A Gift Inspires Dinner
Paul and I both celebrated birthdays this month. Our good friends Dave and Rosanne gave us each two months in the wine and cheese of the month club - a truly inspired gift! Each month we receive a red wine selected by two of Canada's top wine experts and a artisinal cheese selected by a renowned artisanal cheese expert Kathy Guidi.
Last week I had a note on the front door indicating that Canada Post had attempted to drop off a package. I had forgotten about our gift and we racked our tiny brains trying to figure out what it could be! Finally I put 2 and 2 together and figured it out - I dashed to the post office!
The wine selection was a 2004 Cabernet from a new winery in Prince Edward County - one of Ontario's new wine regions. As with many new wine regions, the wines in the County tend to be rough and unpolished, so I wasn't sure what this one would be like (although I assured myself that they wouldn't include swill in this club!) The cheese was an organic blue cheese from Quebec.
I put the cheese in the refrigerator and the wine in the cellar. After reading the tasting notes which came with the wine and cheese we talked about what to have to fully enjoy them. The gift inspired dinner last night. Because one of our favourite things to have with blue cheese is fresh figs we planned a 'fig themed' dinner.
We started off with figs stuffed with Gorgonzola, wrapped with prosciutto and grilled. I drizzled them with some 10 y/o balsamic vinegar prior to serving. This recipe was one I found in an Williams Sonoma BBQ cookbook. I have made it a number of times to rave reviews.
Look at the way the Gorgonzola is oozing out of the fig. The flavour combinations are amazing: the salty prosciutto, sweet figs, tangy cheese, brought together by the sweet but tangy aged balsamic.
Next up was a salad Paul whipped together: Fig, Bleu Cheese, and Arugula Salad. It was originally from Cooking Light. We used the last of our olive oil from Paso Robles and of course the wonderful bleu cheese we received in the shipment. The salad was wonderful with the peppery arugula nicely off setting the sweet figs and pungent cheese.
The main course was pork tenderloin stuffed with figs and red onions, and wrapped with pancetta. It was served with grilled vegetables and grilled potatoes made using the technique Judy taught us in Florence last year. I did the whole thing on the BBQ. The wine notes said that the wine would pair nicely with flavourful meats and it did!
For dessert we enjoyed a fig tarte made using a recipe shared with me by my friend Palma.It was a great finish to the meal!
Palma’s Fig Tarte
Preheat oven to 350.
Crust:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened and sliced)
Combine in a food processor until the mixture becomes a ball. Press into a 10-12" tart pan, pressing into fluted edges. Prick with a fork.
Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
Beat these three ingredients until smooth. Spread into cooled crust.
Slice figs and place in overlapping circles around tart.
Glaze:
6 oz frozen limeade concentrate (thawed)
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. lime juice
Combine four ingredients and cook over medium heat until thick and clear (2 min.). Let cool. Using a pastry brush, glaze the tart with the cooled glaze (you will not use all of the glaze).
It was easy to make and tasted even better!
We finished off with the cheese and the last of the wine. Luckily there is a wee bit of cheese left to enjoy.
Now we have a wine of the month dinner to look forward to each month!
Cheese notes:
Le Rassenbleu. Les Fromagiers de la Table Ronde, Quebec. While most blue cheese are semi-soft and creamy, Rassenbleu (made using organic milk from a single herd, aged 120 days) is firm in body with a woodsy aroma and flavour from organic raw milk. The blue notes are subtle and lingering. perfect for the person new to blue, yet a rare treat for the aficionado of blue.
Wine notes:
Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estates Winery. 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a well structured wine that has good grip and well integrated tannins. Drink now or cellar for 5-7 years. Will pair well with game meats or beef. Winemaker's tasting notes include soft blackberry fruit and delicate vanilla notes coming from its 12 month aging in new older French oak barrels.
Jerry and Paul, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! Mine was July 2nd. I hope the figs will be ripe when we are in Montisi the first week of Ocotber....maybe I can make some of these wonderful recipes. Yum.
Gail
Posted by: gail hecko | July 31, 2007 at 12:37 AM
Happy Birthday Gail. We know know about 15 people who have birthday's in that same time period. It is true what the zodiac charts say . . . we Cancers truly are amazing folk!
I would imagine that you could easily find the ingredients in Italy for all of these items. Enjoy
The fig tart would be just as good with marscapone I bet!
LOL
Posted by: Jerry | July 31, 2007 at 08:00 AM
I believe "drooling with envy" just about covers it.
Yes, the tart works with marcapone, or half cream cheese (I saw Philly brand in Italy), and half marcapone.
My ONLY consolation that YOU have figs, and I DON'T, is that I have Brachetto! Wish we lived close enough to share both.!
Posted by: Palma | July 31, 2007 at 03:14 PM
That would be a plan Palma. i do have that small half bottle of Brachetto but I intend to save it for something truly spectacular!
Posted by: Jerry | July 31, 2007 at 04:05 PM