Monday, August 22, 2011

The Chef And The Drink - A Family Weekend

A weekend with the family turned out to be a little more fun on the food side than expected.  My folks belong to the Berkshire Organics CSA (first surprise) and my mother sent me a list of available produce for the friday delivery.  On the list was callaloo, it had been more than 30 years since I Iast had it in Jamaica and I have never prepared it.  I decided to treat it like Swiss chard.  Stems and ribs removed and sliced thin and sautéed in olive oil until tender.  The greens were thrown into a screaming hot pan, with water still clinging to the leaves.  A good hit of my favorite olive oil - Castillo de Tabernas, from Spain - some salt and pepper, stems stirred back in, and I must say, one delicious pan of greens, still with some of the vibrant color remaining.  The taste was somewhere in the middle of chard and stinging nettles.  
For the next surprise, this ended up getting served along side a venison steak my mother pulled out of her freezer (exact cut unknown, as I was the butcher of a doe bagged by one of the in-laws.  I think it was top round.)  It was grilled with ground coriander, salt, and pepper.
For the final surprise, my father broke out a bottle of 2005 Karl Wente Nth Degree Cabernet.  A lush wine with some nice acidity and the fruit and oak in wonderful balance.  
Look for callaloo in your local market while the season is apparently in.  
Look for the Nth Degree in any season.

Live To Eat, Love To Drink!