Chicken, Beet Greens, & Marsannay

Tonight’s dinner was a rotissire’d American Chicken from Pollo Real. It was stuffed with onion and Ojai Pixie Tangerines, and basted with a mixture of butter and blood orange olive oil with orange peel, onion powder, SI Poultry Seasoning, and a little SI Chipotle Seasoning. It was a little softer in texture and less rich in flavor than the Label Rouge French we’ve been eating for the past couple years. The American matures a little sooner than than the Label Rouge; the first of the Americans was available last weekend, the Label Rouge will be available, hopefully, next weekend. Veggie was fresh beet greens from the first of the season of Mr. G’s young beets, steamed with garlic, and finished with coarse sea salt and Tellicherry black pepper. Wine was a slightly hard 2005 Bruno Clair Marsannay ‘Les Vaudenelles’ - purplish-ruby in color; initially tight nose and flavors of rich red and dark fruit, opening in time to some spice and fruit; tight mid-palate, opening to some fruit with adequate acidity; and a tight medium finish, opening to a medium long fruity finish. This was the first '05 Burgundy that I’ve had that wasn’t immediately approachable, interesting.

Then for dessert we had some more of the Ciao Bella Chocolate and Vanilla Gelati, Carollee’s with caramel sauce, mine with hazelnut syrup. I also had a Patron XO Café.

A nice meal on a warm, cloudy, windy late Spring evening. Because of the wind we ate inside tonight.

Nicely done Dick.
Love seeing folks using less common greens like beets. Do you like mustard greens or Dandelions greens as well?

I’ve only had mustard greens a couple times and dandelion greens once. they’re ok, but not as good as or as readily available as beet greens and chard.

As a kid spinach was my favorite veggie. As i grew up and had chard and beet greens, they replaced spinach as my favorites.