"O" is for Oysters on Valentine's Day

The oyster is a well-known aphrodisiac. It contains a high zinc level, which is an important nutrient for the production of testosterone. Testosterone stimulates the libido in both men and women.

So, this Valentine’s Day you may want to consider enjoying a feast of raw oysters with an accompanying wine with your romantic partner.

Rather than serving the traditional dish of oysters on the half shell, why not prepare a few Japanese oyster shooters?

To make oyster shooters, you’ll need to buy about a dozen oysters. Many supermarkets carry fresh oysters in the fish department. Remember that the size of the shell is not an indicator of the fattiness of the oyster.

You need not hunt for the biggest shells. The shell size does not determine the size of the oyster. Look for shells that are not chipped or cracked and are tightly sealed.

Be sure to purchase an oyster knife, if you don’t already own one. It need not be expensive, and supermarkets usually sell them.

When you get home from the supermarket, store your live oysters in a bowl, flat side up in their own liquid in the refrigerator. Because they need to breathe, do not store them in an airtight bag, otherwise they will die.

To clean, rub the shells with a stiff brush under cold running water. To shuck them, wrap your left hand in a kitchen towel. Place the oyster shell in the towel and firmly cup the bottom shell. Be careful to not tip the oyster when shucking, as you will lose some of the delicious, oyster liquor. Insert the tip of the oyster knife into the hinged end of the shell and work it gently back and forth until you feel the shell release. Once opened, gently probe against the upper shell with the tip of the knife, cutting through the sinewy umbilical cord that holds the muscle to the shell. Remove the top shell. Discard any bits of shell in the liquor. Work the knife gently underneath the meat to free it from the bottom shell.

Inspect the meat. The oyster should be plump with a grayish colour and a mild, fresh water scent. If pink, discard the oyster. This can be an indication of the presence of yeast. Dried out oysters should also be thrown out, as well.

Place the shucked oysters on a bed of lettuce leaves set on ice in a bowl while you prepare your shooters. The lettuce will keep the shells from over-chilling.

To make a Japanese shooter, place a raw oyster and its liquor in the bottom of a shooter glass. Add a half teaspoon of ponzu. Ponzu is a citrus-based, thin sauce used in Japanese cuisine. Top the oyster with a quarter teaspoon of tobiko. Tobiko is the Japanese word for fish roe, used in various sushi, including California rolls. The eggs are usually orange with a crunchy texture and salty flavour. Sprinke a few small pieces of green onion on top. Both ponzu and tobiko are available at Asian supermarkets. Add an ounce of vodka to the shooter glass.

The Japanese oyster shooter pairs nicely with Aveleda Vinho Verde (CSPC 5322), $7.95, from Portugal. This is a crisp, dry white wine with lemon flavour and delicious sourness that offsets the salty flavour of fresh oysters and tobiko. The wine also has a hint of effervesce, giving it an interesting mouth feel.

If you’re going ‘all out’ this Valentine’s Day to impress a loved one, then forgo the quaffer and invest in a bottle Champagne! Veuve Clicquot Brut (CSPC 563338), $64.95, offers sophisticated, exceptional taste and characteristics that harmonize with oysters. The wine’s brut quality (steely acidity) nicely offsets the saltiness of oysters and tobiko.

"N" is for Naked Grape

I recently sampled, once again, a line of easy drinking quaffers released through the LCBO and Wine Rack stores throughout Ontario.

The line is the Naked Grape series of wines. This line offers four varietal wines – sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot and shiraz. At under $10.00 each, the wines are worth exploring. I call these 'weekday wines.'

The name ‘naked’ refers to the idea that the wines shine with their natural fruitiness, without having to share the spotlight with any woody, vanilla or oaky character imparted through fermentation or aging in oak barrels. These are Canadian wines made in the latest trendy style of forward fruitiness. This style of wine is quite popular and readily available in Californian and Australian wines.

