homes of our exes every other weekend.  On weekends they are with us, we stay very busy making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be at the right time.  This includes, basketball practice, soccer practice, lacrosse practice, Sat courses, part –time jobs and of course the games that they spend most of their time practicing for.  Monitoring their whereabouts at night is a completely different subject.  It’s hectic but I love having them and their energy in the house.

When the kids aren’t with us, one of the ways in which we take advantage of our down time is by sitting down to a quiet, relatively civilized brunch.  Our favorite thing to make, as of late is a frittata.  It is so easy and it’s a great way to get rid of any of those leftover veggies hiding in the vegetable crisper.  Yesterday I made a frittata with zucchini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese.  While Adam set the table and built a fire, I dressed some arugula with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil and toasted up some multi-grain bread.  Since we weren’t going anywhere because of the snow, we even poured ourselves a glass of Michel Schlumberger Pinot Blanc.   Be sure to save any leftover frittata, it’s so good when warmed up as a snack!

Zucchini, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 small to medium zucchini, diced

5 stalks asparagus, cut crosswise in ½ inch pieces, touch ends discarded

A handful of cherry tomatoes

7 eggs

½ cup of milk (I used skim and it worked perfectly)

2-3 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled

Salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, season lightly with salt & pepper.

In a 10 inch skillet, sauté the onion, zucchini, and asparagus in the olive oil over low to medium heat.  After 2-3 minutes, add the cherry tomatoes and cook until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are tender but still a bit crisp, for another 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the egg mixture to the pan followed by the crumbled goat cheese. Let cook (do not stir) for 2-3 minutes.  Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the frittata is cooked through and slightly browned on top for 6-7 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cut like a pie into quarters.  Serve on a warmed plate with toast made out of great bread and a simple arugula salad on the side.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the weekend!

Spicy Ginger Pork Lettuce Wraps

My son is on school break and is home for a month.  I’ve been focusing on making heartier fare (as you know Molli and I are quite content with soup and salad) along with some of his favorites.  The other night I asked him what he wanted to have for dinner the following day.  I knew the answer before he actually answered me.  My son has loved Asian inspired food since he was a toddler.  Alex was one of those little boys who had no time to eat.  He was far too busy for such a mundane activity.  We soon discovered that he had a soft spot for chicken and broccoli, lo mein and dumplings.  Oh how he loved his pork dumplings!  The odd thing is that pork dumplings were my lunch of choice while I was pregnant with him.  Coincidental or not, his love of Asian food has evolved over the years and his recent favorite is Spicy Ginger Pork Lettuce Wraps.  What’s not to love?  These are delicious, healthy and a nice departure from the usual dinner choices.  I started with a Food And Wine recipe from 2006 and have made my own little tweaks with the addition of shitake mushrooms, fresh mint and a yummy sauce to drizzle on top.  Warning, these are highly addictive!

Spicy Ginger Pork Lettuce Wraps

1-tablespoon canola oil

¾ pound of shitake mushroom caps, sliced

1-½ lbs ground pork

1 ½ red bell peppers, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons peeled ginger, finely chopped (you can grate the ginger as well but I prefer mine a bit chunky)

3 tablespoons Thai sweet chile sauce

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

One 8-ounce can whole water chestnuts, drained and sliced

5 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

12-15 Boston lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork with the bell pepper, garlic, ginger, chile sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering.  Add the shitake mushrooms and cook until they are browned a bit around 3-4 minutes.  Add the pork mixture and stir-fry over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until it is cooked through and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the water chestnuts, scallions, oyster sauce, cilantro and mint and remove from the heat.

Spoon the pork into lettuce leaves, drizzle with some sauce and eat!

Sauce for Lettuce Wraps

 3 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

1-teaspoon sesame oil

¼ teaspoon Siracha sauce (we like the heat so we use more)

Whisk all ingredients together and serve with lettuce wraps.