Wine Club Newsletter - November 2010
November 2010 Wine Selections
WineSellar Club
2009 Macon-Villages, Henri Perrusset, Grand Vin de Bourgogne
2009 Avante, Mencia, Bierzo, Spain
Two-Rouge Club
2006 Mahoney, Pinot Noir, Carneros
2005 Livingston Cabernet Sauvignon, Stanley’s Selection
The Gary Parker Collection
2007 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Earl Domaine Castagnier
2007 Moffett Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve
Grill That Turkey
We have never served Thanksgiving dinner here at The WineSellar & Brasserie. I think it is important my staff be with their family and friends, and also enjoy a day off for culinary endeavors. Here is a story about one of my more adventurous Thanksgiving Days.
It was in 1993, seventeen years ago, when the power went out at my Encinitas home around 4:00 AM on Thanksgiving morning.
We called SDG&E to see what was happening, and they told us there was a car crash that had damaged the transformer that supplied power to our neighborhood. They were not certain how long it would take to repair, but they were hoping to have power restored before the evening. “BEFORE the evening!?”, I gasped.
I had ten people coming over for the holiday meal I was to prepare, including our Chef, foodies and wine people, and most stress producing, the In-Laws, who came down from Northern California. They are really sweet people, but still I was panicked.
First thing to do: go to the store and get an adequate supply of ice and get down the ice chests from the rafters. The refrigerator was going to be opened often, and soon enough we were going to risk everything getting spoiled.
Next stop, the gas station to get both tanks of butane topped off for the BBQ. I am going to live at the grill this day.
While running the errands, I starting devising a plan on how to turn this seeming disaster into a benefit and learning experience. Main object of concern is how to cook the turkey. For my mind, cooking a perfect turkey is a challenge anyway because there are different cooking times required for the breast (white meat) and the legs and thighs (dark meat). The breast has a tendency to dry out while you are cooking the whole bird to completion.
I trimmed up the turkey, separating the white meat from the dark, and removing all the skin. I put the breasts, dark meats and giblets into a large plastic bag that was filled with my marinade of olive oil, herbs, garlic, wine, lemon, salt and pepper. Into the ice chest it went.
Then I took a large cake pan, lightly oiled the bottom, and spread the skin and bones harvested from the turkey in the pan, with one chopped onion. I placed it on the grill, and let the bones and skin brown as best I could, keeping the BBQ cover down to allow for more even heat and a touch of wanted smoke.
When the skin, bones and onion were browned, I added a few cups each of water, cream sherry and white wine to the pan. As it started to reduce later, I added some mushrooms, garlic, and fresh herbs. I let it stay on the grill and kept feeding the liquids into the pot as it reduced down. I now I had the base for a sauce as well as a poaching potion for the breasts.
While waiting for the stock to slowly simmer and reduce (could take hours), I prepared the cold side dishes, salads, appetizers, etc. Items that needed cooking were placed in pans or wrapped in foil and were to be cooked over the grill at the appropriate time, including the turkey stuffing.
A few hours later, I strained the pan with the stock (sauce) in it through a fine strainer. I then separated some the stock so I had enough to slow poach the breasts, and saved the rest for the final, finished sauce.
As the magic hour neared, I waited for our guests to arrive before finalizing the dinner. I was slow poaching the breasts, which was going to take about 20-25 minutes. Then grilling the dark meats, including the giblets, as well as bringing everything else to completion would only take 10 minutes or so.
And then, of course, 30 minutes before everyone arrives, the power in the house is restored, and everything seemed quite normal to them when they arrived. That is with the exception of an empty, unused kitchen, an overburdened BBQ, a very different style of the holiday dinner, and a well smoked host.
Author: Gary Parker
Turkey Wine Thoughts
Every year people ask us which wines to serve with their Thanksgiving turkey. I have some thought for you.
