making the best of it

Deborah
All thoughts of dining al fresco anytime soon have flown out the window. The long haul of winter just seems to be getting longer each day.

We still need to eat, drink and be merry, don't we?  A season defying hors d'oeuvre that I love is something I call Moroccan Couscous Rolls. They are a play on the classic stuffed grape leaves. The difference is I use collard greens for the wrap and seasoned couscous for the filling. The rolls are served with a fruity sweet and sour glaze. As is my style, I rarely make this exactly the same way twice. Instead I improvise from a basic plan and taste everything as I go to create a balanced flavor that has some character.

Collard greens are perfect for this dish because they are large, cook quickly in boiling water, and hold their shape when tender. They give the rolls structure and a fresh mild green taste. After blanching till tender, I will carefully run a knife along the rib of each leaf to remove the raised section so they will lay flat. This is a bit time consuming and requires a little attention with a steady hand, but it is not difficult to achieve.

For the filling I mix steamed couscous with pine nuts, chopped mint, currents, a dash of cinnamon and a plop of mayonnaise to keep everything together. The variations on what to add are endless. One of my favorite additions is pomegranate seeds, for color and a pop of juiciness.

The glaze is simply some fruit jelly melted down with a little splash of vinegar, salt and lemon juice. I just keep tasting this mixture as it cooks to get the right balance of flavors. I aim for a pronounced tart fruitiness that is not overly sweet.

Ikea's Lingonberry preserves is one of my favorites. It has the deep fruity flavor I am going for and a tiny hint of bitterness to keep it interesting.

Wrapping the rolls is fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Lay a leaf out flat, put about a teaspoon of filling in the center, fold the two sides in as flaps, then fold up the bottom flap to cover the filling, and roll up toward the top. It does require nimble fingers and a bit of experimenting to get your technique down, but it is easily mastered.

The collard leaves can be blanched the day before and stored in a stack, wrapped in plastic in the fridge till you are ready to begin rolling. The finished rolls can be made hours in advance and chilled in the fridge before serving. I like them a little bit cold, it adds to the freshness as you bite into them.

These little cuties are great with other hors d'oeuvres, especially heavier items that might be fried or cheesy, as they lend a light counterpoint to the spread. They are also really good the next day when you are grazing in front of the fridge looking for a tasty leftover nibble.

Any wine suggestions Amanda?

Amanda
Wow! This really looks like such a fun, festive dish! It's beautiful! I would love to give this a shot, and I think I will. However, something tells me mine might not come out as exquisite and lovely as Deb's! Love this recipe for the Spring! In fact, I am so excited about my wine selection for this dish! As Spring approaches, I crave Rose. And everything about this recipe just calls out for a juicy, lush Rose with hints of spice! The spice and berry fruit flavors of the wine are perfect for the combination of cinnamon and mint flavors of the cous cous, as well as the fruit preserves. Yum Yum!

Belle Glos makes a delightful Rose - the Oeil de Perdrix Pinot Noir Blanc. (Oeil de Perdrix is French for eye of the partridge) It is rich and full-bodied, with bold berry flavors. I envision sipping this wine while enjoying Deb's Moroccan Cous Cous Rolls on a warm Sunday afternoon! Makes me extremely eager for Spring to arrive! This food-friendly Rose retails for around $16.99.

I have also mentioned the Crios Rose of Malbec before, made by one of my favorite producers, Susana Balbo in Argentina. A lovely bouquet of fresh berries delights the nose, while flavors of cherries, strawberries and spice dance on the palate! I adore this wine! I couldn't think of the more perfect wines for this recipe! Balbo's Crios line (all delicious) can be found for around $14.99.

I would also recommend pairing a sparkling Rose, something inexpensive would work just fine. The Chandon Brut Rose from California  sells for around $16.99. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, this is a creamy, fruit forward sparkler which is the perfect addition to any Springtime get-together!

Can't wait to test out this dish (and of course, the wine to go with it!)

Euphoria Revisited

Deborah
While planning the menu for my husband's birthday dinner party this week, a friend reminded me of a dish I had made a year ago for the Presidential Inauguration party I hosted in my home. That was a euphoric occasion. I even created a drink I dubbed the Obama Cocktail made with Jamaican sorrel and champagne. I can barely remember what I made to eat ( I was euphoric, remember), but my friend prodded me to recall the kale and black-eyed pea dish I served. Ah yes, that WAS good.

Collard greens, like kale, have a deep rich flavor.

It was a recipe I had come across and then adapted a bit, as I am wont to do. But to recreate that sequence of events seemed unlikely. So, I am starting from scratch, making a dish I think will be filling, flavorful and festive. Truth be told, I am sick of kale at the moment (the experimenting with that raw kale salad has not gone as planned and the results won't be revealed for at least another post or two) so I picked up some collard greens instead.

After sauteeing them with onions and garlic, I threw in one of those mealy tomatoes I happened to have left over, to add a little color. Simmered with the BE peas and some white wine and a little water or stock the collards will be tender in about half an hour.

This dish is being made a day in advance so the flavors can improve overnight. I am going to finish it with a handful of fresh chopped herbs and a drizzle of really good olive oil.

Amanda is on vacation this week so I will tell you about the wine I used for this recipe. It is a Josephine Dubois 2008 Grande Reserve Chardonnay Bourgogne. What drew me to this wine other than the price tag of $9.99? I don't generally drink Chardonnay, but years ago I visited the Bourgogne region of France and it has become one of my favorites for wine, so I thought I could take a chance. And, it IS a really nice wine- fruity with a decent body- not terribly complex but more than a single note- with a slightly mineraly finish to add sophistication. I like!

I suspect we are going to be talking avocados when Amanda returns from Mexico next week. Meanwhile I am going to take a poke at my marinating raw kale that at this point still tastes likes sour rubber bands.

Collard Greens with Black-Eyed Peas
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 large bunch of collard greens, *chopped- see below
salt & pepper to taste
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 can of Black eyed peas, drained of liquid and rinsed
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water
3 Tbs. fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, sage, dill) roughly chopped
1 Tbs. good quality extra virgin olive oil



*to chop collard greens fold leaf in half and cut out the rib. Take the leaves and pile them up and roll into a "cigar" and chop into one inch pieces.

Heat oil in pan and add garlic and onion. Cook 5-8 minutes till they are soft and golden. Add the collard greens and the salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes till the greens begin to soften and wilt. Add the tomato, the black-eyed peas and the wine and cook another 5 minutes. Add a cup of water and bring to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook for another 20 minutes until the greens are softened. Add the chopped herbs and the extra virgin olive oil and heat for another 2-3 minutes. serves 4