Starters: Caramelized onion, prosciutto, and fig flatbreads, butternut squash shooters, assorted cheeses.

1st: Cauliflower Soup with Seared Scallop, Lemon oil, Caviar

2nd: Duck Confit Ravioli, Veal Demi, Gremolata

3rd: Roasted Squab with fresh Porcini

Dessert: Thanks to Flora, a dense and delicious chocolate cake!

This is what happens when you combine above with the cast and crew of 56 Degree Wine (and friends of 56!) Here were the wines…

NV Billecart Brut Reserve
2008 Domaine Huet Clos du Bourg Sec
2004 Fevre Chablis GC Vaudesir
2006 Bzikot PM Folatieres
2002 Roty Marsannay
2004 Arlaud Clos de la Roche GC
2007 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d Abruzzo
1990 Ch Montrose
1990 JJ Prum Auslese

THANK YOU for the incredible wines!!!

Enjoying the Hot Mama (Manish's Maple Loch in front)

I started off with a drink called the “Hot Mama” and Manish enjoyed his Maple Loch. The hot mama was one of Mattias’ concoctions that he created for Mother’s Day. He took fresh ripe strawberries when they were in season, and put them through a steam evaporator, extracting as much flavor as he could. He took this “strawberry consomme” and reserved it to use throughout the summer. He added the juice of thai chili, some sugar, some rum, some simple syrup and some lime juice to the strawberry essence and then topped it off with a little sparkling wine. Delicious. Can you imagine if this much work went into my cocktail, what dinner was going to be like!? (Photos below can be clicked on to see larger images. They are condensed in this post for spacial reasons.)

Our amuses included a melon soup with fried jalapeno; a tuna tartare with cucumber and shiso, and a fabulous caesar salad custard that was brought out to us in a hollowed out egg shell. The custard was on the bottom of the shell (we had to scoop it out) and an incredibly aromatic and flavorful herb (salad) broth was delicately poured on top.

The composed salad showcased heirloom tomatoes, scallops, mangalitsa pork, and assorted melons and was accompanied by a basil vinaigrette, olive oil powder, and elderflower. So refreshing and balanced.

The next three courses highlighted products of the sea, always a showstopper here at elements… Kindai tuna with shaved radishes, green tomato puree, locally foraged mushrooms, turmeric cake, and honey. Exotic and rich flavors blended to perfection. Swordfish was accompanied by a carrot puree, a pistachio puree, some spelt, and roasted bell peppers. A pan seared sea bass was bathed in a coconut curry with boudin blanc puree and apples – divine!! We were offered a “snack” of a japanese omelet with slightly seared tuna on top. The omelet was more of a thin crepe style and rolled up… very cool!

The next three courses were the the heartier focus of the evening. The foie gras course was presented to us with pieces of brined foie, seared foie, foie sponge cake, black olive powder, and shiso. What an incredible marriage of flavors – I never thought brine and foie would work so well together! Next was a perfectly cooked portion of mangalitsa pork, shiso, and charred bell peppers. Our last savory course was the wagyu shabu shabu with locally foraged mushrooms. Delicious – sort of an individual “hot pot” cook your own meat sort of thing. We also were served a “snack” during these savory offerings. A small piece of cod with sauteed local mushrooms and creme fraiche.

“The Snacks”

Snack - Japanese Omelet with Tuna

Snack - Cod with Local Mushrooms and Creme Fraiche

The sweet endings to the meal were a tasting menu all on its own! First we were presented with a palate cleanser style course… Wild plum soup, chili sorbet, melons, and cream. The seasonal produce at its height of freshness was shining through – absolutely stunning.

Next was the epoisse custard with sweet onion and nectarine ice cream. Justin had just paired this with Dogfish Head Punkin Ale a few days earlier for a beer dinner. The flavors were divine and the perfect blend of savory and sweet. If I were to choose a favorite dessert, this would be it!

However, the most attractive plate on the menu was this next one… Chocolate mousse encased in a chocolate shell, vanilla ice cream, berry sorbet, and a heartfelt message.

Thank you, Manish… and thanks to elements for a most memorable birthday meal.

