Caponata: A Stunning Sicilian Specialty

Recipe and Wine Pairing by: Eric Guido

It was the fifth day of a heat wave as I sat contemplating a menu that I had to present only a day later. No matter how good your air conditioner or how little time it takes you to move from the cool confines of your home to the blasting AC of your car, the heat manages to wear you down. I sat there looking at the plants that had shriveled up in the neighbor’s garden, even though they were watered each day, and I felt a sort of empathy for them. What to serve to a party that just wandered in from this heat? Caponata.

As a child, my neighborhood would have been considered Italian to an outsider, but the fact is that its inhabitants did not think of it as Italian. You see, I grew up in a Sicilian neighborhood. The Italian part of my family had come from the central part of the boot and so, even with my Italian roots, my neighbors still managed to surprise me with a cuisine that was not quite like my grandmother’s, yet Italian all the same. On an afternoon, in this summer heat, my neighbors would be making caponata.

Caponata is a vegetarian dish that’s centered on eggplant and fresh harvested vegetables. It’s a celebration of produce and on the palate obtains a melding of fresh, salty and sweet flavors that truly makes it a celebration to your taste buds as well. It is, all at once, satisfying, refreshing and delicious. It’s a dish that can be served cold, room temperature or warm, and it can be an appetizer, side dish or main course. It’s difficult for me to think of another dish that is as versatile as caponata, especially since it can thrill you on a paper plate in the yard as well as served on fine china at the table.

My favorite way to serve caponata is at room temperature as an appetizer. When served at this neutral temperature, the medley of flavors in this dish is on full display. Each ingredient still bears its unique flavors while contributing to the whole.

See below for my tasting note.

As for a wine pairing, I like to go with a wine that can stand up to the vibrant acidity of caponata. Remember that this dish has a sweet and sour profile and could be overwhelming next to a new world-styled wine. However, it’s also a dish that showcases the finessed yet sometimes fragile flavors of fresh vegetables, so it wouldn’t stand up well to a heavy-handed red. Lastly, I want a wine that will augment the flavors of the caponata.  I want Riesling, and the one I'm recommending here will knock your socks off.


Caponata

Serves Four

The most important thing is to use the best quality ingredients. This dish doesn’t mask a thing. Instead, it amplifies the flavors of each ingredient, and that’s part of its magic. Many recipes will tell you to peel the tomatoes, but in this case we’re using grape tomatoes for visual appeal and their bittersweet flavor. You could also use plum or vine tomatoes, in which case you should blanch and peel them.

3 - 4 Italian eggplants, about 2 pounds (or look for a mix of colors; smaller is better)
1 large yellow onion, small dice
4 –5 stalks of celery, large dice
1 pound of grape tomatoes, sliced in half with seeds removed
1 cup green Italian olives, sliced in half with pits removed
2 tbls of capers, rinsed
7 tbls of red wine vinegar
2 tbls of sugar
1 bunch fresh basil
4 tbls Extra Virgin olive oil
salt and pepper as needed
1 loaf Italian bread
grape seed oil (for frying)

Slice the eggplant crosswise into ¾ inch slices. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and a cookie rack. Coat both sides of each eggplant slice generously with salt and place on the rack. The salt will pull the bitter flavors out of the eggplant. Allow the eggplant to sit like this for one hour. Then rinse the eggplant well and dry.

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. At the same time, place a large sauté pan over a medium flame and pour enough grape seed oil in to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, place the eggplant into the sauté pan. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. You may need to fry the eggplant in two batches.) Fry the eggplant on one side until golden brown and then flip to achieve the same sear on the other side. Once both sides have been cooked, remove from the pan and to drain on paper towels.

Set up a small ice bath. Now place the large dice of celery into the salted boiling water. Blanch for three to four minutes or until the color becomes a deep vibrant green. Pull the celery from the pot and place into the ice bath for no more than one minute. Then drain and set aside.

Cut the eggplant slices into a large dice with a very sharp knife, remember they are soft from being fried and make sure to keep the skin on the eggplant.

At this time you are ready to begin the final assembly of the dish.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Once hot, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Allow the onions to cook for three minutes. Now add the olives, tomatoes and celery and stir together. Allow to cook for another five minutes.

Now add the eggplant, capers, vinegar and sugar. Stir the contents of the pan together well and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Move the entire contents of the pan to a serving dish.

