Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs and Risotto alla Valpolicella

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Our February meeting of our Newburyport Wine Club was built around “Wines that Tell a Story of Love.” Of course, you can’t do a theme like this without including wines from the Veneto. We enjoyed a Valpolicella Ripasso from Zeni, and another with Veneto connections, an Amarone inspired appassimento-style wine produced in by Veneto producer Allegrini in Argentina.

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2014 BODEGA RENACER “MILAMORE”, MENDOZA – ARGENTINA $24
45% MALBEC – 40% CABERNET SAUVIGNON – 10% BONARDA – 5% CABERNET FRANC

Built in 2004, Bodega Renacer is located in Lujan de Cuyo, in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Patricio Reich owns the estate and the wine maker is Pablo Sanchez. In 2004, Reich hired wine consultant Alberto Antonini to work with his winemaker. Through Alberto, Patricio was introduced to Marilisa Allegrini of Allegrini Wines – one of the most respected wineries in the world, located in Veneto. After visiting Patricio’s property, she was so enamored with Mendoza and the potential it has that in 2006 she decided to produce an Amarone style wine called Enamore, the first appassimento-style wine produced in Argentina. It’s name which means “in love” in both Spanish and Italian – was originally chosen as an homage to first impressions.

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After 10 years, the winemaking team found that their love for this rare wine, and each other, had not diminished over the years, but had only grown stronger. To commemorate the phenomenon that time changes everything, and that what’s truly good only gets better with time, Marilisa and Patricio elected to retitle the “one-love” of Enamore to the new offering of Milamore – which means a thousand loves.

Milamore offers supple aromas of ripe berries, raisin, and plums. Sensual notes of exotic spices, flint and chocolate are seamlessly layered with the fruit. Full bodied, rich and complex, with a long finish beautifully framed by fine-grained tannins.

Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs

5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (8 to 12)
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
10 sprigs thyme
3 cups pomegranate juice
1 cup dry red wine, such as Merlot
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper, dust with flour. Place the ribs on a sheet pan and roast in the oven until well-browned on the outside, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 275 degrees.

Alternatively, instead of roasting in the oven to brown, you can sear in a heavy pan. If I am making only a few ribs, I sear. If I am making a larger batch, roasting in the oven requires less labor on my part. To sear, in a large heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high. In batches, brown ribs on all sides. Transfer to a plate, pour off oil, and wipe loose bits out of pot.

Once the ribs have been browned, in the same large heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onion, garlic, and thyme. Cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is softened, 5 minutes. Whisk in pomegranate juice and wine and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Return ribs to pot, cover, and transfer to oven.

Bake until ribs are very tender and falling off the bone, about 3-4 hours. Allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight.

To finish the next day, remove from the refrigerator. The fat will have risen to the top and hardened into a solid layer; remove as much as possible and discard. Bring to a boil over medium-high, removing the meat as the sauce warms up. Cook until reduced to a sauce-like consistency, 10 – 20 minutes, depending upon the consistancy you prefer. Remove the thyme sprigs and garlic, you can use a strainer if you wish. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over ribs.

Serve with roasted pumpkin or squash. Top with pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

If you need to cook and serve the same day, you can. Once the meat is tender, with a slotted spoon carefully transfer ribs to a large platter. Strain liquid into a fat separator, let sit briefly, and return to pot, discarding fat (or, skim off fat with a spoon). Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook until reduced to a sauce-like consistency, 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, season with salt and pepper, and pour over ribs.

