March is clearly a “tweener” month in New England. Daylight savings returns, suggestions of spring are beginning to emerge from a winter’s slumber, yet an angry snow storm can lurk around the corner. And such is the case this year with a possible nor’easter set to belt us on Sunday/Monday (even though the daffodils and crocuses are well on their upward paths). So I was looking for another “one dish comfort food” before closing the door on casserole season. Beef Lombardi is a relatively new dish, created in the 1990s by a caterer from Cleveland, Mississippi and it has become a staple dish in the South. Chef & Food Writer Diane Unger referred to Beef Lombardi as “Stroganoff meets Tex-Mex”. OK, I’m in.
For wine I’m selecting a South African wine that I have recently tasted. I wanted a wine that was full flavored, a shade on the rustic side… a wine to stand up to flavors of the dish. “Country” food, “country” wine. And the Roodeberg hits the perfect pitch. Other wines that would work: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Crozes-Hermitage, Montsant from Spain or Bonarda from Mendoza.
KWV Roodeberg ’13 (Western Cape, SA)
A blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 12% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Tannat, 3% Tempranillo and 3% other. Aged for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak. This famous red blend shows aromatic layers of plum, dark cherry and tobacco with undertones of wild strawberry on the nose. The palate is lively with nuances of dark chocolate, dried spice and aniseed, accompanied by the perfectly integrated tannin structure and a lingering finish.
BEEF LOMBARDI
Ingredients
6 ounces of Tanqueray Gin
½ ounce of Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
A goodly amount of ice
1 tbs olive oil
1 lb 90% lean ground beef
Salt & pepper
3 tbs tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 10oz cans of Ro-Tel Original diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained
12 oz (7¾ cups) wide egg noodles
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1¼ cups sour cream
1 tbs corn starch
4 scallions, sliced thin
8 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
Directions
1. Put gin and vermouth into a glass pitcher, fill with ice, stir vigorously while incanting, “You who know all, thank you for providing us juniper and all the other obscure ingredients responsible for creating this sacred liquid!” Strain into a pre-frozen Martini glass of admirable size. Skewer the olives on one of those tacky cocktail swords, place in glass. Immediately begin consuming. Now you can begin the food prep, and the cooking!
2. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350°. Grease 13X9 baking dish. Heat oil in 12” nonstick skillet over medium high heat ‘til just smoking. Add beef, onion 1tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt and cook, breaking up pieces with a spoon ‘til beef is cooked thru, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook ‘til fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and cook ‘til liquid as evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Add noodles and 1 tbs salt and cook, stirring often, for just 3 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of cooking water, then drain noodles.
5. Whisk sour cream, cream cheese, cornstarch, and ½ cup reserved cooking water together in now-empty pot ‘til smooth. Stir in scallions, noodles, and remaining 1½ cups of cooking water and ¾ tsp of salt.
6. Spread noodle mixture in an even layer in prepared baking dish. Spread beef mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle Colby Jack cheese evenly over top. Bake ‘til bubbling around the edges and cheese is spotty browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
n.b. I used bison instead of the lean beef, and Cheddar Jack cheese instead of Colby Jack. Also note, the shortened time for cooking the noodles in the pot is not a mistake. The noodles will finish cooking during the baking. And last, the casserole can be assembled (minus the Colby Jack), cooled completely, and refrigerated a day ahead. To serve, sprinkle on the cheese and increase baking time to 45 – 50 minutes.