If you are looking for room temperature, allow the dish to sit for up to an hour before serving. For hot temp, allow only ten minutes. Or for cold, place under refrigeration for two to three hours.

No matter what temperature you are aiming for, when ready to serve, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the Italian bread into ¼ inch slices, brush both sides with Extra Virgin olive oil and place on a parchment-lined baking dish. Put in the oven for five minutes to toast slightly. Chop the fresh basil and add to the caponata; stir to combine.

You can plate this with the toasts on the plate and the caponata. Or serve family style.

2011 Stein St. Aldegunder Palmberg-Terrassen Riesling Spätlese feinherb - Aromas jumped from the glass of this young Riesling, showing ripe pear, peach skins, wet mineral laden stone and hints of lemon. On the palate, there was a yin yang of fruit, acidity and minerality. Grapefruit was foremost with an equal doses of acidity as expected from a bite, note the sprinkle of sugar on top. Ripe peach flavor and weight added balance, along with gorgeous saline minerals, which poured out as the mouth began to water. The finish made the cheeks pucker with slight lemon pith, hints of fresh honeycomb and inner floral notes. To say i enjoyed this wine would be an understatement. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Grandma’s Eggplant Parmigiana

A recipe and wine pairing by Eric Guido

If you were to ask any of my friends or clients about my specialty, they would quickly inform you that it’s risotto. However, it wasn’t always so. Long before my professional career and formal training, I was a cook that depended on what I learned as a child. The rich Italian-American cooking of my family was my strong suit and, more than anything else, it was my grandmother’s Eggplant Parmigiana that was requested over and over again. It’s serious comfort food and one of those dishes that incites applause and smiles all around.

Remember that the best, fresh ingredients, are the secret
behind all great Italian food.

The secret behind this dish is more in the preparation and attention to details than anything else. It starts with the care taken when preparing and dredging the eggplant. The breadcrumbs should be fresh and freshly seasoned by your own hand. Next, the oil should be light olive oil at a medium temperature because extra virgin burns over anything other than a low flame.

And speaking of the flame, the herbs you add to the breadcrumbs will not burn in this recipe (as they do when most people fry) because the flame stays at a consistent medium and the eggplant is only in the pan long enough to slightly brown. I fondly remember my grandmother saying, "No, no, no, you don't cook the eggplant in the oil. You cook it in the oven. The oil is only to brown the bread crumbs." Lastly, the fried eg
gplant should be dried before being added to the baking dish so that the crust is firm and crisp.

As for wine, a household favorite is Barbera d'Asti, which tends to counter the rich and vibrant flavors of the eggplant parm with its own richness and vibrant acidity. Keep in mind that, although this is a dish centered around a vegetable, it is still a formidable dish that will hold up to any number of big red wines. (see the bottom of this article for a favorite Barbera d'Asti that pairs perfectly with this recipe)

Grandma’s Eggplant Parmigiana

Serves 5 - 6

2 medium-size eggplants
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups flour
4 eggs
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic granules
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (go to a local bakery for these if not available in your supermarket)
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Light olive oil (enough for frying; be prepared to change the oil at least once)
8 ounces of Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
16 ounces of mozzarella (shredded)
6 cups tomato sauce (a simply tomato sauce will do; I like to go for a chunky style with a little basil)

Peel and slice the eggplant. (Each slice should be about 1/8 of an inch.) Lay the slices out on a rack or sheet pan lined with paper towels and sprinkle heavily with salt. Then flip the slices and sprinkle the other side with salt as well. Allow the eggplant to sit like this for one hour. The salt will pull bitter juices out of the eggplant. When one hour has passed, quickly rinse each slice of eggplant under cold water and set out on a towel to dry.

To prepare your dredging station, set up a plate, followed by a bowl, followed by another plate. On the first plate, place your two cups of flour. In the bowl, crack four eggs and whip them to consistency. In a small mixing bowl, pour two cups of breadcrumbs, two tsp dried oregano, two tsp dried basil, one tsp garlic granules, a 1/2 tsp cracked pepper and a 1/2 tsp salt. Mix the contents of the bowl together and pour onto the last plate.

Preheat your oven to 325 F.

