Wine with Game

Hey friends,

In my previous post I talked about wine with meats, this is kind of a continuation of that but I want to go into it a little more with more of our intense flavor game meat. If you're a new foodie you might not be familiar with a few of these or may never have tasted them but let me tell you, you're truly missing out on some great eats. I hope this will inspire you to step out of your normal comfort zone and try something new.

Pigeon ( Squab) - You'll need a quite powerful mature red to stand up to the rich and high fat content of roasted pigeon.Cote de Nuits - A full bodied burgundy with maturity and a powerful flavor.Tuscan Sauiovese - This is robust enough to deal with the distinctive flavor of pigeon and works well with plain vegetable side dishes.

Pheasant - Whether the pheasant is from the wild, or has been farm raised, it is best served with a fine, mature red Bordeaux.Pomerol -The richness of this Bordeaux will complement the richness and texture of the meat.St. Emilion -Go for a fine-quality aged bottle that will really do justice to your meal. Add a splash of St Emilion to the cooking juices for a delicious sauce.

Quail - Not as rich as most other game birds, quail are delicious grilled or barbequed. Choose a light red to accompany quail.Young Burgundy =Choose one that is young and fresh enough not to drown the soft and delicate flavors of quail.Rioja -The flavors of a mature Rioja will complement quail beautifully.

Rabbit - For stew , the rabbit is usually marinaded in a rich red wine for several hours before cooking, so it'll required a well matched red wine to pair with. GO for BIG flavors with this wine.Bordeaux -Choose one of the more youthful red Bordeaux.Cote' de Frontonnais - This is a more savory red, ideal for a rabbit served roasted.Chinon - This medium-bodied red with god fruit and acidity will also go very well with a fruity sauce.

Hare -The flavor of hare is stronger than rabbi, the meat is darker in color and the overwhelming flavor is "gamier". It should be served with a full-bodied red.Nuits-St.-Georges - The sturdiness of this wine will withstand the strong game flavor.Barbareso -Very powerful, full-flavored, and aromatic.

Venison - Lean cuts of venison can dry out quickly during cooking, so its best serve medium-rare with a sauce made from the cooking juices. Forequarter cuts should be marinaded in wine before cooking to tenderize the meat. Syrah - This is rich and gamy enough to take on the distinctive flavor of venison.Chianti - A 3-4 year old Chianti will have a similar mouth feel to a softly cooked tender filet.

I know a lot of people are like whoa, I never thought of eating that, but these are some of the tastiest meats when prepared properly. I have some great recipes if you want them.I hope you'll try some of these great pairings; let me know what you think!

Food of Love

Chef Tre' Donte'

*Wine Essential used as reference

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Herb of The Day -Parsley

It's worth looking in gardens centers for the broad-leafed French variety of parsley, which has a very lovely and pungent flavor. Rich in vitamins A, B and C minerals, it tones the digestion as well as bringing vital flavors to soups, stews, salads and stocks.

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Elegant Valentines Day Dinner Made Simple...Bon Apetite!

Hello you guys, first I want to wish all of a very Happy Valentines Day, and in the spirit of love, I want to give you all a little Food Of Love. So for Krissa, Jackie, Beth and Kate here are a few ideas for your special day with the one you love. Don't be afraid to jump right in there ,, these are very simple recipes to ensure success.

Osso Bucco

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=INGREDIENTS
4 veal shanks, about 1 pound each
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 can (14.5 ounces) low-salt chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) whole tomatoes, crushed with fingers, with juices
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1-1/2 tablespoons parsley (can be omitted if using the gremolata)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Gremolata
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350° F. Season the shanks with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with the flour. Heat an ovenproof sauté large enough to hold the shanks in one layer over high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the shanks and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and reduce heat to medium-high. Place the onions, carrots, celery and peppers in the pan. Sauté until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté one more minute. Pour in the wine and broth. Return heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon juice, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, the 1-1/2 tablespoons of parsley and additional salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, until reduced by about one-third. (There should be enough liquid to come about half way up the sides of the shanks.) Return the shanks, and any accumulated juices, to the pan. Cover tightly and place in oven. Cook until the meat is very tender and starting to fall off the bones, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the shanks from the pan. Cook the sauce over high heat until reduced as desired. Mix together the Gremolata ingredients; add to the sauce and stir well to combine. Serve the shanks, spooning some sauce over each.

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Creamy Polenta

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Ingredients
4 cups water

Salt to taste
1 cup medium-grain yellow polenta

4 tablespoons butter1 cup cream cheese

Method
1 Heat water lightly seasoned with salt to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes. Quickly whisk in the polenta until fully incorporated.