It can be a great day to open large format bottles, magnums and double magnums and the like. It is also the day you should be drinking special bottles of wine that you have been cellaring, or saving for a special occasion. Give thanks, count your blessings, this is the time!
There is no one wine that fits the complete Thanksgiving Day menu. There are many different courses, flavors and textures, different ways to prepare the turkey, white meat, dark meat, what’s in the stuffing, etc. So I suggest open as many different kinds of wine as is feasible for the size of your group.
I encourage an informal atmosphere for your wine service. Give everyone a nice wine glass and let them pour their own, trying all the wines at their own pace. This gets everyone talking about the wines, and pretty soon you have a lively event.
Bubbly is always a great way to start, and the 90 point Roederer Estate Sparkling wine from Anderson Valley at $15.99 brings many happy tidings. Crisp, refreshing, nice mineral notes.
2008 Bird Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, “Old Schoolhouse Vineyard” has classic Marlborough flavor profile. Unbelievable value at $7.99 , and a whopping 90 Point rating by Robert Parker.
A totally exciting white wine that will stand up to all you present at the table is the , by Philippe Verzier. Full bodied Viognier, rich and mouth filling. $34.99.
2009 Tour de Tanay, Morgon (France) is made from 100% Gamay grape. This is a delightful, versatile, crowd pleasing wine that will cuddle up nicely to your Turkey and fixing’s. About $15.00
2008 August Briggs Pinot Noir “Dijon Clones”, $34.99. Medium body, silky texture, unfined and unfiltered, it is very smooth, even and balanced.
2005 Livingston Moffett Cabernet Sauvignon, “Stanley’s Selection”, $29.99. Big and powerful, decadent, beautiful use of oak, this statement wine will give notice to any turkey you deal with on Thanksgiving.
Finally, ANY wine from the Rhone Valley of France that has 2007 as its vintage date. One of the greatest vintages of all time are on the shelves right now, and many are quite reasonable. Rhone red and white wines are amazing, especially when paired with food.
Author: Gary Parker
Lori’s Corn Bread Stuffing for Turkey Day
This stuffing does not require being placed in the turkey for cooking, which we find beneficial when trying to get the temperature right on the bird. We find adding chicken stock adds to the moisture and flavor overall.
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. chanterelles and portabella mushrooms
- 7 tbs unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups crumbled corn bread (see recipe below)
- 1 small to medium red onion, diced (do not overcook)
- 1 celery rib, sliced fine
- 1 tsp fresh minced thyme
- 1 tsp fresh minced rosemary
- ½ tsp fresh minced sage
- 2 tbs fresh-minced Italian parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ½ cup milk and chicken stock to taste and texture
- Can add either/or chopped apples, walnuts or pine nuts
Method:
- Clean the mushrooms and slice them crosswise about ¼ inch thick. Cook them over low heat in a 4 tablespoons melted butter with 1 clove minced garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, until they are just done.
- Drain the mushrooms in a fine sieve and reserve the juice, discarding any sandy residue.
- In the mushroom pan, minus the mushrooms, dice red onion and 1 celery rib very fine and cook them gently with 1 clove minced garlic in 3 tablespoons melted butter until they just soften, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook; you want them to retain their color and crunch.
- Coarsely crumble enough corn bread to measure 2 cups.
- Mix the mushrooms and their juice, sautéed onion and celery, and corn bread in a bowl.
- Add fresh minced thyme, rosemary and sage, and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in 2 TBS of milk, or enough to just bind the stuffing. If you like a bit moister, add chicken stock to preference.
- Warm to serving temperature.
Corn Bread Ingredients:
- 2 TBS corn oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 tbs baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels
Method:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat half the corn oil in a medium skillet. Add the onions, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Do not brown.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cumin and chili powder.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining corn oil, the milk, and eggs. Add the onion mixture and the corn. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Do not over mix.
- Pour the batter into an 8 X 8 pan that has been oiled with corn oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool before crumbling for stuffing.