Mirassou Pinot Noir
One of the great things about living in a city like Chicago is that you can find any food your heart desires at almost any time of day or night. This weekend was no exception as we went with friends to Ted’s Montana Grill to sample their selection of bison-based fare.
We started with an appetizer of Buffalo Chili-Cheese Fries and moved on from there. Since our group ordered both fish and buffalo, we decided to go with a fruity 2006 Pinot Noir from Mirassou Winery in Healdsburg, California. I had never heard of this particular winery, so I decided to do a little research and found that this family-owned winery has been producing fine vintages since 1854. And their wine certainly stands up to meat while never overwhelming the delicate taste of fish. It has a fruity but light taste that lingers lovingly on the palette without any of the sour taste often associated with red wines.
After checking out Mirassou’s website, I was able to find it within a few miles of my home and started pairing it with some of my favorite beef and fish dishes. Since I originally tried it with Buffalo Pot Roast, I thought I’d see how it went with Savory Pot Roast with Vegetables.
This is a savory and filling meal with all the necessities of making a great meal for the whole family to enjoy.
Ingredients
1 (3 lb..) boneless beef chuck roast, tied and trimmed of all fat fresh ground pepper; to taste olive oil cooking spray
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks about 1-inch wide and 2- inches long
3 large ribs celery, cut into pieces 2-inches long
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 12 equal pieces
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 C. dry red wine or fat-free, no-salt-added canned beef broth
1/3 C. low-sodium tomato paste
1 1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. crushed dried thyme
2 large bay leaves
salt or salt substitute; optional
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch, mixed with 2 Tbs. water
Directions
Rinse roast and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with pepper. Lightly coat a heavy skillet with Cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add roast and sear until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total cooking time. In a 4-quart (4 l) or larger crockery slow-cooker, combine carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Place browned roast on top of the vegetables. In a large mixing cup, combine wine, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, thyme, and bay leaves. Pour over roast and vegetables. Cover and cook until roast is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 8 to 9 hours on LOW or 4 to 5 hours on HIGH. When beef is done, transfer the roast to a heated serving platter. If cooking on LOW, turn the slow-cooker on HIGH. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. Add salt (if using). Pour the blended cornstarch mixture into the cooker and cook, stirring often, until sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from sauce and arrange around the roast. Transfer sauce to a gravy boat to pass alongside. To serve, carve the beef against the grain into thin slices. Serve at once.
Yield: 6 servings.
The wine was just a delicious as I remembered. Other great beef dishes would include:
One member of our party decided to skip the buffalo and have Crab Cakes which went equally as well with this Pinot. We have a great recipe right here at Recipe4Living.
These are a fabulous treat as an appetizer, light lunch, or even stick them on a bun as a sandwich.
Ingredients
6 slices white bread
3/4 C. olive oil
3 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 lb. crabmeat
Paprika
3 Tbs. butter
Directions
Trim crusts from bread and lay slices on a shallow platter. Pour oil over them and let stand until bread is thoroughly saturated. Use forks to break into small pieces. Combine egg yolks with mustard, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Beat lightly. Stir in bread and crab meat. Gently fold in stiffly beaten egg whites, and shape mixture into patties. Sprinkle with paprika and sauté in heated butter until golden on both sides.
Other great seafood options would be:
We had Strawberry Shortcake and a Kahlua Fudge Brownie afterwards and were delighted to find that this wonderful wine stands up to even the most decadent desserts. You can make your own Kahlua Fudge Brownies using the recipe below:
If you love the drink, why not add it to your brownies for that extra bit of oomph.
Ingredients
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 C. butter
3 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
2 C. sugar
1/4 C. plus 1 Tbs. Kahlua
3/4 C. walnuts or pecans, chopped
Nut halves (optional)
Directions
Grease 9 in. square pan well; line with foil. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Resift flour with baking powder and salt. Melt butter with chocolate over low heat. Beat eggs with sugar until light. Add flour mixture, chocolate mixture, and 1/4 C Kahlua; blend well. Stir in nuts. Turn into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until top springs back when touched lightly in center, and edges begin to pull away from pan. Remove from oven; cool thoroughly in pan. Brush top with 1 Tbs. Kahlua. Cut into 1x2 inch bars. Garnish, if desired.
Give it a whirl with these great desserts as well.
French Kiss Swirl Mini Cheesecakes
So the next time you’re in for a Pinot Noir that goes with almost anything, try the 2006 Pinot Noir from Mirassou Winery You won’t regret you did. Have a tasty week.