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2017 ZENI “MAROGNE” VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE, VENETO – ITALY $24

60% CORVINA – 30% RONDINELLA – 10% MOLINARA and 14.0% ABV
The Zeni story starts with Bartolomeo Zeni in 1870; painter by passion, but carter by profession, Bartolomeo transported the goods of his region, like fish, olive oil and wine to the villages along the shores of Lake Garda. Bartolomeos’s business was then carried on by his son Gaetano, who began taking his first steps as wine broker. Thanks to Francesco, Gaetano’s eldest son, the Zeni family’s offspring inherited not only the family name, but also the strong passion for farming. Gaetano’s sons recognized a rapidly expanding market, especially abroad and thus completely changed the company’s focus – the production of quality wine. That philosophy, like the bond with the land, the passion for the vineyard, and for the love of the generations before is pursued with the same enthusiasm and dedication by 5th generation – Fausto, Elena and Federica Zeni.

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A percentage of the grapes for this Valpolicella is hand harvested early, in small racks and left to dry before being vinified with the rest of the grapes picked later in the harvest. After fermentaion the un-pressed Amarone skins are added to the Valpolicella wine for a “re-passing” and remains in contact with the pumace of Amarone for 10 – 12 days, during this period a second fermentation takes place. This “Ripasso” method gives to Valpolicella wine a better structure and a lower acidity. This wine is highly aromatic with hints of black cherry and well-ripened fruit. The palate is well rounded, velvet soft and full-bodied with a long and lingering finish.

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I paired this wine with a Risotto alla Valpolicella, following the recipe below that we made during a wonderful cooking class at Allegrini’s Villa della Torre wine resort (the same Allegrini mentioned in the next recipe). I’ve included both the original instructions, plus my version, as I find the original Italian fun to read, but a bit challenging to follow!

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Fireplace at Villa della Torre

Risotto All’Amarone

Serves 4 persons

1/2 cup/100 g minced white onion
3 tablespoons/40 g butter
2 tablespoons/30 g of beef marrow (optional)
1 1/2 cups/320 g Vialone Nano, Arborio or Cannaroli rice
1/2 bottle Amarone or Valpolicella
4 cups beef broth, unsalted
Kosher salt
1/2 cup/60 g grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Allegrini Instructions:

Finish the onion finely and fry it in a saucepan with 20 g of butter, pour the crushed marrow and cook for five minutes on a low flame. Add the rice, let it toast for a few minutes at medium flame and then pour the appropriately preheated Amarone. Continue cooking the risotto by slowly combining the hot soup ladle with the rice as it requires it.

Take the rice to the best cooking, never stop mixing with the wooden ladle, season with little salt. When the cooking is fine, add the remaining Amarone and, if needed, a large amount of broth. In the end, keep the risotto with the remaining butter and 60 g of grated cheese. Let it rest for a minute and serve in a basket of grain cake prepared in the following world; Pour in a preheated frying pan the remaining grated garnish, let it melt and help with a wooden pallet to lift the leaf that is formed. Pour it quickly on the dish and model it with the basket.

My Instructions:

Put the broth and wine in two separate saucepans and heat until warm.

Place half the butter in a large saute pan and heat over medium low heat. Add the marrow, if using, and the onion and cook until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the rice, and cook for a few minutes to toast slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the preheated wine and simmer, when it has evaporated completely, begin to stir in the hot broth. Add a ladleful of the hot stock and simmer, stirring gently, until the stock is absorbed. Continue adding the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring and waiting until the stock is absorbed before the next addition of stock. Continue until the rice is al dente. The stock may not all be used.

When the risotto is done, stir in the grated cheese and butter and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Posted in Braising, Meats, Newburyport Wine Club, Travel, Uncategorized, Veneto, Wine, Wine Pairings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Rivetto Wines – Bringing Sustainability to the Heart of the Langhe – Barolo Walk and Wine with Italiaoutdoors

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Walking through the countryside of the Langhe hills in the Barolo wine zone, pristine picturesque vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. Home to one of Italy’s most prestigious wine, almost every square inch is devoted to the cultivation of the Nebbiolo grape. But as I approach the Rivetto winery, I notice subtle changes to the landscape. No longer uniformed vineyards, I spot a field of grain here, a vegetable garden and compost area there, fruit and nut trees and herbs line the dirt roads that weave through the property. Why does a vineyard owner, whose livelihood rests on the sale of wine, devote precious real estate to crops that don’t make money? Is the owner simply not the best business person, or is there a reason behind his actions?

