Category Archives: Pinot Noir

Dinner Party: Lamb, Pinot, and a Summer Breeze

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Cookouts are a novelty in New York City.  Growing up in Atlanta, I completely took it for granted that we had a grill and private outdoor space, where we could gather together to eat, drink, and laugh to our hearts’ content. Here, however, I can count the number of people who have the luxury of a patio or backyard on one hand. My friends Emily and Mike are some of the lucky few — in fact, they not only have a terrace but also a killer view of the Hudson River from their place on Riverside Drive. And fortunately for me (who is starting to go a little stir-crazy in this hot city), they invited a group of us over for dinner last night.

I was too busy enjoying the breeze and the view to snap a photo,
but Toni managed to get one of the table. 

After some wonderful strawberry-lemonade cocktails that Emily made, we sat down to a meal of lime-cumin-and-coriander marinated lamb chops that I brought from my stash, an herb-and-balsamic couscous filled with fresh parsley and basil from Emily and Mike’s flower pots, and some yummy sea salt kettle chips. We’d decided upon a pinot noir pairing: Bo brought a bottle of Au Bon Climat, while Alexxa and I both brought a Mark West from Sonoma County.

Ours was an ’08.

To shake things up, we decided to chill one of the West’s. The wine professed to have lots of bright cherry and raspberry notes, which were present in the chilled wine, but it wasn’t until we drank the other bottle that we noticed its spicy, dry, and dusty qualities (fairly common characteristics of Sonoma wines, I’ve found, especially their syrahs): in both cases, the wine’s high acidity went beautifully with the meat. Then, when we popped the Au Bon Climat, we experienced the real treat of wine themes – it was a totally different wine, light, fruit-forward, and with this beautiful black pepper finish.

I talk big, but this is what I actually look like when I drink wine…

As the sun was setting, we dug into Mike’s homemade ice cream sandwiches (apparently a theme this summer): M&M and chocolate chip cookies, with coffee ice cream in between. We sat around the table a bit longer, savoring the warm summer breeze and watching the red moon as it rose, before we all headed home to our stuffy apartments for the night. These moments make me love New York — this city reminds me how much joy the little pleasures bring, when you take the time to notice them.

Lime-Cumin-and-Coriander Lamp Chops

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 2+ Tbsp olive oil
  • 21 (1/2- to 3/4-inch thick) lamb chops

Whisk together garlic, cumin, coriander, lime juice, salt, pepper, and oil and transfer to a sealable plastic bag large enough to hold the lamb (or to several individual bags). Add lamb and seal bag, then make sure the lamb is evenly coated. Marinate at room temperature, turning bag occasionally, for about 45 minutes.

Heat charcoal grill and cook lamb in batches about 3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Transfer cooked lamb to a plate and let sit, covered with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest about five minutes then serve.

Recipe adapted from Gourmet.

a desconstructed “cassoulet”

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I am using the term “cassoulet” very loosely, as a disclaimer for those who believe in making cassoulet by the writ. Originating in France–or more accurately in the area known as the Occitane–it is a peasant dish, a rich, slow-cooked bean stew that also contains some sort of meat. I was looking to create a cheap, easy dish to pair with a bottle of 2003 Pinot Noir from the winemaker “Lorca” in Monterey, CA., a Christmas present from my cousin. The French grape given an American twist inspired me to do the same.

White beans, mushrooms, chicken–a very protein-heavy combination–formed the basis of this dish, so to offset the weight, I used chicken breasts. Chicken breasts tend to be my least favorite cut of meat, mostly because people tend to buy the boneless, skinless variety and then proceed to cook the heck out of it, thus draining any last residue of moisture and flavor left to it. I opted for bone-in, skin-on breasts, which are both more flavorful and cheaper.

After browning the chicken, skin side down, in the pan, I placed it alongside bite-sized pieces of red-skinned potatoes in a deep-rimmed baking dish. I sprinkled kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and herbes de provence over the ingredients, as well as some olive oil, and left it to bake in the oven for about a half hour. In the meantime, I added a can of drained cannellini beans and chopped white mushrooms to the pan juices and let the flavors meld over low heat. The speed up the cooking process and to retain moisture, I covered the pan with a lid, stirring occasionally.

Once the chicken was complete and its juices had set, I sliced the breasts and added the meat to the pan, just momentarily to allow the flavors to combine. I served my “cassoulet” alongside the potatoes and steamed peas. Then, we popped the Lorca. I usually would not pair a newer Pinot Noir with a heavy dish like the one I prepared, but the age of the wine promised structure, spice, and tannins, without being as overpowering as a Cabernet might have been. And I was proven correct: the wine brought out a sort of succulent sweetness to the pan stew, especially in the mushrooms, and the dish itself added an element of depth to the already delicious wine. The perfect way to celebrate a lovely gift.