Posted by Darby on September 18, 2009 under Main, Vermentino | 
This dish uses two favourite Spanish ingredients, saffron and tomato to give a lovely red - yellow sauce but there is a few more flavours. Use a large enamel casserole.
Ingredients for 4
1 chicken jointed into 8 pieces
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 spanish onions
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp saffron threads
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced.
1 glass white wine
1 tin pulped tomatoes
1 cup tomato passata
Rind of an orange thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
Olive oil
Parsley or coriander to garnish
Method
In a heavy based casserole saute the sliced onions, fennel and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Remove and put aside.
Brown the chicken pieces over medium heat. Do them in batches if neccessary. Remove
Degalze the pan with the wine then return the chicken and vegetables to the casserole. Add the tommatoes, passata, fennel seeds saffron bay leaf and orange rind.
Cook over slow heat or in the moderate oven to 1 hour. The chicken should be well cooked - falling off the bone.
Wine suggestion.
This is a flavoursome dish and needs a wine with some body. I suggest a crisp dry Vermentino.
Posted by Darby on September 10, 2009 under Barbera, Main |
This recipe is for thick pork sausages is best cooked in an enameled cast iron pot. You could use Toulouse sausages but most thick pork sausges are suitable. If you don’t have time to soak the lentils you could used canned red or brown lentils.
Ingredients for 4
- 8 thick pork sausages
- 2 cups red lentils (soaked overnight)
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot
- 150 ml red wine (Barbera would be ideal)
- round pepper
- Oil for sauteing
- 1 bay leaf
- parsley for garnish
Method
- Simmer the lentils in water with the bay leaf for 30 minutes. In a separate pot simmer the sausages in enough water to cover for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile saute the onion, diced carrot and garlic in some of the oil in the casserole.
- Add the drained sausages and brown over medium heat, stirring to stop them from sticking.
- Deglaze the casserole with the red wine, then add the drained lentils.
- Cover and cook in a slow oven (150C) for 40 minutes, you may need to add a cup of water during cooking.
Wine Suggestion
This dish is suitable for serving with a medium bodied red wine. Barbera has some savory flavours which will marry well with this dish.
Posted by Darby on August 27, 2009 under Chenin blanc, Main |
Pork with Prunes
This dish is a classic of South West France, especially around Agen, the Prune Capital of France. Try to find fresh plump prunes, if you can only get dried ones you may have to soak them overnight in the wine.
Ingredients
300g prunes
Half bottle of white wine
6 pork steaks
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
50 g butter
150ml cream
1 tablespoon red curraent jelly of plum jam
Method
Soak prunes overnight in the wine.
Dredge pork steaks in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in heavy based pan. Brown the steaks on each side in the butter then pour in the prunes and their wine into the pan. Simmer covered for 45 minutes.
Remove the pork steaks and the prunes to a warm platter. Reduce the cooking liquid to about half its volume. Stir in the jelly and reduce heat. Slowly stir in the cream over low heat until the sauce is smooth and thick, taking care that it does not boil.
Pour the reduced sauce over the Steaks and Prunes and serve with boiled rice of steamed potaoes
Wine
Porc aux Pruneaux will go well with a Chenin blanc wine. It will have enough weight to go with the richness of the sauce.
Posted by Darby on under Main, Petit Verdot |
Kidneys with Red Wine and Mushrooms
This recipe can be prepared with either lamb or veal kidneys. The a la Bordealise in the title suggests that it is in a red wine sauce. A Bordeaux style red is called for and I suggest that a Petit Verdot would be an excellent choice.
Ingredients
- 8 Lamb (2 veal) kidneys
- Olive oil
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 150 ml of red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch of dried herbs, thyme, rosemary or marjoram
- 100g mushrooms
- 50g butter
- 150 ml passata (tomato pure)
- Chopped parsley
Method
Chop kidneys into 1 cm dice and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and put aside.
In a saucepan saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add wine and herbs and simmer until it is reduced by about half.
Saute mushrooms in butter for a couple of minutes then add passata. Simmer for a couple of minutes then add to the wine reduction
Finally saute the kidneys in oil over a brisk heat then add to wine and mushroom mixture. Simmer for a few more minutes and serve sprinkled with parsley.
Serves 4.
Wine
This dish with its rich flavours needs a wine with some body. A Petit Verdot would be ideal.
