Italian Style Grilled Pork Loin

Last night we invited over our group of friends that will traveling with us to Positano next year.  It was a really fun evening of Italian wine and food and great company, all excited about our trip to one of my favorite places in the world!  Yes, I know the trip is 8 months away, but if you want to stay in the best place, Villa Le Sirene, and hire the best driver, Vincenzo Fusco, you have to plan ahead!

Everyone in the group loves to cook so each brought a dish with Kerry and I providing some appetizers and the meat course.  I decided on grilled pork loin, and a recipe that was fairly easy yet really flavorful, featuring my two favorite herbs for Italian cooking. Thanks to Kerry, sage and rosemary are in abundant supply in our garden!

The key to this dish is the brining and proper grilling. Brining improves the flavor, texture, and moisture content of lean cuts of meat by soaking the meat in a moderately salty solution for a few hours to a few days. Flavor brining also provides a temperature cushion during cooking, so if you happen to overcook the meat a little, it will still be moist.

At a minimum, a flavor brine consists of water and salt. Other ingredients may include sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, fruit juices, beer, liquor, bay leaves, pickling spices, cloves, garlic, onion, chilies, citrus fruits, peppercorns, and other herbs and spices. This one adds my two favorite herbs to the mix with garlic, salt and sugar.  I have to admit it was pretty delicious and was a perfect pairing with the newly arrived 2011 Terre Nere Etna Rosso!

For the brined pork

    3  ounces kosher salt (3/4 cup if using Diamond Crystal; 6 tablespoons if using Morton)
    1/4  cup packed light brown sugar
    3  medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
    3  large sprigs fresh rosemary
    3  large sprigs fresh sage
    3-pounds all-natural boneless pork loin, trimmed of excess fat

For the herb paste

    6  medium cloves garlic, peeled
    1/3  cup fresh rosemary leaves
    1/3  cup fresh sage leaves
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1. For the Brine:  In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine the salt, sugar, garlic, and herb sprigs with 2 cups of water. Stir over high heat just until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add 6 more cups of water and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a large container, add the pork, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.

2. Put the garlic, rosemary, sage, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large mortar and pound to a coarse paste with the pestle. Add the oil and use the pestle to work it into the garlic paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, combine all the ingredients in a mini food processor and pulse into a coarse paste.

3.Remove the pork from the brine and pat it dry (discard the brine). Spread the herb paste liberally over the entire outer surface of the pork.

4. Heat the grill to 350 degrees F. Put the roast in the cool zone on the grill, turning the roast about every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the center of the roast registers 145 degrees F, 35 to 45 minutes.

5. Remove the roast from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board. Let stand for 5 minutes and slice thinly. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. If you want, finish it off with a little sage fried crispy in olive oil!

Drink Like a Pro, Mondays at Serendipity

The newest restaurant in the city, Serendipity @American Can, announces a new weekly wine seminar program for Mondays that we call, "Drink Like a Pro Mondays." Chef Chris DeBarr, who won a Top 100 Wine Restaurant in the Nation honor this year from Wine Enthusiast Magazine for his previous wine selections at Green Goddess, is leading wine drinkers to new, unusual wine finds all over the globe at his new restaurant, Serendipity.

"What we want to do with 'Drink Like a Pro Mondays' is to give wine lovers a backstage pass at how we wine professionals evaluate wine-- in little 2 oz. pours, paired with a bit of food from my kitchen," says Chef DeBarr, "with at least 6 wines evaluated in each session." The idea to show & tell about wines, about the grapes in their vineyards & the committed farmers & winemakers who care for their treasured old vines, came from the sheer joy of learning that Chef DeBarr experiences buying wines to match his eclectic, soulful cuisine. It will be a rare chance to share experiences with a wide variety of committed pros who love the stories, flavors , and knowledge of what goes into great wine.

Reservations can be made for "Drink Like a Pro Mondays" at Serendipity by calling the restaurant at (504) 407-0818. The seminar starts at 5:45 and lasts about an hour, although DeBarr cautions that he "loves telling stories so as long as we are having fun..." and costs $25, which includes 6 wines and a glass of your favorite choice, with plates of precise matched dishes to illustrate the character & interplay of the wines.

