Tag Archives: syrah

Pork Chops with Lenore Syrah

wood_grilled_erPhoto by Chip Riegel

Syrah is, in my mind, Washington’s grape and the Lenore is a great example why.  Brimming with dark and brooding fruit flavors and a little bit of a smoky flavor, this is a perfect pairing with Edible Rhody Magazine’s grilled pork chops and rich Soffritto .

Treat yourself to a perfect pairing with this delicious recipe.

fallwines-lenore-vert-1Corvidae Wine Co. Lenore Syrah

WOOD-GRILLED PORK CHOPS OVER CANNELLINI SOFFRITTO WITH RADICCHIO

by Chef/Co-owner Brian Kingsford, Bacaro, Providence

INGREDIENTS

Brined Pork Chops

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup salt

2 tablespoons fennel seed

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

3 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme and sage

6 cups hot water

6 (12- to 14-ounce) double cut pork loin chops

Soffritto

½ pound pancetta, diced into ⅛-inch cubes

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic

2 onions, finely diced

3 carrots, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

3 sprigs thyme

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained

¼ cup chicken broth

Kosher or sea salt

1 small head radicchio, stemmed, chopped in thin ribbons, rinsed and dried

Honeyed Onions (for garnish)**

Extra-virgin olive oil (good quality)

¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar, best available**

½ cup stemmed and chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the brine, in a large bowl or nonreactive container add brown sugar, salt, fennel seed, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and sage to 6 cups hot water. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Add pork chops and additional cold water until chops are fully submerged. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 12 hours). Discard brine after use.

On the day of preparation, preheat grill or prepare coals and preheat oven to 450°. Mark chops on the grill on both sides, about 5 minutes total. (Alternatively, sear chops in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat, searing evenly on all sides.) Once chops are marked or browned, place in a roasting pan and roast until pork chops reach 130° (using an instant-read meat thermometer placed in the center), checking after 20 minutes. Let rest for at least 8 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, prepare the soffritto. Sauté pancetta over medium heat in 1 tablespoon olive oil until fat is rendered. Add garlic and stir until mixture is fragrant. Add vegetables and thyme, and sauté until vegetables are softened. Add cannellini beans and chicken broth, making a thickened stew-like consistency, adding more broth if too thick. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and add butter. Season with salt to taste.

To serve, divide radicchio among 6 warm dinner plates. Ladle soffritto over radicchio and scatter the honeyed onions. Place chops atop vegetables. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh parsley. Serve immediately. Serves 6 as main course.

Honeyed Onions **

¼ cup local wildflower honey

¼ cup good-quality red wine vinegar

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

 DIRECTIONS

Combine honey and vinegar in saucepan on low heat. Add sliced onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are softened. Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

Quick-Aged Balsamic Vinegar **

¾ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

 DIRECTIONS

Place brown sugar in a small saucepan with about 2 tablespoons of water. Apply heat just to melt the sugar and water to a thickened consistency. Add the vinegar and stir. If needed, reduce very gently over a low flame until desired thickness is achieved. (The balsamic will thicken once cold as well.) The longer heat is applied, the less the flavor resembles an aged balsamic vinegar, so try not to scorch or overheat.

How ‘Bout Them Apples?!

In the spirit of the chilling weather and in preparation for the great Thanksgiving cook-off, we chose Baked Apples with Pork Stuffing as one of our special Rhode Island seasonal recipes! This would be a great appetizer, side dish, or creative entrée for a chef of any level, as well as a great way to keep your delicacies made with all local produce.

A savory apple, pork, and herbal dish like this will pair well with the ‘Lenore’ Syrah from the Corvidae family; one of our favorite and well priced wines by the Owen Roe Winery! It’s a great crowd pleaser and its bright berry and savory aromatics of this wild, gamey varietal will pair well with the apple and stuffing alike.

apples

photo source

Seasonal Ingredient: Apples
A crisp, white-fleshed fruit with a red, yellow or green skin, the apple has more than 7,500 known varieties, each with varying desired characteristics.

Originating in Central Asia and the earliest tree to be cultivated, the apple tree has been grown in Asia and Europe for thousands of years. The fruit was brought to North America in the 17th century by colonists, and the first orchard was planted in Boston by Reverend William Blaxton in 1625. Apples appear throughout history in mythology and many religious traditions as a mystical or forbidden fruit.

The fruit has a moderately sweet, refreshing flavor and a tartness that is present in greater or lesser degrees depending on the variety. Some are grown specifically for cooking, baking, eating raw, or producing cider. For example, Delicious and Fuji varieties are usually eaten raw, while Pippins and Granny Smith are preferred for cooked desserts.

wine2Corvidae ‘Lenore’ Syrah
Named after a 17th Century Irish Patriot who dedicated his life to upholding the highest principles of political equality and freedom, the Owen Roe winery shares his same dedication to principle in their production of wines. Producing beautiful wines from superior sites in the Pacific Northwest, all of their grapes are hand harvested, handled with minimal processing and aged in French oak barrels.

One of Owen Roe’s many labels, Corvidae is the name for the family of birds that includes ravens and crows and was inspired by the many crows that circle the sky over the winery. Over 100 different types of birds in the Corvidae family, they are all considered very intelligent and are known for their inventive ways, playful personalities, and raucous calls.

Big, rich, and crowd pleasers, each wine is named for a particular fairytale, fable, or legend. Named for Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” (what label could be better for late October?), Lenore has a cool character and a natural acidity that displays flavors of black and blue fruits, cola, rosemary and smoke on a focused, rounded and textural palate.

Baked Apples with Pork Stuffing
Yield: 8 – 12

Ingredients
4 Tbsp Salted Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 Celery Ribs, chopped
1 lb Ground Pork
6 – 8 sage leaves, fresh, chopped
2 – 3 thyme sprigs, fresh, leaves only
1 Tbsp Tarragon, fresh, chopped
Sea Salt, to taste
Cracked Pepper, fresh, to taste
1 cup Bread Crumbs, fresh
8 – 12 Apples
Parsley, fresh, for garnish

Method of Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil over medium heat.

3. Add the onions and celery and cook until soft, stirring as needed, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the herbs and season desired with salt and pepper. Toss with the bread crumbs to combine and then remove the stuffing from the stove.

4. Remove the top fourth of each apple and then using a small spoon, scoop out the center, seeds and all. Leave just enough flesh to create a nice hollow for the stuffing.

5. Divide the stuffing evenly between the apples, packing each to the brim.

6. Transfer the apples to a large baking dish and place a small amount of the remaining butter on each apple. Bake the apples until the flesh is tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 1 hour.

7. Remove from the oven, top with parsley and serve with a nice juicy pork chop, or entree of choice.

Happy cooking!

Cheers!

-The Bottles Team