Episode 11 : Grape Stomp
At the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, locals gather to enjoy local wines, visit with old friends, and stomp out the competition in the World Grape Stomp. Teams of stompers and swabbies (the stomper squishes the juice out of the grapes with their feet; swabbies push the juice through the wine barrel spigot with their hands) have five furious minutes to fill up their jugs. Bob's challenge is to stomp and squish his way to glory! First he'll have to find a champion swabbie to be his partner, then master his stomping technique. Of course his training wouldn't be complete without a tour of Sonoma's world-class vineyards. Will Bob be able to crush the competition, or will he have to eat his sour grapes?
Recipes:
Spice-Crusted Duck Breast with Toasted Pine Nut Couscous & Grapes
Compliments of celebrity chef Charlie Palmer, served at Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA
Duck Breast:
Ingredients:
6 Moulard duck breasts
¼ cup coriander seed
¼ cup fennel seed
2 tablespoons cumin seed
2 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
6 whole cloves
All-purpose flour (for dusting)
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Trim most of the fat from the duck breasts: Moulard ducks are particularly fatty, so you'll want to cut off about half of the fat. Score the remaining fat (but not through to the meat) in a crisscross pattern.
2. Grind the coriander, fennel, cumin, peppercorns, and cloves together in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a plate and press the duck breasts fat-side down into the spices.
3. Place the duck breasts in a large non-stick sauté pan. Slowly render them over medium heat, basting them occasionally with the rendered fat.
4. Cook the breasts to 130° F (use an instant-read thermometer) for medium.
5. Allow the duck to rest for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing. Reserve pan for sauce.
Toasted Pine Nut Couscous:
Ingredients:
1 cup pine nuts
3 cups instant couscous
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
Zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
1. Toast the pine nuts in a small dry frying pan over medium heat, tossing constantly, until golden. (If you don’t keep them moving they'll end up looking like black-eyed peas.) The instant they're done, transfer them onto a plate to cool.
2. Put the couscous in a medium-size heat-proof bowl.
3. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the oil, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes.
5. Fluff the couscous with a fork and mix in the pine nuts, tarragon, and lemon zest.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary
Red Grape Jus:
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons red verjus
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup veal or duck demi-glace
¾ cup chicken stock
2 cups red table grapes, seedless, halved
Directions:
1. Carefully pour the excess fat from the pan in which the duck was cooked.
2. Return the pan to high heat and add the verjus to deglaze, reducing by half.
3. Add the butter, demi-glace, and chicken stock. Simmer for two minutes and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the grapes and cook just until they are heated through, about 1 minute.
To Plate:
Mound couscous onto the centers of warm dinner plates. Slice the duck breasts and place a breast each atop the couscous. Spoon the grape sauce over the duck and serve immediately.
Yield: Serves 6
Bovolo Pickled Grapes
Compliments of Duskie Estes and John Stewart of Zazu & Bovolo restaurant & farm in Santa Rosa, California
They serve these grapes as a condiment to their Black Pig Salumi.
Ingredients:
1½ cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
8 ginger coins (fresh ginger cut into coins)
6 cloves
2 jalapeños, sliced into rings
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 pound grapes, picked
Directions:
1. In a non-reactive pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, water and spices.
2. Bring up to a boil.
3. Pour hot liquid over the grapes.
4. Let steep at least ½ hour.
Macbryde Vineyard Cluster Braised Chicken Legs with Thumbelina Carrots, Fingerling Potatoes, & Cippolini Onions
Compliments of Duskie Estes and John Stewart of Zazu & Bovolo restaurant & farm in Santa Rosa, California
You can substitute duck legs, rabbit, or pork shanks in this recipe.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 chicken legs
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 cups red wine
2 cups chicken stock
4 clusters grapes, divided
2 bay leaves
1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut on a bias
12 Thumbelina carrots, cut in half (or 2 jumbo carrots, peeled and roll cut)
6 baby turnips, cut in half
4 peeled cippolini onions, quartered
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. In a large, straight sided sauté pan, brown the chicken in two tablespoons of the olive oil on both sides, about five minutes per side.
4. When you flip the legs, add the carrot, celery and onion.
5. Once the legs and vegetables are browned, add the wine, stock, bay leaves, and ½ the grapes to the pan. Let simmer a few minutes.
6. Cover and place in the oven until the meat begins to fall off the bone, about an hour.
7. Half way through, add the fingerlings.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Toss the carrots, turnips, and cippolini onions in two tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
9. Place on a baking sheet in the oven until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Cut the remaining two grape clusters in four for garnishes.
10. Remove the chicken from the oven, and remove the chicken & potatoes from the braising liquid and cover to keep warm (you can put it in a low oven with a little of the braising liquid).
11. Strain the braising liquid to remove the solids. Skim to remove any fat.
12. Return the braising liquid to a pan and reduce by half on a simmer, skimming, about 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Warm the garnish grape clusters for a minute in the broth.
13. Divide the vegetables, potatoes, chicken, and grapes among four bowls. Cover with broth.
Yield: makes 4 servings
Mostarda D'uva
Compliments of Duskie Estes and John Stewart of Zazu & Bovolo restaurant & farm in Santa Rosa, California
Serve over pork or chicken or as a condiment on a cheese plate
Ingredients:
2 cups red wine
2 cups sugar
1 cup dried figs, roughly chopped
¾ cup red seedless grapes, picked from the stem
2 apples, peeled and roughly chopped
2 pears, peeled and roughly chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
a pinch red chili flakes
kosher salt to taste
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, combine red wine, sugar, figs, grapes, apples, and spices.
2. Bring to a simmer for about ½ hour, until all the fruit is soft.
3. Puree with an immersion blender.
Links:
Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Benziger Winery
Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA
Zazu restaurant & farm in Santa Rosa, CA