page contents Poor Man's Kitchen Recipes: white wine
Showing posts with label white wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label white wine. Show all posts

Lambrusco - the ideal wine for perfect dining experience !

The Lambrusco is relatively unknown outside Europe, it started with aggressive mediatic campaign throughout the eighties it helped the Italian wine to gain its popularity. Nevertheless, in waste parts of Asia and Latin America this masterpiece of wine remains a novelty. I would say something new that everyone likes, especially ladies love it. I have been drinking Lambrusco Cella since three years and like the sparks that the Rubin red Lambrusco naturally manifests.

It's also an ancient wine, mentioned by Virgil, Pliny, Cato, and Strabo, who was astonished by the size of the barrels made to contain the harvest. None of what the Romans drank has survived, so there's no telling what it was like. However, in the 1300s Pier de' Crescenzi and Andrea Bacci discussed its cultivation, and since then a steady stream of poets have sung its praises. Apart from excellent Spanish Rioja red wines and Italian Asti, Lambrusco is definitely my favourite.

Taken as a whole, Lambrusco is red wine whose primary characteristics are sparkle, lightness and low alcohol content. Lambrusco's sparkle is considerably lower key than that of Champagne orFranciacorta : the fizz boils up when the wine is poured, then settles down, leaving a faint ring of white around the edge of the glass. Lambrusco is also characteristically light -- not much in the way of tannins or body. 

One important thing to keep in mind is that Lambrusco can be either dry or sweet (the characteristics of the individual wines will remain constant from year to year). Obviously, grilled chicken with a dry sparkling wine that leaves the palate clean will be quite different from the same chicken with a sweeter sparkling wine that would go better with a peach. Fortunately, the label does come to your assistance: Secco meansdry, while Amabile means sweet . So read carefully and if you're in doubt taste a bottle before buying several for your picnic. 






Lambrusco is produced in Emilia-Romagna, and more specifically in the area extending from Reggio Emilia, through Modena, to Bologna, and up to Mantova.

There are a number of different kinds, made from different varietals of the Lambrusco grape, all of which come in sweet or dry; the principal varieties are:



· Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro:

Produced in the province of Modena, from the Grasparossa varietal, and up to 15%Uva d'Oro or other Lambrusco varietals. Red with violet highlights, lively but evanescent sparkle, very pronounced fruity bouquet, and (for Lambrusco) considerable tannic structure.


· Lambrusco di Sorbara:

A wine produced in the province of Modena, From 60% Sorbara and 40% Salamino grapes. Ruby to garnet red, lively but evanescent sparkle, a floral bouquet with violet overtones, and bright acidity that also carries through on the palate. Of the various Lambruschi, it's the most acidic, and very well suited to fatty grilled meats.


· Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce:

A wine produced in the province of Modena, from the Salamino varietal, with up to 15% other varietals orUva d'Oro. Ruby red, with lively but evanescent sparkle, very fruity bouquet, and more structure than most Lambruschi.


· Lambrusco Reggiano:

Made with Lambrusco (the Marani, Salamino, Montericco and Maestri varietals), with up to 15% Ancellotta. From Rosé to lively red, fine and long lasting sparkle, pleasing bouquet, light body.


· Lambrusco Mantovano:

Produced with Lambrusco (the Viadanse, Maestri, Marani and Salamino varietals), as well as Ancellotta and Fortana. Ruby red, with a vinous bouquet that has violet overtones.


· Lambrusco Rosato:

Lambrusco, partially fermented off the skins to produce a lighter wine. This is a relatively new wine that is gaining in popularity.



All of these wines are to be drunk young.

For something very different, try Tiziano, the Supertuscan made by Rietine, a small winery in the township of Gaiole in Chianti. "I decided that if I was going to make an alternative wine (another term for Supertuscan, or table wine ) I might as well do something really different," the owner told me, explaining that he uses an ancient variety of Lambrusco, which produces small bunches of widely separated grapes, and cuts it with an equal volume of Merlot. The wine is still, with delightful strawberry and tobacco overtones in the bouquet, and is surprisingly rich on the palate, with lots of ripe fruit. It also ages quite well, and gives an excellent indication of the Lambrusco grape 's potential for producing wines for more serious occasions.




Spaghetti alle Vongole

In Italy, exact recipes for spaghetti alle vongole vary from region to region and even from market to market place. It's really all about interpretation when we get to prepare this excuisite dish. Everybody believe to master the best Spaghetti Vongole on earth. Well, here is how I see it and I let you do the rest at your home :) Remember that a good cooking will depend on your ingredients and mood! Happiness is to be found along the way and not at the end of the road! So, please enjoy the process of making Spaghetti alle Vongole with your friends and loved ones! 

Some will add chilli, dried or fresh, and occasionally you will see tomatoes added, although I prefer the purist version with no tomatoes and just a hint of dried chilli.

The clams used vary too and can be quite expensive. Always try to use smaller ones that cook quickly and stay tender. You could also use cockles, mussels or razor clams in this dish or canned clams work really well. Look for the Italian brands actually sold as Vongole. Drain and rinse well, then just add them to the softened aromatics and warm through gently.

350-400g dried Spaghetti (My favourite brand is Barilla or Colavita) 
5tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
4 garlic cloves, crushed 
2 large shallots, finely chopped 
1/2tsp dried red chilli 
800g small clams rinsed well in cold running water 
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 
3tbsp dry white wine 
Salt and freshly ground white pepper 
50g unsalted butter

A video of my best personal inspiration and one of the best Spaghetti Vongole makers on earth, Antonio Carluccio has it all! 




Cook the Spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, then drain. While the Spaghetti is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the clams and gently cook the garlic, shallots and chilli for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the clams with the parsley and white wine, season with salt and pepper, turn up the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, giving the occasional stir, until all the clams have opened (one or two may not, so don't keep cooking just for them once most have opened). Add the butter and the drained spaghetti to the pan, stir well over a low heat for a minute and serve immediately.

Et voila! Buon appetito a tutti! 

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