Lentils with Red Wine Vegetables

Photo courtesy of Urban Durham Realty blog

Last weekend my good friend and one of my college roommates came to visit. Obviously a cause for celebration, we made the most of the weekend in true Durham-loving fashion. Although she lived in Durham for four years in college, a lot has changed in the past three and a half years since she left. I couldn't wait to show off how cool Durham has become. So in addition to spending some quality time together, we got to explore some of  what I consider to be the coolest parts of Durham. To start the weekend off with a bang, we went to dinner at Revolution, which I consider to be one of the best new restaurants in Durham. Saturday we enjoyed the free tasting offered at Wine Authorities and then cheered on the Duke Blue Devils with friends and more good wine. Sunday we had a delicious breakfast at Foster's, stretched it out at Patanjali's Place with yoga flow, and then topped that off with lunch at Dame's Chicken and Waffles, Gavin's favorite for Southern delights. Unfortunately that afternoon I had to drop her off at the airport, making the weekend seem incredibly short. But I'm pretty sure she left feeling relaxed and full, and hopefully a little impressed with all that Durham has to offer. For one weekend, we managed to take in several of Durham's best spots.

In addition to all of the "site-seeing," eating and drinking, we also spent some time talking about cooking. Considering we both love to cook, this was an inevitable conversation for the two of us. It's been an unusually cold winter in both NC and Texas, our respective homes, leading our conversation toward heartier comfort foods and the delights of root vegetables. For anyone who doesn't love to cook, this may sound like an odd conversation to have, but trust me, we got pretty excited about delicious soups and hearty roasted vegetables. One dish in particular made us both intrigued and since I loved it and she wanted to try it, I promised to share it here. I wrote a couple weeks ago about lentils and how delicious they are. This recipe is no exception. Combined with root vegetables in red wine and finished off with Dijon mustard, this is a satisfying and healthy dish. I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light, a great resource for healthy recipes year round.

Lentils with Red Wine Vegetables (serves 6)

• 3 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 1/2 cup dried lentils (I used French lentils)
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celeriac (celery root), peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 bunch Brussels sprouts, stems removed and halved if large
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, divided
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

In a medium saucepan, combine stock/water, lentils, 1/2 tsp salt and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until lentils are tender.
While the lentils simmer, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for about 5 minutes. Add celeriac, carrots, parsnips and sweet potato, seasoned with 1/2 tsp salt, or so. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Stir in Brussels sprouts, 1/2 tbsp tarragon, tomato paste and garlic. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Pour in red wine, scraping any bits of the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are fork tender.
When lentils are done, add them to the vegetables with mustard and black pepper.
Stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes to let flavors blend. Remove from heat and stir in remaining tarragon.

For a printable recipe click here

Osso Buco with Pine Nut Gremolata

Sometimes you just want to do something extra for dinner. Step out of the weeknight dinner mode and really make something special. A special occasion dinner will take a little longer and might cost a bit more, but it's definitely worth it when the time comes. And any dinner you make at home will be less expensive than a similar dinner at a restaurant and usually means more to whoever gets to enjoy the dinner with you. Birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, all are great reasons to take the time to make something you wouldn't normally cook. In my case, this dinner was a thank you to my parents for a great holiday trip to Mexico. I figure if they want to take me and Gavin down to Mexico for an awesome vacation, the least I can do is take the time to make a great dinner and pair it with some really nice wine. And since I not only made the dinner but also got to eat it, I definitely think I lucked out on the exchange. But nonetheless, I wanted to at least show a small token of my appreciation.

Thanks to some great advice from a coworker, I decided to make Osso Buco, a classic Italian comfort food that is often served around the holidays here in the states. The veal slowly cooks in a rich, savory sauce of tomatoes and stock, making it so tender it just falls of the bone. It's hearty and satisfying and perfect for a meal during the cold winter months. The simple gremolata served on top adds just the right amount of freshness and crunch to the dish. Serve it over pasta or brown rice and you've got a show-stopping dish. Combine the Osso Buco with a rich Amarone and you've got a serious feast on your hands. This lush, velvety red wine from Veneto, Italy pairs perfectly with the hearty dish and makes the meal itself worth celebrating.

