A Perfect Pairing for Thanksgiving – Pumpkin Soup and Branko Wines

by chefbikeski Posted on November 19, 2013

pumpkin soup ski tours dolomites italiaoutdoors food and wineOn a past visit to Italy, I spent some time visiting Cormons, Italy, in the region of Fruili Venezia Giulia. Located in the north easternmost corner of Italy, right next to Slovenia, this relatively unknown region produces some of the best wines in Italy. Wonderful wines, and cycling route options from flatter coastal rides to some of the most challenging climbs in Italy make it a great destination for our Italiaoutdoors bike tours. The enoteca in Cormons is a perfect one-stop shop to try out some of the best wines from the Collio wine zones.

igor erzetic private cycling tours italiaoutdoors food and wineAfter a few hours touring the area, I stopped by the enoteca. As I was enjoying a few sips of a Magnas Friulano, I noticed the other two gentleman patrons were tasting the Branko Pinot Grigio, a wine I had discovered in the US and found very nice. I commented on how much I like the Branko wine, and to my surprise found that I was talking with Igor Erzetic, the winemaker himself! After explaining my interest in the region and it’s wines, Igor and his friend took it upon themselves to give me a thorough introduction to many of the best wines the the area. What followed was almost a blur of wines, and the two gentlemen and the proprietor placed wine after wine in front of me. At the end of the evening, we exchanged contact information and I suggested he contact me if he were ever in the Boston area promoting his wines.

Almost 2 years later, Igor’s representatives contacted me, and with lots of help from his local importer, Masciarelli Wines, and my very good friends at TRADE restaurant in Boston, we held a wine dinner last Monday at TRADE. Chef Andrew Hebert  designed a fantastic fall menu, with dishes specifically created to match the Branko wines. For those interested in purchasing Branko wines in the Boston area, scroll to the end of this post for local outlets.
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We began with the evening with the Branko Chardonnay. The Erzetic family has been cultivating grapes and producing wines in the Collio region for many years. Branko Erzetic restored the terraced vineyards with his then teenage son, Igor. Today, Igor runs the operation. The Branko Chardonnay is wonderful example of how flavorful and refreshing a chardonnay can be, especially when the oak is used to enhance the grapes, rather than overwhelm. Igor brings out the best in his Chardonnay by fermenting and maturing about 30% of the wine in mid-sized oak containers. We had a discussion about this tendency of some producers, especially in the US, to over-oak their chardonnays, something I have never been a big fan of. The Branko Chardonnay has a very pleasant bouquet with floral notes, pear, apple, and just a hint of oak. Crisp and refreshing, this is a wine to introduce to your friend who has sworn off this grape after one too many glasses of the oaky, buttery versions. The first course, created to accompany the Chardonnay was a ripe avocado served with a peanut-tamarind chutney, mango and cilantro.
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Next, the traditional Friuli white varietal, Friulano. Formerly known as Tocai, the name was changed to avoid confusion with the Hungarian varietal Tokay, you can often still find it served under its former name. Friulano is very aromatic, with hints of bitter almond amongst floral notes. Again, Igor ages a small proportion of the Friulano grapes in oak, to enhance the naturally fresh-tasting palate. Overheard among the guests – “This is a great wine for turkey – something memorable to serve at Thanksgiving, rather than just another white.” We enjoyed a Pumpkin Soup with pickled apples and toasted pumpkin seeds with the Friulano – I’ve included a recipe for this dish below, a traditional Friuli recipe that I’ve altered a bit.
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Next, the Branko Pinot Grigio. This is Branko’s flagship wine, and a regular contender at Gambero Rosso’s Three Glass finals. This wine has walked away with the prestigious ‘tre bicchieri’ award on numerous occasions, earning a reputation for a top notch example of this varietal. For those of you who view Pinot Grigio as a rather uninteresting wine, this will be an eye-opener. Full-flavored and intense, hints of ginger give this a spiciness that is balanced with velvety flavors of pear and almond, and just a hint of oak. It manages to be both complex and refreshing at the same time, and is now one of my favorite Pinot Grigio wines. A wonderful, flavorful wine that pairs well with an antipasti of speck and local cheeses, poultry, or seafood – we enjoyed it with Grilled squid and fried tentacles with vinegar peppers, bean salad and olives.

Our last course, a Crispy pork shoulder with polenta, fennel, apples and grapes, was served with the one red wine in the Branko portfolio, a Cabernet Merlot blend. A fresh, young, fruity wine with a bit of softness and elegance from a brief aging in wood. Flavors of dark forest berries and cherries combine to produce an elegant, structured palate that can be enjoyed both young and after a bit of time in the cellar.
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As promised, here is my version of a traditional pumpkin soup from Friuli Venezia Giulia. A great Thanksgiving first course, to be enjoyed with the Branko Friulano.

