The Wine and Food Corner

Sole Meuniere-recipe below

Lemon Sole Meunière–the spark that ignited Julia Child’s culinary odyssey. The  first bite of her first meal of  in France  was Sole Meunière at La Couronne. Sole Meunière is a simple yet elegant dish of pan seared SOLE with a  lemon butter sauce—wonderful, easy, and quick. It’s my go to white fish favorite!  An enduring classic because it’s so good. You just gotta try it!!! Some people say first see the movie, “ Julie and Julia” , then taste Sole Meuniere.  I say that is completely backward! Taste Sole Meuriere first to  fully appreciate the movie which is based on based Julia’s memoir “My Life in France”, and also based on  the true story of Julie Powell spending an entire year to cook and blog  her way through every recipe in Julia’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”  ( See recipes below)

(btw, a few weeks ago, before I knew about the movie,  I wrote here about  Clofoutis aux Cerises- Cherry Clafouti—the simplest dessert I have ever made.

Yet it is a most subtly elegant dish, a dish of  the French  farmwife, another mile marker along Julia’s road of culinary awakening toward, an attempt at mastery.  But does anyone really master cooking, or master anything?  Isn’t mastery an illusion?  Isn’t that part of the intrigue millions have with her-we vicariously share her journey toward mastery? Don’t we share her excitement of discovery and awakening–her continual attempt at mastery? Isn’t that life—a pursuit of mastery?  That said, do I really want to view the movie–is it better a dish left uneaten?  Oh well. )

Serve the Sole Meuniere with Julia’s “TOMATOES À LA PROVENÇALE” using Roma Tomatoes or, better yet, some vine ripened tomatoes from your garden. Wine: A lightly oaked Chardonnay or maybe a French Chenin Blanc. ( recipe below)

Porterhouse Steaks and T-Bone Steaks, my favorite steaks!!!  These have both the tenderloin Filet Mignon and the NY Strip attached to a shared bone. The Porterhouse steak is a bigger steak with a much bigger filet, and it often is served to two people. Both steaks are great! Get a thick steak, season with kosher salt and coarse ground pepper; over very hot coals grill each side to get a nice sear, then move to a cooler part of the grill to allow the steak to more slowly cook to the desired doneness—rare is better here. Serve with Fresh Green Beans sautéed with shallots and balsamic vinegar; sliced fresh tomatoes; grilled Sweet Corn; and thickly sliced Walla Walla Onions seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled then sprinkled balsamic. Wines: Big reds: Cabernets, Merlots, or Chianti Classico.

Pork Chops with Blueberry-Balsamic Sauce: Grilled or pan seared thick Pork Chops topped with a quick sauce made with fresh blueberries and balsamic. Serve with: Fresh Green Beans sautéed with shallots; and a tossed Salad of Walla Walla Onions sliced/sautéed/cooled, Iceberg Lettuce, and diced Roma Tomatoes. Dessert of Mixed Berry Shortcake (blueberries, strawberries and blackberries) with Haagen-Daz Vanilla Ice Cream or real whipped cream. Make the shortcake from scratch or use Bisquick.  (Blueberry Balsamic Pork Chops– recipe below)

Lemon Sole Coated in Captain Crunch and Corn Flakes. Or Chicken Breast coated in Captain Crunch and Corn Flakes. OK, sounds kinda flakey but its for real and it’s good.  Ask for a recipe.

Blackened Red Snapper Fish Tacos with Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Kickin’ Chickin’ Salad: Poached Chicken Breast; Grapes, Raisins, Blueberries, Celery. For some kick, doctor your mayo dressing with plenty of black pepper, tobasco or sirachia hot sauce, rice wine vinegar, and a bit of sugar for a sweet, sour, spicy, crunchy experience that will envelope your mouth and senses.

Desserts based on fresh fruit on sale

Mixed Berry almond Crumble—Recipe at bottom

-Mixed Berry Almond Crumble. Strawberry, Blueberry, Blackberry w/ Haagen Daz

-Mixed Berry Shortcake: Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries; Haagen-Daz

-Strawberry Shortcake and real whipped cream, using Bisquick to make the Shortcake

-Blueberry Oatmeal Scones

-Plum Crazy Contest: On Thursday Frank is facing off with our pastry chef, Jeremiah. My  Plum Pie versus Jeremiah’s Plum Torte. The smart money’s on Jeremiah, but I will present a very delicious and very easy to make entry. Check the blog and Facebook for the results, the recipes and the pictures.

