Smoked Snails, Steamed Artichokes, & My Beloved WHITE BURGUNDY!

leah elisheva · Aug 8, 2014

Well Happy Friday Great Smoky Cookie Cuties!!!!!! And here's to good things!

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

Today I steamed some artichokes, and smoked some snails (the snails come canned, and cooked already, but with some smoke they just morph into AMBROSIAL and downright amazing) and then drank my favorite type of wine in the world, that being White Burgundy from France!

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

The combo?

It makes a gorgeous, quiet, and calm Friday afternoon in New Hampshire just seem so incredible! So please share my joy...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

I trimmed the artichokes and nuked the edible part of the stems and ate that as a snack (food is not wasted in my house)...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

I rinsed the canned snails, as to rid canned salt; and then I put them in a perforated grill pan with a dash of grapeseed oil...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

Smoking at about 210 degrees, with pistachio shells used as "chips," and on my little gas smoker...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

They were so aromatic and enticing, after about 12 minutes...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

Meanwhile, the artichokes did steam for 45 minutes on the stove, in plain water...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

And I plated this simply, with pungent Dijon mustard (my 2nd crush, after White Burgundy) and black pepper, blue Persian sea salt, sliced tomato and chopped raw shallot and a splash of Greek olive oil...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

Simple, healthful, and sensational!!!!!!!

My dogs LOVE artichokes and snails, and so they each (I have three) got tiny tastes of mollusk, and the artichoke leaf meat and then a taste of the heart...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

My dog "Voss," (named after my favorite brand of sparkling water), has a long history of loving artichokes - the photos of him above were taken back in 2011...

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leah elisheva
Aug 8, 2014

Although today, (the photo above here), Voss sat so very patiently, as I plated even, and hoped for much to fall!

Happy Weekend to all! Thanks for sharing in my joy!

What is everyone sipping and smoking today? Do share!!!!!

Cheers!!!!!! - Leah

moikel · Aug 8, 2014

Great looking meal. I love artichokes.

Just back from shops early saturday ,my fruit & veg guy has wild thistles,mostly dandelion as a special order.

Today I will do beef cheeks in a Southern French style .There is an old thread where I showcased them before.

In a little French village bistro this would be the "blue plate special",if its thursday its beef cheeks.

I will have it low & slow while I am out.

I will go & grab a case of Wynns Black Label Cab sav 2012.

Its the benchmark for cabernet in this country.Made continuously since the 1950s in Australia's best region for cab.

There are more expensive cabs now a days but this is a classic. The 6th most cellared wine in Aust.

Built to last years, chief wine maker Sue Hodder ,a woman of great skill.I have drunk the last of my 98s & but still have thenm from 2000 onwards.

$26 if you buy 6

.Its a wine people buy a case of on release because its just so reliable & a great expression of Aussie wine making.

You can buy 24 bottles for the price of a bottle of Grange .

Available in the USA.

moikel · Aug 8, 2014

I am going to keep going in this thread now that I started its not a .

, Leah & I drop stuff into each others threads as the situation suits.

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moikel
Aug 8, 2014

That small print says 57th vintage.Just released this week.You can buy them as a 6 box.

The 3 gabled winery in the woodcut was completed 1896 by the great wine pioneer John Riddoch.

The word iconic is over used generally now a days but its hard to find another word for a wine like this.

Its going to be young & feisty now & keep for 15 years easy to grow old gracefully.

I know Leah likes her reds young,this one is going to be a real young bull right now

Described by wine writers as having "vivid black currant& plum fruit,underlying,herb(mint) ,spicy characters ,finishes chalky firm but long & juicy, very modern & versatile style"

I know they ship to the USA &Canada.

.

moikel · Aug 8, 2014

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139814/beef-cheeks-the-french-bistro-version

Thats the set out only variance is it marinated for 4 hours, I didn't have any pig skin so I dropped a pigs foot in it

.

In the oven now.

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moikel
Aug 8, 2014

knuckle47 · Aug 9, 2014

Gee whiz, what ever happened to plain old pork or beef or chicken? My mom makes artichokes only stuffed with breadcrumb, garlic, olive oil and lemon. Once again, we are Italian. I've only had steamed artichokes when I lived in Vermont. That's because I didn't know how to stuff them.

Our trip to Northern California last August is where we first saw the artichokes growing in the fields. Beautiful dark rich green views for the entire panorama. Makes you wonder who ever was the first person who looked at those plants and said " mmmm, I bet those taste great!"

leah elisheva · Aug 9, 2014

Good Morning to All!!

And yes, ALWAYS drop/add/post ANYTHING you wish in any of my threads!!! (This is a "group" section anyway, but even in my solo threads in forum sections, I am thrilled to see anyone else's variation on a dish or their photos, or posts or videos or anything). The more the merrier! Always!