Pumpkin Soup with Pickled Apples

1 small pumpkin or large winter squash
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups apple cider
2 cups water
Pickled apples
Roasted pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Split the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and pith, oil the cut surfaces with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet, with a sprig of thyme and 2 cloves of garlic, tucked underneath each seed cavity. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until completely tender. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh (or peel off the skins) and add the pulp to a soup pot along with the roasted garlic and ricotta cheese. Mash them together with a potato masher or spoon; add the cider and water, and heat to a simmer. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve, garnished with a few slices of pickled apple and a few roasted pumpkin seeds.

Pickled Apples

2 small apples
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup apple cider

Cut the apples into quarters, then cut out the core. Place the apple quarters skin side up on a cutting board and cut into thin slices.

Combine the vinegar and cider in a non-reactive sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Add the apple slices and remove from heat. Let sit for at least one hour.

Where to purchase Branko wines in Boston area. If any of these don’t carry them, they will be happy to order them for you.

Downtown:
Federal Wine and Spirits
Boston Wine Exchange
BRIX
Bacco’s

South End:
BRIX
Urban Grape

West Suburbs:
Urban Grape (Chestnut hill)
Spirited Gourmet (Belmont)
Concord Wine & Spirits

North Suburbs:
Henry’s (Beverly)
Pairings (Winchester)
Leary’s  (Newburyport)

Posted in Apples, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Gluten Free, Pumpkin, Ricotta, Soups, Thanksgiving, Travel, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, Wine, Wine Pairings, wine tastings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Barbabietole al Forno – Roasted Beets, 3 Ways

by chefbikeski Posted on November 3, 2013

barley salad bike tours tuscany italiaoutdoors food and wineFinding Chioggia beets at my grocers always brings me immediately back to Italy. This heirloom beet comes from the Italian coastal town of Chioggia, right across the lagoon from Venice. In fact, it is often referred to as “Little Venice”, and a nice stop on our Italy bike tours as we explore the Lido and islands off of Venice.

raw beets bike tours italy italiaoutdoors food and wineThis beet varietal was probably brought to the US in the 1800s by Italian immigrants. Chioggia is a coastal town, which would not have been my first guess as to the birthplace of beets. It ends up that all beets (barbabietole in Italian) – and this includes members of the beet family grown for their leaves, such as chard (bietole), as well as those grown for their tubers – are descendants of the sea beet. The sea beet is native to the coasts of Europe, northern Africa and southern Asia. It requires moist, well-drained soils, and does not like shade. It is able to tolerate relatively high levels of sodium in its environment because its leaves are waxy, hence its ability to thrive in coastal areas.

roasted beets and onions ski holidays dolomites italiaoutdoors food and wineBeets can be enjoyed many ways; raw, pickled, boiled, steamed, but the several cookbooks I referenced for this post all agreed that roasting or baking was the way to go. To quote Marcella Hazan, “The very best way to cook beets is to bake them. It concentrates their flavor to an intense, mouth-filling sweetness that is to swoon over if you have never had them before. No other method compares favorably with baking…”
Alice Waters says “In general, we prefer to roast beets until tender rather than boiling them, because they loose less flavor (and color).”

beets ready to roast private bike tours italy italiaoutdoors food and wineHere are a few beet recipes of Italian origin. A simple recipe for roasting them, which can be used in a variety of ways.

Barbabietole e Cipolle al Forno (Roasted Beets and Onions)

Adapted from recipes in Lynn Rosetto Kasper’s “The Splendid Table”, and Marcella Hazan’s “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking”

1 large bunch beets
3 medium onions, unpeeled

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Cut off the tops of the beets at the base of the stems and save to cook later. Trim the root ends of the beet bulbs. Wash the beets in cold water, then wrap them all together, or in two packets of aluminum foil, crimping the edge of the foil to seal tightly. Put them on a sheet pan with the onions.

Place the sheet pan in the upper part of the oven. They are done when they feel tender but firm when tested with a knife, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on their size.

While they are still warm, but cool enough to handle, pull off their skin. Trim away the onion skins.

