3 posts tagged “hedonistic”
One of the decent aspects of being unemployed for the moment is that boredom has driven me to the kitchen. I had thought of finally devouring War and Peace, but Tolstoi will have to wait until I've finished the rather massive and daunting study guide for my Islamic History final on Monday. So food it was.
And my favorite comfort food is soup. There is nothing more comforting than a delicious, lovingly made soup.
What did I make? Bun Bo Hue (I'm to lazy to add the accents).
It's a traditional Vietnamese soup that I've intended to try my hand at making for about three months, ever since the October issue of Saveur magazine landed in my mailbox.
I also love spicy food, and reading the recipe for this soup alone brought tears to my eyes. I had to make it. Fortunately I had found most of the ingredients prior to my unexpected destitution. After some alone time with the dart board and some old place d'emploi brochures, I decided to tackle this beast of a soup.
After about 4 hours I had the spiciest, hottest, most delicious soup I've ever tasted in my life. And yes, it made me cry.
For those of you interested, I'll copy the recipe here.
This recipe makes 8 servings (I always make lots of soup...seriously, buy those little plastic take-out bowls the Chinese places use, then just freeze the extra for whenever you feel like it!)
Ingredients
7 tbsp. canola oil
3 medium yellow onions, 2 cut into 1'' dice, 1 thinly sliced.
1 tbsp. annatto seeds
2lbs. boneless beek shank (shin), halved crosswise, tendon removed and discarded
1 lb. boneless pork leg, from the upper butt portion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 lbs. beef bones, cut into 2'' pieces, boiled for 3 minutes
1 1/2 lbs. fresh pork hock, cut into 1/2'' slices
3 tbsp. plus 2 1/2 tsp. Vietnamese fish sauce
5 trimmed stalks lemongrass, 4 cut into 3'' pieces, bruised; 1 minced
1 1'' chunk Chinese yellow sugar (this was a pain in the ass to find..thank goodness for Fernanda's food market)
3 tbsp. dried chile flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. fine shrimp sauce
2 14oz. packages of large round bun (rice noodles) boiled, then rinsed with cold water
1/3 cup chopped rau ram (Vietname Coriander--also a pain in the ass to find--again, Fernanda's is awesome)
3 scallions, green parts only, trimmed and thinly sliced
Directions:
1. For the broth: Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add annatto; cook until onions are yellow. 4-5 minutes. Season beef and pork leg with salt and pepper; push onions to side; add beef and pork. Sear meat for 4-5 minutes; add bones, hocks, and 5 quarts water. Bring to a boil; skim off and discard any scum. Add 3 tbsp. fish sauce, bruised lemongrass, and rock sugar; reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Transfer pork leg and hocks to a bowl of cold water; let soak for 10 minutes. Simmer broth for 1 hour more. Repeat soaking and draining with shank. Chill leg, hocks, and shank in refrigerator. Skim fat from broth; strain through a fine sieve.
2. Combine remaining oil, chile flakes, garlic, and minced lemongrass in a small pot over medium-low heat; gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir-in remaining fish sauce and granulated sugar. Set chile mixture aside.
3. Bring broth to a boil in a large pot. In a bowl, stir together 1 cup of broth with shrimp sauce; pour into pot through a fine sieve and stir in 1 1/2 tbsp. of chile mixture. Season to taste with salt. Divide noodles between 8 bowls (have your take-out containers ready!) . Cut beef and pork across the grain into 1/16'' thick slices (this is so demaning--I cheated, mine are bigger); top each bowl with slices, followed by sliced onions, rau ram, and scallions. Add hocks to broth; bring to a boil. Ladle 2 cups hot broth with some hock into each bowl. Serve with remaining chile mixture, mint sprigs, sliced thai chiles, and lime wedges if you like (I tried one version with lime, and one without, and I honestly find I like it much better without the lime, but to each their own).
Anyway, there you have it. This is damned fine soup, but definately not for those who cannot handle spicy foods.
This recipe if from the October 2006 Issue of Saveur Magazine, p. 48.
