red, red wine

So I don't eat red meat. Lamb is the only exception. I have to say that I'm beyond tired of going to the grocery store only to find chicken (with rib meat!) or pork. Occasionally I'll splurge on some decent fish and I picked up some rock hens the other day and contemplated a duck. I've come to realize I don't have the same motive for avoiding red meat as I did back when I gave it up 10+ yrs ago. Back then I just hated beef in all its forms -- hamburgers, roast beef, steaks (because I always had them well-done gasp!). Now I've come to realize, like many other things, that I just never liked beef because it was never made correctly. Burgers still kind of freak me out and I'm rather proud of never eating a burger at a fast food place or restaurant of any sort my whole life.

So I sucked it up, forced back a gag in response to the bloody naked meat, and bought an inexpensive (yet flavorful!) skirt steak. I cooked it simply and drenched it in a sweet red wine sauce made from a dry red, sugar, bay leaf, worcheshire sauce.

Red wine risotto is one thing I make that makes my mouth do backflips. The smooth, creaminess and perfect balance of flavors lingers on my tongue the entire evening. It is simple to make if you can stir for 40 minutes. I'll admit to adapting (another word for 'steal') this recipe from Giada DeLaurentis, whose giant head and cleavage have mesmerized me for quite some time. It truly is wonderful and I have to make it more often and experiment with different flavors.

red wine risotto
1 C risotto
3 1/2 C low sodium shicken broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
2-3-more cloves garlic minced
2-3 shallots chopped
2-3 Tblsp butter
1/3 C thawed peas
1/2 C grated parmesean cheese
salt pepper to taste

the secret here is the wooden spoon
sautee the garlic and shallot in the butter then wine and then add rice toasting it
add 3/4 C of warm broth gradually stirring constantly watching as the rice soaks it up
stir for a minute or three each 3/4 C you add until all the broth is gone
lastly add the cheese, peas, salt pepper and oh creamy and delicious

So more red wine-ness to accompany the steak and to accompany this we finished off a bottle of a really wonderful French rosé. Domaine De Fontsainte Gris de Gris from 2005, which is really cheap and really wonderful -- with a beautiful deep pink color.