One of the fondest memories of my wife, Sandy, was when she used to tell me that I was only allowed one pontificating complaint each day. So far, I think, I have avoided any in this blog. But not today! A person who says "I only drink merlot (insert any type of wine)", no matter what meal I have prepared, is one who does not understand that wine is a food. To that person, wine is a drink. I have no ill feelings toward the poor soul, just pity. For example: to order your wine at a restaurant before deciding on your food is as mysterious to me as putting ketchup on everything you eat. Something a child might do, but an adult?? Unless, of course, you choose your meal to accompany that fine wine you ordered from the list.
 |
| 1999 Brunello di Montalcino |
OK, I'm done whining Sandy, I promise. To highlight the "wine is food" thought, this month's recipe has been created to accompany a wine. While rummaging around in my wine cellar, I came across a 1999 Brunello. As it is now 2011, this wine should be ready for drinking. Brunello is made from 100% Sangiovese grape grown in the arid region around the ancient town of Montalcino, and is thereby known as Brunello di Montalcino. It has a DOCG designation. When everything aligns, a magnificent wine is produced. Outstanding recent vintages for this wine are 1999, 2001, 2005 (not outstanding but very good), and the year that may be best of all: 2006. The 2006 is just emerging, and hard to find at this writing, but well worth your interest. As it will have to age for a decade or more, my chances of actually tasting this fabulous vintage are slim, but please enjoy it for me!
 |
| Gemelli |
Such a wine deserves a rich and savory meal for it to fully blossom on your palate. So I determined to put together something with earthy flavors. My two earthy favorites are lentils and mushrooms. Hence this dish began to assemble in my mind. Now, how to combine this sauce with pasta? We'll need a solid shape to mix with the mushrooms. At first I thought of gnocchi, but I wasn't sure the texture would complement the mushrooms. Then I remembered Gemelli: Perfect! It is solid enough to stand up to the sauce, thin enough to compliment the mushrooms. Gemelli (twins) seems to be two strands of pasta twisted together, double helix-like. In reality, it is extruded in one piece today. Gemelli also satisfies me on the secondary level by "twinning" with the wine! Alright, I realize that it is actually complementing the wine, but I don't know of any Yin-Yang pasta, so grant me a little poetic license.
To enhance the mushroom flavor, we should work with a variety of fresh mushrooms and also some dried porcini mushrooms. I was uncertain about adding meat. I chose to add a little Italian sausage, but I'm sure this can be omitted if you add some "heat" spices to the dish, without making it too hot, for then it would best accompany a cold beer!
 |
| Some Ingredients |
Ingredients:
1/2 medium Onion, diced
1 small Orange Pepper (or 1/4 cup of a big one), diced
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/4 cup dried Porcini mushrooms
4 oz. mixed, flavorful Mushrooms (I used Oyster, Shiitake and Portabella), roughly chopped
2 links hot Italian Sausage
1/4 lb Lentils
2 Tbs. Tomato Paste
28 oz. can of crushed Tomatoes
1 tsp dried Parsley
1 tsp dried Basil
splash of Brandy
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste (I didn't need to add any)
1/4 lb Gemelli Pasta
1 bottle superb vintage Brunello di Montelcino
Equipment:
2 cup Bowl to soak Mushrooms
funnel fitted with a coffee filter
3 Quart Pan for cooking Lentils, then for cooking Pasta
Deep Pan (Fricassee is perfect) for browning Sausage, then for Sauce
Wine Decanter
Method:
Prep 1: Carefully decant the wine about four hours before you intend to eat. This wine will have lees in the bottom of the bottle, so be gentle. (If you taste a little now, you will see how it opens up as it airs.) Place decanter in a cool place. (I placed it back in my wine cellar, which is 50 degrees F at this time of year. Return the decanter to the dining room about 1/2 hour before you eat, and the wine will be at the perfect temperature.
 |
| Sausages and Lentils |
Prep 2: Soak dried mushrooms in about 1 cup of warm water for one hour. Strain mushrooms, but retain liquid. Wash mushrooms to remove any grit. Then mince them. Pass the liquid through a coffee filter, and retain. (I keep a box of #2 filters around because they fit nicely into a funnel and have a million uses. It's better than cheese cloth for 90% of recipes.)
Prep 3: Brown Sausages in a little Olive Oil, then simmer for about 20 minutes. Don't overcook them: they're going to cook for another hour in the sauce. Remove them and slice about 1/4 inches thick. Pour fat out of pan, but leave the darkened bits on the bottom.
1: Wash Lentils and add them to a pot of 3 or 4 cups boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, lower to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Then strain almost all the water out and place Lentils in a bowl.
 |
| Porcini drained & minced |
2: While the Lentils are cooking, sauté Onions and Orange Peppers in a little Olive Oil in the Sausage pan until they are translucent, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two, then add a splash of Brandy and, while the alcohol evaporates, scrape all that sausage goodness off the bottom of the pan. Then add the chopped, fresh Mushrooms and gently sauté for another 5 minutes.
 |
| Sauté Onions |
 |
| Adding Mushrooms |
3: Push vegetables to one side of pan, add a little olive oil, and then the Tomato Paste and mix with the oil, stir constantly for about 5 minutes until paste has caramelized. If possible, position pan so that flame is under Paste and not mushrooms.
 |
| Caramelize Paste: important step! |
4: Then mix the Paste with vegetables and add Tomatoes. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer the sauce. Stir in the dried spices, minced reconstituted Porcinis, Sausage slices and Lentils. Let this simmer for at least one hour. Watch it carefully. Stir in a little retained mushroom liquid from time to time to keep the sauce at perfect consistency. Near the end of the cooking time, adjust seasoning.
 |
| Final Sauce simmering |
5: Boil water and add Gemelli. This pasta takes longer to cook, usually 15 minutes. About a minute before Gemelli is finished, strain it and add to sauce. Mix completely and let cook for 3 to 5 minutes in the sauce. This pasta will retain its shape and firmness.
6: Serve with Pecorino Romano Cheese generously grated over each plate and enjoy with your Brunello di Montelcino! -Love, Dave
