Category: Recipe

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Gabriel Boudier Saffron Infused Gin

Gabriel Boudier Saffron Infused GinBoudier Saffron Gin

In 1909, Gabriel Boudier took over the house of Fontbonne, founded in 1874, and renamed it after himself. He established the business at Boulevard de Strasbourg in Dijon, France, where it continued to thrive until his death in 1918.

In 1936, his widow sold the house to Marcel Battault, who decided not to change the trading name because of its high-quality reputation, He, in turn, handed the business to his nephew Pierre in 1941. In the years since, four more Battaults, Jean, Yves, Francois, and Claire have joined the firm and enjoyed the company’s penchant for nepotism.

Boudier makes a comprehensive line of Crème de Cassis de Dijon, for which they are most famous, Crème de Fruits, eaux de vie (unaged brandy), liqueurs, and the saffron-infused gin which we’re focusing on here.

Introduced in to the US market in 2008, Boudier Saffron Infused Gin is based on a artisanal colonial French recipe rediscovered in the Boudier archives. It is distilled in small batches using a traditional pot still.

The saffron in this dramatically golden-orange-hued gin is more subtle than its appearance suggests (it is artificially colored). The saffron adds a nuanced spiciness and slightly-honeyed balance to the traditional gin botanicals of juniper, coriander, lemon, orange peel, and fennel.

What to do with this unusual spirit?  Here’s one idea:

Saffron Peach Cocktail

3 oz. GB Saffron gin
1 oz. peach syrup
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz. agave nectar
Shake and garnish with a fresh peach slice.

A few other ways to enjoy this unique gin are ‘up’ in a martini glass (skip the vermouth); on the rocks; mixed with tonic and garnished with an orange wedge; or to put a new twist on a Negroni. 80 proof.

www.boudier.com/en/produit/saffron-gin/

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Cinque Aperitivo

Cinque Aperitivo
Cinque Aperitivo

Cinque Aperitivo

As you cocktail mavens may be aware, aperitivos and amaros are currently having a moment in bars across the U.S. The rest of you are probably asking, “A what and a what?”

An aperitivo (in Italian) or apéritif (in French) is a light alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite, and is therefore usually dry rather than sweet. An amaro (Italian for “bitter”) is an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly drunk as an after-dinner digestif. It usually has a bittersweet and sometimes syrupy flavor.

Cinque is an aperitivo created following a traditional recipe developed in 1929. It is based on an infusion of 12 selected roots and herbs, highlighted by bitter orange and gentian lutea, selected for its bitter root (the overall bitterness level is an approachable “medium”). It’s perfect for fans of Campari and Aperol looking for something a bit different.

Although Cinque is labeled to look as Italian as possible, and the parent company, Don Ciccio & Figli, has roots to the Old Country going back as far as 1883, it is in fact produced in Washington, D.C.

Here’s a sample recipe: 1 oz. gin, 1oz. Cinque Aperitivo, 1 oz. amaro, a splash of soda, and a dash of lemon bitters. Stir well and serve on the rocks with an orange twist and sweet cherry as garnish. Salute!

www.donciccioefigli.com/cinque-aperitivo

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Salmon Souffle

salmon souffleSalmon Souffle

There are few things as elegant, or as easy to make, as a souffle.  My stepdaughter and her partner dropped by for Christmas, and he mentioned that, even though he is 45, he had never had a savory souffle, much less made one.  I assured him it was really simple, so I whipped up one with salmon. 

I first learned to make souffles from The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne, and that was the starting place for this one.

The New York Times Cookbook
My well-worn copy of The New York Times Cookbook.

3 Tbl butter
3 Tbl flour
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 C milk or half and half
4 eggs, separated
Salt and  dry mustard to taste
2 Tbl teriyaki sauce
14 oz. can salmon

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.

1.  Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the mushrooms until lightly browned.
3.  Stir in the flour and blend with a wire whisk.  Meanwhile, drain the salmon into a 1 cup measure.  Add enough milk to come to 1 cup.  Bring the milk to a boil, and add all at once to the butter-flour mixture (aka a roux), stirring with the whisk until thickened and smooth.  Let cool.
3.  Beat in, one at at time, the four egg yolks.  Season with salt, mustard, and teriyaki sauce.
4. Flake the salmon, and blend well into the white sauce and egg mixture.
5.  Using a rotary beater or an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they stand in peaks.  Do not over beat.  Fold the whites gently into the salmon mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to overblend.
6.  Pour into a 1-1/2 quart souffle dish, which may be greased or ungreased.  Place in oven and bake thirty to forty minutes.  Serve with Hollandaise sauce.