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The latter, of course. The current owner, Enrico Rivetto, is a 4th generation winemaker who, in 2009 made the conscious decision to diversify. The cultivation of grapes in this area dates back thousands of years. But until about 150 years ago, grape vines here in Italy were not planted in ‘vineyards”, but grew alongside a multitude of crops, everything a farming family needed to survive. Woodlands covered much of these hills. Only when Barolo became one of the world’s most sought after wines were fields replanted, woodlands eliminated, creating what is today essentially a monoculture. As Enrico says, “Once one realizes the real effects this has on the environment, the need of a radical change towards an agriculture that is compatible and in sync with nature, land and men emerges.” The winery was officially certified organic in 2013, and in 2015 they adopted biodynamic practices. Just recently, in December of 2019 Rivetto became the first Barolo and Barbaresco winery to be officially certified biodynamic by Demeter International. Today the winery consists of 15 hectares of vineyards, 6 hectares of woodlands, 6 hectares of nut trees and 1 hectare dedicated to alternative crops – almost 50% of its land devoted to sustainability.

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Enrico drives us down a dirt farm path pointing out the various crops he has introduced to his land, all against the spectacular backdrop – the lovely town of Serralunga d’Alba. There is a greenhouse housing vegetables, followed by an area filled with rosebushes. Sage and rosemary line the sides of the road, and I learn that the oils of these herbs are natural fungicides. Enrico hops out of the car from time to time to check on a few recently planted peach trees. He points out a field of oats in the distance, and we pass a quite large hay field that could have held more than a few grape vines, instead home today to a few large bales of hay. We make one final stop to visit an old root cellar, where Enrico’s great grandfather hid food from the Germans during the wars. Then off to tour the modern wine production facility.

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Enrico shows me through the cellar, sharing his minimal intervention philosophy. His preference for natural yeasts, spontaneous fermentation. We stop to note the one item that stands out from the multitude of cellars I’ve toured – a line of terracotta amphora. An experiment, Enrico tells me. The ancient Greeks and Romans produced and stored their wines in amphora, and terracotta still possesses qualities beneficial to the wine-making process. Terracotta does not impart any flavor, allowing wines to display all of the delicate fruit aromatics and flavors of the grape. Unlike oak, terracotta is inorganic, and does not harbor micro-organisms that can spoil, thus reducing the levels of sulfur needed to safeguard the wine. And terracotta ‘breathes’, allowing oxygen to play a role in the wine making process, developing mouthfeel and amplifying aromatics and flavors. Enrico has swaddled each in a blanket of plastic wrap, as the oxidation through the terracotta was proving a bit too much for his liking. The challenge of low-tech wine production.

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Finally, off to the tasting room. Enrico leaves me in the capable hands of Biljana, and we sample many of Rivetto’s wonderful wines.

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We start with a first for me – a sparkling Nebbiolo. Biljana describes the 3 pass harvest process for Nebbiolo, depicted by the logo on the label. The first pass takes the bottom third of a grape cluster; these grapes, still with a nice level of acidity, are used for the sparkling Nebbiolo. The second pass claims the middle third, used for the dry Nebbiolo wines sold under the Langhe designation. The top third, most exposed to the sun and harvested last, is destined for Barolo. The sparkling Nebbiolo, produced using the classic champagne method, is named Kaskal, which in the ancient Sumeric language it means “The way to the king”. 100% Nebbiolo, extra brut, with 45 months on the lees. Rich yellow in color, with persistent fine bubbles. Aromas of fresh baked bread, honey and figs. Well balanced palate, crisp acidity and great mouthfeel.