Rainbow Carrots

Every year on the Saturday before Labor Day, Manish and I take the girls and meet up with Jigna, Piyush, and our nephews in Hoboken or NYC. We then proceed on our annual pilgrimage to the green market at Union Square, then Eataly (for the past two years at least,) followed by a picnic at a family friendly park. The kids enjoy choosing their own foods from the market (and cheeses and breads from Eataly.) And we enjoy exploring and learning about the unique and colorful crops that some of these farmers bring to the table. This year, Manish and I stocked up on many of the farmers market finds and tested them out in our kitchen… and here are some of the culinary results!

Pea Shoots - we used them for everything from salads to stir fries!

Heirloom cherry tomatoes were chosen very carefully. We tasted as we shopped, and these were the sweetest! We used some basil and fresh mozzarella to create  a very simple heirloom salad. September on a plate

Squash Blossoms…. I tried to re-create a dish that I experienced earlier this summer. Squash blossoms stuffed with fresh ricotta, lightly breaded, pan fried, and drizzled with an anchovy butter sauce…

One of the farms literally had someone sauteeing shisito peppers – fresh – with garlic – and we sampled. Need I say more? We brought some home, and we devoured. Beware though… one out of every 10 is SPICY hot! Delicious, nonetheless!

We didn’t bring these home though…. the hottest pepper in the world. The Bhut Jolokia. From India – translated to “Ghost Pepper.” We had to take pictures though – gorgeous huh?

Five years of absorbing the knowledge of the geniuses that I work with (hopefully they are not reading this – swollen egos don’t fit through the door at the shop;) Endless summer evenings doing blind tastings with my wine geek buddies and my sweet husband who didn’t seem to mind opening a new bottle every other night – ha!; Advice from my fellow sommelier friends on what to focus on and the do’s and dont’s for the service portion of the exam.

On August 6th, 2011… I walked through the doors of banquet hall C at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in DC. I blind tasted, and felt that I aced it. I took the written portion of the exam, and felt even more confident. The 3rd part of the exam was the part that I was most nervous about… the service portion. I was going to be tested on either champagne service for the table, or aged red wine service. What I hadn’t prepared myself for were the slew of questions that my appointed master sommelier was going to ask. Ms Morgan was kind and very patient. It took no time for me to warm up to her and before I knew it, I felt as comfortable at that stage of my exam as I do on the sales floor at the shop – describing my favorite wines and what they pair best with. I know that I made a couple minor mistakes during the champagne service (she threw me off when she asked for 8 glasses to be poured when only 4 were at the table, and requested that she didn’t need to see the bottle nor did she need to taste….)  But she specifically met with me afterwards, handed me my certificate, and congratulated me on a very impressive performance throughout. I personally feel though that I need to practice all levels of service before I go for my third level of certification (Advanced Sommelier.) Maybe in a few years.

I can’t remember the last time I studied this hard for something. College, probably. Normally, I cringe at the thought of applauding myself – especially in my own blog. But I am damn proud, so here it goes….

Yes, that’s right… I said Manish. He actually taught me how to cook years ago, but claims that he “forgot” ever since I’ve honed my skills. Well, he was the one that was cooking this time. And, instead of what I call the “Indian mom technique” of estimating the ingredients and never jotting them down so as to remember how to make it the exact same way over and over again (the way my moms cook and the way that I often cook,) he followed a recipe to the TEE. The resulting dish had depth, such flavor, and such vibrancy. I can credit the seasonal produce to a certain degree, but let’s face it… Manish deserves a lot of the credit! His finesse and loyalty to adhere to the recipe was much appreciated My lesson learned: some things are better left un-touched (ie don’t mess with a good recipe!) Here it is!

Kheema Matar (Chopped Meat and Peas) from the late Ismail Merchant’s Passionate Meals

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
1 1/2 lbs meat (I have used ground chicken or ground turkey OR I have chopped the meat very fine – you can alternatively use beef or lamb but the cooking times will increase slightly so as to cook the meat through thoroughly)
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup green peas (preferably fresh but if frozen, thawed)
handful of fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Heat the oil in a saute’ pan and cook the onion until golden brown. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, salt, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Cook all the spices with the onions for about 5 minutes over a low flame. Add the meat, stirring occasionally until it starts to brown. Add the yogurt and cook for another 10 minutes.  Now add the tomatoes and peas. Cover the saute’ pan  and simmer for another 7-15 minutes. That is a large span, but the lower end is for chicken, higher end for lamb/beef. Serve garnished with coriander and with naan.

