If you still haven’t made plans for Valentine’s Day do not fret I am here to help you. It’s not too late to pick up some chocolate and great Pinot Noir from last week’s Wine Review (click here). Now I have a couple of great wines and options for you this week. I love to cook and put together a fantastic meal built around a great Chardonnay. I have also found a restaurant that has a great atmosphere and wine list.
2009 Riverview Cellars Angelina’s Reserve Chardonnay – VINTAGES 205427 – $19.95 – Now this is a very well balanced barrel-fermented Chardonnay that I paired with a pan seared strip loin with a blue cheese sauce. Now I know pairing white wine with red meat isn’t something that you normally do as a rule. But this pairs with the blue cheese. There are mild citrus notes on this wine with a nice smooth and creamy lingering finish. Here is the meal I put together.
Pan-Seared Strip Loins with Cashel Blue Sauce (from Food and Drink Spring 2011)
By: Julia Aitken
Cashel Blue is a creamy artisanal blue cheese produced in Tipperary in southern Ireland. Here, it makes a richly delicious sauce for simple seared steaks. If you can’t find Cashel Blue, French Saint Agur is a good substitute. It’s important to use homemade or no-salta dded beef stock for the sauce or it will taste too salty. Serve with colcannon, a traditional Irish side of potatoes mashed with steamed Savoy cabbage, butter and milk
2 strip loin steaks, each 12 oz (375 g), 1½ inches (4 cm) thick
2 tsp (10 mL) fi nely minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
⅓ cup (75 mL) Irish whiskey
½ cup (125 mL) homemade or no-salt-added beef stock
¼ cup (50 mL) whipping cream
1 cup (250 mL) crumbled Cashel Blue cheese, about 4 oz (125 g)
2 tbsp (25 mL) snipped fresh chives
1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim any excess fat from steaks.
2 In a small bowl, stir together 1 tsp (5 mL) rosemary and the oil. Rub all over both sides of steaks. Season steaks generously with pepper.
3 Heat a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add steaks and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until well browned. Transfer skillet to oven and cook for 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare.
4 Transfer steaks to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and set aside.
5 Melt butter over medium-low heat in skillet used to cook steaks. Add garlic and remaining rosemary to skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic softens.
6 Add whiskey to skillet. Bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Boil, stirring often, for about 2 minutes or until whiskey has reduced by half.
7 Add stock to skillet. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring often, for about 3 minutes or until stock has reduced by about half.
8 Add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove skillet from heat and whisk in cheese until it melts and sauce is smooth. Stir in chives.
9 Cut steaks crosswise into thin slices and divide among 4 dinner plates. Drizzle evenly with sauce.
On the side pair this with some steamed green vegetables (Brocolli, Brussel Sprouts or Asparagus). I also paired it with Julia Child’s Ratatouille from Mastering the Art of French Cooking linked here.
Since this wine was tasted Norman Hardie has been accused of sexual misconduct. The article can be found here – https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadian-winemaker-norman-hardie-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/
2010 Norman Hardie County Cabernet Franc – VINTAGES 237123 – $25.00 – This is a great fruity Cabernet Franc with a very smooth finish. I had the pleasure of tasting this wine at Lucien a fantastic restaurant found at 36 Wellington St E right downtown. The excellent staff at Lucien will be able to help pair this wine with your meal or any of the other great Ontario wines they have on their menu.
Just one more note about Lucien, the reason I am giving them specifically the mention this week is because not only do they have a great selection of Ontario wines on the menu but a great selection of Half bottles as well. I like half bottles because it makes it easier to pair your wine with specific courses (appetizer/main/dessert) or just so you’re not forced to buy a whole bottle of wine when you only want a glass with your meal. One thing I have to mention about Lucien is to make sure you ask for their table 4. If it hasn’t been reserved already I’m sure it will be soon.