Naked Grape sauvignon blanc (CSPC # 665224), $9.95, is medium in weight, crisp and tart with lots of tangerine and lime flavours typical of this grape variety. I love a good sauvignon blanc, and this is certainly one that works for me. This wine is too tangy to serve at large gatherings over the holidays. Save it for dinner entertaining. Its tart acidity would be far too intrusive for older relatives or anyone sensitive to acidity. Yet, it’s an excellent food wine to pair with specific dishes. I served this white with sole drizzled in fresh lemon juice. Matching appetizers include those highlighting caviar, fresh goat cheese, feta or smoked salmon. Greek chicken marinated in yogurt is also an ideal match.

Naked Grape chardonnay (CSPC #665232), $9.95, is also medium in weight yet has lots of forward ripe pear fruit and balanced acidity. Due to its taste and price, this is an ideal wine for holiday functions and Christmas parties for large groups. Its easy drinking and will please most of your guests. I would match this wine with a variety of appetizers at a large function, such as canapés featuring chicken, mozzarella and garlic or Cuban chicken skewers marinated in orange and lemon juice with olive oil and a pinch each of cumin, paprika and dried oregano. This white would also work nicely with cold salads, cold turkey and grilled salmon.

The merlot in this series (CSPC # 665208), $9.95, is medium in weight with red raspberry flavour with some sourness and bitterness. It’s not a typical soft merlot, but still can be matched to certain types of food. To work with the wine’s character, I cooked t-bone steaks with fried garlic and season salt. Fried garlic tends to be slightly bitter, pairing nicely with the wine’s hint of bitterness. The salt on the steaks also helped to soften the bitterness.

Naked Grape shiraz (CSPC# 665216), $9.95, offers typical, delicious character. The wine is blackberry with a hint of spice, medium in weight and smooth. This is a great, easy drinking red that will work with turkey and all the trimmings during the holidays. The wine’s berry character and hint of sweetness will also pair nicely with not too sweet homemade cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce from the can requires wines with more sweetness, such as off-dry whites and off-dry roses. This is a good red to serve to large gatherings over the holidays, as well.

"M" is for Mastering Meatballs

Chinese Meatball Recipe Below

Every culture has its own traditional meatball.

I have a fettish for meatballs of every kind. I love them in soups, sauces, and salads. I'll eat a giant meatball from the deli counter at my local supermarket as my lunch. I also serve them as hors d'oeuvres.

There is a mastery to making the perfect meatball.

The first secret to the perfect Italian meatball is to use a combination of pork, veal and beef. Veal adds the richness, while pork provides flavour and beef gives structure to the meatball. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh oregano and fresh parsley with this mixture. If you substitute with inferior ingrediens, you'll end up with a mediocre meatball.

The second secret is to ensure you do not overwook the mix. Warming up the mixture smears the fat throughout and make the meatballs tough.

Third...keep added ingredients cold, as well. If you're adding sauted mushrooms or carmelized onions to your meatball cool them down first.

Whenever using dried breadcrumbs, soak them in milk or heavy cream first. This keeps them moist and light. Or use fresh breadcrumbs with a little egg to make them tight.

The fifth secret is to consider how you cook the meatballs. Searing or braising them renders the fat from the balls into the sauce. This makes the dish high in fat, thus highly flavourful.

But if you're interested in eating more healthily, render the fat from the balls and sauce. Roast the balls first and then remove the fat. Or poach the meatballs for the same reason.

Lastly, be sure to cook your meatballs completely to avoid the potential of food born illnesses.

In Asian and Thai cuisine, for example, fish and seafood balls are popular. Ground crab, scallops and/or shrimp work nicely with cilantro, cumin, lemon and garlic, to name a few. These combinations also work with a white wine possessing good acidity called Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is delicious on hot, summer days. Its grassy, grapefruit, fig, green herb and bell pepper aromas and flavours complement meatballs that combine some of these ground meats and herbs and spices. The key is to experiment.