This is where the wine is made

I had the 2010 Les Grands Caves Saint Roch Vouvray with this meal. Such a perfect pairing! Vibrant stone fruits and amazing minerality keep this wine perfectly balanced. A touch of ripeness paired perfectly with the heat of the Kheema. As you may have noticed, I am a self proclaimed Chenin Blanc fanatic…. so this is a keeper for me – and such a steal at $16.50 a bottle when it’s available at 56 Degree Wine!

This month’s perfect pairing was inspired by our latest food battle. I found myself re-creating this particular dish a few times after the cook off. I have tried several different wines with this, so I will list all three as “perfect pairings.” None of them are pink nor are they crisp…. but they are juicy and perfect with the dish. Enjoy!

Grilled Flatbreads with Raspberry Guajillo Sauce, Smoked Duck, and Ricotta Salata

For the Sauce
2 cups boiling water
3 oz dried guajillo chilies – stemmed and seeded
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups fresh raspberries

3 Naan flatbreads (click here for recipe or you can purchase ready made)
olive oil
1 smoked duck breast, sliced (click here for recipe or you can purchase ready made at gourmet specialty stores or D’Artagnan)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
3 to 4 oz shaved ricotta salata

For the sauce: Place dried chilies in boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes, until chilies are softened. Reserving the soaking water, remove the softened chilies and place them in a blender with the garlic, and blend with a few tablespoons of the soaking water so as to form a paste. Place two teaspoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan, and bring to a medium high heat. Add the chili paste, and saute until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the raspberries and stir to combine. Add all of the soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Simmer the mixture on low for about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the berry sauce mixture to a blender, and blend until combined. Strain the mixture into a clean saucepan, pressing on and then discarding the solids. Simmer the mixture until slightly thickened, and is just about 1 cup. Season with salt and set aside.

Prep your grill to moderately high heat (charcoal or gas.) Brush your Naans with olive oil, and then top with about 1/4 cup of sauce on each bread. Top with the thin slices of smoked duck breast, then the thinly sliced onion, then the cilantro leaves, and then the shavings of ricotta salata. Grill until the cheese is slightly browned, and the flatbreads are completely heated through, about 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve, passing more of the sauce if desired.

The three wines that I have tried with this and in my opinion, were very successful due to the consistent berry theme throughout are:

2006 Coume del mas Coullieure Schiste – Berries, smoke, and undertones of spice and leather make this wine a perfect match to the flatbread

2009 Domaine Georges Vernay Cotes du Rhone Sainte Agathe – Again, the smoke and the berries played the main role of this pairing, with some lovey black pepper at the end

NV Domaine Parigot Bourgogne Mousseaux Rouge Brut – A sparkling but structured Pinot Noir that can stand up to all sorts of game and many meats

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
1/2 tsp sugar
Butter as required

Sift the flour, soda and baking powder together to ensure even mixing. Transfer to a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the milk, sugar, salt and yogurt in it and mix after a minute softly to make a dough. Set aside for 1-3 hours. Make fist sized balls of the dough and dust it with the flour. Roll gently in the shape of a naan and mist with water on one side of it. Stick this side to a well seasoned griddle or fry pan and cook covered for 1-2 minutes. Bubbles will start coming up on the naan. Flip the naan, and when brown spots start appearing on it and is cooked, remove from the pan and apply butter as desired to it.

Makes approximately 4 to 5 naan flatbreads

What you’ll need:
1. 1 magret duck breast half
2. charcoal grill
3. hardwood charcoal
4. wood chips (we used mesquite)

What you need to do:
1. Score the duck breast skin in a criss cross pattern; season with salt and pepper
2. Soak wood chips (we used mesquite) in water for at least 30 minutes
3. Light the charcoal, and make sure it’s “white hot” (we did this in a charcoal chimney)
4. Place coals on one side of the grill, leaving the other side “empty.”
5. Take enough soaked wood chips to cover the coals and place on top of them.
6. Place duck breast, skin side down, on the hot side of the grill (coal side) for 3 minutes
7. Flip the breast, and place on the indirect heat side of the grill, and continue to smoke for 20 minutes, covered.