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To follow, another wine I had not experienced before – made from an indigenous white grape called Nascetta. This is a semi-aromatic grape native to Langhe with excellent ageing potential. Historical texts liken it to the great wines of Rhine. Yellowish gold in color, aromas of tropical fruit. The palate is fresh and mineral with a crisp acidity. Pair shrimp with citrus, scallops with vegetables, oysters, spring risotto.

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Next, the 2016 Zio Nando Barbera. Almost one third of the grapes used in “Uncle” Nando Barbara were planted in 1944. As often used here in Piedmont, these vines are green harvested in late summer, eliminating 4 bunches out of every 8 to focus the vines energy on fewer, higher quality bunches. 100% Barbera, aged 18 months in large oak barrel, an additional 1 year in the bottle, with a powerful aroma of dark berries and cherry. Intensely colored, well-structured and smooth for the perfect every day wine. Enjoy with salami and cheese, parmigiana, vitello tonnato.

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A second Barbera d’Alba follows, the 2015 Loirano Soprano. The Loirano Soprano wine is made from grapes grown in the upper part of Zio Nando vineyard situated at the top of Lirano hill. These conditions guarantee a wine with a potency and refinement that is unique in Langa. In addition, aggressive green harvesting (8 bunches to 3) insures optimal tannic and aromatic development. This wine is produced only in the best vintages for Barbera grapes – Barbera loves heat. 100% Barbara, aged 24 months in oak, 1 year in the bottle. A bright and an intense red, with pleasant floral notes of dark fruit and violets. Refined palate with firm tannins. Pair with salami, robiola, spicy food, pasta with meat sauce.

On to Nebbiolo. The first is their Langhe DOC Nebbiolo. Rivetto stopped producing wines from the indigenous Dolcetto grape, but needed a wine to replace its position as an every day table wine to enjoy daily with lighter foods and pastas. Made from the middle third of the harvest, An extremely pleasing and drinkable wine. Lighter red in color, with aromas of cherry and violets. Good body, smooth tannins. Enjoy with vitello tonnato, tajarin and ravioli, white meats.

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Barbaresco. Rivetto is an historical winery, so they can produce Barbaresco at their production facility in Barolo as long as the grapes are grown in Barbaresco, of course. After a long search, they found a supplier partner that follows their preferred organic approach. 100% Nebbiolo, aged for 2 years in oak, 70% in Slovenian, 30% in French, followed by 1 year in the bottle. Ruby red in color with flecks of orange. Clear delicate aromas of fruit with floral notes. Good structure and finesse, pronounced tannins typical of the Marcarini area near Treiso. Enjoy with ossobuco, rabbit, aged cheese, gnocchi with Castelmagno cheese.

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On to Barolo. We start with the 2014 Briccolina. Briccolina is the pioneer vineyard for Rivetto’s biodynamic approach, introduced here in 2015. This is a single vineyard wine, maceration of at least 50 days with a single punch down in that time. It has aged for 36 months in oak followed by 18 months in the bottle. It is expected to be best around 2025. Bright ruby red with orange rhues, a delicate bouquet of florals and spice. The palate is dry and refined, well-balanced with elegant tannins that will age well.  Best with bollito misto, rabbit, braised meat.

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Next their 2013 Leon Riserva Barolo. 100% Nebbiolo from vineyards in Serralunga. After 5 years of aging, Barolo may use the title of “Reserve”. After 45 months in large barrels, the wines from each barrel are tasted and only those showing the greatest potential for ageing are used for the Leon Riserva. Aromas of red berries, rose and licorice, with flavors of cherry and raspberries. Smooth, well-balanced, with elegant tannins. Ageing will continue to smooth out the tannins and develop the bouquet. At its best after 15-20 years. Pair with red meats, lamb, game, aged cheese, everything with truffle.

Biljana then finishes the tasting with a small taste of the 2001 Leon Riserva. This side by side tasting demonstrates how beautifully these Barolos develop over time. The bouquet is more intense, more complex with notes of licorice and violent. On the palate, more interesting flavors emerge, leather, sour cherries, minerality. The tannins are refined and oh so smooth. A perfect ending.