Osso Buco (serves 6)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 whole veal shank, about 3.5-4 lbs
• 1 onion, diced, about 2 cups
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3-4 celery stalks, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, about 15-20 thyme sprigs, stems discarded
• 1 x 28 oz can plum tomatoes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups veal or chicken stock 
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in a large, oven proof dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat.
Season veal shank liberally with salt and pepper (about 1.5-2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper).
Brown veal in hot oil for about 4 minutes per side.
Remove veal and set aside.
Turn heat down slightly and saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic till soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add fresh thyme, tomatoes, wine and stock. Break up tomatoes with a spoon.
Return the veal shank to the pot. Make sure the liquid comes up about half way on the shank. If not, add more stock. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cover the dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, or aluminum foil, and place on the middle rack in the oven.
Cook the veal for about 2.5-3 hours or until meat pulls away easily with a fork.
Remove the lid from the pot and cook for another 30 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce.
To serve, either remove the bone and pull the meat apart into chunks, or place the entire shank onto a separate platter and slice meat, serving the sauce alongside. Pass gremolata as a garnish.

Pine Nut Gremolata

• 1/3 cup pine nuts 
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, stems removed and leaves chopped
• Salt and pepper

In a small, dry skillet, toast pine nuts until golden and fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
Combine chopped parsley, lemon zest and cooled pine nuts. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

For a printable recipe click here

Herb Crusted Steak with Wine and Mushroom Reduction

Some things are just meant to go together: peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, Oreos and milk, Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippin. You get the idea. And near the top of this perfect pairing list, or possibly at the top depending on who you ask, is steak and red wine. The two are just meant to be consumed together. They are both delicious in their own right, don't get me wrong. But something magical happens when they are together. The steak draws out the earthy richness of the wine while the wine elevates the buttery, melt in your mouth quality of a good steak. Add a simple mushroom sauce to the steak and you have all sorts of umami going on in your mouth. There is something incredibly satisfying about flavors that are so connected to the Earth. No one wants their food to actually taste like dirt, of course, but hearty earthy flavors have some of the same soul-satisfying qualities as getting your hands dirty planting a garden or building something. Not that I do much of either of those things - although I will have a vegetable garden one of these days! - I can imagine what that would feel like. So for now, I'll get my soul satisfaction through delicious steak paired with the perfect glass of red wine.

However delicious steak and red wine may be, it's not the sort of thing I would want to eat every day. (Gavin might disagree but that's another story.) Part of its appeal, for me at least, is that steak is a special occasion sort of thing. I'm not talking about beef in general, or meat for that matter, but really good steak deserves special attention. This year for our Christmas Eve dinner, I made my family Filet Mignon with red wine and mushroom sauce paired with an excellent Bordeaux from the St. Emilion region. Chateau Rocher Corbin produces a delicious red wine full of rich flavors, blending Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The dark and earthy berry flavors went perfectly with the steaks, seasoned with fresh rosemary and thyme. Although this meal is definitely worthy of a special occasion, it isn't at all difficult to prepare. A few really good quality ingredients will do most of the work for you. And feel free to ask a friendly wine person (at Wine Authorities perhaps?) for suggestions on a perfect pairing for your steak meal.

Herb Crusted Steak with Wine and Mushroom Reduction (serves 4)

• 4 x 6 oz Filet Mignon (or your preferred cut of beef or size of steak)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely diced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 12 oz sliced mushrooms (I prefer cremini but button also works)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (something you would drink, but save the really good stuff for the meal)

Pat steaks dry and allow to come to room temperature before cooking; cold meat = tough meat.
Heat oil in a large pan or grill pan over medium to medium high heat.
Season steaks liberally with salt and pepper. Combine fresh herbs and divide among the four steaks. Press the herbs into the meat to stick.
Sear the first side of the steak for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, medium-low and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Flip the steaks and continue cooking till desired doneness. For medium rare, the steak should be about 125-130F.
After you have flipped the steaks, add the onions to the pan to begin sauteing while the meat finishes cooking.
Remove the steaks when they are done and allow to rest while finishing the sauce.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute for 6-8 minutes to brown. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up any of the herbs left in the pan.
Simmer the sauce until the wine has reduced by half.
Serve the mushroom sauce alongside the steaks and pour yourself a glass of red wine.

