So, here's what I did tonight with pork and B.C.'s Black Cloud pinot noir...
I took one of the recipes from Natalie MacLean's website—pork chops stuffed with red onion confit, dates, and dried cranberries—and modified it to suit our dinner guests and groceries on hand.
First, instead of pork chops, I roasted at a high heat two small racks of pork I had marinated (for about an hour) in finely chopped garlic, a Port-style blackberry wine—fortified fruit wine from Fort Wine Co.—fresh sage, freshly ground pepper and sea salt, and a little Dijon mustard. Oh yes, plus a splash of B.C.'s own Black Cloud pinot noir, which is available in the Fraser Valley at Whatcom Wine & Spirits.
While the roasts were in the oven, I put together the confit called for in the original recipe, but instead of adding Port, figs, and dried cranberries, I used more of the blackberry dessert wine, dried Bing cherries, and dried cranberries. Oh yes, plus a splash of Black Cloud pinot noir. And, instead of stuffing the meat before cooking, I used it as a topping once the roasting was finished.
Along side the main, I served brown rice cooked in organic chicken broth, grilled portabello mushrooms, and a tossed salad dressed with a mixture of olive oil and the Fort's blackberry balsamic vinegar.
Here's where it gets really good. I served a bottle of—you guessed it—Black Cloud pinot noir with dinner. It was perfect! The juicy cherries, smooth spice, smoke, and earth of the wine literally walked hand-in-hand with the food at dinner. Each sip made the food taste better, and each mouthful of food brought out the brilliance of the wine.
I've said it before, but it is certainly worth repeating:
It's an absolutely glorious thing when your
food and wine bring out the best in each other.
Salut!
Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.