For a vegetable side dish:

Cut the beets and onions into wedges. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a balsamic vinegar and serve.

salad bike tours tuscany italiaoutdoors food and wineFor a salad:

Insalata con Barbabietole e Cipolle al Forno

Roasted beets and onions
Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Serve as a salad by arranging the cut onions and beets on a bed of romaine leaves. Top with the toasted walnuts. Sprinkle the salad with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Any leftovers can be used in this version of a barley salad from the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (another great spot for exploring on a bike tour), adapted from Fred Plotkin’s “La Terra Fortunata”. In Italy, orzo is not a rice shaped pasta, but the grain barley.

barley salad close bike tours tuscany italiaoutdoors food and wineOrzo con le Barbabietole (Barley with Beets)

1 cup pearl barley
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (or water)
1 – 4 roasted beets (depending upon size), cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 roasted onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Balsamic glaze

Rinse the barley under cold running water. Place in a large pot, add the chicken stock or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, until the barley is tender. The actual amount of time will depend on how much the barley is ‘pearled’, or processed. Check, as more liquid may be needed.

Add the beets, onions, olive oil, zest, and parsley to the warm barley. Stir to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Warm a bit over low heat if the beet and onions were cold. Serve, garnished with a bit more parsley and balsamic glaze.

 

Posted in antipasti, beets, chioggia beets, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Gluten Free, Travel, Uncategorized, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Veneto Food, Whole Grains | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Costolettine di Manzo Brasate ai Frutti di Bosco – Braised Short Ribs with Berries

by chefbikeski Posted on October 28, 2013

braised short ribs private bike tours italy italiaoutdoors food and wine Last weekend, I attended a reunion of “Bike Trippers”, hosted by friends and guests on past bike tours. It was wonderful to see everyone, reminisce about our adventures in Italy, all while enjoying great wine and a fantastic meal.

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It is now late October, with many cold days ahead of us – the first few snow flakes of the season are falling as I write this. So my menus begin to move away from the grill, and to slower, hearty dishes like braising. Our chefs for our reunion dinner, Lena and BA, served some absolutely fantastic braised short ribs, faithfully reproducing our favorite chef Jody Adams recipe from her book “In the Hands of a Chef”. Her eastern Mediterranean inspired recipe uses red wine, dried apricots, olives, cinnamon and cloves, and all these great flavors combine with the juices and fats from the meat to produce a sublime dish.

seared short ribs ski holiday dolomites italiaoutdoors food and wineA few days after the dinner, with a stack of short ribs in my refrigerator, I had Jody’s recipe on my mind as I perused my Italian cookbooks for inspiration. I found it in a recipe for cinghiale (wild boar) from the Valle Antrona in Piemonte. Located in the mountains, south of the Swiss border, this recipe reflects many products you will see in mountainous areas throughout Italy, mushrooms, juniper berries, and ‘frutti di bosco’, fruits of the woods, which would be any available berry, from blueberries to blackberries to huckleberries. On our recent cycling tour in Umbria, with its hills and woods and history of hunting, we found cinghiale, mushrooms and juniper berries on many a menu.
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Here, I’ve adapted Jody’s recipe to produce my own version, using the flavors from the Piemonte recipe. As with pretty much any braise recipe, this dish is best when prepared the day before, and the flavors allowed to blend and ripen before serving.

mushrooms frutti di bosco bike tours italy italiaoutdoors food and wineCostolettine di Manzo Brasate ai Frutti di Bosco

2 cups red wine
1/2 cup grappa
4 ounces dried mushrooms
8 beef short ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ounces smoked bacon, cut into 1 x 1/4-inch lardons
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
16 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 tablespoons ground juniper berries
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups dried berries – cranberries, blueberries, blackberries
Combine the red wine and grappa in a small bowl. Add the dried mushrooms and allow to soak for 30 minutes or more.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Dust with the flour. Heat the oil in a large braising pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until most of the fat is rendered, then remove and set aside.

Add as many ribs as can fit in a single layer to the pan. You will need to cook them in batches, with some space between them so they sear and not steam. Sear the ribs on all sides until well browned, then remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the remaining ribs. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

Lower the heat to medium, add the carrots and onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute until the vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 4 more minutes. Add the red wine, grappa and mushrooms and reduce the liquid by half. about 6 minutes.

Return the ribs and the bacon to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients except for the berries and bring to a boil. The liquid should come one-third of the way up the ribs – if not, add some water. As soon as the liquid comes to a boil, turn down the heat as low as possible and cover the ribs tightly with parchment paper and then a layer of foil, pressing both down into the pan, then place a lid on the pan. Alternatively, you can place the pot in a preheated 325° oven.

Braise the ribs for 2 hours, turning them every 30 minutes so they cook evenly. Add water as necessary to keep the braising juice one-third of the way up the ribs.

