Two Great WInes to Pair with Your Easter Dinner
These two wines are from the same vineyard and perfectly paired with your Easter meal.
The WIne
Domaine Paul Bernier Sancerre Blanc 2014
“The best vintage in the Loire in 10-15 years. The grapes are just superb” MD. With a great vintage and a commitment to minimal intervention in the vineyard (certified organic and biodynamic), along with the majority of the work being done hand this estate has released a classic Sancerre. White gold with a green hue the wine shines in the glass and offers aromas of Gooseberry, freshly cut sweet grass, peach citrus zest, with a subtle note of limestone. Medium in body with a rich mouth feel flavors of white grapefruit and zippy lemon tart combine with minerally undertones that lead to a beautifully tart lingering finish. $24.99
Domaine Paul Bernier Sancerre Rough 2011
This Sancerre is made from vines that are 25 to 45 years old, the expression of the soil, (limestone, flint and marns) is truly exhibited throughout the wine. Light earthy ruby red fills the glass and evokes a bouquet of forest raspberry, spice and a touch of soft leather. Medium light in body with flavors of cherry and dark berries, intertwined with notes of oak and earthy spice. The tannins are fine in structure and have a very balanced grip that make you want to have food with this wine. With a style of its own kind of like a well crafted red Burgundy but influenced by a well made Willamette valley, pinot noir. This wine is drinking well now and will continue to develop interesting nuances over the next 5 to 7 years if well cellared. $28.99
The Pairing Appetizers
Pastel Deviled Easter Eggs
What you will need:
12 large eggs
1/4 cup mayo
salt and ground black pepper to taste
a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
4 drops red, blue green and yellow food coloring, or desired amount
4 cups water, or as desired 1 additional cup of water if you make blended colors
1/8 cup freshly chopped parsley for garnish.
How to make it:
Place eggs into a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Let eggs boil for 3 minutes; turn off heat, cover pot, and let eggs cook in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Drain and cover eggs with cold water. Peel cooled eggs.
Cut hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks; mash yolks in a bowl with mayo, salt, black pepper, hot sauce, and dry mustard until smooth. Place red, blue, and green food coloring into 4 different bowls and add about 1 cup of water to each bowl.
Put 6 egg white halves in each bowl, tinting the egg pink, light blue, soft green and yellow. If color is too pale, add more coloring to bowls. Drain colored egg whites on paper towels.
Pipe or spoon egg yolk filling into colored egg white halves; cover and chill before serving, at least 30 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Recipe adapted from all recpies.com
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
What you will need:
24 asparagus spears,
12 prosciutto slices/strips
A little ghee or olive oil for frying
How to make it:
Wash asparagus and cut 2 cm off the ends. Cut prosciutto strips into two halves, going lengthways, you should end up with 24 strips. Place each prosciutto strip on a chopping board at a 45 degree angle. Place one of the asparagus spears on top of the meat, perpendicular to it.
Wrap the bottom end of prosciutto over the asparagus and holding the meat tight, and roll the asparagus up. The prosciutto strip will wrap around the whole length of the spear because it’s on an angle. Don’t worry if parts of the asparagus spears are not covered completely.
Heat some ghee in a large, flat frying pan to sizzling hot. Fry wrapped asparagus spears for 1-2 minutes on each side or until prosciutto is brown and crispy, and serve. Recipe adapted from eat drink paleo.com
Smoked Salmon and Dill Tea Sandwiches
What you will need:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 loaf whole wheat sandwich bread (8 slices)
1/2 loaf white sandwich bread (8 slices)
8 ounces smoked salmon
1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
How to make it:
Mix together cream cheese and dill, add lemon juice to taste, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove crust from sliced bread and, using a rolling pin, gently flatten each slice of bread. Take 4 slices of the flattened whole wheat bread and spread with a quarter of the cream cheese mixture.
Cover with 4 slices of white bread. Spread with another quarter of cream cheese mixture. Divide smoked salmon and onions evenly between the four sandwiches. Spread another quarter of the cream cheese mixture on remaining white bread and place cream cheese side down on top of salmon. Spread with remaining cream cheese mixture and top with remaining whole wheat bread. Slice into quarters on the diagonal and serve. Recipe adapted from serious eats.com
Lamb Lollipops
What you will need:
1 Rack of Lamb
⅓ cup chopped, fresh Rosemary
6 cloves Garlic, minced
1½ tablespoon Kosher salt
¼ cup Olive Oil (adjust amount +/- to make a loose paste)
How to make it:
To prepare rub, combine rosemary, garlic, salt and olive oil in a small bowl. I put it all in a cereal bowl and use a fork to mix it all up making a loose paste mixture. The salt helps with this so it's important to use salt.
Adjust the amount of olive oil as needed to get a moist consistency. Rub this paste mixture all over the lamb, cover, and let it "marinate" for a few hours in the refrigerator. When ready to grill, remove from refrigerator and set it on the sink to warm up before putting it on the grill.
Cook the lamb over a medium low heat about 20 minutes, flipping the lamb every 5 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. If you prefer your lamb not so pink just cook a few minutes more. Remove from grill and cover with foil and let sit about 8-10 minutes.
When ready to serve, slice between the bones into "lollipop" chops. In my book it's perfectly acceptable to eat these with your fingers! Recipe adapted from imbored-letsgo.com
Happy Easter, The Wine Guys