The first 'Drink Like a Pro' features a New Orleans native, Karla Kilgore, who represents a terrific Spanish portfolio of small producers with Bonafide Wine Estates. Now based in Seattle, Karla graduated from Grace King High School and still has family here! We are proud of her accomplishments & her exquisite, daring palate and can't wait to showcase her treasures, particularly from Galicia. From maritime Albariño, to the ancient & steep vineyards of Godello in the Ribeiro Sacra, to the dark yet versatile red grape Mencia, Galicia offers fascinating wines that deliver depths of delicious history in every bottle. "Galicia," says Chef DeBarr enthusiastically, "is now one of my favorite wine destinations for my food! I am very excited to have Karla be our first pro & I hope we welcome her with a great event at Serendipity!" Karla also represents the better known Spanish portfolio of Classical Wines, where the Cava originates, but we adore finding such small, artisanal producers of outstanding quality in her Bonafide line.

'Drink Like a Pro Monday" with Karla Kilgore of Bonafide Wine Estates is this Monday, Oct. 22 from 5:45-6:45 at Serendipity @ American Can. We will also feature a lovely Cava & a very rare example of the nearly vanished Prieto Picudo grape, which makes an utterly memorable Rosé that sings! There will also be a whisper of Sherry from a small producer that we will all be lucky to have tasted once the seminar is finished! It's all quite a bargain for $25, which includes tax & tips and a few tasty treats from the kitchen at Serendipity.

On Monday Oct. 29, we are very excited to showcase Greek wines from one excellent producer, Ktima Pavlidas, from the Drama province in the northern reaches of Greece. High altitude and natural winemaking lead to a unique blending of Old World grapes, like Sauvingon Blanc & Syrah, with indigenous Greek varietals such as Assyritiko & St. George. We will kickoff the weeklong celebration of Pavlidis wines (Ktima means the equivalent of bodega or estate) with our 'Drink Like a Pro Monday' featuring Chris Badini of Athenee Wines, a terrific importer of Greek wines & spirits. Then we will showcase a "Wine & Dine Me" Tasting and Wine Pairing Menu all week...featuring these great Pavlidis wines & our Serendipity cuisine. It will be a remarkable exploration of flavors & places as we join Serendipity with Ktima Pavlidis wines.

In subsequent weeks, we have my good hoops buddy, Erik Christensen of Uncorked Wines, based here in New Orleans, postulating about the essence of 'Winter Whites' that are deft, expressive & capable of standing up to richer, creamier winter fare. Erik's 'Drink Like a Pro Monday' is set for Nov. 5th, and we have some real shockers planned to illustrate our point!

Then on Monday, Nov. 12th, my dear friend & veteran wine pro, Mike Procido from Wines Unlimited, will sit down with me as we make the point about 'Wines That Aren't Turkeys' as we discuss terrific, yet often overlooked, classic holiday wine pairings. The key to a a happy holiday pairing is versatilty in both the weight & taste, with good value. Mike and I are willing to share our trade secrets for happy wine drinking during family celebrations, which include lovely Beaujolais, sexy Valpolicella, and affordable sparkling wines.

In tandem, with 'Wines That Aren't Turkeys' on Mon. Nov 12th, we are looking into developing a Nola Locavore Dinner, "What Would Happen If the Pilgrims Landed in New Orleans?!!" at Serendipity. Chef DeBarr is steeped in the history of food & ingredients, and he promises to bring his creative pirate mentality to the foods that were here in Louisiana before the European conquest of the Americas. More news on that event, with menu & pricing, to soon follow....

We have more wine events headed your way, including the possibility that we might sneak in a visitor on other weeknights, whenever visiting wine pros from the wide world of Dionysian splendor show up in New Orleans. Please stay tuned...and don't hesitate to leave a message for us at (504) 407-0818 on the Serendipity hotline for reservations or questions! This is your chance to learn how a Top 100 chef/sommelier in Chef Chris DeBarr works to find his rare wine discoveries, every week!

We surely hope you will join us for these inaugural 'Drink Like a Pro Mondays' at Serendipity, especially if you feel like joining Karla Kilgore of Bonafide Wine Estates & Classical Spanish Wines this Mon., Oct 22nd to jump start our festive but very informative wine seminars. We promise that we will all have a ball....!

Remember Serendipity is now open 7 nights a week, 5-midnight, located at 3700 Orleans Ave. in the spacious American Can Apts, next to the Mid-City branch of the New Orleans Public Library.

For press contacts: reach Chef DeBarr at his cell (504) 919-7394 or on his email:
chefchrisdebarr@me.com for further details on 'Drink Like a Pro Mondays' @Serendipity.

Chef Chris DeBarr of Serendipity @American Can


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Puglian Wine Dinner A mano!

Taste the wine and food of Puglia hosted by winemaker Pasquale Petrera at A mano! 

 Fatalone

Pasquale is from the region of Puglia where his family has been making wines in the late 1800's.
Five generations in, he is still keeping a rich family tradition alive.