Result:
Smoked duck breast…. slice and enjoy!

First Course
Piyush and Jigna presented a gorgeous and delicious starter course. Grilled crostini with harissa rubbed salmon (which was also grilled) topped with a strawberry maple compote. Jig’s version utilized tofu instead of the salmon. I have had the good fortune of tasting their home-made harissa in the past, and once again, it left me wanting more. The savory and sweet components of the dish were so well balanced and proved to be the perfect introduction to a very berry meal. They also allowed us to whet our palates with a delicious cocktail: Strawberry Fields. The concoction was a shake of muddled strawberries, tarragon, tequila, lemon juice, and simple syrup. I’m not sure that I could describe summer in a glass better than that

Second Course
Next, Chirag and Priti delivered the perfect summer salad course. The mix of sauteed and fresh fruit and vegetables provided layers of flavor, and the vinaigrette is going to be one of my summer staples! Sauteed mushrooms and cherries accompanied tarragon and creme fraiche atop toasted brioche; and this was balanced with a fresh spring salad with strawberries and a tarragon maple vinaigrette. Delicious brightness and warm earthiness were complimentary mates in this dish! They brought the outstanding 2009 Robert Sinskey Pinot Gris to pair.

Main Course
Forgive the tangents that I may go off on here, as this is the course that Manish and I were in charge of. Various proteins trickled through my mind as we planned the main course for this battle. We finally resolved to using duck. And inspired only the night before the battle with the thought of doing a trio course, we were a bit unsure as to how it would all play out. We opted to showcase our trio as a “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” themed plate. Chirag and Priti did this once before with great success, and this time our decision seemed to pay off as well! Forgive the messy plate, as we realized only after we all started eating that we forgot to photograph this course! For the “breakfast” part of the course, we made a savory corn fritter topped with some duck confit that we glazed with a maple and New Mexico Chili mixture. We topped this with some green onions and accompanied it with a blackberry maple “syrup.”  Jigna’s course was topped with shitake mushroom that were glazed with the same chili-maple mixture. For the “lunch” part of the course, we grilled flatbreads that were topped with a spicy raspberry and guajillo chili sauce. On top of that was some sliced smoked duck, shaved ricotta salata, and some cilantro. We charred a strawberry and placed that on top of each flatbread “slice.” The vegetarian version of the flatbread utilized pan fried oyster mushrooms instead of the smoked duck. The “dinner” part of the course was grilled Magret duck breast that was marinated in the maple-chili mixture that I mentioned above, topped with a strawberry gastrique. Jigna’s main dish was a grilled portabella that was also marinated in the chili-maple mixture, a poached egg that was placed inside the cap, and the strawberry gastrique on top.

I think parts of the course worked better than others, but it seemed that the flatbread was everyone’s favorite. Manish and I were surprised by the balance that the sweet berries and savory protein brought to the dish. And although I am a huge fan of “less is more,” this was a ridiculous challenge (proposed by ME!) and somehow, some way, it worked….. For all of us! We chose a grenache based wine to pair with this course. The 2006 Coume del mas Coullieure Schiste in my opinion was a nice choice – berries and game in both the food and the wine!

Dessert
Rick and Sejal created a picture perfect plate of “Summer” for dessert. As Sejal explained, she wanted us to think about happy children playing in the park, ice cream trucks, sunny days, and skinned knees – all of the components of summer that we as parents are so fortunate to experience through our kids. What a perfect ending to an absolutely terrific meal. We first bit into a deliciously sweet and tangy berry tart. It was an open faced rustic sort of tart, with a delicate but oh so savory home made crust. The filling incorporated various summer berries and the addition of maple syrup. The ice cream cone was filled with homemade strawberry and guajillo chili ice cream. The fresh, ripe strawberries took hold of your palate at first, and then the spicy guajillo kicked in on the finish. Absolutely brilliant and it certainly pleased that “kid” in all of us!

Thanks to all of my fellow battlers. This may have been the last “Food Feud” for a while, so thank you for putting your ALL into the meal last week, and making it a BERRY delicious one!  YES…. I had to go there.