Other seafood balls, made of ground fish, such as salmon, or lobster, shrimp, chicken, pork, veal or turkey combined with chervil, fennel seed, fresh sage, garlic, curry, ginger, tarragon, and basil go nicely with a white called Chardonnay. Barrel fermented Chardonnay is known for its full-body and tropical aromas and flavours and buttery texture. This makes it an ideal sparing partner for all these ground meats.

Meatballs can also be made from the ground meat of smoked chicken, smoked duck, and smoked turkey, all of which complement rose. Most roses with a hint of sweetness work with the herbs and spices found in Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Thai, Cajun, Southwestern and Indonesian cuisines. Some of the herbs and spices in these multicultural cuisines are allspice, caraway, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and nutmeg.

Beef meatballs combined with the flavours of basil, bay leaves, clove, garlic, lavender and thyme go nicely with a light, fruity red wine called Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir often is medium bodied with aromas and flavours of black cherry, berries, cloves, violets and sometimes with smokiness. The idea is to choose a specific type of ground meat, choose a couple of spices and marry this to a specific wine. You wouldn’t want to go overboard with too many herbs and spices in one meatball. Simplicity is key.

Lamb, wild game, beef and duck meatballs are often incorporated into North American and Italian cuisines. Black pepper, garlic, lavender, mustard, rosemary, and thyme are all flavouring agents that partner well with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, full-bodied red wine with black currant, cassis, eucalyptus, mint, berry, chocolate, cedar and tobacco like character.

One of my favourite red wines is Zinfandel. It possesses wild blackberries, raspberries, black pepper, chocolate and sometimes violet notes in the aromas and flavours. This big red is an ideal partner for spaghetti and meatballs. The herbs and spices of basil, bay leaves, and oregano are perfect complements for this grape variety. Zinfandel also complements many Italian, Creole and Southwestern dishes, all of which highlight meatballs, as well.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for meatballs, remember that there’s a wide range of ground meats, along with combinations of herbs and spices and wine partnerships from which to choose.

Here's three meatball recipes and matching wine notes to consider:

Chinese Rice–Studded Meatballs
Serves 4

These rice-coated meatballs are known as zhen zhu or “pearls” in Chinese. Steaming the meatballs on bok choy leaves helps to keep them from sticking to the steamer. While this dish can be served as an appetizer, my husband likes it as an entrée.

1 cup jasmine rice (or rice of choice) 250 mL
2 to 4 outer bok choy leaves 2 to 4
4 scallions 4
1 egg 1
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts 125 mL
1 Tbsp each cornstarch, rice vinegar and sesame oil 15 mL
1 tsp sugar 5 mL
1/2 tsp chili paste 2 mL (or as desired)
1 lb ground chicken 500 g
Salt and pepper to taste
Bok choy leaves (for garnish)
Dipping Sauce: (Chinese Plum Sauce with added fresh lime
juice and splash of hotsauce)

Place rice in a bowl. Cover with hot water and soak until needed. Set a skillet filled with water on the stove and place a bamboo or metal steamer on the skillet. Line the steamer with bok choy leaves.

In a food processor or blender, add scallions, egg, water chestnuts, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chili paste. Puree, then transfer mixture to a bowl. Add ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roll mixture into balls. Drain rice and transfer to a shallow dish. Coat meatballs with damp rice.

Bring the water in the skillet to a boil. Place batches of meatballs in steamer and steam until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick in each meatball and place on a platter lined with bok choy leaves. Serve with dipping sauce.

Wine Suggestion: Sparkling Wine with Hint of Sweetness
The predominant building block is hot and spiciness from the dipping sauce, so the recipe requires a demi-sec sparkling wine with sweetness to offset the heat and spice.

