ABigSlice :: A Year of Wine

Wine Wise with Clare Aslaksen and Ted Field of A Big Slice

Wine Wise is heard every Monday through Friday at 6:25 pm on WJZZ 107.5 FM in Atlanta.

Monday, January 19, 2008 Broadcast : Valdepenas and Enchiladas

Friday, January 16, 2008 Broadcast : Gruner Veltliner and Pasta Primivera

Pasta Primivera Recipe

• 2 meaty bell peppers of the color you prefer.
• A large white onion
• A clove of garlic, finely sliced
• A salted anchovy, rinsed, boned, and diced
• 2/3 pound (300 g) broccoli florets, broken up
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 ounces (320 g) mezze maniche or ziti
• Freshly grated pecorino romano

Preparation:

Set pasta water to boil. 

Next, stem, seed, and rib the peppers and cut them into strips that will lie flat. Run them under the broiler, skin side up, until the skins have blistered; you may have to turn the strips to blister the skins evenly. When the skins have blistered and blackened, put the strips in a bowl and cover it to let the steam generated by the cooking further loosen the skins. After a few minutes remove the skins, running the strips under warm water to rinse them clean, pat them dry, and dice them. 

Peel the onion, slice it finely, and sauté it with the garlic in the olive oil; when it's translucent add the peppers and the anchovy and simmer over a low flame for about 15 minutes. By this time the pasta water should be boiling; salt it and blanch the broccoli florets for 2-3 minutes; remove them with a slotted spoon and add them to the pepper sauce. 

Continue simmering the sauce while you cook the pasta, and set the oil in your deep fryer to heating. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, and return it to the pot with about half the sauce; cook, stirring, over high heat for a minute and serve the pasta with grated pecorino romano on the side. 

Yield: 4 servings pasta primavera.

Thursday, January 15, 2009 Broadcast : Bobal and Piccata/Francese

Veal Piccata Recipe

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 veal scallops, about 3/4 pound, pounded to a thickness of 1/8-inch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced, or more to taste, (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves, optional, plus sprigs for garnish

Directions

In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and pepper and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the veal scallops in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and, working quickly and in batches if necessary, cook the veal until golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Deglaze the pan with wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock, chopped garlic, lemon juice and capers and cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons of butter and the chopped parsley. When the butter has melted, return the veal scallops to the pan and cook until heated through and the sauce has thickened, about 1 minute. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

Wednesday, January 14, 2008 Broadcast : White Burgundy and Kiev

Chicken Kiev Recipe

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning chicken
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning chicken
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 large whole eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
• 2 cups Japanese bread crumbs (panko), plus 1/4 cup for filling
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Combine butter, parsley, tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place mixture on plastic wrap or waxed paper and roll into small log; place in freezer.

Place chicken breasts, 1 at a time, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Squirt chicken lightly with water and squirt the top of the plastic wrap as well. Pound to no less than 1/8-inch thickness. Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper.

Lay 1 chicken breast on a new piece of plastic wrap and place 1/4 of the compound butter and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs in the center of each breast. Using the plastic wrap to assist, fold in ends of breast and roll breast into a log, completely enclosing the butter; roll very tightly. Repeat with each breast. Place chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Place egg and water mixture in 1 pie pan and 2 cups bread crumbs in a different pie pan.

Heat 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until oil reaches 375 degrees F.

Dip each breast in the egg mixture and then roll in the bread crumbs. Gently place each breast in oil, sealed-side down, and cook until golden brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove to a cooling rack set in sheet pan and allow to drain for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Tuesday, January 13, 2008 Broadcast : Est, Est Est! and Florentine

Salmon Florentine Recipe

• 10 oz. can vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 oz. pkg. Florentine beans and bow tie pasta mix
• 4 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
• 3 oz. smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

In medium heavy saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil. Stir in package contents (large pouch and herb packet). Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in spinach and simmer 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add smoked salmon, stir, then sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4

Monday, January 12, 2008 Broadcast : Gallo Nero and Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice 
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Friday, January 09, 2008 Broadcast : Supertasters

Supertasters

Ted 

There is a select group of people out there who experience taste with a far greater intensity than average. These people are known as supertasters. Women are more likely to be supertasters, as are Asians and Africans. The exact cause is unknown, but it is due at least in part to an increased number of a particular kind of taste bud. Variations in the ability to taste were first studied by du Pont Chemist A.L. Fox when he accidently discovered a sensitivity in some people to the bitter compound known as PTC. 

Clare 

Most of the world's great sommeliers are supertasters. They have the ability to pick out trace amounts of the chemicals responsible for certain flavors in wine. But supertasters are known to be sensitive to bitterness and alcohol itself is bitter, so they tend to prefer the taste of wine and beer to other alcoholic beverages. Some people cannot taste PTC at all, and they are called non-tasters. Alcoholics have a tendency to be non-tasters as they have less sensitivity to the bitter taste of alcohol.

Thursday, January 08, 2009 Broadcast : Port Traditions

Port Traditions

Ted 

There are probably more traditions surrounding the serving and consuming of port than with any other wine. Part of this is due to the fact these traditions were established by the tradition and port loving British. When serving the wine, you should think about traveling from port to port. The host remains seated and serves the person to his or her right. The decanter is then passed to the right, and the ritual is repeated all the way around the table, until the decanter returns home. 

Clare 

If, for any reason, the port becomes stalled at a person's place, it is considered bad manners to ask for the decanter directly. Instead the one who is requiring a refill should ask the seemingly rhetorical question "Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?" This is designed to get the port moving again. The problem was later solved, completely with the Hoggett Decanter. The rounded bottom made it impossible to put down until it was returned to the host, who gently placed it in its base.