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Posted in Piedmont, Travel, Uncategorized, Wine, Wine Pairings | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A Night in Puglia with the Newburyport Wine Club

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In January, our Newburyport Wine Club welcomed Silvestro Silvestori from the Awaiting Table Cooking School in Lecce as a guest chef and Sommelier. Lecce is in the southern region of Puglia, the heel of the boot. I had traveled down to Puglia in September to explore, and was eager to learn more about the regional foods and wines. I had missed the opportunity to cook with Silvestro then, but he was visiting the US for the holidays and he graciously agreed to visit our Wine Club during his visit. My colleague Gary Sullivan hunted down some fantastic wines from Puglia – not many are imported here yet, so this was a challenge, and Silvestro suggested regional dishes to pair with each. So after missing out in Puglia, my chance to cook with Silvestro came to pass in my own kitchen! Thanks to Karen Shernan of Newburyport Port Plums for connecting us with Silvestro and supplying lots of great olive oil for our evening!

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Puglia is one of the few flat areas in Italy, with huge expanses of farmland. It is a region of farmers, producing 40% of Italy’s olive oil. It also a huge producer of durum wheat, which is used in the area’s famous pasta, orecchiette, and breads. As with most regions in the south of Italy, this has been a poorer area, home to cucina povera, the cuisine of the poor. Meat traditionally was reserved for special occasions, with home grown or foraged vegetables taking center stage, and fish and seafood making frequent appearances due to Puglia’s extensive coastline.

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Silvestro suggested two vegetable dishes that we paired with two red wines. Typically white wines are favored with vegetables, but the warm climate of Puglia favors reds. Both of these dishes have enough strong flavors going on to stand up to a red wine; the first uses hearty, spicy wild greens with a dried bean puree, the second an assortment of well-roasted root vegetables. Both require a liberal application of high-quality extra virgin olive oil to finish the dish – preferably Puglian, of course!

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Gary selected the 2015 Leone de Castris Rosso Riserva, Salice Salentino to serve with the Fave e Cicoria, Pureed Fava Beans with Dandelion Greens. This is a blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce, both indigenous red grapes. Salice Salentino is one of Puglia’s most successful denominations and one of the first to gain recognition abroad. Intense ruby-red in color, with concentrated aromas of black cherries and baked red fruits complemented with undertones of plum, spice, vanilla and anise. On the palate, velvety tannins and a full body frame the long, delectable finish of stewed strawberries and vanilla beans.

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Fava e Cicoria

We made an authentic version of this dish with Silvestro. I purchased dried favas, we first soaked them, then cooked them, then peeled each individual bean; all in all, a very laborious process. We ended up picking through the shelled beans, disposing of many that were too brown to use. We all agreed that using good quality canned white beans would make a better, more attractive puree, and be MUCH easier. So that’s what I used for this recipe.

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Serves 4

1 – 28 ounce can white beans, such as Cannellini or Lima, rinsed well
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 large bunch dandelion greens, washed

Place beans, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to puree. Add olive oil and pulse until the puree is the consistency your prefer, typically like a hummus. Season to taste with salt.

Bring a large pot of water to s rolling boil over high heat. Add salt until water tastes like sea water. Blanch the greens in the boiling water until the stems are tender to the bite, about 7 minutes. Drain greens.

Place a large spoonful of the bean puree on a plate or in a serving bowl. Surround with a circle of the greens, which Silvestro called “green spaghetti”. Top generously with olive oil and serve.