Posted by Darby on August 25, 2009 under Main, Shiraz Viognier |
This recipe for duck breasts (magrets) cooked in a sweet dark sauce is provided by James Hook of Lazy Ballerina Wines
Ingredients
4 duck breasts
1 tsp dark honey
black peppercorns
salt and pepper
Demi glaze
200mls demi glaze or reduced chicken stocks (1l reduced to 200mls)
1glass Lazy Ballerina Shiraz Viognier
150g blackcurrants (ideally fresh but frozen are fine)
12 shallots
2 large potatoes
Method
Heat the demi glaze and add the Shiraz/Viognier and 150gms of blackcurrants and cook until the blackcurrants breakdown, pass through a sieve and back into a saucepan, keep warm.
Peel the potatoes and make 4 slices about 15 mm thick. Boil potatoes slices for 10 minutes and then add to a frying pan with a little oil and cook until brown on both sides.
Add a tablespoon of honey to a saucepan and then 12 whole shallots, cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Season the skin of the duck breast with salt and pepper. Lightly oil pan, place duck skin side down and cook slowly over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the skin has browned. Turn duck over and brush the honey on the skin and sprinkle cracked peppercorn over honey and turn back to skin side down. Cook until the honey has caramelized and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
To serve
Place a potato slice in the centre of the plate and 3 shallots on the top of the potato. Pour sauce around the potato and shallots. Slice the duck breast into 6 cubes (cut the breast in thirds and then slice the thirds in half). Place the pieces of duck breasts around the edge of the plate and add blackcurrants between each duck breast.
Wine
A rich and fruity wine is best for this dish. James suggests a Lazy Ballerina Shiraz Viognier.
Posted by Darby on April 9, 2009 under Main, Sauces, Zinfandel |
Here is a Zinfandel food pairing suggestion from food and wine writer Fiona Beckett.
This is a really robust pasta dish from Fiona who has her own regularly updated site www.matchingfoodandwine.com
The Zin gives a richer, more warming flavour than the usual tomato-based sauce, Fiona says.
You can use rigatoni, penne or similar pasta in this recipe.
Ingredients: Serves 4
Food Wine and Friends by Fiona Beckett
- 350g Italian sausages or other coarsely ground 100% pork sausages
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium aubergine/eggplant (about 250-300g) cut into cubes
- 1 medium onion (about 150g), peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium red pepper (about 150g), de-seeded and cut into roughly 2 cm
- squares
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 rounded tbsp tomato puree
- 1 level tsp dried oregano
- 175ml zinfandel or other full bodied fruity red wine
- 175ml fresh chicken or light vegetable stock made with a teaspoon of
- vegetable bouillon powder
- 350g dried rigatoni or penne pasta
- 4 heaped tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Slit the sausage skins with a sharp knife, peel off the skin and chop the sausage meat roughly. In a large frying pan or wok heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and brown the sausage meat breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add another 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the aubergine for 3-4 minutes till it starts to brown. Add the remaining oil and chopped onion and fry for a couple of minutes then add the red pepper and fry for another minute or two.
Return the sausage meat to the pan, stir in the tomato puree and cook for a minute then add the garlic, oregano and Zinfandel. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half then add the stock, stir, and leave over a low heat to simmer while you cook the pasta following the instructions on the pack.
When the pasta is just cooked spoon off a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water into the sauce then drain the pasta thoroughly and tip it into the sauce along with 3 tablespoons of the parsley.
Mix well together and leave off the heat for 2-3 minutes for the flavours to amalgamate. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the pasta and sauce into warm bowls and sprinkle with a little of the remaining parsley. You could also sprinkle over some grated parmesan if you like though I’m not sure that it needs it.
Recommended wine match:
Given you’ve got a bottle of Zinfandel open that would be the obvious match but you could also drink a southern Italian red like a Primitivo or a Syrah.
More about Zinfandel in Australia
Posted by Darby on under Entree, Main |
Fresh home made pasta is a great variation on dried or store bought pasta. It is lighter annd fresher tasting.
Pasta is an important component of a healthy Mediterranean diet. As it contains flour and eggs it contains proteins, vitamins and energy… and that’s before you add your favourite pasta sauce.
Making your own pasta seems like a lot of trouble, but it can be well worthwhile. It is much easier if you have one of the pasta machines that clamp onto the table. In fact you can have your fresh pasta made and ready to eat in a similar time it takes you to cook dried pasta.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 400g plain white flour
- 4 eggs
- good pinch salt
- extra flour for workbench
Method
Mix flour and salt and place it on a clean workbench. Make a well in the heap of flour and break the eggs int the well. Stir the flour into the eggs with a knife, then knead the mixture with your hands. Use some of the extra flour if the mixture is sticky. Divide the dough into three or four pieces and flatten them with the ball of your hand.
Pass the piece of the dough through the machine with it opened at its maximum, fold over and repeat until the dough is smooth. Then gradually move the rollers closer until they are on the narrowest, or second narrowest setting. If the pieces become too long for easy handling just cut them in half. Dust with a little more flour if your dough becomes sticky.