2 Lower the heat to a low simmer, add the butter and allow the polenta to cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

3 Finish by stirring in the cream cheese and salt to taste.If preparing in advance, cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat in the microwave, about 5 minutes on high, just before serving. Stir vigorously after reheating to fluff

http://www.elise.com/

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Chocolate Truffles made simple

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners (powdered)' sugar, sifted
3 cups semisweet chocolate, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Roll truffles in ground walnuts (or any ground nuts), cocoa, coconut, confectioners' sugar, candy sprinkles, etc.
To flavor truffles with liqueurs or other flavorings, omit vanilla. Divide truffle mixture into thirds. Add 1 tablespoon liqueur (almond, coffee, orange) to each mixture; mix well.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Decadent-Truffles/Detail.aspx

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*Great Wine Selections with this meal.*

2005 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir- Red

2002 Bridgehampton Chardonnay- White

Domaine Saint Vincent Brut Methode Champenoise- Champagne/sparkling white

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Farm to table cookbooks that are great reads!

Outstanding In The Fields

With more than 100 seasonal recipes, resources, menu suggestions, and farmers’ stories, Jim Denevan and Marah Stets bring their farm-to-table philosophy to our kitchens in Outstanding in the Field: A Farm to Table Cookbook (Random House Inc., $32.50). Since 1999, chef Denevan has been traveling the U.S. in “an intermittently reliable 1953 Flexible bus” named Outstanding, hosting dinners where dinner has never been served—from a Manhattan city garden to a coastal cave in California. He sheds light on the importance of knowing those who feed us, and that the farmers who grow our food are as important to good eating as the chefs who cook it. Perfect for the locavore cook.

The Organic Food Shoppers Guide In The Organic Food Shopper’s Guide (Wiley, John & Sons, $14.95).

Jeff Cox cultivates your knowledge of organic shopping, cooking and eating. Here are the answers to all those questions that come up at the farmers market. What to buy? How to store it? How long does it keep? Organic food is one of the fastest growing food trends among consumers and chefs alike. Cox covers all the basics with entries on more than 100 organic foods, from fruits and vegetables to meat and fish, as well as coffee and chocolate. His detailed tips on shopping by season, organic advantages and uses, preparation and nutrition make this book the essential companion for any organic food shopper. Perfect for the farmers market shopper

These may be purchased at www.barnesandnoble.com or any fine book store.

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Winter Gardening Down Under

Rhubarb-This is a perennial but plants generally only produce well for a few years, and then fresh plants need to be started from subdivided crowns planted late winter or early spring and it is very hardy.

Lettuce- Only plant Winter varieties of lettuces (cos, salad bowl,oakleaf, butterhead and mignonette varieties Asparagus. Prepare your bed before you buy the crowns to plant late Winter - early Spring. Since this is a perennial which can last for up to 20 years it is well worth the effort of establishing properly. It needs good drainage and can be planted very successfully in a raised bed It likes compo stand well rotted manure. Seaweed is an excellent mulch.The crowns are planted in a trench, but with the roots straddling a ridge. Cover so that dormant shoots are about4cm below surface. Do not harvest spears in the first year,and only harvest for a few weeks in the second year.Remember this is a long-term investment.

 

Currants- These are easy bushes to grow in Canberra as they withstand very cold weather and don't mind heavy clay soil. They produce a fruit rarely available commercially.They need to be pruned in winter to remove dead wood and allow for good air circulation.

 

OTHER POSSIBILITIES Growers may wish to start a number of crops in late winter rather than early Spring if the winter is mild or if they have a sheltered garden bed Such crops include Artichokes (Globe and Jerusalem), Beetroot, Cabbage,Carrots, Potatoes and Radish.Frost-sensitive vegetables such as Capsicum, Eggplant and Tomatoes can be started early in August but may Need a heated glasshouse or warm spot to germinate and will almost certainly need protection when planted out.

OUR THANKS TO http://www.cogs.asn.au/articles/winter.pdf FOR THE GROWING TIPS.

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**Herb Of The Day**- Basil

Basil is a wonderful green herb, used heavily in italian cooking,for many dishes including pesto sauce and many many tomatoe inspired fare.and the large fresh leaves give a strong taste to green salads and is also used to infuse oil and vinigerettes. Basil is vital for one staple salad "Insalata Tricolore" or caprese salad. This is made with ripe tomatoes, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves drizzled with a fine olive oil.

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Food Of Love

This group is inspired by and for Chefs, foodies,farmers,wine lovers and all those who believe in treating our food products with the same love that we expect to get from them. Those who believe in earth to table cooking , meaning using the freshest ingredience possible at all times, this is a group for us to share our ideas and find new ways to improve and enhance the important way of life. So here we are please feel free to share your thought and stories about what's going on or what your doing in your communities, restaurant, farms, vineyards or even in your home to use the Food Of Love principles

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