Any store that sells wine--good wine--is a meance to my bank account. I have a love-hate relationship with my favorite shops. They all stock hard to find, excellent wines. The Best Cellar, owned by the eccentric Richard Stetler, manages to import some of the most obscure and fascinating wines from around the world, and Richard is always willing to pour a glass of his newest acquisitions. I cannot help but fall into the trap. A blissful rioja, 300 cases produced annually, and I'll walk out with at least one case.
Or today, when I ventured to the local ABC. They know me all too well. I go in to browse, to replace one of the sommelier glasses I managed to break while washing it, and inevitably the manager nudges me towards the fine wine cellar, talking about the new stock of Silver Oak to tempt me. Of course, the path to Silver Oak leads me past the 1st Great Growths. I walk out with a Haut-Brion '83 and a Cheval Blanc '89.
And then there is the Naked Grape, where Brian knows my tastes all too well, and will always slip me a glass of the new great Barolo he's just stocked, and I can't help but to buy a bottle or 6.
I can resist any purchase in any store except for wine. It is the Achilles Heel of my bank account. But then, what does it matter? Money will never taste quite like bliss.
I normally post wine recommendations for my friends on the dark pit of internet hell that is myspace, but I thought why not post them here once in awhile. So once or twice a month I've decided to collect my notes from myspace and put them here for anyone interested.
Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Paulliac 2ieme Grand Cru Classe 1999
Yes, I know, the name of this wine is a mouthful. In fact, if you're not fluent in French, don't even bother uttering it. Just say Pichon-Lalande and any wine enthusiast will know you're talking about the grande dame of Paulliac.
Pichon-Lalande is known as a super-second, forever relegated to ride the coat tails of Chateau Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, andChateau Lafite, yet in its best years (most noteably 1982) it can surpass all the first growths in style, finesse, and decadence. Pichon-Lalande is also my favorite Bordeaux. While it may not always be on par with its firth growth cousins, it also never disappoints, and at a third the price of Mouton, it's hard not to like.
So about the 1999. This isn't a great Pichon-Lalande, but it is drinking remarkably well at seven years. The nose hits you immediately with this wine, fragrant and fine, like smelling a cigarbox stuffed with morello cherries. This is definately a more masculine Lalande than usual, more like a Pichon-Baron (another superlative super-second), but with velvety smooth tannins. It is a little dry towards the finish, but that is easily forgiven given its incredible smoothness ripeness.
The color is wonderful, a deep, deep red, like staring into a glass of rubies glazed over in blood.
I give it an 8.7/10. Perfect for drinking while waiting for the great years to mature.
Several thousand cases produced.
Again, this wine calls for big glass. Riedel's Sommelier line, particularly.
I'd love to recommend local shops where it can be had, but this was the last bottle I could dig up at the local shops. Still, it can be had between $75.00 and $100+ at various online retailers.
Pollice Verso: E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rose 2004
It is hard to be disappointed by a French Rose, but by god, I was disappointed tonight and did something I rarely do: had a glass and poured it down the sink (I've done this with a Chateau Pavie, as well-- Robert Parker and his flock be damned).
And this wine does belong in the sewer. It's got acidity, but no fruit--a horrible finish that leaves you wondering if you just drank a glass of liquid plumber. It almost makes me feel ashamed of my French hertitage--almost (then I think of a Latour '28, and all is well again).
So yes, caveat emptor.
WillaKenzie 2003 Terres Basses Pinot Noir - Oregon
So, tonight I felt like opening a bottle, but was decidedly torn. I felt like something full-bodied, but also delicate. There was the '99 Pichon Lalande, the '96 Pichon-Baron, a '00 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, and a bottle of '97 Grands Echezeaux in contention. The thought of opening any of these (especially the Grands Echezeaux) alone was tempting, but against my view that the best wines out there are always for good company.
