A group of younger Finnish persons comes together every now and then to make food and combine with wines. They want to share opinions about experiences and aromas concerning the dishes. Furthermore it is convenient as a group to taste different kinds of food and several wines than individually. This time there were spicy food on a plate and fruity wines on glass from Chile.
Tarapacá Brut Sparkling as an aperitif. Chile, Casablanca Valley. Alko number 575517. Price 9,79.
Pale yellow, green apple on nose and dry (residual sucker 6 g/l), fruity, crisp and persistent flavor.
Spinach cheese empanadas as a starter:
Ingredients
Dough from freezer.
For the filling:
5 slices bacon, cooked crispy, drained and crumbled
butter
bunch of fresh spinach leaves, washed
1/3 cup minced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cottage cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch ground nutmeg
1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions
Heat one teaspoon of butter in a medium nonstick skillet and add the spinach.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted (2‒3 minutes).
Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain.
When the spinach has cooled enough squeeze to release any excess water, chop finely and set aside.
Add two more teaspoons of butter to the same skillet and then add the onion and garlic.
Cook them stirring, until soft but not browned for 2‒3 minutes.
Add the reserved spinach, crumbled bacon, cottage cheese, salt, some pepper and nutmeg and mix well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning when needed.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Defrost the dough and with some flour roll the dough to a thickness of about 4 mm thick.
Using a small saucer as a guide, cut the dough into as many 12 cm splitter circles as possible.
Divide the spinach filling evenly among the dough circles.
Lightly moisten the edges with some of the beaten egg, then fold one side over so that the edges meet.
Press to seal and crimp the edges using the tines of a fork and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Brush the tops of each empanada with some of the beaten egg and bake uncovered until golden (13 minutes).
Pebre-tomatosalsa, garlic and fiery, served with empanadas
Ingredients
4 medium onions diced
2 tbsp raw sugar
salt
3 tomatoes, diced
½ green/red/yellow pimiento diced
3–4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
2–3 bunches coriander, finely chopped (including stems)
juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp grape-seed oil
dried oregano
pepper
Preparation
Put the onion in a colander and sprinkle with the sugar and some hot water.
Mix and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Rinse the onion and mix in a handful of salt.
Transfer to a bowl, fill with cold water and leave to stand for a further 10 minutes.
Then tip the onion back into the colander, rinse again and drain well.
Combine the tomatoes, pimiento, garlic, chillies and coriander in a bowl.
Add the onion, lemon juice, vinegar and oil and mix well.
Sprinkle with a little oregano and add salt and pepper to taste.
Tarapacá Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Viognier tasted with Empanadas and pebre-salsa.
Tarapacá Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Viognier. Chile, Maipo 2012. Alko number 553387. Price 8,98.
Light yellow, fruity on nose and dry (4 g/l), crispy, with lemon and herbal aromas, toasted, strong taste.
Pastel de Choclo as a main course for 6 persons:
6 individual clay bakers
Ingredients
6 corn-cobs
1 kg of PINO (the meat filling, see below)
2 broiled chicken breasts without skin cut into 6 pieces
1 tbsp of salted butter
1 tbsp of canola oil
1,5 tbsp of sugar
0,5 litre of milk
2 hardboiled eggs cut into slices
2 large basil leaves
1 tsp of salt
Directions for the pastel
Peel the corn and cut the corn off the cob with a knife.
Once you have all the corn off put into blender.
Mix the butter and the oil in a pot.
Put in the corn paste from blender and cook slowly always stirring.
When it thickens add slowly the milk, the salt, the sugar and the finely chopped basil.
When it’s thoroughly thickened put it aside to use to top the pastel.
Ingredients for the
PINO, meat filling
1 kg minced meat
2 large onions finely chopped
1,5 tbsp oil
0,5 tsp cumin
0,5 tsp black pepper
0,5 tsp chili powder
0,5 tsp paprika
0,5 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
0,5 tsp salt
about 12 black olives
1 cup of seeded raisins
Directions for Pino
Heat the oil in a pot and add the onions and fry until onions become clear in color.
Add the spices and salt, and cook for a couple of more minutes.
Add the raisins and cook for two minutes.
Add the meat and fry until well done.
Final mix combining the pastel and Pino
Preheat your oven to 190 celcius.
Oil your individual clay bakers.
Fill vats to about half way up with the PINO.
Add two slices of egg, a piece of chicken and a few olives.
Top with the corn filling to just below the top.
Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.
Put into preheated oven and bake until the top becomes golden brown and hard.
Errazuriz Estate Sangiovese served slightly chilled with Pastel de Choclo.
Errazuriz Estate Sangiovese. Chile, Aconcagua 2011. Alko nunber 449927. Price 9,99.
Ruby-red, red berries on nose, full bodied, spicy, lush, sweet tannins and hint of oak on the taste.
Siinä ne ovat, vuorokauden vanhoina, kesän ensimmäiset tatit.
Viinirypäleiden värin vaihtuminen ennakoi syksyn tuloa ja sadon kypsymistä.
Tattirisotto etsii viinikumppania. Mikä on sinun valintasi?
