So every now and then we meld the farmer’s market with seasonally insipired grub. I hope to to make wine a focal point as these pairings are deliberately placed as compliments. So here we go.
Starting with a very mediterranean dish of artichoke salad containing artichoke, red bell pepper, green onion, garlic, olive, and spices. Obviously this is boring so we must add fresh anchovie and navel orange supremes for acidity. This is a very rich combination but was very much enjoyed with a 2005 Sans Permis Selection de Wayfarer from our friend TRB.
Next was a tuna tartare. The slaw was made with julienned carrots, green onion, red cabbage, cilantro, and seasoned with sesame oil, rice vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, nutmeg, and sugar. It was finished with a fresh sesame paste and garnished with fresh cilantro. All was folded with fresh coarse diced pacific Ahi. The 2005 Sans Permis Chardonnay remained an exquisite pairing. After some rocquefort and chimay cheese, it appears this wine can pair with pretty much anything. The acidity is outstanding and the aroma is very rich of vanilla and butterscotch while retaining an outstanding palate of tart citrus with nuts and tropical fruit pit rounding it out.
We finished with a lamb meatball dish. The lamb was combined with olive oil, garlic, asiago/parmesano/reggiano, organic egg, bread crumbs, oregano, salt and pepper. The meatball was stuffed with local herb provence goat cheese and fresh roasted red pepper. The meatballs were served on a polenta disk with a red wine/mushroom reduction. The polenta was boiled and cut into disks, then seared with butter and garlic. The sauce was a reduction of red wine(2005 Tolo Asini), mushroom stock, fresh thyme/rosemary, beef stock, shallots, and whole clove with bay leaf. The meatballs were seared and roasted and then placed on the polenta disks. It was dressed with the red wine reduction and a fresh spray of italian parsley chiffonade. All was very much enjoyed with a 2008 Loring Wine Company Gary’s Vineyard Pinot. The very pleasing acidity and dearth of flavors made for an excellent combination. The pinot was also excellent with the artichoke salad.
That’s it for this tapas episode, we’ll be back for more in a couple weeks.