To dredge, set up a rack for the breaded eggplant to rest on before being fried. Begin the dredging process by lightly seasoning each piece of eggplant with salt and pepper. Then dip a piece of eggplant into the flour and coat completely. Shake off any loose flour and drop the eggplant slice into the eggs. Then, using a fork, lift the eggplant from the eggs and allow any excess egg to drip off. Now place into the breadcrumbs and coat completely. When coated, move the slice of eggplant to the rack. Do this for all slices of eggplant.

In a pan (I like to use a large cast-iron pan), pour enough light olive oil into the pan to cover the entire bottom with about 1/8 inch of oil. Bring the flame up to medium-low and allow the olive oil to come up in temperature.

Near your frying oil, set up the following: a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towel; a glass Pyrex, CorningWare or chafing dish for the eggplant, the shredded mozzarella and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and the sauce in a pot over a low flame. Ladle a small amount of sauce into the bottom of the dish and spread it out across the entire bottom to create a light layer of sauce.

Begin to fry the eggplant by adding it to the fry oil (do not overcrowd the pan), allow the first side to brown lightly and then flip the eggplant. (Like my grandmother said, the eggplant cooks in the oven.) Once the second side is lightly browned, move the eggplant to a towel to drain. Add more eggplant to the fry oil to continue the process. Once the pieces on the towel are drained of any excess oil, move them to the Pyrex or chafing dish, cover with a large pinch of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, then a large pinch of mozzarella and a small ladle of sauce. Continue this process until all the eggplant has been fried, but remember that you will likely need to change out the oil in your pan at least once during this process.

The end result should be neatly stacked pieces of eggplant, three to four pieces high, with both cheeses and a small ladle of sauce between each stack. Once you have assembled all stacks, add a generous sprinkle of mozzarella across the top and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven when done, let cool for 10-15 minutes and then serve family-style.

As for a wine pairing, try the 2009 Vietti Barbera d'Asti La Crena - The 2009 La Crena is dark and brooding with black cherry, tobacco, milk chocolate, baked bread and exotic spice. On the palate, it was muscular yet juicy with red fruits, herbs and cinnamon. The long, mouthwatering finish was laced with tart berry and spice. (91 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Pumpkin Risotto: Perfect Autumn Comfort Food

A Recipe & Pairing by: Eric Guido

What is it about pumpkin and how each time I serve it, it makes people swoon? Nostalgia.

Nostalgia is a powerful tool in the chef’s arsenal. It’s a direct line to the hearts and minds of your guests. It's that smell from mama’s kitchen. It's that flavor, which will always remind you of home. Or that memory of togetherness around a family table, the food you ate and the happy memories you shared. Would it surprise you to know that nostalgia is a topic taught in culinary school? Well it is, and for very good reason because with nostalgia you can create a dish that will not only taste divine, but also speaks to the diner’s soul. That’s how pumpkin risotto ended up on my menu.

Pumpkin risotto is an extremely versatile dish that combines sweet earthy flavors with rich, creamy textures and a salty, spicy snap at the end of each bite. The pumpkin adds a weight to the palate that takes this from being just another rice dish to becoming a centerpiece of the meal. It’s warming and speaks to that part of us that loves home cooking, yet it easily translates well into fine dining.

When it comes to a wine pairing, you could go with an earthy Italian white with brisk acidity or a Barbera, but I wanted something a little different and I’m glad I chose the route of exploration. Ever since I first developed this recipe, I've been looking for an opportunity to pair it with a Zinfandel.  Let's just say, I was not disappointed.  The Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel, accentuated the sweet spice in this dish, while taming the heat from the pumpkin seeds.  Add to that, a slightly firm structure and pop of acidity that cut through the pumpkin stock and rich butter--and you have a match made in heaven.

2010 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles - The nose on the 2010 Paso Robles Zinfandel is like a basket of mixed berries baked in a tartlet shell with sweet holiday spices and a hint of mocha. On the palate, it’s fruity and vibrant with intense concentration that is made fresh by brisk acidity. The wine literally coats the entire palate and then slowly melts away to reveal a hint of dry tannin. The finish is fresh, yet long, showing dried red fruits. It’s immediately enjoyable and hard not to keep drinking. (90 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher! (avg. $31)


Pumpkin Risotto (with peas and spicy pumpkin seeds)
Serves 4

5 oz. unsalted butter
1⁄4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 quart of chicken stock
1 cup of water
1⁄4 cup white wine
1 shallot (chopped fine)
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cups risotto rice
3/4 cup English peas (can use frozen green peas)
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated fine
3 Tbls. Pumpkin seeds
Salt and pepper
Fresh sage (garnish)

To cook the peas, prepare an ice bath and pour the chicken stock and one cup of water into a pot and bring to a simmer. Pour the peas into the simmering chicken stock and allow them to heat through for four minutes. Then remove them from the pot and place into the ice bath for two minutes before removing them to reserve for later use. Lastly, whisk (10 oz.) of the pumpkin puree into the warm stock and set aside for when you are ready to cook the risotto.