Pugliese Dark Roasted Root Vegetables

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Silvestro described this dish to me a simple roasted root vegetables, cooked until they are “almost burnt”. This resulted in a strongly flavored dish that holds up well against the 2016 Rivera “Violante” Nero di Troia from Castel del Monte. The Rivera estate is located near the town of Andria in the heart of the Castel del Monte DOC. In terms of vineyard area (approx. 1,800 hectares) Nero di Troia, also called Uva di Troia, is the third most important of Puglia’s native black grape vines after Negroamaro and Primitivo. A luminous purple-red with a rich bouquet of wild red berry fruit and sweet violet florals. On the palate, Violante is full-bodied, with a fine balance between fruit and structure.

A mix of your favorite root vegetables – carrots, parsnips, turnip, celery root – washed/peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Minced parsley

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut root vegetables into larger pieces – carrots in half, or quarter if really large, turnips in 1 inch pieces. If you wish to serve smaller pieces, I suggest roasting first, then cutting into smaller pieces as if they are too small, the dark roasting will result in burnt ends and dried out veggies.

Place vegetables spaced out on a sheet pan, and brush with just a little olive oil. Silvestro instructed me that you use only a little olive oil before cooking, and a LOT after, preserving the flavor. Season with salt and pepper.

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Roast in the oven until very darkly brown, almost burnt, removing and flipping the vegetables once. Keep an eye on them during the roasting process, as some will cook faster than others.

Remove when dark, and serve either warm or at room temperature, drizzled liberally with olive oil and garnished with minced parsley.

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Posted in Uncategorized, Vegetables, Wine, Wine Pairings | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Pan Roasted Duck Breasts with Blackberry Sauce

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Our December gathering of our Newburyport Wine Club was “All About Crémant – A Great Alternative to Champagne”. With the holidays fast approaching, we wanted to explore some wonderful, but less expensive options to celebrate the season with some bubbles. While Champagne is probably the most prestigious sparkling wine, there are many superb options produced throughout the world using the “Champagne Method”. In France, but outside the borders of the official “Champagne” region you will find Crémant. In Italy, Franciacorta from Lombardia, or TRENTODOC from Trentino are “Metodo Classico” wines.

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Champagne is made using a process called Méthode Champenoise, or Metodo Classico in Italy. After a first fermentation is used to produce a still wine, all sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation, this one under pressure, trapping CO2 gas which forms the bubbles. In the Méthode Champenoise, the still wine is put in the bottle and this second fermentation takes place in the bottle it will be sold in. Winemakers fill the bottles with the still wine, add sugar and yeast, cap the bottle with a metal cap, and then allow lots of time – typically years – for the carbonation to develop.
After this aging and carbonation, the bottles undergo a process known as riddling (remuage in French) to remove the dead yeast particles which now remain in the bottle. Traditionally, now the bottles are placed on special racks called ‘pupitres’. Each day, the riddler (yes Batman, this is what they call the person who does this job) rotates each bottle a few degrees, and tilts the cap a few more degrees down toward the ground. This twist and tilt process slowly moves the dead yeast particles down into the neck of the bottle. In about 6 to 8 weeks, the position of the bottle is pointed nearly straight down with the sediment settled nicely in the neck of the bottle.

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This manual way of riddling sparkling wine is still used for Prestige Cuvées, but has otherwise been abandoned due to the high labor costs, with the riddler retired, replaced by a gyro-palette machine invented in Spain in the 1970s.

When riddling is finished, to remove the sediment the neck of the bottle is immersed in liquid nitrogen to freeze it, forming an ice ‘plug’. The metal cap is removed, and the ice plug pops out, taking the sediment with it, a process called ’degorgement’. The bottle is topped off, the sweetness adjusted, it is corked, caged, and ready to go.

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What to enjoy with your bubbles? These wines are amazingly versatile, from aperitifs to cheeses to pasta dishes to sweeter versions with desserts. A rosé sparkling wine pairs well with lighter meat dishes, like this Pan Roasted Duck Breasts with Blackberry Sauce.