Blue Cheese Meatballs
Serves Four

1 ½ lbs ground lean beef
1 ½ tsp salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 large egg
¼ lb blue cheese, cubed
Flour (for drudging)
4 tbsp butter
1 cup Cabernet Franc

Put meat in mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with salt crushed with minced garlic; blend in egg. Shape pieces of meat around each cube of cheese, and then roll each meatball lightly in flour. Heat butter in skillet and sauté meatballs, turning frequently until well browned. Add wine and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Franc
This recipe calls for a big red with plenty of flavour to stand up to blue cheese and texture of meat.

Spicy Shrimp Balls
Serves 4

1 lb shrimp
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised and chopped*
4 coriander roots*
10 pepper corns (1/4 tsp cracked black pepper)
1 small piece krachai root (about 1 tbsp chopped)*
½ tsp grated wild lime (makrood) peel (lime peel may be substituted)*
5-10 dried chillies or to taste
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp fish sauce or to taste
8 oz green beans, thinly sliced in rounds
1 egg beaten
2-3 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

*lemon grass, coriander roots, krachai and makrood are available in asian supermarkets

Peel and devein shrimp; puree or grind. In a mortar, pound together shallots, garlic, lemon grass, coriander roots, peppercorns, krachai, wild lime peel and chillies. Gradually blend in shrimp paste and fish sauce as the ingredients start to break down. When consistency of a fairly smooth paste, mix in shrimp puree, green beans and egg. Roll into small balls. Heat oil in heavy pot or deep-fry balls over medium heat about 4 minutes or until golden.

Wine Suggestion: Semi Dry Vidal
When entertaining, begin with an easy drinking wine to pair with the appetizers. Let the quality of the wines served increase in weight, structure and flavour as the evening progresses. Semi Dry Vidal offers enough sweetness to counteract the Thai spiciness in this appetizer. It is also light body and so doesn’t overpower the delicate nature of shrimp.

"L" is for Little Penguin Chardonnay

With the state of our economy, I’m in search of tasty and inexpensive wines. It’s rare to find big, fat chardonnays at a reasonable price. They tend to range from $17 to $30, as most are barrel fermented and/or aged and this adds to their final cost.

Warm climate whites can fall into the big, fat category if they possess high alcohol (13 to 14.5 per cent). Alcohol is one of a few elements in wine that can add viscosity. In layman terms, viscosity is thickness. The higher the alcohol, the heavier the weight of the wine.

As an experiment, place the same crisp, dry white wine with low alcohol (12 per cent) into 2 wine glasses. In one of the glasses add an ounce of vodka. Taste both wines. You’ll notice that the wine with the vodka has more viscosity than the one without it. It will be heavier and thicker in texture due to the increase of alcohol.

You’ll generally find big fat whites of quality in the Vintage section of LCBO stores. These are the only whites that have enough body and fattiness to match cheese, cream and butter based dishes.

It would not occur to me to hunt for such a fatty wine through the general list area of the LCBO. However, a client recently recommended I try Little Penguin chardonnay, Australia, (CSPC # 598904), $10.95. At this price I had little hope of the wine meeting the balance, weight and creaminess I demand in a big, fat white wine. But I tried it anyway.

This Aussie gem pleasantly surprised me. The wine has full body, creamy texture and flavours on the nose and palate of fresh tropical fruit like pineapple and melon. Well balanced. It’s truly a delightful, fatty chardonnay.

Little Penguin chardonnay reveals characteristics that can be partnered to an array of inexpensive dishes so you can entertain on a budget.

Party dips work well with this big white. Cream cheese is fatty and creamy and is often the base ingredient in dips. Crab, artichoke and parmesan, smoked salmon, spinach, and blue cheese dips all harmonize with the same fatty taste sensation in this white wine.

Due to its weight, Little Penguin chardonnay also complements fatty fish like salmon, tuna and swordfish. Try grilled salmon with a citrus butter sauce, salmon cannelloni with a lemon butter sauce or grilled swordfish with lime butter.

This is an acceptable partner for sushi highlighting salmon and tuna, as well.