After 2 hours, add the berries and cook for an additional 30 minutes. The meat should be almost falling off the bones. Transfer the short ribs to a large platter. Spoon the vegetables, mushrooms and berries over them. Keep warm.

Strain the braising juices into a clear glass container and siphon or skim off the fat. The braising juices may already be the consistency of a sauce. If not, return them to the pan and boil for a few minutes to thicken. If you prefer an absolutely smooth sauce, strain out any remaining pieces of vegetable. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the ribs and serve immediately.

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Salsiccia e Pancetta Fresca con Fagioli

by chefbikeski Posted on October 21, 2013

salsiccia con fagioli private ski tours italy italiaoutdoors food and wineDuring my recent trip to Umbria for our Bike the Wine Roads of Umbria tour, and a few days in Tuscany afterward, I saw this dish on many a menu. It features two of Umbria’s favorite products, beans and sausage.

sausage beans belly above bike wine tours umbria italiaoutdoors food and wineAs I summarized on a recent post, beans have a predominate role on the tables of Tuscany and Umbria. Tuscans have been referred to as ‘bean eaters’ by other Italians. In Tuscany you will find simple white beans, fagioli al fiasco, which have been cooked in a flask, or fiasco. Farmers would fill the bottle with beans and water, and place them in the embers of the fire before retiring. In the morning, the beans would be cooked. Fiasco is also used to refer to the straw covered glass bottle traditionally used to bottle Chianti. So there, this dish would be Salsiccia con Fagioli al Fiasco.
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In Umbria, I noticed many restaurants advertising one of Umbria’s favorite native beans,  the Fagiolina di Trasimeno. These are very small elongated, cream colored beans that have been cultivated in this region since the time of the Etruscans. The moist soil and climate around the basin of Lake Trasimeno provide the ideal conditions for the cultivation of this particular variety of bean. We enjoyed a great ride out to the shores of Lake Trasimeno during our recent cycling tour.

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Cyclists at Lake Trasimeno

As always, when I return home from Italy I recreate many of my favorite dishes. I purchased some wonderful store-made sausages for my own Salsiccia con Fagioli, and saw pork belly right nearby, so I decided to add another twist. You don’t see fresh pork belly, pancetta fresca, too much in Italy – usually it is cured and sold as pancetta. But my son ask after tasting it (skeptically) for the first time “Make this again. Often.” You can omit it, or substitute regular bacon or pancetta – you will not need to cook it as long as in the recipe below. I cooked the pork belly for a while to render a bit of the fat; bacon or pancetta will only need a few minutes.

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Pretty as a picture

Enjoy with some sautéed greens, and a hearty local wine; a Vino Nobile di Montipulciano if in Tuscany, or a Rosso di Montefalco in Umbria.

Salsiccia e Pancetta Fresca con Fagioli

Serves 4

1 pound pork belly, cut lengthwise into 4 slices (or 8 slices bacon or 8 ounces chopped pancetta)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, 1/4 inch dice
1 carrot, 1/4 inch dice
1 stalk celery, peeled and 1/4 inch dice
1 clove garlic, minced
10 ounces dried beans, soaked in water overnight
3 cups unsalted chicken stock
Bay leave
Thyme sprigs
1 1/2 pounds good quality sausage

Season pork belly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the pork belly and cook over high heat until browned and crisp on all sides. Lower heat, and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, until a good amount of the fat has rendered. The precise amount of time will depend upon how much fat is in the belly, and your personal preferences, so don’t be afraid to use your best judgement here!

Remove the pork belly from the pan. Pour off a bit of the fat if there is a lot in the pan. Return the pan to medium high heat, and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until soft and just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until just aromatic, about 1 minute.

Return the pork belly to the pan, and add the beans, chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are cooked, about 1 hours. This time, again, will depend upon the type, size, and age of your dried beans, so check occasionally, and add more liquid as needed.

While the beans are cooking, cook the sausages over medium high heat in another sauté pan. Remove from heat when just cooked through.

When the beans are tender, remove the bay leaves and thyme springs. If there remains too much liquid in the pan, turn the heat up and reduce. Add the sausages to reheat, adjust the seasoning, and serve with sautéed greens.

 

Posted in beans, Pork, Sausage, Travel, Tuscany, Umbria, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wine Tasting at Bibenda Assisi

by chefbikeski Posted on October 11, 2013

bibenda assisi wine tasting bike tours umbria italiaoutdoors food and wineOne of the highlights of our recent Bike the Wine Roads of Umbria tour was our wine tasting at Bibenda Assisi. I discovered this wine bar, and it’s friendly and welcoming owner, Nila, on my explorations prior to our arrival. As a sommelier, Nila is passionate about sharing the very best wines of Umbria with everyone that walks through her door.

