WINE PAIRING: Grilled Ahi Dinner and Chocolate Cream Dessert

My friend Claire and I spent a fun day with her family this summer in the Napa Valley. The wine and personable tasting experience we had at Hyde De Villaine winery were nothing short of wonderful. We loved the wine so much we had to buy a bottle... so we decided we would each buy a different varietal (Syrah and Chardonnay) and make a date to share them together. We figured special wine deserves a special dinner, so we picked the following recipes to match the delicious bottles.

Fast forward a couple months, and our great friends Bob and Lynsey decide to take the opportunity to move closer to family in beautiful Seattle. Knowing they love wine and food like we do, we thought this dinner would be a great occasion to have them over before the big move.

We paired the Chardonnay with my previously posted Steamed Clams with Pancetta and Leeks, along with a tasty bruscetta made with sourdough bread, mascarpone cheese, prosciutto, and dried figs. Following the winemaker's recommendation we found a great Ahi recipe with which to pair the Syrah that included punchy black olive tapenade and a warm white bean puree. Lynsey made her famous caesar salad, too. Last, but not least, dessert wine met its match in my cousin Tish's recipe for chocolate cream and orange mascarpone whipped cream. The clams, salad, puree, and tuna were very light without sacrificing any flavor. The whipped cream and hint of citrus helped to lighten the decadent chocolate dessert-- but it's a rich one. One that Chris and I can't seem to get enough of :)

Cooking with friends made for a really fun night. Great wine, great food, great company-- I can't wait to do it again!

GRILLED TUNA WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE, OLIVE TAPENADE, AND ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

recipe by Tyler Florence, www.foodnetwork.com

serves 2 (we tripled it)

Ingredients:

Roasted Tomatoes:

• 1 pint vine cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Orange Chili Oil, recipe follows

Orange Chili Oil:

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried red chili flakes
• 5 strips orange peel
• 1 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Black Olive Tapenade:

• 2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 big garlic clove
• Small handful fresh tarragon leaves
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

White Bean Puree:

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 2 (14-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock, heated
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tuna:

• 2 (6 to 8-ounce) sushi-quality tuna steaks, such as ahi, about 1-inch thick
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh Israeli arugula leaves (I used spinach), for garnish

Method:

For the orange chili oil:

Make the chili oil by adding the thyme, rosemary, chili flakes and orange peel to the oil. Put aside and let it sit for at least 1 hour to let the flavors infuse. (Yield: 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay out cherry vine tomatoes in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle with orange chili oil and roast in the oven for 8 to10 minutes until tomatoes are slightly burst and have given off their juices. Set aside.

For the olive tapenade:

Add tapenade ingredients to a food processor and process to a coarse puree. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the white bean puree:

In a saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and sweat for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the beans followed by the warm chicken stock and cook until heated through. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree with a splash of white vinegar, salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Thin with extra stock if the puree is too thick. Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.

For the tuna:

Heat a large cast iron griddle pan over high heat. Drizzle the tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the hot grill for about 45 seconds and then turn over and do the same. The tuna should be rare on the inside and have nice grill marks on the outside.

To serve, smear a spoonful of the white bean puree on the bottom of a plate. Top with a the tuna and a spoonful of tapenade over the top. Set a cluster of the roasted tomatoes over the top and drizzle the juices from the pan all around the plate. Garnish with fresh arugula leaves (spinach if you prefer).

Leftovers make a great sandwich!

CHOCOLATE CREAM with ORANGE MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM


Chocolate Cream Recipe

recipe from Sunset Magazine, perfected and passed on by Tish Gilbert

serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate, melted
• 6 eggs
• 3 tablespoons rum (optional)

Method:

With mixer or food processor, beat butter and sugar at high speed until well blended. Slowly pour in chocolate and continue beating til blended. Still at high speed, beat in eggs one at a time til fully blended. Add rum if desired.

Spoon into 6-8 individual dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Orange Mascarpone Whipped Cream Recipe
recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, www.foodnetwork.com

serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

Method:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the mascarpone cheese and the orange juice until smooth. Add the cream, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Whip until the cream has soft peaks, about 1 minute. Whip the cream just before serving the mousse or cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.