Sunday Dinner, Sunday Drinks

As I'm writing this post, I'm watching the snow coming down outside my window.  My roommate's pup is curled up on the chair next to me, and I'm drinking a ginormous cup of hot coffee.  All perfect things to do when it's cold outside.  Other perfect things to do when it's cold outside?  Start a slow-cooked, stick-to-your-bones Sunday dinner, watch football, and enjoy a smooth, spicy cocktail!

Yesterday, I started the day with an Irish coffee made with cinnamon and vanilla infused whiskey.  This spice blend made the whiskey taste completely appropriate for the season, and I think it would be great served on the rocks, but it will also lend itself to plenty of delicious wintry cocktails, which I will explore at a later time.  For now, I'll give you the recipe for the whiskey, and recommend throwing a splash of it in your coffee. 

Last night's dinner consisted of a Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast, and Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sage.  A meal like this is best enjoyed when it's chilly outside.  I seasoned both the roast and the polenta with sage, fennel, garlic, and black pepper.  This spice combination compliments heavier foods extrremelly well, as the fennel and sage cut some of the richness to create a perfet balance of flavors.  The flavorful pork and the creamy polenta pair well with a cocktail made with scotch and Cardamaro, a spicy, bitter Italian liqueur similar to Amaro, but distilled from cardoons and artichokes.  Similar to a Godfather (my favorite drink) in that this is made from smoky scotch and an Italian liqueur, I appropriately named this new drink "The Consigliere."  Toast to Tom Hagen if you try one. 

Cinnamon and Vanilla Infused Whiskey

1 pint bottle Irish Whiskey (I prefer Jameson)
2 cinnamon sticks, cracked
1 vanilla bean, split down the middle

Start by removing about 1 shot from the bottle (a/k/a, do a shot).  Next, add the cinnamon pieces and vanilla bean to the bottle.  Close tightly, and shake for about 30 seconds.  Let sit for at least 24 hours, shaking occasionally. 

It is ready to go after 24 hours.  If you keep the vanilla and cinnamon in the bottle, it will continue to develop flavor.  If you like the seasoning to be subtle, remove them from the bottle (you  may have to strain it and re-bottle). 


Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast

1.5 pound pork loin roast
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. minced sage
2 t. rushed fennel seeds
generous amount of cracked black pepper
splash olive oil
4-6 slices center-cut bacon

Combine all the ingredients except the bacon in a large bowl.  Allow the pork roast to marinate for about 2 hours, turning it occasionally and rubbing the spices in with your hands. 

Preheat the oven to 500.  After the pork has marinated, lay the strips of bacon side-by-side on a small plate.  Place the pork roast in the center of the bacon strips.  Now, carefully pick up the plate and the roast, and invert it, placing the pork roast in a shallow baking dish so that the bacon-side is facing up (as shown). 

Use string or roast ties (they look like rubber bands but are oven-safe and heatproof), secure the bacon to the pork.  Now, place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes at 500. 

Once this is done, reduce the heat to 275.  Do not open the oven door.  Cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (if you are using a meat thermometer, you want the center to register at about 155 degrees)

When the pork is done cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.  Remove the string or ties, and carve into slices with a sharp knife.  Serve alone, or make a gravy out of the pan drippings (I like mine plain). 


Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sage

2.5 cups water
2 t. cracked fennel
1/2 cup instant polenta (I prefer Pastene brand)
3 T. chopped sage
2 T. butter
2 oz. mountain gorgonzola (also called "gorgonzola piccante")
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water and cracked fennel.  Bring the water to a rolling boil.  Add the polenta in a slow stream, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring.  The polenta will start to thicken up; at this point, add the sage, butter, gorgonzola, salt and pepper (you may want to go easy on the salt; gorgonzola tends to be salty).  Continue to stir - do not stop stirring, or the polenta will become lumpy and stick to the pan. 

Once the polenta is thickened, pour it into a shallow baking dish.  Spread it with a spatula so that it is about 1/2" thick.  Let the polenta "set" for a few minutes, and serve in slices along with the pork roast. 


The Consigliere

1.5 oz. smoky Scotch (I like Islay single-malts, such as Ardbeg)
1.5 oz. Cardamaro
1 oz. Limoncello

Combine in a tumbler over 2 ice cubes.  Stir, sip, and stay off the road. 


The Wartime Consigliere

This version adds Grappa, a fiery, potent liqueur made in Italy from the remnants of wine grapes. 

Follow the recipe above, using only 1/2 oz. limoncello.  Add 1/2 oz. grappa.

$80 wine + $8 pitchers = One Happy Blogger!

