Food and Wine Pairing - Pinot Noir

THE PROMPT PENGUIN’S PAIRING

(for those in a hurry)
Preparation time: 1-2 minute
  • Soft cheeses such as Camembert and Chaumes
  • Mushroom or hearty vegetable soup (you can choose whether to go with Progresso or Campbell’s)

THE PRACTICAL PENGUIN’S PAIRING

(for those with little time)

Turkey Cassoulet
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6

  • 4 thick slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 Italian sausage links, cut in quarters
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 pound turkey, shredded
  • 2 cans white beans, drained
  • 1 can tomato puree
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 2 cups bread crumbs, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 350. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over a medium burner. Remove when done and brown onion, sausages and 1/2 of the garlic, about 10 minutes.

Add chicken stock to pan and scrape up any bits leftover. Add turkey, beans, tomato puree, bay leaf and thyme. Bake in the oven uncovered for 30 minutes, adding chicken broth if necessary to keep moist.

Mix bread crumbs with remaining garlic and minced parsley in another bowl and sprinkle on top of cassoulet. Bake for another 20 minutes. Remove, push down breadcrumbs so they are slightly moistened and bake another 20 minutes.

THE PERFECT PENGUIN’S PAIRING

(for those who want to make it perfect)

Herb Roast Pork
Preparation time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Serves 8 with leftovers

  • 1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon crushed coriander
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • Pork leg, shank end, boneless and butterflied (will easily feed a crowd)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1/2 bottle Reisling or Semillon

Mix together first 5 ingredients and rub evenly over inside and outside of meat. Roll tightly into a roast and tie securely.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute carrot, onion and celery until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Spread the mix into the bottom of an ovenproof dish large enough to hold the roast and about 2 inches deep.
Place the pork on top of the mixture, pour the wine over the top and roast in the middle of the oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours until a thermometer inserted at the thickest point reads 160, basting every 20 minutes. Tent the roast with foil if the skin begins to darken too drastically. Remove the roast from the oven and let it sit, tented, for 10 minutes. Slice thinly and serve.

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