You now have sheets of fresh pasta that you can use to make lasagna, or you can use then to make filled pasta such as ravioli or tortellini, or you can use the cutting rollers to make wide or thin strips.
To store your pasta toss through some flour to prevent it sticking. Or you can use it immediately.
To cook pasta bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and check after 2 minutes. It won’t take more than 3 -4 minutes to cook, so have your sauce ready.
Now you have made your own pasta you can see some pasta sauce recipes with wine suggestions.
Maintaining your pasta machine
Don’t immerse your pasta machine in water or you will damage the rollers. After using your machine just brush away any flour and dough with a dry cloth or brush.
Food and wine pairing for pasta really depends on the sauce. There are some wine suggestions on each of the sauce recipes.
Posted by Darby on under Albarino, Main |
This simple recipe for Oven Baked Fish has been supplied by Rob Gillespie from Rusty Fig Wines.
Ingredients
- 800 grams blue eye cod cutlets
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup parsley chopped
- 225 ml Albarino or another dry white wine
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 1 lemon sliced
- 250 ml fish stock
- extra virgin olive oil
- breadcrumbs
Method
- Place fish in a roasting pan. Season with garlic, salt and parsley.
- Add Albarino and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
- Place onion, lemon and pepper around fish and add fish stock.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees C.
- Serve with fried potatoes.
Wine Suggestion
This dish needs an aromatic white wine, for example a crisp white Albarino from Rusty Fig Wines
The winery is situated near Cobargo in the South Coast Zone of New South Wales. Rusty Fig is named after a local species of tree. The vineyard specialises in Spanish varieties Albarino and Tempranillo, they also have Chambourcin and Verdelho.
Rob Gillespie from Rust Fig says
This is a favorite recipe with sea bass in Galicia in NW Spain where Albarino is grown. We’ve adapted it to Australia by substituting blue eye which is very popular near our Rusty Fig vineyard on the south coast of NSW.
Posted by Darby on April 8, 2009 under Arneis, Main |
Risotto Milanese Recipe
This is a classic Italian dish that is quite versatile. Once you learn how to make risotto you will find many uses for it, either as a stand alone course or as an accompaniment to other dishes.
Rice is grown extensively in the plains of Northern Italy, and risotto competes with pasta as a major source of carbohydrate in traditional regional cuisine.
Ingredients
- 350g oz aborio or short grain rice
- 60g butter
- 1 diced onion
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
- Small pinch saffron
- Extra 30g butter
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
Method
- Saute the onion in the 60g of butter, till it is soft, not browned
- Add rice and saffron and stir well so that each grain is covered with butter
- Add the wine and stir well over low-moderate heat. As the liquid is absorbed and evaporates add the stock about a half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. It will take about 20 minutes to cook. You may need a little more water to make sure the rice is fully cooked.
- When the rice is cooked stir through the extra butter, salt and cheese.
- Remove from heat and cover for a few minutes before serving.
Wine pairing for Risotto Milanese
If you are serving it as a stand alone dish I would suggest an Arneis. The distinct flavours of this wine wine would not be overwhelmed by the moderate flavours of the saffron and cheese. If you are serving this with a meaty dish such as osso buco you would match the wine to the meat.
Posted by Darby on under Barbera, Main |
Tagliatellli are long flat noodles well suited to a sauce made with chunks of musrooms.
This mushroom recipe is based on a recipe by Jamie Oliver, the Naked Chef.
Shop around for a for a mixture of mushroom types, the more variety the better. You could do this with common field mushrooms but try some others such as portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, swiss browns, girolles, or shitake.
Use fresh tagliatelli, rather than the dry, but dry packet pasta will do at a pinch.
Ingredients
- 250g fresh tagliatelle
- 150-200g mixed mushrooms see above
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- A clove of garlic
- Pinch of chilli powder (optional)
- A lemon (lemon juice has an affinity with mushrooms)
- Salt and some pepper
- Quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- Handful of parsley, roughly chopped
- 50g Butter
Method
- Chop or tear the mushrooms into small pieces (Don’t wash them, brush them with a cloth if necessary)
- Using a large pan quickly fry the mushrooms in hot olive oil, tossing and turning as you go, add some salt, reserve some for the end
- Add the crushed garlic and chilli powder
- Cook for 5 minutes and add the juice of the lemon. Remove from heat
- Meanwhile cook the pasta in hot salted water until al dente.
- Toss the drained tagliatelli through the mushrooms add the cheese, butter and parsley.
- Toss throughly and serve.
Wine Suggestion
This dish is an ideal accompaniment to Barbera wines. These wines are usually medium bodied and savory with enough flavours to marry with the variety of tastes in this dish.