Tuesday, October 30th, 7:00 cash bar, 7:30 dinner. This 5 course unique dinner will include both family style and individual platings for $60, plus tax and tip!  Reservations required at 504-208-9280.

Antipasta

Louisiana oysters with satsuma, parsley, and pepper
2011 Fatalone Greco

Stuffed foccacia with braised chard, pepporoncino, mozzarella
2008 Fatalone Teres

Primi
Farrotto with roasted carrots, and carrot-green pesto
2006 Fatalone Primativo

Secondi
Salsiccia, vitellone and pork sausage, winter squash puree, local peas
2004 Fatalone Primativo Reserva

Dolci
 Coffee and
Cookies

Please inform us of any dietary restrictions. Menu may change based on availability.

Fish en Papillote

Now that the MS Ride is over I feel like we can finally get back to cooking which means I can get back to writing about cooking!  One of the things I've really been enjoying lately is cooking fish and vegetables in parchment paper.  It is a super easy, quick, healthy and flavorful way to prepare food and while certain combinations give better results than others, you really can't go wrong!  Using filets of your favorite fish, fresh herbs and veggies served with pasta, rice or quinoa, the combinations are endless.

Parchment paper  is a type of cellulose paper that is coated with silicone. Its a great nonstick disposable surface for baking and cooking as it can withstand heat and won't burn or smoke in the oven. I like to use it to line baking pans, no need to grease the pan and clean up is easy.  But my favorite use is with fish, folding it into little self cooking packets.  You buy it on a roll (Whole Foods sells an unbleached parchment roll), just like foil or wax paper, or in pre-folded single serving oven bags.  I use both but find the roll easier when you are working with larger pieces of fish. But there really is no substitute for parchment, you can't use wax paper, and while foil gives a similar effect, you have to be careful using anything acidic like citrus or tomatoes.

Experiment with different flavor combinations like Shallots, lemon, herbs and butter with fresh cod or drum with olives, tomatoes and asparagus with a splash of extra virgin olive oil.  The main thing to remember is that your vegetable need to be sliced thin so they will cook properly in the 20 minutes and you need a hot oven, with most recipes calling for 400-475 degrees.

For this recipe I used ginger, shallots and garlic with lemon and carrots, but as I said, play around with your favorite flavor combinations and see what you like best! I served this with a side of classic Aglio, olio and peperoncino pasta using the recipe from one of my favorite bloggers in Rome, but I confess I did add the parmigiano cheese!  We also popped a bottle of 2009 Lioco Chard (we currently have the 2010 in the shop) that had been at the house for awhile.  Unbelievably good and perfect with the food!!!

SALMON IN PARCHMENT (EN PAPILLOTE)
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 Salmon Filet (1 ½-2 lbs.)
Parchment paper
2 lemons (one to slice, one for juice)
1 ½" piece Fresh Ginger minced
3 cloves minced garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup white wine
1 shallot minced
Salt and pepper
2 carrots julienned

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400. Leave cookie sheet in oven to also preheat.

• Tear off sheet of parchment paper about twice as long as salmon filet. Place salmon in middle, skin side down. 
• Rub top of salmon with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mince garlic, shallot and ginger and rub on top of salmon. 
• Place thinly sliced lemon on top of salmon. Put carrots on top and around sides of salmon. Add dollops of butter on top of salmon and vegetables. 
• Add a big squeeze of  lemon juice and the white wine on top and seal parchment.
• Fold or staple parchment to seal (I like to fold and then tie the ends if the packs are pretty full), to allow salmon and vegetables to steam.
• Place packet on heated cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Cool October Events @ Swirl!

                              

 

Ready or not, October is here which means our activity level at the shop gets kicked up a few notches!  We're really happy to be bringing back our wine and cheese pairing classes with Casey Foote from Saint James Cheese (October 11 & 18, see details below) plus we've got our last MS Fundraising Event, a visit from an Italian winemaker and James Moises, fun Wednesday Nite Flites plus our always entertaining Free Fridays! This week alone we have 4 events on the books so scroll down to see what to add to your social calendar!

Monday October 1, 6-10:30pm, Slow Food New Orleans Supper Bowl Jam!
Kerry and I will be heading over to the Slow Food NOLA launch held in true New Orleans style at Rock ‘N’ Bowl. The party gets started at 6 pm with music by Onward Brass Band and food available for purchase from Rock ‘N’ Bowl’s Straight Stick Ranch, La Divina Gelateria, Rue Chow, Frencheeze, My Time Coffee, a Slow Food Demonstrations by Gary Granata, PhD, RD and much more. For more details check out their Facebook Page!