For a printable recipe click here

Exciting News and Delicious Bubbly

Hello! I am alive, I promise. I have to apologize for being completely MIA these past few weeks. My life has been rather crazy recently, but in only wonderful ways. I am excited to announce that Gavin and I just purchased our first house together! Not only is this a big step in our life as a married couple but it also means that I have a lot more space to fit all of my fantastic kitchen appliances. I have my priorities, obviously. Seriously though, our new house does have a great kitchen and I'm very much looking forward to setting it up the way I like it and doing some serious cooking. I've made a few simple meals in our new place, but nothing worthy of a post as of yet. Unfortunately this might have to wait until January when things have calmed down a bit and I'm able to take a deep breath.

In addition to our big house news, I am also excited to announce that I got the job I've been wanting for awhile now. I am very proud to have joined the fantastic staff at Wine Authorities! So not only do I get to spread the joy of delicious, well-made wine to those of you lucky enough to live in Durham, but I also get to expand my own wine knowledge and share it with all of you. My particular goal is to learn as much as I can about wine and food pairings and match delicious, easy to make recipes with wine. It is a terribly difficult process of research and study, but I am willing to take on the challenge. :)

To celebrate our house closing and my new job, my dad broke out a bottle of Dom Perignon (1999), a gift he received from a very thoughtful friend. Although I don't know a lot about champagne, I do know that a single vintage (year) is somewhat rare and that good champagne can be aged. This was definitely not your average glass of wedding bubbly. It had the full-bodied taste of a really good Chardonnay with a nice clean finish imparted by the bubbles. I haven't had a lot of true champagnes (from the Champagne region of France) but I'm sure this compares to some of the better bottles produced in that area. Needless to say, it was definitely a treat to share this bottle with my family, especially given the joy of the occasion.

Sadly there is no recipe to accompany this post and there probably won't be a new one for a couple of weeks now. But I wanted to share the good news and assure everyone that I am not only alive, but doing quite well. Happy holidays to all and I'll be back in the new year, fired up and ready to cook!

Uncorked: Wine Store Meets Wine Bar

Buying wine can be intimidating. Large or small, wine stores have tons of different wines to choose from and making the leap to try something new can be difficult. Who wants to spend $20 dollars or so on a bottle of wine that you might not like? So we tend to stick with what we know and always buy the same wines. Until now. Tucked away in Falls River Towne Center, Uncorked offers the unique opportunity to taste 48 different bottles of wine before buying, all in a room that looks more like a Tuscan wine cellar than a store. With twelve bottles of wine from four different regions of the world—US West coast, France/Germany, Mediterranean, and Southern Hemisphere—you can easily find something new that you like. And if you want further suggestions or advice, any of the knowledgeable owners/employees are always happy to lend a hand.


In addition to the tasting machines, Uncorked offers periodic free tastings featuring a particular type of wine or wine producing region. One of these tastings featured wines from Germany, a region often overlooked and unfamiliar to many wine drinkers. Germany is often associated with very sweet Rieslings but the country offers so much more. With the help of Steve, an incredibly knowledgeable wine distributor, anyone visiting Uncorked during his tasting could learn more about all that Germany has to offer the wine world. And anyone who came thinking they didn’t like German wines, probably thought differently at the end of the evening. These informal tastings are a great way to learn about new wines and possibly change any preconceived notions you might have had about particular wines.