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Nila begins by introducing herself, and her background. She is originally from the Ukraine, and after several positions in the hotel industry she moved to Assisi to open her wine bar. She is a trained sommelier, and her Bibenda Assisi was named one of the two best wine bars in Italy in 2012 by the Associazione Italiana Sommelier. This association publishes the Bibenda guide to the best wines and restaurants in Italy;  Bibenda coming from the Latin Bibendus, meaning “what to drink”. To translate the guide, “Enoteca-Wine Bar Bibenda Assisi – the only wine shop in Italy authorized to use our brand Bibenda. Ideal for wine tasting, a drink or a snack taste in the sign of culinary refinement and comfort of a warm and attention to detail”. After our visit, we were all in total agreement.

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We arrive to find a beautiful table set up with three glasses for each of us, and silverware. Any empty space on the table was quickly covered by Nila, bringing us multiple platter of the very best in local antipasti – an amazing selection of cured meats, including DOP prosciutto from Norcia, sopressata, cinghale, venison, and goose; 6 or 7 wonderful cheeses accompanied by honey and mostarda; the classic Umbrian bread torta al testa, and some beautiful rolls filled with sautéed spinach.
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We began with a white wine, an Umbria Bianco produced by Azienda Agraria Moretti Omero from Giano dell’Umbria, right near our last stop of Bevagna. Moretti Omero started around the end of WWII, when the grandfather, who had fled to Switzerland, purchased the property upon his return. They cultivate both olives and wine, and since 1992 produces exclusively using organic method.

Called “Nessuno”, meaning ‘none’, this is a fragrant young white, a blend of 75% Grechetto and 25% Malvasia Aromatica. An organic wine, with just a very small amount of sulfites (hence the name). Nila showed us how to begin by evaluating the appearance of the wine – the color, and the ‘legs’, or as she called them ‘tears’ that indicated the viscosity and alcohol content of the wine. This is a fairly young wine, so a lighter yellow with some hints of green.
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Then we moved on to the aroma. This wine has an intense bouquet, simple and clean, with notes of citrus and almond.  Finally we sip, and experience a fresh, crisp wine, with a good acid content. A great pairing with the fresh goat cheese that Nila has supplied. She also encourages us to try the Tuscan bread between wines, explaining that wines usually have a bit of salt in their profile, and the saltless Tuscan bread counteracts this and cleans the palate.

Next, we try a red wine, the Villa Fidelia Rosso 2009 Riserva. This wine is produced by the Sportoletti family in Spello, a lovely little town we passed by today on our bike ride to Assisi. On their 26 hectares of vineyards on the edge of Parco di Monte Subasio, they produce 5 wines: Rosso DOC Assisi, Assisi Grechetto DOC, Villa Fidelia Bianco IGT, Villa Fidelia Rosso IGT and IGT Villa Fidelia Passito. Today, their wines are winning accolades world-wide, from Gambero Rosso to Duemilavini to Robert Parker, who gave it a 93 point rating.
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We looked at the legs, and admire the ruby red color. We smell it’s aromas of cherries and dark berries, with floral notes and herbs. It tastes of cherries and fruit, with a wonderful spiciness and notes of chocolate and leather, an elegant wine with a persistent, savory finish and refined tannins.

Our last wine was the most intense of the three, another wine produced by Moretti Omero, their Sagrantino di Montefalco 2008 DOCG. We observe a slight brick color around the edges of the wine, an indication that this wine is a bit older than the previous one. This wine is 100% Sagrantino, completely organic. The bouquet is complex, with spices, ripe fruit and chocolate, and as Nila describes, “the smell of a wet leather coat.” The palate is well-rounded and intense, with cherries, dried fruit, spices and cocoa, dry and full bodied, with firm tannins. A very special wine to enjoy with roasted meat like game and lamb, and braised dishes.

As we finish off the wines, we move to discuss the subject on everyone’s mind in Assisi today – the upcoming visit of the Pope to the city of his namesake, Saint Francis. Nila confesses that she has written to the Pope to invite him to visit Bibenda Assisi. We all wonder which of us is sitting in the chair the Pope will use.

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The next day, after our cycling, all of our guests return to visit again with Nila, and taste some more of her wines. We stop by again as a group before dinner, and Nila shares with us her project for the day – selecting the wines she will serve, should Pope Francis stop by. Here’s a photo of her recommendations for the pontiff, several of which we have tried on our tour.

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