The Ash Creek Papers

What can I say?  It’s not even August and I am already suffering with an acute case of back-deck-cold-salads-and-grill-cuisine fatigue.  Enough with the steaks, burgers, kebobs and tomatoes stuffed with tuna salad! I needed a “time out.”  But I really wasn’t interested in diving into my snow-beating-against-the-window-panes recipes.  What to do?  I settled on a “tweener” veal recipe.  There is a chameleon aspect to veal dishes.  Veal takes on the “color” of ingredients, seasonings & methods of cooking used.  I was interested in a dish that was direct, uncomplicated and without elaborate prep.  Good flavor, but not heavy.  And more to the point, a welcomed relief from my Weber grill.

For wine I could go either into a fuller white like a Pouilly-Fuissé or a Greco di Tufo, or a light to medium bodied red like a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.  I opted for a modest red Burgundy I had recently tried: the 2019 J.P. Marchand Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Over the years I have enjoyed many wines from this vigneron – including 1er Cru and Grand Cru wines —  but none can surpass this wine in its pure enjoyment.  A beguiling floral (violet) is a thorough delight to the senses. Smoooooth on palate, and a soft finish (and here I will steal one of my favorite lines from Johnny Carson), soft as a field mouse backing into a patch of pussy willow!

J.P. Marchand Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits ’19 (Burgundy, France )
The Marchand vineyard was started while Napoleon was still in power in 1813 .   Head of the winery is Jean-Philippe Marchand proprietor and winemaker, and is the seventh generation of Marchands to guide the winery. This Burgundy is picked from vines that are minimum of 55 years old.  It is classic in that the wine is dark in colour, with aromas of fresh red fruits when young, and candied fruit when matured, with occasional tones of gamey aromas. The flavour is firm, enhanced with a good acidity, firm tannins, and excellent balance. 

EASY VEAL STEW

Ingredients
6 ounces of Tanqueray Gin
½ ounce of Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
3 olives stuffed with blue cheese
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2lbs of veal, trimmed and cut into stew-sized pieces
1 can of tomato sauce (80z)
½ cup of white wine
fresh chopped chives for garnish
salt & pepper to taste

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. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic; cook and stir ‘til onion is tender.

3. Add meat to the pot and brown evenly.

4. Stir in tomato sauce and white wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours, or until tender.

5. Garnish with fresh chopped chives.

n.b. I served the veal with buttered wide egg noodles.  I think pappardelle would also work. 

Non sequitur of the week  From the film “What’s New Pussycat”: “My father, the most beloved gynecologist in Vienna, before they took him away on a morals charge for indecent exposure at the State Opera House, said, and I quote: “Please do not take me away, I will not do it again.”

The introductory text and photo to this recipe seduced me: “This savory, spicy dish is essentially a stir-fry made for meat-lovers.” OK, sounds good to me!  But then this, “A great, hearty meal to serve for a crowd…”  OK, pump the brakes!  Sandy & I hardly constitute a crowd… even adding a friend or two, and counting on second-night leftovers, the recipe looked too big. And I wasn’t confident about scaling it down.  The concluding sentence: “Discada is also excellent served alongside eggs for a seriously hearty breakfast dish.”  Boom! I’m in!  Now to find a wine!

This proved to be an unexpected challenge.  My first choice was to go with a Cru Beaujolais.  I had just hosted a Beaujolais Tasting looking at 12 different wines, and there was a Fleurie  in the flight that I loved, Domaine de Fa Roche Guillon. Wonderful fruit and florals, delectably framed. But, no… that wine would have gotten buried by the pungent spiciness of the dish.  Then I moved to consider a delicious and fleshy Zin I had just used in another tasting: Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel.  Fruit juiciness in the glass!  Ahhhhh, no!  That’s a clash of competing richness.  This dish called for good fruit, but simple well integrated straight forward taste.  My go-to for that style of wine is Côtes du Rhône.  A modest Cab based Bordeaux would do. But there is another wine that I had used in yet another tasting that I put into play: 2017 Sant’ Antonio Valpolicella Nafrè.  Excellent choice! 

Tenuta Sant’Antonio Valpolicella Nanfrè ’17 (Veneto, Italy)
A blend of 70% Corvina and 30% Rondinella. Pleasant and inviting aromas of cherry, mint and sage fill your glass. On the palate, delicious flavors of dark cherry, red berries, licorice, spice and savory herbs with moderate tannins and a nice, long finish. 

DISCADA
This recipe calls for more prep than I typically like.  And it’s more hands on in the cooking process.  But it’s worth it!

