Braised Pork Chops with Garlic and White Beans

Last Christmas, I received a wonderful book from Stephen called Wine and Food: A New Look at Flavor, Williams-Sonoma. Being a Williams-Sonoma book, it is naturally filled with page after page of beguiling photographs of food and wine as well as tempting recipes for great food; however, this book takes a new approach to demystifying the art of pairing food and wine. Wines are broken out by what they refer to as flavor profiles, and dishes are dissected to highlight the main ingredients as well as companion ingredients that are the keys to pairing the food with wine. In addition, cooking methods are listed and associated with certain types of wine.

The wines themselves are also broken apart into categories such as soft whites, juicy reds and other terms that are a bit more approachable to those of us who are not editors for "Wine Spectator". This approach to pairing may seem somewhat more highbrow than the old rules of red wine with red meats and white wines with chicken and fish, but they actually make a lot more sense. This book has taught me to pay more attention to the flavors you add to a food rather than just the main ingredient to create an appealing combination of food and wine.

Last night, I tried a recipe from this book for pork chops braised with garlic and white beans. The book suggested several matches for the dish, including some rich whites (white Rioja or a Cotes du Rhone Blanc) and some alternative pairings, such as a Grenache-based rose or a Cotes du Rhone Rouge (a juicy red). Since we always prefer to drink red wines with dinner and we did not have a Cotes du Rhone on hand, we drank a Montepulciano de Abruzzo from Italy.

Montepulciano is a relatively simple wine with mild tannins, good acidity and flavors of dried cherries, earth and even some gaminess - perfect with a rustic, slow-cooked pork dish. The fact that I substituted fennel seed for the sage in the recipe created an even stronger link between the wine and the food. This wine is not what I would call a "sipping wine" but rather an old-world style wine that is meant to be enjoyed with food. As the book mentioned with the Cotes du Rhone, a juicy red wine such as this made the braised pork taste even meatier.

Here is the recipe for the pork, which has been altered slightly from the original:

Pork Chops Braised with Garlic and White Beans

4 center-cut pork chops (thick cut)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
8 whole cloves of garlic
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 t fennel seed
1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Season the pork chops all over with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the pork chops and sear, turning halfway until browned (about 6 to 8 minutes total). This is best done in 2 batches. Transfer chops to a platter.

Reduce heat to medium low. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and red pepper. Stir well, scraping the brown bits from the pan, about 4 minutes. Add the fennel seed and broth and bring to a boil. Nestle the pork chops back into the pan, cover and braise in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the pork is cooking, mash half of the white beans in a bowl with a potato masher or fork. Add both the mashed and whole beans to the pot after the pork has braised for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot and return to the oven. Braise for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until the sauce thickens slightly and the pork is tender.
Spoon the sauce into shallow bowls and top with the pork. Garnish with parsley. Serve right away with slices of rustic bread.

Serves 4

Chicken "Shepherd's" Pie

This is the time of year when I crave winter comfort food. After the holidays feasts have passed and you've gotten over the guilt associated with New Year's weight loss plans, it's time to make those one-pot comfort dishes that cool weather seem to make just that much better. Even here in Phoenix when the February temperatures remind one more of spring than winter, this type of dish is just right.

Traditionally, shepherd's pies are made with lamb (hence, the name). Where we live, lamb can be difficult to find, but we always seem to have leftover roast chicken that is perfect for this dish. The pie is filled with winter vegetables and fragrant with herbs, complementing the chicken beautifully. The mashed potato topping is lightly browned with the juices of the filling bubbling up the edges of the dish. Plan on making this pie on a Sunday when you've got a bit more time to spend in the kitchen. If you are lucky enough to have both leftover roast chicken AND mashed potatoes in the house, this recipe easily becomes Monday night fare. Here is the recipe:

Chicken "Shepherd's" Pie

6 medium Yukon Gold or Russett potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 leek (white and pale green parts only), rinsed well and chopped
1/3 c dry white wine
2 cups leftover roast chicken, chopped
1 T all-purpose flour
3/4 c chicken broth
2 t chopped thyme leaves (or 1 t dried)
2 t chopped rosemary leaves (or 1 t dried)
1 pinch grated nutmeg
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Sprig of rosemary for garnish (optional)

In a large pot of water, boil the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the potato boiling water. Drain the potatoes, mash with a potato masher and add 1 T butter, reserved water and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease a medium-sized baking dish (Corning-type is perfect) or 8 x 8 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until tender. Pour in the white wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the wine is reduced. Add the chicken and 1 T of flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well.

To the chicken and vegetables, add the chicken broth, herbs, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 5 to 6 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

Top the chicken and vegetable mixture with the mashed potatoes, and use a spatula to spread it around and cover the dish. Use the tines of a fork to decoratively "rake" the surface of the potatoes, and garnish the dish with a sprig of rosemary. Dot the top of the potatoes with small pieces of the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the potatoes are lighly browned. Cool slighly before serving.