In a sauté pan over a medium-­‐low flame, melt two ounces of butter. Once the butter has melted and come up to temperature, add the pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper and a hefty pinch of salt. Raise the flame to medium and toss the pumpkin seeds in the butter and pepper mixture. Once the seeds have toasted, pour them into a bowl and keep them in a warm location until ready to use.

When you are ready to make the risotto, place a medium size pan over a medium-­‐ low flame. Add two ounces of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the shallots, a pinch of salt and allow the shallots to sweat. When the shallots have sweated and begun to turn translucent, add the rice and stir to coat the rice in butter (if the mixture looks too dry, you can add a little more butter before adding the rice). Raise the flame to medium and continue to stir vigorously for about one to two minutes. However, do not allow the rice or shallots to take on any color. Add the wine and stir it into the rice until it cooks off. Return the flame to medium-­‐low and add the last half (5 oz.) of pumpkin puree, the cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir to combine completely and add your first ladle full of stock.

At this time, the risotto should take anywhere between 17 and 19 minutes to finish, and throughout that time you should be stirring regularly. After adding the ladle of the stock and pumpkin mixture, stir the rice slowly but regularly. Be careful with heat management with this recipe, because the pumpkin puree can burn if not stirred regularly up from the bottom of the pan. As soon as the first ladle of stock has absorbed or evaporated, add another ladle full. Continue like this for 10 – 12 minutes and add a good pinch of salt to the rice. Add more stock and continue to stir. As you approach 16 minutes of cooking time, taste the rice to test the degree of doneness, all the while continuing with the process of adding stock and stirring. At 17 minutes, add the peas, stir in completely and taste again for doneness.

When the rice is done (al dente), add the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the last of the butter. Stir to combine completely and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. (Seasoning is what really brings out the pumpkin flavor in this recipe. Without it, it will seem bland.) If the rice seems too thick, add a little more stock to loosen it up.

Plate the risotto into warmed bowls and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds and a rough chop of sage leaves. Serve.

Spice It Up: Bucatini all'Amatriciana

By: Eric Guido

If it isn’t broken, why fix it? This is a question I’ve asked myself often as I’ve traveled the road of understanding traditional Italian cuisine. I understand adjusting a recipe to fit society’s current palate but in many cases I find it unwarranted. I can’t count how many times I’ve set out to experiment with a traditional recipe, thinking it may not appeal to the taster, only to find that they love it. In Italy, a sense of place is important, and if you take away certain components of a dish, you take away that which makes it special; you take away its sense of place.

I found this to be extremely apparent with the dish, Bucatini all'Amatriciana. I thought back to culinary school and looked at the old recipe I was given and then began to search for other recipes, some of which came from esteemed chefs. One ingredient that almost all of these recipes substituted with pancetta is guanciale, which also happens to be the most important ingredient and the one that truly gives this dish a sense of place. I ask again; if it isn’t broken, why fix it?

Guanciale is an unsmoked, salt cured meat prepared from the pig’s jowl or cheek. What does it taste like? It tastes like the best slice of bacon you’ve ever had. That flavor is imparted into the sauce of Bucatini all'Amatriciana and truly makes this dish special. It provides a rich pork flavor that is accentuated by a spicy tomato sauce and tempered with a sprinkle of pecorino Romano cheese. This is the stuff that stops conversations around the table, as your guests are enthralled by it’s depth of flavors. Best of all, it’s a simple preparation that only depends on sourcing the best ingredients and can be prepared, start to finish, in under a half hour.

As for pairing wine, well that’s where it can get tricky. Remember that this is a spicy dish by nature and with heat, you always risk the possibility of overwhelming certain wines. I wouldn’t pair a feminine or elegant red with this dish because the heat will dull the wine on the palate. However, a good Zinfandel usually has the intensity, ripe fruit and zesty to truly balance out the heat in this dish. Also, a bit of new oak does wonders contrasting the aromas of the Guanciale.