Plum Pie with crumb topping

Summer Cocktail of the Week:   Lemon-Blueberry Brain Freeze

In a blender add 1/3  cup fresh Blueberries, 4 oz. Land O Lakes Lemonade, 1.5 oz of Svedka Vodka. Blend well. Add 3/4 cup of ice to blender and blend again. Pour into a tall glass and sip slowly through a straw. Warning: May cause brain freeze. Drink at your own risk.

For a batch of 6 drinks for a crowd:

Blend first 4 ingredients well.  Add 2 cups ice and blend again.  Pour into 6 tall glasses.

Recipes:

SOLE MEUNIÈRE  – 2 similar recipes

1½ lb  boneless, skinless sole fillets

salt and pepper
½ cup  all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp  lemon juice
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1. Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large heavy skillet. Dredge fish with flour, shaking off excess. When butter starts to brown slightly, add fish in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan — cook it in two batches, if necessary. Cook fish 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness of fish.

2. Place fish on a serving platter. Add remaining ¼ cup (50 mL) butter to pan and melt. Add lemon juice and pour over fish. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Or another sole meuniere recipe, the one I use:

4 (4-ounce) sole fillets
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fines herbs (at least use parsley, or try equal parts chopped chives, chervil, parsley, and tarragon;  use what you have available)
1/2 teaspoon salt plus salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Combine flour, 1of the 2 tablespoons fines herbs, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Season fish with salt and pepper and dredge in flour to coat, shaking off excess. In a large non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and cook fish 3 minutes each side, or until just cooked through.

Reduce heat to moderately low. Cut remaining butter into pieces and add to skillet. Simmer butter until golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and immediately add lemon juice, salt, remaining herbs and pepper to taste, swirling skillet to incorporate (butter will foam.) Serve sole filets with butter.

TOMATOES À LA PROVENÇALE
- 6 firm, ripe tomatoes, 3 inches  in diameter
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed
- 3 tbsp minced shallots or green onions
- 4 tbsp  minced fresh basil and parsley
- 1⁄8 tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp salt
- big pinch pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup dry white breadcrumbs
1. Cut out stems of tomatoes and cut in half crosswise. Gently squeeze out the juice and seeds. Sprinkle cut surface with salt and pepper.
2. In a mixing bowl combine shallots, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, olive oil and breadcrumbs. Fill tomatoes with one to two spoonfuls of breadcrumb mixture.
3. Arrange tomatoes in an oiled baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
4. Just before serving, bake in upper third of a preheated 400F (200C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings

Blueberry Balsamic Pork Chops

8 boneless center loin pork chops
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to season
½ cup white wine or chicken stock
½ tsp thyme
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Pan fry the pork chops in the olive oil and garlic until completely cooked about 4-5 minutes per side. Hold the pork chops in a warm oven. Add the blueberries, balsamic vinegar, wine (or stock), thyme, nutmeg and brown sugar. Simmer to reduce the volume of the sauce by half. Add the lemon juice and butter and simmer for an additional minute or so until the sauce slightly thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon the sauce over the cooked pork chops.

Berry Almond Crumble Recipe

Ingredients

Filling:

• 8 cups mixed fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries
• 1 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
• 2 to 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, depending upon sweetness of berries
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Crumble Topping:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds.

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl put berries and mix with tapioca, sugar and lemon zest. (Without tapioca, crumble will be very runny.) Set aside.

2 Make the topping by whisking together the flour, sugars, spices and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter and almonds until coarse crumbs form.

3 Pour the filling into a 9-inch square or round pan (do not grease first). Using your fingers, form topping mixture into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch crumbs and spread over cake. Bake until filling bubbles and topping is light golden, about 45-55 minutes. Let cool at least half an hour. Serve warm.

Plum Pie with crumb Topping:  Look for recipe on Thursday