Posted by Lucy Baker, May 16, 2008 at 12:45 PM
I used to work at a wine bar that served a chilled, red Greek wine in the summer called the Hatzimichalis Fresco Nouveau. Made from the Greek Mavroudi grape, it tasted a lot like a light Beaujolais. Refreshing and fruity, but not cloying, it paired perfectly with all sorts of warm weather fare, from burgers and dogs to grilled veggies and even seafood.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Wine Bar Food, is for a specialty of Athens—Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops with Giant White Beans. Soaking the chops in a bath of wine, garlic, lemon zest, and fresh thyme imparts incredible flavor and a lovely, deep purple hue. Finished on the grill and topped with rosemary-infused white beans, this dish would pair perfectly with any spicy, easy drinking red.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, May 14, 2008 at 1:15 PM
When I was 17, I spent the summer in Italy. After traveling through Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice, I lived with a host family in Sicily for a month. I kept a journal while I was there, and wrote in it religiously every night. A few years ago I found the dairy beneath a pile of books in my childhood bedroom. I thought it would contain a detailed account of my entire trip; instead it was basically one long, exhaustive list of everything I had eaten. I guess I was a food writer before I even knew what it meant to be one.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Wine Bar Food, is for arancini. Here is what I had to say about these delicious, golden-brown bites the first time I had them: "For dinner, they took me to get a 'piccolo arancia [sic]' which is a fried ball of rice with cheese, tomatoes, and meat inside. At first I thought I wouldn't like it, but it was actually wonderful! After that…I had banana ice cream, which was good, but I liked the granita better."
Traditionally a Sicilian dish, this recipe is given a Roman twist with the addition of ground lamb. Perfect for a cocktail party or a casual dinner appetizer, these arancini can be made in advance and frozen for up to a month. Enjoy with a glass of hearty, black current-flavored Nero d'Avola.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, May 13, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Wine Bar Food, calls for—gasp!—jarred asparagus. While that may seem strange given the current abundance of fresh spring produce, hear me out: these aren't any old canned vegetables. Jarred white asparagus is a Spanish delicacy, valued for its sweet-tart taste and smooth texture. In this traditional salad from Barcelona, the spears are dressed in a chunky sherry vinaigrette brightened with fresh peppers, briny capers, and chopped hard-boiled egg.
The best jarred asparagus comes from the northern region of Navarra, which is also known for its rosé wines. This dish would pair perfectly with a glass of pink.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, May 12, 2008 at 2:30 PM
I was once helped to edit a cookbook devoted entirely to crab cakes, so I considered myself somewhat of an expert on the subject of pan-fried shellfish patties. Dungeness or Chesapeake, cracker crumbs or panko, to Old Bay or not to Old Bay—I thought I'd seen it all. But I'd never come across a recipe quite like the one in this week's Cook the Book selection, Wine Bar Food, for Falafel Crab Cakes.
Chickpeas are prevalent in much of the cooking of southern Spain, and this dish, a specialty of Seville, is no exception. Combined with fresh lemon, earthy cumin, and fragrant cilantro, these crab cakes are best served with a side of tzatziki sauce and pair wonderfully with a glass of sherry.
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