2010 Ridge Zinfandel East Bench - The nose on the 2010 East Bench shows sweet floral notes with crushed blueberry, cinnamon, a hint of vanilla and an airy herbal lift that pulls it from confectionary and allows the bouquet to remain elegant and fresh. On the palate, it shows an intense mix of berries with massive concentration, followed by a note of citrusy acidity that keeps it fresh. The finish is long and shows hints of the structure that is otherwise masked by this wine’s intense fruit. (91 points)

I beg you to look for guanciale. Could you substitute it with pancetta and still enjoy this dish? Sure, but I assure you that it is pale in comparison to guanciale. I was able to find guanciale after only stopping at two Italian butchers. It’s certainly not something that you’ll find at the local supermarket but, with just a little digging, it’s very possible to source.

Also, I found that using a combination of both fresh and canned tomatoes gave this dish a gorgeous contrast on the palate and my tasting panel agreed wholeheartedly. You could just use the canned tomatoes but it would take away from the recipe, in my opinion.

Makes 4 – 5 servings

½ pound slice guanciale
1 pound Bucatini (pasta)
4 –5 cloves of Garlic (rough chop)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (you can double this if you prefer a good amount of heat)
28oz of canned San Marzano tomatoes
¾ cup of plum or grape tomatoes cut into large dice (must be fresh and ripe)
¾ cup of grated pecorino Romano cheese
½ cup red wine (preferably the same wine you plan to pair with the dish)
Olive oil (as needed)
Bunch of fresh basil (for garnish)


Place a large pot of salted water on a burner on high to bring to a boil.

Strain the juice from the canned tomatoes and, over a strainer, try to remove as many seeds as possible. When you’re done, you should have a bowl of strained and deseeded tomatoes and a bowl of tomato juice.

Place a medium to large sauté pan (or sauce pan) over a medium flame. Add olive oil to just barley coat the pan. Before the oil gets too hot, add the guanciale. Think about making Sunday bacon, but with the intention of pulling the meat before it gets crispy.

Add the pasta to the water and set the timer for one minute short of its recommended cooking time.

Remove the guanciale from the pan onto a paper towel to drain, and pour the rendered fat from the pan through a fine mesh strainer. (This is not 100% necessary, but those small bits you can’t scoop out with a spoon may burn if you leave them in the pan.) Wipe any burnt bits from the pan and pour two tbls of the rendered pork fat back into the pan.

Add the rep pepper flakes, the garlic and the fresh tomatoes. Allow to cook over medium-low flame for two minutes. Then (with the pan removed from the burner) add the red wine.

Once the wine has begun to reduce, add the strained San Marzano tomatoes and a cup of the strained tomato juice that came from the can. Bring this entire mixture to a simmer and allow to reduce for 3 – 5 minutes.

Around this time, the pasta should be done. Strain the pasta and pour back into the pot. Now pour the sauce over the pasta and stir until combined. Sprinkle half of the cheese into the pot as well as half of the cooked guanciale. Over a low flame, stir until completely combined. Allow this mixture to cook for one minute on low flame.

Check for seasoning, but remember that the guanciale can add a good amount of seasoning on its own.

Chiffonade the basil.

To plate, place a mound of pasta on a heated plate and sprinkle with pecorino Romano, then guanciale, and finally the basil chiffonade. Clean the rim of you plate and serve.

The V.I.P. Table In The Media

Benito’s Wine Reviews recently interviewed me. We chatted about all things food, wine and family. It’s a great site, not only for wine but food as well. Author, Ben Carter is a man driven by good food and wine; you can tell by his blog. It’s loaded with recipes, tips, tricks and culinary perspectives from a well-versed and experienced cook. I’m pretty sure the next time we meet, there will be some serious collaborations going on in the kitchen. So if you’re looking to know a little more about me, check out the interview, but even if you don’t, Wine by Benito is well worth having in your bookmarks.

Caprese Salad at The V.I.P. Table

Also in the media this week, Meg Houston Maker just published her piece “Wine With Salad: Pairing Tricks from the Pros” at Palate Press. I was happy to be one of the collaborating chefs to give my thoughts on the subject, as well as lending them some of my photos to use. This is another excellent author that you should be watching, whether it is for food, wine, nature, culture, or place. Meg’s work can also be found at Megmaker.com and at Maker’s Table.