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 April 8, 2009 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.
Posted by Darby on under Barbera, Main |
This recipe is supplied by Wendy Lawson of Catherine Vale Wines in the Hunter Valley. She suggests serving it with Catherine Vale Barbera.
These “olives” are not olives at all. They are rolled stuffed slices of veal. Maybe they resemble cigars rather than olives.
Serves 4 | Preparation Time 20 minutes | Cooking Time 25 minutes
Ingredients:
* 4 thin veal escalopes
* 1 shallot, chopped
* 30 ml double cream
* 6 large mushrooms
* 50 g butter
* 200ml chicken stock
* 30 ml oil
* Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Trim and wash mushrooms. Dry and chop finely or in a food processor
2. Melt butter and gently sauté the shallot and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and allow the water from the mushrooms to evaporate and then stir in the double cream (stir constantly to prevent sticking to base of pan). Reduce a little and then set aside to cool.
3. Gently flatten escalopes between 2 sheets of cling film with the flat of a large knife.
4. Remove cling film and season with salt and pepper. Place mushroom cream filling down the centre of each escalope.
5. Roll up and secure with kitchen string
6. Heat oil and seal the meat rolls on all sides until lightly browned all over.
7. Transfer to a medium oven to finish cooking, turning them from time to time to ensure even cooking.
8. Add chicken stock to remaining cream filling, then beat in the butter and allow it to reduce somewhat. Check and adjust seasoning and serve poured over the ‘olives’ when they are cooked through.
Wine Suggestion
A light to medium red wine is indicated for this dish. Barbera is a good choice and you should try this recipe with Catherine Vale Barbera from the Hunter Valley.
Posted by Darby on under Barbera, Pinot gris, Sauces |
Salsa verde - green sauce - is a versatile a condiment which can add to a wide range of meals. It goes especially well with grilled or steamed fish, seafood or chicken. The classic Italian dish bollito misto uses this sauce where its sharpness adds contrast to the mixed boiled meats.
Once you have mastered the basic technique for a salsa verde recipe you can spice up your culinary adventures by ringing in new combinations of herbs.
The basic idea is to use a mixture of fresh green herbs, and to bring out their piquancy by blending them with oil, vinegar and garlic. Anchovies are an optional extra, they add saltiness and a seafood influence if you are going to use this sauce with a non seafood course.
Some suggestions for herbs: use parsley, (curly or flat leaf) along with at least two from the following list: basil, chives, coriander (cilantro), mint, marjoram, mustard cress, oregano, tarragon, or thyme. In fact whatever you have that is green and fresh!
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 handfuls of fresh green herbs
- Approx 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of capers
- 1 tablespoon of seed mustard, or you can use English mustard to really add some bite
- 1 tablespoon of vinegar
- A small amount of red or green Tabasco sauce (optional)
Method
Add all the ingredients except the oil and Tabasco to a blender or food processor. While processing add the oil slowly. You want to make a sauce that you can pour. Add a small amount of tabasco to taste, not to overpower the other ingredients.
This sauce is best used fresh but it will keep in the fridge for a few days.
Food pairing ideas
Salsa verde is piquant so it calls for a wine that is not overpowered by the flavour of the sauce. Dry white wines such as Pinot Grigio would be suitable if it is served with seafood; a lighter style red such as Barbera would make a good match with a variety meats served with salsa verde.
Posted by Darby on under Barbera, Main |
Roast lamb is the essence of traditional Australian cuisine, and quince trees were once common in Australian backyards. Traditional ingredients to make an innovative dish to match with an alternative varietal wine.
This recipe is suggested by Sue Thornton of Amulet Vineyard in the Beechworth Wine Region of North Eastern Victoria. It was originally published on the Food Lovers Guide to Australia in an episode featuring the Peppermint Bay Hotel in Tasmania
Ingredients: Serves 6-8 people
Preparation time: a day to marinate
Cooking time: 3-4 hours
* 1 large whole leg or whole shoulder of lamb
* 5 halved and squeezed lemons
* 5 halved heads garlic, with skin left on
* 4 quinces, skinned and cooked to a puree
* 4 cinnamon quills
* 8 whole cloves
* 200g honey
* Plus 4 quinces, peeled and halved
* Splash olive oil
* Splash red wine, Amulet’s Barbera
* Splash water
* Sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Method:
Place all the ingredients in a bowl except the halved quinces, wine, water and oil. Pour over the lamb and marinate in the fridge overnight or longer if possible. Two days is better.
Pre-heat oven to 160’C. In a large roasting tray, place the halved quinces and lay the lamb as flat as possible on top. Pour over the marinade, add a splash of the olive oil and enough wine to cover the base of the tray by about 1 cm. This method of ‘wet roasting’ allows the liquid to gently steam the meat. The liquid also stops the sugars in the marinade from burning.
Cover tray with foil as tightly as you can. Place in the oven.
After one hour, check the progress of the lamb. If there is still sufficient liquid in the tray, replace the foil and continue cooking. If not, add a little water.
After three more hours, remove the lamb from the oven. It should be a darkened caramel in colour. Rest for at least one hour as this will ensure the lamb stays moist.
When it’s cool enough to handle, gently run your fingers along the muscle to separate it from the bone. It should slide off easily. If the bone emerges clean then you know that it is cooked perfectly. Pour any excess liquid over the meat and garnish with the roasted quinces.
Gently re-heat the lamb with a little more wine and cover with foil again.
Serve with couscous tossed with roasted walnuts, tahini, yoghurt and harissa (a Moroccan chilli paste)
Wine Suggestion
Additional comments from Winemaker Sue Thornton
At Amulet we having been considering a suitable recipe to go with our 2004 Duck Label Barbera
As lamb producers we have come up with this succulent lamb recipe which we found on the Food Lovers Guide to Australia website. It also features quinces and quince trees are often found in the orchards of old farm houses. So this recipe has flavours of country Australia.