So I dug through my cellar and found this charming Oregon Pinot Noir. First off, it definately needs decanting (yeah, drinking it this young definately qualifies as infanticide, at least without decanting). The power of this wine struck my nostrils like the deliciously pungent aroma of a freshly shaven truffle. Secondly, this wine is definately in the style of a Grand Cru Burgundy (Thought not a Grands Echezeaux, or any DRC--seriously, what other wine measures up to the DRCs?). It has structure, subtlely, and a deliciously long finish that leaves you savoring every sip for some time after its been gulped down.
It is a deep ruby, almost garnet, in color and has strong flavors of red and black cherry, plum, and cassis, with light hints of tropical fruit, rounding out this wine amazingly well. The acidity is crisp, matching the sweet fruit flavors. This is a big wine, worthy of roasted meat dishes, even roast game and fowl (for those that don't like the pure force of an Italian Barolo, anyway).
Around 450 cases produced.
This wine calls for Riedel glass. Don't waste your money quaffing it from small glasses.
It can be had from The Naked Grape Wine Co. on Wilton Dr, or most merchants who use National Distributors. Retails around $50 if you're lucky.
Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2003
It has long been a hobby of mine to blast California wines, mostly because I KNOW top French wines eat top California wines for breakfast and then some (And for anyone who protests this, show me one California wine that is as decadent, long-lived, and all-around perfect as a 45 or 82 Mouton? Yeah, that's right, you can't).. It's also because I tend to consider myself more French than American, and as much as I dislike nationalism, I just can't help it (I swear, the French have a gene for condescending nationalism).
That said, this is a lovely wine for it's price range ($20ish). And well, if you want good Zinfandel, you have to go Sonoma. It have intense fruit flavors of blackberry (perhaps a touch of apple, too, on the finish), muted with hints of briarwood and exotic, pepper spices. This would be a perfect accompaniment for indian dishes and thai foods.
I give this wine the vote as my favorite Zin for both it's price point and taste. Yeah, 111 years of experience with Zin at Seghesio definately shows in this wine. Go. Have some now. Thank me later.
I was debating whether to open a bottle of wine tonight, being a bit tired, but decided on it anyway.
This Hahn Chardonnay has been sitting in my cellar for about a year now. I had nearly forgotten it existed until I stumbled upon it tucked away behind a bottle of Chablis I was contemplating (I'm way too tired to enjoy a Grand Cru Chablis...mmm...Domaine Laroche goodness).
It being a California Chardonnary, I was weary. Californian winemakers far too often resort to so much oak their wines could build another ark. Needless to say, at my first sniff I was pleasantly surprised. Tropical fruits, a hint of pear, and butterscotch waifed up from the glass and fufilled their promise at my first sip. It's a light to medium wine, crisp with acidity. This wine could easily pass for one of the better Chablis, or a light Puligny-Montrachet.
It has energy, good taste, and sharp with dryness and acidity. It would go perfect with fish dishes with butter sauces and poultry in any kind of cream sauce, but personally, I think it stands best alone.
This is a wine I'd take to the beach, and at about $11-$13 the bottle, it's hard to beat this homage to old-world Burgundy whites from the New World
For you locals, this wine can be bought at The Best Cellar, on Wilton Drive, across the street from Galanga.
30,000 cases produced.
Chateau Ampelia 2002 Cotes de Castillions.
For
those of you who enjoy reds this wine is fresh and fruity, with hints
of plum and blackberry, as well as traces of fig, cherry, a little oak,
and the faintest hints of chocolate and tobacco as it develops in the
glass.
It drinks well young, being a Cru
Bourgeois is can be drank young, or cellared for a few more years to
smoothen it out a bit more (though at four years old, it is by no means
tannic, or harsh).
As for food pairings, it would go well with light meat dishes and pan blackened, or seared fish dishes (even though it's a blend of cab, merlot, and cab franc, it's a little on the light side for a Bordeaux), though I personally recommend it on its own, or with some strawberries and a chocolate fondue if you want to be especially hedonistic.
It sells from between $15 and $20 depending on where you are, and who you buy from. Around 1200 cases produced.
For you locals, WineStyles at 1267 University Dr. in Coral Springs has it at a very reasonable price.