I paired this salmon souffle with Clos Pegase Pinot Noir Mitsuko’s Vineyard 2016. This wine pours a jewel-like ruby red into the glass.   The nose greets you with aromas of vanilla and ripe red cherries.   Those cherries come forward on the palate, along with hints of cinnamon and clove.  There is harmonious balance between the oak, acid, and tannins.  It’s all rounded out by a nice medium finish.

www.clospegase.com/

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Deep Dish Sausage Pizza

deep dish sausage pizza

Deep Dish Sausage Pizza

It’s pizza night, and that means homemade deep dish. Sorry deep dish haters, but that’s the way I roll.

Start about four hours before you plan to eat.

This California-style dough is from James McNair’s excellent New Pizza.

James McNair's New Pizza

The dough

1 cup water at 110 degrees F
2-1/4 tsp instant rise yeast
3-1/4 cup all purpose or bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Optional: 2 tsp garlic powder and/or 1 Tbl Italian seasoning

Mix the olive oil into the flour, then add the remaining ingredients.  Then knead by hand, stand mixer, food processor, or bread machine.  Time and technique will vary, so I’ll leave that up to you.  Lightly coat the dough with spray oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled.

the pizza

1 Tbs olive oil
1 lb. hot and/or mild Italian sausage
2 cans of anchovies (trust me on this)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 cups marinara or pizza sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup green and/or black olives
6 oz. tomato paste
Optional: 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
3 to 4 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbs dried oregano
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
10 – 12 oz. mozzarella or (even better) fontina, coarsely grated
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, add the tablespoon of olive oil and saute the sausage.  When lightly browned, transfer to a bowl.  Add the anchovies with their oil to the saucepan.  Once the oil has reheated, add all of the vegetables and cook until tender, five to eight minutes.  Add the cooked sausage, 2 cups of sauce, tomato paste, oregano, and Worchestershire sauce.  Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat as low as you can, and simmer uncovered for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

About an hour and a half before you want to eat, heat oven to 450 degrees F.  Thirty minutes after starting the oven, punch down the dough and add to the pan.  I used a 12″ deep dish pan, but this would also work with two 9″ cake pans or a 16″ pizza screen.  (For the deep dish, I like to fold the crust in and over for the last step after the filling has been added.) Brush the dough with olive oil and set aside.   It will rise some more, intentionally.

After an  hour of preheating the oven, cover the dough with the sauce (it should be off the heat for at least 15 minutes prior), the basil, and the cheese, in that order.   Bake a flat pie for about 15 minutes, but check the crust for browning after 10.  Bake the deep dish for 30 minutes, assess, and go another 10 minutes if necessary.  Remove pizza from oven, rest for five minutes on a wire rack, and serve.  Will serve six to eight.

I paired up this hearty pie with a 2018 La Fea Selección Especial Tinto Rojo. This is a fresh and bright blend of 40% Tempranillo, 40% Garnacha, and 20% Syrah from northeast Spain’s Cariñena region. It is named after the unfortunate nickname whispered behind the back of Queen Isabela; La Fea translates as “the ugly one.” But it pours a lovely dark cherry hue in the glass. There is a lively nose of dark fruit, with aromas of raspberry, black cherry, and violet on the palate. 

If you make this pizza, let me know how it went in the comments section.

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Pepperoni, Sausage, and Mushroom Pizza

Pepperoni, Sausage, and Mushroom Pizza

Pepperoni, Sausage, and Mushroom Pizza

The DOUGH

Start dough at 4pm for dinner between 8pm and 9pm
1 cup warm water
2 tsp instant-rise yeast
3-1/4 C bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil (EV not necessary)
2 to 3 tbs dried oregano or Italian herb
mix (optional)
Combine ingredients and knead by hand for 10 minutes or machine
for 5 minutes. Coat dough ball in a thin film of olive oil, cover in plastic wrap and let rise in warm place.

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