Tag Archives: lamb

Opus One, an Iconic Wine

Opus One paired with Rack of Lamb
Opus One

Opus One

Opus One paired with Rack of Lamb

Opus One paired with Rack of Lamb

As my birthday is approaching, (October 26th) I thought, I’d crack open a seductive bottle of 2013 Opus One, a Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. It’s made with 5 varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. This opulent red wine is made in the exact same fashion as a Bordeaux First Growth. The color is an intense crimson red with slow-moving legs and a 14.5% ABV.  All you have to do is, take a good whiff of it to realize that this wine is in a class of its own. The nose boasts intense aromas of cedar, chocolate, dark plums, and intoxicating spices. It has a luscious mouthfeel with hints of dark cocoa, tobacco, leather, and black pepper. The wine is dense with layers of complexity. The tannins are velvety and the finish is extremely persistent. This is a special occasion wine and I paired it with a mouth-watering rack of lamb and a delectable eggplant dish called ratatouille. The earthiness of the veggies weaved magically with this iconic wine.  A wine of such magnitude is made to age in the cellar in order to enjoy the optimal flavor profiles. However, since I have no patience, and life is passing by so quickly, I decided it was time to open it up and enjoy “Gina’s Dolce Vita” to the fullest.

The wine is perfectly balanced, and all the other elements come together harmoniously. I enjoyed sharing it with my loved ones, and it was a memorable evening. I used a decanter called vSpin to aerate it, and it opened it beautifully.

“Opus One is the realized dream of two men: Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux and Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi. Together, our founders set out to create a single wine dedicated to the pursuit of uncompromising quality. This singular mission shapes every vintage, today and for generations to come.” ~ Opus One Winery

“Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit.” ~ Robert Mondavi

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

Rack of Lamb

Rack of Lamb

I hope you have enjoyed my delightful food and wine experience. I have recently published a cookbook that contains a treasury of recipes and some wine pairing suggestions. If you would like to obtain an autographed copy, please click on this link:  Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures  

CCC-Cookbook-Cover-FrontJpeg

Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures

Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, Foodiewinelover
My Food, Wine & Travel Lifestyles
World renowned – WSET (Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust) Level-2
Level-2 Sommelier
Culinary Personality and cookbook author of: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures
Photos by Gina Martino Zarcadoolas for Foodiewinelover, LLC

Disclaimer:

Trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners, and no claim is made to them and no endorsement by them of this blog post and my cookbook is implied or claimed.

Leg of Lamb, Greek-Style

Leg of Lamb, Greek-Style

Leg of Lamb

Leg of Lamb, Greek-Style

Leg of Lamb, Greek Style
Today we are celebrating a special birthday, and I am dedicating this blogpost to my lovely fellow-foodie-blogger friend, Athina, from  Kicking Back The Pebbles.  She is one of the 6 admins at Foodify, (including myself) a fabulous Facebook group of food bloggers  from around the world.  She is such a valuable  asset to the group, and has a generous heart.  She lives in Greece, and I am doing it the Greek way with all the fanfare.  In Greece, depending where you live, lamb is usually the meat served at Easter. I  made this leg of lamb, (1/2 to be exact) a while back in April, for Greek Easter. I normally cook a whole leg of lamb, but this time, I was cooking just for the four of us. I asked the butcher to cut the lamb in half, and he did. Today, I will share my version of a Leg of lamb. I have made this dish on many occasions, and it’s always a big hit.

Serves: 4-6 Level of difficulty: Easy-medium
Prepping time: about 10 minutes, cooking time: 1.15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 leg of lamb, 3.5 lbs.
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, whole
  • Olive oil, a generous amount
  • Oregano, to taste (lots)
  • 2 cups of water, or low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup of dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh *
  • 1.5 cup orzo (a shape of pasta)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

    Preparation:

    1) Season lamb with salt & pepper, pierce some holes, and place the garlic cloves in the meat.  Place the lamb in a large deep metal tray.  Sprinkle oregano, and put the onions on top of the lamb. Drizzle generously with olive oil.

    2) In a 350 degree F. preheated oven, bake the lamb for about 35-45 minutes. Remove the tray with the lamb from the oven.  LEAVE THE OVEN ON!  Sprinkle the orzo all around the lamb.  Add the tomatoes, water, more olive oil, salt & pepper to the liquid. Give it a good stir. Place the tray back in the oven to continue cooking until the orzo is done. Always, keep an eye on your food. Add more liquid if necessary. It should come out, nice and moist.

    Leg of Lamb

    Leg of Lamb (in my kitchen)

    This is a picture of a whole leg of lamb, in my kitchen from the past.  If you are cooking for a crowd, use the same method, adjust the measurements, and allow for more cooking time.

    Leg of Lamb and lemon potatoes also make a beautiful combination, and is more traditional.

    Wine suggestions:

    Agiorghitiko from Nemea,  in the region of Peloponnese, a fruity red wine.

    Xinomavro, from Naousa, in the region of  Macedonia, a rich red wine with more tannins.

    Let’s not forget, Ouzo goes with everything! Opa!  (DO NOT CONFUSE ORZO WITH OUZO)

    Wait!!! That’s not all, no party would be complete without some Greek deliciousness. I am serving  Kouzounas Kitchen scrumptious, Loukoumades. They are mouth-watering Greek doughnuts. Like her saying goes: “let your taste buds say Opa!”

    Loukoumades, Kouzounas Kitchen

    Loukoumades, Kouzounas Kitchen

    χρόνια πολλά,  Happy Birthday Athina! Hope you are enjoying your celebration in style.

Polla Filakia! (Lots of kisses) darn, WordPress, wanted to change         Filakia to Tilapia, LOL!

Love, Gina

 

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