Not only does Uncorked provide a great place to buy wine to drink at home with family and friends, it also serves as a great place to meet a friend for a glass of wine and a small plate of food. In this way, Uncorked brings the wine bar into the wine store. After putting money on your wine card, you can select a 1 oz, 2.5 oz or 5 oz pour from any of the machines. At prices that are competitive and often less than your typical wine bar, this is a great place to stop by in the evening after work or on Saturday afternoon. To complement your glass of wine, Uncorked serves small and large plates of quality meats and cheeses. And when you’re done enjoying your glass of wine and cheese, you can purchase a bottle of the wine at retail cost instead of paying for the mark up charged at restaurants and bars. All in all, Uncorked is a great find for any wine lover. Stop in Tuesday through Sunday to taste a new wine or enjoy a glass of an old favorite. And check the website for upcoming events.

Simple and delicious Italian meal

Tomatoes are one of my all time favorite foods and they're best during the late summer months. But some vendors at the Durham Farmers' Market even offer delicious tomatoes during the winter months thanks to greenhouses. These tomatoes are great with just some salt and pepper but this simple pizza recipe makes for an easy, delicious dinner any night of the week. It only takes about 20 minutes total (including preheating time) and is healthy and satisfying.

I love this pizza made with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella (also from the farmers' market) and basil as it reminds of me of the time I spent living in Florence, Italy. In Florence, the food is amazing and often comes from the simplest ingredients and cooking methods. When the ingredients are incredibly fresh and well made, the techniques do not need to be complicated to create an amazing dish.

I also wanted to find a good Italian red that would compliment the pizza. I chose a Valpolicella, a red wine made in the Veneto region of Italy (near Venice), that goes wonderfully with the pizza. It's made primarily from the Corvina grape and has a wonderful balance of fruit and acidity that holds up well with the fresh flavors of the pizza. Go for a Valpolicella that is designated Superiore to ensure great taste as well as one that is labelled as Ripasso, a technique that involves refermenting the wine on the skins of the Amarone, a rich red wine made from partially dried grapes.

This entire meal could easily be found at any cafe in Northern Italy. So if you can't make it all the way to Florence, try making it at home for a travel experience without the price tag.

Pizza:

• 2 pre-cooked pizza crust (I use whole wheat for the flavor and added health benefits)
• 3-4 vine ripe tomatoes
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella
• drizzle of olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 6-10 fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (follow pizza crust instructions, temperatures may vary).
Brush a thin coat of olive oil over pizza crusts.
Thinly slice tomatoes and arrange on crust in one layer.
Season with salt and pepper.
Thinly slice mozzarella (use fresh, it's much better than shredded).
Place over tomatoes as evenly as possible.
Cook pizzas for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from oven and scatter torn basil leaves over the hot pizza.
Slice and serve immediately.

If possible, decant the wine while preparing the pizza. Pour and enjoy this simple taste of Italy!

For a printable recipe click here

Six Plates: Good Wine

Six Plates is currently my favorite wine bar in Durham. The food is good, but I always go for the wine. The menu is set up with six small plates of food with a wine to match each plate. Each glass of wine costs around $6-8 and the additional glasses listed on the board are as low as $5. The wine selection comes from around the world and there's something to match everyone's taste. And owner Matthew Beason and his staff are always willing to make suggestions.

This last visit I decided to start off with a glass of Xarmant Txakoli from the Basque Country, Spain. Immediately the wine stands out for the number of x's in the name and was made famous by Dhani Jones on Dhani Tackles the Globe. But upon first sip, it is clear that this wine stands out without any publicity. It's made from the grape called hondarribi zurri and, although not sparkling, it definitely has a slight effervescence. With very little residual sugar, the wine is quite dry but has tons of flavor. It's definitely worth trying! And with a name that's hard to pronounce, it should be easy to spot on the menu. Six Plates often has it by the glass, so give it a try next time you're there.

In addition to the six wines matching the six plates, and the glasses listed on the board, the menu contains page upon page of wines by the bottle. The list includes sparkling, white, pink and red wines from around the world ranging from only $20 a bottle to well over $100. So whatever your taste and budget, there are plenty of wines to choose from. All in all, Six Plates is definitely worth a visit. Stop in for a light meal or just a glass of wine. And check the website for news on live music, events and menu changes.