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Pan Roasted Duck Breasts with Blackberry Sauce

Serves 4

4 duck breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1+4 tablespoons butter
1 minced shallot
10 ounce package frozen blackberries
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 pint fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim the duck breast of any excess fat that hangs off the sides. Score the skin in a crisscross pattern, cutting close to, but not into, the meat. Season with salt and pepper.

In a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, melt the 1 tablespoon butter, add the shallots and cook until lightly browned.

Add the frozen blackberries, the red wine, vinegar and broth, reduce heat to a simmer and reduce to 1/3 its original volume. Add the fresh blackberries and the 4 tablespoons butter, bring to a boil and whisk until butter ismelted and incorporated.

Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the duck breasts skin side down and cook for 10 minutes or so to render the fat and crisp the skin. Flip the breasts, place the skillet in the oven and cook until the duck is rare to medium rare – 125°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice into 1/2” slices, arrange on a plate with a spoonful of the blackberry sauce. You can also skewer each slice and serve as an appetizer.

Posted in Fruit, Meats, Newburyport Wine Club, Travel, Uncategorized, Wine, Wine Pairings | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Polpette in Umido – Stewed Meatballs

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Ask most Americans about Italian food, and the dish that most likely springs to mind is Spaghetti and Meatballs, meatballs served over a plate of spaghetti smothered in marinara sauce. A favorite recipe of many Italian immigrant grandmothers, and a staple on many a restaurant menu here in the US, the one place you’ll not easily find this dish is: Italy.

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Little delicious balls of ground meats, called polpettes, are found all over Italy, in every region. But they are not drowned in a tomato sauce, nor are they the size of a tennis ball. You’ll see them served plain, or in a broth, or stewed in a sauce “in Umido”. They can be made from any meat, from veal to chicken to fish. In the region of Abruzzo, they can be no bigger in size than marbles and called polpettines.

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In Italy, polpettes are more commonly found on the kitchen table than on a restaurant menu, as they are considered simple “home cooking”. Shaylyn Esposito, writing for smithsonian.com, shares a wonderful quote from 1800’s cookbook author Pellegrino Artusi – “Non crediate che io abbia la pretensione d’insegnarvi a far le polpette. Questo è un piatto che tutti lo sanno fare cominciando dal ciuco,” which translates, “Don’t think I’m pretentious enough to teach you how to make meatballs. This is a dish that everybody can make, starting with the donkey.”

That said, here is a recipe for Stewed Meatballs from Osteria – 1,000 Generous and Simple Recipes from Italy’s Best Local Restaurants compiled by Slow Food Editore Rizzoli. It makes a comfortable casual dinner, but also is great party food. We paired it with a sparkling rosé Crémant during a recent meeting of our Newburyport Wine Club. I added a few mushrooms to the sauce, turning this simple home dish into an elegant addition for a holiday celebration!

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Polpette in Umido – Stewed Meatballs

Antica Trattoria dell Gigina, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna

These meatballs are stewed, but they would be equally delicious pan-fried. The ideal accompaniment is wild radicchio or freshly picked dandelion greens dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and plenty of garlic.

The mushrooms are my addition. If you prefer not to use, simply omit them.

Serves 6

12 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
4 ounces sausage, casing removed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 rib celery, minced
1 carrot, minced
10 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 ounces dried mushrooms, soak in hot water for 30 minutes to soften
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine together the ground beef, ground pork, and crumble in the sausage. Mix with the egg, Parmigiano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Combine well and form into balls about golf ball size.

Saute the onions, celery, and carrot in the olive oil. When they begin to brown, add the fresh and dried mushrooms and cook, until softened, any liquid has been mostly cooked off and the mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add the tomato puree, cream, and butter. Stir to combine, season lightly, and cook at a very low simmer for 5 minutes.

Dredge the meatballs in the breadcrumbs if desired, add to the pan with the cream and stew, turning occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through.

Posted in antipasti, Gluten Free, Meats, Newburyport Wine Club, Travel, Uncategorized, Wine, Wine Pairings | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment