Day two in DC was a fun filled day with more great food and wine. For lunch we a happily savored a magnificent Barolo paired with a great Italian lunch we made with inspiration from recipes by virtuosi della cucina Italiana, British vanguard, Elizabeth David, and true New Yorker, the progressive Anne Burrell. What a meal.
But that was it on Italian, for dinner we turned to the magnificent new cookbook Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. For this meal we looked to the south of France for fitting wines.
Wine pairing is easy with Steve, he has a siginifcant collection to draw from. Here is what we had.
The Wine: Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia $$$$
The Food: Pappardelle Bolognese and Brussel Sprouts Balsamico
The Place: Our Friends Gail and Steven's Home, Somerset, District of Columbia
Pairing wine with dishes like the Pappardelle Bolognese and Brussel Sprouts Balsamico is pretty easy. So many options in Italian wine. Steve chose the Barolo, well because he loves it, so do I. The 1990 Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia was outrageously good, much more gentle than most Barolos I have tasted. But, that comes when you have the patience to let a wine sit for well over two decades. It is only fitting for an estate that has been known for its superb long-lived wines since 1908.
It sipped so easy with this creamless Bolognese by Elizabeth David made with fine beef, chicken livers and pancetta. Recipe
The Brussel Sprouts were my own recipe, it is found below.
Needless to say, lunch was followed by a relaxing afternoon reading followed by a delightful nap. This is living.
Steven and I made lunch so dinner went to Gail and Diana.
They explored and made some amazing dishes from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's wonderful new cookbook. This is a compilation of recipes so beautifully presented pictorially and so simply explained that you want to make every dish in the book.
Wines from southern France with their earthy herbal qualities are perfect with Middle Eastern cuisine. We poured two a Cote Rotie and a Chateauneuf du Pape. Perfect.
I got lazy, and perhaps polite and refrained from interrupting dinner with photography so please use your imagination.
Dinner was followed with a spectacular Sauterne, by Chateau Rieussec, a wine rated by Wine Spectator with a very unusual 100 Points.
What a beautiful dinner.
My Brussel Sprouts Balsamico Recipe
- 2- 3 cups brussels sprouts, sliced in half if large
- Dash salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Handful of Fresh Rosemary chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves pressed
Preparation:
Clean and if large halve the brussel sprouts and place in a large bowl. In a measuring cup combine the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, rosemary and garlic together. Then pour over the sprouts and let them marinate for some time. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the brussels sprouts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, turning once. Sprouts are done when they are lightly browned and very tender.
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
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