Little Penguin chardonnay complements pasta dishes coated in fatty sauces, too. Mac and cheese has the weight, creaminess and fattiness to work with this white. If you want to add depth of flavour to this inexpensive comfort food, add a dash of white wine to the cheese sauce and drizzle the dish with truffle oil just before serving.

Casseroles are inexpensive and easy to make and taste great when served with a warmed loaf of crusty bread and a chilled glass of Little Penguin chardonnay. How about potato and bacon casserole served with toasted garlic bread and a bottle of this white?

Polenta is made from corn meal, which is inexpensive. Yet, when made right, polenta has gourmet appeal. A favourite in my house is creamed chicken with corn and bacon over polenta. Gorgonzola with polenta and fresh porcini mushrooms would also work well with Little Penguin chardonnay.

"K" is for Kidney Beans

Kidney Burger Recipe and Wine Pairing Below

If I had only one food and one beverage from which to choose, it would be a T-bone steak and a glass of red wine. In an effort to reduce my calorie, fat and frequent consumption of meat, make a few changes for the New Year, I’ve been studying the many benefits of beans, specifically kidneys. When combined with brown rice, this common bean provides an excellent source of protein – without the high calories and fat content of red meat! In fact, one cup of kidney beans provides 15.3 grams of protein, 30% of one’s daily requirement.

Like most beans, kidneys are also an excellent source of cholesterol lowering fiber. Hypoglycemic and diabetic friendly, these beans help to stabilize blood sugar levels after meals.

One of the best benefits of kidneys, I believe, is that they are high in ‘molybdenum.’ Molybdenum is a trace mineral and an important part of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites in the body.

One cup of cooked kidney beans supplies about 177.0% of our molybdenum daily requirement. I checked my multivitamin. It contains 8 mcg of this trace mineral. For the human being, 75 mcg of molybdenum is a daily requirement. So, kidney beans are now a part of my weekly repertoire.

Molybdenum is believed to help to protect the stomach and esophagus against cancers, aids in the absorption of iron and so helps to prevent anemia, as well as tooth decay. Molybdenum also aids in the metabolizing of fats and carbohydrates. (Other than kidney beans, other foods high in molybdenum are meats, whole brains, buckwheat, barley, wheat germ, lima beans, sunflower seeds and dark green leafy vegetables.)

Most importantly, kidney beans are high in soluable and insoluable fibre. Soluable fibre produces a gel-like substance that increases stool bulk and therefore helps to prevent constipation.

When buying kidney beans at bulk food stores, look closely to ensure they are not cracked, thus indicating too much moisture content.

To prepare dried kidneys quickly and for culinary greatness, rinse the beans under cool water. Place them in a pot on a burner with just enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and then let the beans simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the beans stand in their liquid for two hours. Remove the beans from this liquid. Discard the liquid. Rinse the beans again under cool water again. Put them into a clean pot. Add 3 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Let the kidneys cook for another 1.5 to 2 hours until soft and done.

Kidney Bean Burgers
Serves two
1 (15- to 16-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed, drained

1 cup cooked brown rice.
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa
1 tsp cumin
sea salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil (as needed)
2 whole-wheat hamburger buns
slices of cucumber as needed
sprouts of choice

Place beans and brown rice in a food processor. Puree until chunky. Transfer to a bowl. Fold in the onion, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the salsa, and cumin. Add more salsa if mixture is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. Using moistened hands, shape bean mixture into two (3- to 4-inch-diameter) patties. Prepare the electric grill. Spray the grill with non stick cooking spray. Grill burgers until heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Grill cut sides of buns until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer burgers to bottom halves of buns. Spoon remaining salsa over each burger. Add slices of cucumber and favourite sprouts. Cover with tops of buns.

Wine Suggestion: The tangy salsa demands a crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, pinot gris or VinhoVerde.

If you choose to add a lot of cayenne heat to the burger, choose an off dry white wine with a hint of sweetness. The sweetness in the wine will offset the heat and spice.