Ingredients
6 ounces of Tanqueray Gin
½ ounce of Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
3 olives stuffed with blue cheese
4 oz chopped pancetta
½ lb fresh chorizo, casings removed & chopped
1 large russet potato, cut into ¼” pieces
¼ cup canola oil, divided
2 ¼ tsp kosher salt
½ lb center cut pork chops, cut into ½” pieces
½ lb flank steak, cut into ½” pieces
2 hotdogs, cut into ½” pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut lengthwise
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
¾ cup of lager beer
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
corn tortillas, pico de gallo, avocado, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

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. Cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until just crisp, about 6 minutes.  Add chorizo; cook, stirring to break into pieces, ‘til chorizo is brown and pancetta crisp. Using a slotted spoon transfer pancetta and bacon to a large bowl, reserving drippings in the skillet.

3. Add potato, 2 tbsp oil ¾ tsp of salt to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, ‘til potatoes are tender and browned, about 8 minutes.  Transfer potatoes to the bowl. 

4. Add pork, steak & hot dogs, and remaining 2 tbsp oil to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, ‘til browned, 5 to 6 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer to mixture in the bowl.

5. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, cumin, black pepper and remaining 1 ½ tsp salt to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally ‘til tender, about 8 minutes.  Add tomatoes and garlic, stirring often ‘til tomatoes have softened, about 4 minutes. 

6. Stir in beer & cilantro, and add the mixture from the bowl.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, ‘til the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes.  Serve in tortillas with your desired toppings.

n.b. The original recipe called for 4 slices of bacon.  I opted for pancetta because Boar’s Head has a 4oz package of diced pancetta. One prep step saved.  I was also able to source a package of ground chorizo. Second prep step saved.  Instead of chorizo, Italian sausage might also work here, hot or sweet – your call.  The original recipe called for a hanger steak.  I prefer flank steak for its thickness. The inclusion of hotdogs in the recipe seemed to be a “hair out of place.”  But in the introductory text, “… trust us, don’t skip the hotdogs!” OK, I threw in the hotdogs, but I’m not sure what was gained. A p.s. here, use Hummel’s for the dogs.  Although I used a “taco” sized tortilla, I think “wrap” sized will be better suited for the mélange of ingredients.  Last note.  Discada as a side dish for breakfast?  Off the charts spectacular!

Boom!

KISS. Keep it simple stupid!  Do you know how many times I heard that when I was in Basic Training at FT. Jackson, SC.?  Let me spare you the mystery.  The Army was/is world class in dropping its instruction to the lowest common denominator! Enter this recipe.  No need for fancy bells & whistles.  No obscure ingredients.  No elaborate prep.  No detailed cooking steps with intricate heat levels. Assemble the marinade, put the key ingredient (chicken breasts) into a storage bag. Throw it in the fridge.  Done.   In short, what are we looking at here?  It’s the perfect I’ve-played-18-holes-today,-had-a-swim-and-what’s-for-dinner? recipe! Meaning?  Put the marinade together in the morning and forget about it.  Go about what you do.  Tend to the roses.  Walk the 7 mile loop in your town.  Visit your bank account.  Take a hot shower as necessary. Give 5 minutes of thought to the choice of sides — in my case it’s grilled sweet corn and a tomato & cucumber salad!  It’s summer!

Even though my first allegiance is to White Burgundy, my go-to white wine is Sauvignon Blanc.  I love the wine on its own merit, but  more importantly, Sauvignon Blanc is the “Swiss army knife” of wine when it comes to putting a glass alongside a diversity of food.  Fish? Check! Salads? Check! Veggie dishes? Check! Grilled chicken? Check!! For Sauvignon Blanc I lean to the Loire Valley’s Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé.  But I wanted to give the Vista Reserve from Napa a test drive.  Why?  Because Vista’s Grant Long is a gifted winemaker!  I have greatly enjoyed any number of his Pinot Noirs and Cabernets.  And the 2019 Reserve doesn’t disappoint.  Fresh.  Flavorful without being opulent. Clean, dry finish.  Perfect with my grilled chicken.  And, P.S. a fabulous value at the price.

Vista Sauvignon Blanc Reserve ’19 (Napa, CA)
This Sauvignon Blanc opens with alluring aromas of melon, boxwood, gooseberry, citrus and guava. A full and lively palate of green apple and lemongrass balances this wine’s tropical and lime zest notes with crisp acidity that gives way to a soft landing  finish.

{For the video take on the wine, copy into your browser http://summerofjim.com/?p=110663}

MOJITO MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST

 Ingredients
6 ounces of Tanqueray Gin
½ ounce of Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
3 blue cheese stuffed olives
2 chicken breasts
1/3 cup white rum
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp pretzel salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Fresh lime juice

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. Pound the hell out of the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness

3. Put all the ingredients (with a good squeeze of fresh lime juice added) into a ziplock bag and with great vigor, stir them up so that all the chicken is coated with the marinade. Put it into the fridge.

4. Marinate for at least 4 hours.  Or overnight.

5. For grilling, 5-7 minutes on each side should do, depending on the thickness of the breasts.

6. Plate, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and garnish with mint leaves.

n.b. For my grilled corn, I husk the corn, apply a serious coating of garlic butter, and wrap the cob in tin foil.