Serves 4

Wine pairing: This is a hearty winter dish with strong-flavored herbs, perfect with a French Cotes du Rhone or a Spanish red. We drank the 2005 Finca Luzon Jumilla from Spain, which is a blend of 65% Mourvedre and 35% Syrah. It has flavors of blackberry and earth that really work with the rosemary and thyme in this dish.

Rediscovering Merlot

Looking back over the years at my relationship with wine, I clearly remember my interest in reds beginning with Merlot. Back in the 90s, Merlot was the wine to drink. Soft tannins, flavors of plum and cocoa - this was the perfect introduction to red wine. That first bottle of Sterling had me hooked. Sadly, as with most fads, overproduction led to the downfall of Merlot. Since the movie "Sideways", Merlot has become almost as maligned a wine as Chardonnay. Trite, thin and often overly sweet - that's what most wine connoisseurs now think of when you say Merlot. What a shame. While the wine market is saturated with many examples of bad Merlot, there are quite a few producers (some in unexpected places!) throughout the world breathing new life into this grape.

Historically, the production of Merlot grapes is based in the Bordeaux region of France. There, Merlot is used primarily as a blending grape, adding a certain suppleness and grace to the powerful tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is, in fact, more widely planted in France than Cabernet. In the United States, Merlot has been used quite commonly as a single varietal wine with a large presence in California and Washington.

California has some of the best and the worst examples of Merlot. While there are some "boutique" wineries producing some very good Merlot, the mass market is largely low quality wine. Duckhorn is probably the most famous Merlot high-quality producer, but expect to pay close to $100 per bottle. A recent Merlot tasting in Wine Spectator magazine revealed a pretty dismal picture of California Merlot with very few high-scoring wines.

We have found that excellent Merlot is being produced in the Monterey/Carmel region of California, where the cool weather seems to suit this grape. Tastings at Chateau Julian and Georis Winery left us impressed with the character and terroir expressed in the wines. Prices in this region are moderate.

Outside of California, Washington is a wonderful source for some delicious and affordable Merlot. Columbia Crest, Covey Run and Snoqualmie and all easy-to-find labels to know when shopping for Washington Merlot.

Don't be afraid to try Merlots produced outside of the United States. Indeed, there are some excellent wines being produces in some very unusual places. The above photo shows the Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2005 from Chile's Maipo Valley. This is a very impressive Merlot for the price point (about $12/bottle) with flavors of plum and chocolate backed with elegant tannins. This is one to purchase by the case for everyday drinking. Another great country for Merlot is Italy. Falesco is a reliable Italian producer that is easy to find in large wine shops.

Whether you look to Italy, Chile or right here in the U.S., don't forget about Merlot. Like fondue, gelatin and other seemingly hopeless food "trends", Merlot is overdue for a comeback.

Pizza Night

Homemade pizza - it really doesn't get much better than this. Yes, I know, it is so convenient to call up your local pizza delivery joint and have dinner delivered in 30 minutes. But, do they offer delectable toppings like crisp red onion, crumbled goat cheese and sweet-tart grape tomatoes bursting with flavor? Probably not.

I have been making homemade pizza dough for years now. I have experimented making doughs by hand, using a breadmaker and the KitchenAid Mixer. By far, my favorite approach is to use the stand mixer. Most of the dough recipes out there call for hand kneading. At the end of the workday, I have no desire to knead dough for ten minutes when the stand mixer produces a perfectly fine result.

My current favorite recipe for pizza dough comes from Chris Bianco, the proprietor of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona. Chris Bianco is a genius with pizza and shared his recipe for dough with Gourmet Magazine back in 2003. Here is the link:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/PIZZA-DOUGH-108197

When using the stand mixer with this recipe, the kneading time can be decreased to 5 or 6 minutes using a dough hook. The most important thing to remember with pizza dough is to handle the dough carefully once it is risen. You do not want to flatten out the dough and lose all those air bubbles created by the yeast.

Toppings should be added to the dough to suit your tastes. Homemade pizzas generally fare better when the toppings are added with a light hand to allow the dough to rise properly without being weighed down.

Once you flatten out the dough and add your toppings (this can be done directly on a floured pizza peel or even on a baking sheet), the pizza should be baked in a fairly hot oven (at least 450 F or up to 550 F). The baking time will vary depending on the temperature of the oven, but allow 6 to 12 minutes.

In my house, good homemade pizza calls for a good red wine. Yes, I know, the acidity of the goat cheese on this pizza probably calls out for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, but this is pizza! Pizza is, by nature, casual and comforting. To me, that means a flavorful red wine.

This wine is the Georis Winery Cowgirl Red (a Merlot/Cabernet blend) from Carmel, California. Georis Winery makes wonderful reds crafted with care. You should choose your favorite comfort red wine to drink with your homemade pizza.