Last night was one of the most perfect Thursdays of my life.  Accompanied by a foodie friend, I attended a Barolo tasting, followed by dinner at small pizza joint in the neighborhood.  Not a glamorous evening, but neither of us could have been more pleased.  Great food and wine, topped off with a slight chill in the air and a clear sky offering great views of the city and all its lights, and I was in heaven! 

First, we attended The Wine Bottega’s Barolo Abbondanza, where we tasted 13 wines (only 4 of which I could afford to buy on a regular basis), and two liquers,  including Cardamaro, an Italian cordial distilled from cardoons and infused into wine.  Can’t even put my finger on the flavors, but it tastes like winter.  It also tastes like it should be splashed into a dirty gin martini.  My friend suggested pairing it with something containing rosemary or tarragon – tarragon seemed like a great choice, as it would complement the spiciness of the liqueur.  A splash of Cardamaro in a spicy ginger beer would also be a tasty treat. 

Onto the wine – I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting Barolo before, not for lack of interest, but lack of funds – it’s one of Italy's pricier varieties.  As explained at the tasting, the Nebbiolo grape is difficult to grow and it doesn’t adapt well to the winemaking process.  I’m certainly glad those Piemontese showed some persistence!  The wine is very rich, spicy, and fragrant – I jotted down some notes on the pamphlet the store distributes listing the featured wines, and at first, the most notable scents I picked up in were cinnamon and eucalyptus, until I noticed that one of the older bottles – 2003 Brovia Barolo “Villero” – gave off an aroma that I could not immediately identify, but I later figured out – brand-new ballet shoes.  Shoes?!?  Yes, shoes – ballet shoes, to be exact.  Ballet shoes are made from the softest of soft leather, and they hug your feet and accentuate your arches.  The leather clings so tightly to your toes that your instructor will take notice when you aren’t pointing your feet to their full capability.  Barolo has a hint of that kind of leather, not Payless leather.  Barolo and ballerinas actually do have a lot in common – after all, a good ballerina has to possess an unimaginable amount of strength and go through years of rigorous training in order to move so fluidly on two toes that each step looks effortless, almost as if she is floating.  Making such a smooth wine from a difficult grape doesn’t seem so different. 

We left the tasting happy, impressed, inspired, but empty-handed.  The shop was crowded and we were both very hungry, so we moved on to the next spot – a small pizza joint called “Ernesto’s” that received many favorable reviews on Yelp.  We cut across Prince Street and made our way over to Salem Street, glancing at each doorway trying to find 69 Salem.  I knew the general vicinity, but we still had to search.  I wondered if it had closed?  We walked a little further until finally, we saw a small sign over a narrow doorway – we found it! 

The entire restaurant (if you can really call it a restaurant, it’s more of a take-out joint with tables) isn’t much bigger than my computer screen, but that is fine by me.  We weren’t looking for a great scene; we came for pizza, beer, and each other’s company.  Don't go to Ernesto’s for ambiance.  Don't go if you’re looking for extensive beer and wine selections.  Don't go if you're looking for gourmet, wood-fired pizzas made from 100% organic semolina dough and topped with house-made mozzarella di bufala and special DOGC pepperoni imported from the northwest corner of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region made from beef and pork sourced from a producer who only feeds his animals champagne and sustainably-produced caviar. Go to Ernesto’s when you want bright lights, a perfectly greasy slice or two, and pitchers of cheap beer.  Ernesto's is my 2nd favorite discovery, second only to single-malt scotch.

Ernesto's meat lovers' pizza is phenomenal - loaded with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, and plenty of cheese.  Add some hot pepper flakes, and you're good to go.  Only thing that could have made it better would be crumbled bacon, but it was still pretty mind-blowing, especially when washed down with Budweiser (what is it about pizza and cheap beer that is just so fantastic?!?).  Whatever my friend had was equally delicious – tomatoes, ranch, plenty of gooey cheese, and I don't remember what else.  I'm making it my mission in life to try each variety that they offer.  A slice is a quarter pie.  They have a few bottled beers, but keep it real and go with a pitcher of Budweiser, for which they'll give you plastic cups.  Not plastic pint glasses, disposable plastic cups.  Sheer perfection!  The photos and artwork on the walls sparked a great discussion regarding Godfather I vs. II, the merits of the book, and what a waste of film III turned out to be ("III?  I'd use it as a coaster!" he said).  I am head-over-heels in love with Ernesto's, and I may have to stop in again this weekend. 

So there you have it – my idea of an absolutely perfect weeknight, centered around great drink, great food, great friends, and a great city neighborhood.  Cheers!