Tuesday October 2, 6-8pm, Have a Drink for MS!!
This is our last week of fundraising for the MS Bike 150 this weekend so tonight we'll donate all of the profits from the bar and help Mike and Matt "prep" their legs for the ride with a leg shaving to raise money for MS!  Our own version of "locks of luv", for $10 you can take a swipe at their legs and all of the money they raise will go to MS! We'll have some amazing wine available at the bar as Kerry, me, Matt and Mike will all pick our favorite wines in the store to put on the list for the evening at special prices.

Wednesday Nite Flites, October 3, 6-8pm
We'll be celebrating our cooler fall evenings tonight with a flite of big reds!  Plus you'll probably need a drink before the presidential debates start at 8pm so come over to taste the Ridge Lytton Springs Proprietary Red(WA 95 pts, $42), B Wise Trios ($30) and the new vintage of Charles Smith's Boom Boom Syrah ($18) Flites are $15 for 3-2 oz. pours of delicious juice, no reservations required!

Friday Free For All, October 5, 6-8pm
Josh Prados will be pouring 4 great wines from Spain tonight accompanied by chef Papier's delicious tapas plates!  The wine tasting is free and plates are $5-$7.  Check out our Facebook page on Friday for the lineup and chef's menu!

Saturday Hollygrove Happy Hour October 6,  4-6
Kimi and Brenda will be pouring for Happy Hour today while Kerry, me, Mike and Matt ride the MS Bike 150! All wines by the glass are half price and you can check out the Hollygrove produce box pick up!  See instructions here on how to order your box!

Wednesday Nite Flites, October 10, 6-8pm
Join Kimi and Mike for flite nite where $15 gets you 3-2 oz. pours of delicious juice, no reservations required! Check out our Facebook page on Wednesday for the lineup and chef's menu!

Special Event! October 11, 6:30pm Italian Wine & Cheese Pairing Class at Swirl
Join Casey Foote of Saint James Cheese and Robin Shay, the Export Manager for Allegrini, for a wonderful tasting of wine and cheese from Italy.  We'll feature 6 gorgeous wines from the Veneto and Toscana presented by Robin including the Poggio Al Tesoro Sondraia (WA 91, $40) and Vermintino, the Allegrini Palazzo della Torre and Valpolicella, and the San Polo Rossi di Montalcino and Rubio Super Tuscan.  The tasting is $35 and reservations/prepayment are required.  Limited to 24 people, call 504.304.0635 to reserve your spot!

Friday Free For All, October 12, 6-8pm
Join Beth Kehn for a tasting of 4 great wines from Italy accompanied by chef Papier's delicious tapas plates!  The wine tasting is free and plates are $5-$7.  Check out our Facebook page on Friday for the lineup and chef's menu!

Hollygrove Happy Hour, Saturday October 13, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating up at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  See instructions here on how to order your box!

Wednesday Nite Flites, October 17, 6-8pm
Join Kimi and Mike for flite nite where $15 gets you 3-2 oz. pours of delicious juice, no reservations required! Check out our Facebook page on Wednesday for the lineup and chef's menu!

Special Event! Thursday October 18th, 6:30-8pm, American Wine & Cheese with St. James Cheese & James Moises @ Swirl!
October is American Cheese month and our friends over at Saint James are bringing in lots of great domestic cheeses to celebrate!  So tonight we will pair up Casey Foote and James Moises for a wonderful evening of wine and cheeses from Oregon, Washington and California.  The tasting is $30 and reservations/prepayment are required.  Limited to 24 people, call 504.304.0635 to reserve your spot!

Friday Free For All, October 19, 6-8pm
Please join us for our weekly tasting of 4 free wines!  Lineup is TBA

Hollygrove Happy Hour, Saturday October 20, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating up at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  See instructions here on how to order your box!

Wednesday Nite Flites, October 24, 6-8pm
Join Kimi and Mike for flite nite where $15 gets you 3-2 oz. pours of delicious juice, no reservations required!

Friday Free For All, October 26, 6-8pm
Please join us for our weekly tasting of 4 free wines!  Lineup is TBA

Hollygrove Happy Hour, Saturday October 27, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating up at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  See instructions here on how to order your box!

Special Event!! Wednesday Nite Flites with Winemaker Pasquale Petrera from Fatalone in Puglia, October 31, 6-8pm
Join us for a great evening of wines from the Puglia region where Primitivo rules!  Winemaker Pasquale Petrera will be presenting 4 wines tonight and we'll have a nice selection of Italian cheese on our "bites" menu!  $15 gets you 3-2 oz. pours of delicious juice, no reservations required!