Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Pine Ridge Wine Dinner

So...needless to say, we blew the doors off this place Monday night with our fourth wine makers dinner. Pine ridge is a formidable winery with a great selection of Napa juice.

The first course was a fantastic way to start off the evening. A chilled salad of julienned scallops. I dressed the cut scallops with a Welsh sea salt that is infused with Tahitian vanilla, Spanish Olive oil, sherry wine and ground tellecherry pepper from India. I then vacuum sealed it and cooked it in my circulator, for an hour and 10 minutes at 128.7 degrees. The result was a phenomenal texture with a slight vanilla undertone that paired great with the Viognier. I finished the plate with lightly dressed micro herb salad, gelled mango and a pineapple and cane sugar gastrique.

Second course was, again, chilled. I wanted a cold soup but didn't want to do the 'normal stuff'. So, typically, I bit off more than I thought I could chew with this one. It was a chilled and deconstructed version of Avgolomono. Chrystal clear and perfectly jellied chicken consomme that I flavored with lemon and thyme. Sous vide cooked chicken breast that was quite buttery. Soft cooked quail egg (148 for an hour and a half), and puffed rice. Worked out perfectly with the Chardonnay.

Third course. With the Merlot I decided to go 'game". I made a duck confit that I flavored with a little coriander and nutmeg. pulled the meat, mix it with chopped Amarena cherries and marcona almonds. Wrapped it in caul and roasted the crepinettes for about 30 minutes. finished it with a macadamia croquant for a little crunch and a demi infused with blackstrap molasses. The molasses and the Merlot were perfect together

The fourth course was a bit extravagant. Kobe tenderloin, simply roasted, with a red onion marmalade, simmered wild mushrooms and roasted Heirloom potatoes. finished off with a Cabernet glasage and it went with the Napa cab. Nice pair!

For dessert I wanted to do a 'Mina" style trio dessert with strawberries. So...strawberry pain perdu, layered with roasted strawberries and a strawberry liquor, Strawberry compote flavored with amaretto, Fresh strawberries macerated in Cane sugar and vodka, and a clarified strawberry consomme shooter in an aperitif glass.


Next one is Stagg's Leap...July 6th Be here or you'll, again, have to just read about it!!!