In any event, how fantastic Mick, and from your food (I love that a foot got layered in) to the wines!

I HAVE seen this Cab here and now know not to fear it! That it's really young sounds perfect for me as I indeed NEED my reds to be young and just haven't the palate for cellared, brick colored grape. Your young Aussie picks have been downright stunning in color, striking in nose, and the finish is bold and just beautiful! I'm now a fan!

Meanwhile, Knuckle47, how majestic on your trip west and seeing the artichokes!!!!!!!! To even fathom that one could have artichokes in their yard, is such a wild concept!

(I'd love to have just eggplant, artichokes, haricots verts, heirloom tomatoes that are yellow with bleeding red in them, CHIVES, figs, Boston bib lettuce, mache, and endive if able; and have that all in a yard and be thrilled)!

For now, even hearing about a field of artichokes in another climate, is a happy image!

And I want to hear more about your dish Mick! It looks incredible!!! And now I have another Aussie wine to pick up! Thank you!!!!!!!

Happy Saturday to all!!!!!!!! Keep sharing your weekend vino and menus, as it's great fun to hear about what everyone is having!!!!

Cheers!!!!!!!! - Leah

moikel · Aug 9, 2014

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moikel
Aug 9, 2014

Its very deeply coloured really fruit forward this young. I get the blackberry & plum I can even get the minty note. But gee its young .

I checked the cellar I have 6 x 2001 here must have 12 or so 2000 & 2002 down the coast.I drank a 1998 at Xmas last year I drank my last 96 a year ago.

It has great bones & acidity it could cellar for 20 years.A lot of people buying it won't touch it for years. There was a half page add in the Sydney Morning Herald( think NewYork Times) announcing its release.

Its a wine for the every man sub $30 stick it in a styrofoam box under your bed your a wine collector

.

I suppose the real point is its a classic & classics are classics for a reason. Its the oldest winery in our premium cabernet region & it set a standard here of 57 vintages.Cape Jaffa is about an hours drive away in the new frontier & they would be the first to acknowledge the fact that Wynns is winery that inspired them.

Make sure its the right label.

I have to get dinner on the table.

moikel · Aug 9, 2014

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moikel
Aug 9, 2014

Nice meal,cheeks falling apart.Real comfort food.

I think the pigs foot added something & I had a 3 pack in the fridge .

Very dark & brooding & red wine driven meal.

If I had to put my hand on my heart & answer the question I think both the Cape Jaffa & the Mount Monster are a better drink at this moment in time.

The Wynns will be the better wine down the track but thats for patient people. 2016 & beyond it will stop traffic & be ranked with the great vintages like 96 ,98,02 04, 06 08. But just this point in time it needs to settle down a bit.

Don't get caught with the 2011 its not a good year. They can write what they want they can't change the vintage.

leah elisheva · Aug 9, 2014

So beautiful Mick!

And I bet the trotter DID add to the menu indeed! That dark wine and deep and delicious meal looked like a magical pairing!

And it sounds like, for the patient folk as you say, that this Wynn shall indeed be a winner!

Such interesting stuff! I love learning it! Thank you!!!!!!

Here's to a very gorgeous pairing!!! (Grilled shark and eggplant over here today, which was terrific, and tomorrow is a simple calamari).

Cheers!!!!! - Leah

disco · Aug 9, 2014

Another terrific looking meal. I love the idea of smoking the snails. I will have to give it a try.

She Who Must Be Obeyed loves white burgundy. I joke that it is fermented Koolaid but then sneak a glass to sip on the deck. Sh. don't tell her.

Thanks for another great thread.

Disco

knuckle47 · Aug 9, 2014

In line with the yellow tomatoes with the red insides, have you had the watermelon that is brilliant yellow inside but tastes exactly the same as the typical red ones ?

In a fun way, I keep reviewing all of the things I don't eat just be reading these posts. Did I ever mention I'm a dunker? Coffee, milk, orange juice and chips ahoy!
Now that's gourmet ! :yahoo:

moikel · Aug 10, 2014

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moikel
Aug 10, 2014

That's a glass of the same wine but 2001 vintage. So 11 years after release . Very smooth & mellow but nothing to indicate that it's the least bit past it.
It's a great glass of wine could easy go a few more years.

leah elisheva · Aug 10, 2014

Thank you so much Disco!!! And I commend your dear bride's exquisite taste! She loves mussels and scallops and seafood too right? Fantastic woman indeed!

(And funny, I find white BORDEAUX to taste like "fermented Kool Aid" as I am not a fan of Sav Blanc; but love my dry white Burgundy indeed). It's fun how we all have our kick!

Nonetheless, your porch sneaky sips sound very wonderful!

And Knuckle47, this dunking business sounds gourmet indeed! I love dunking raw quail egg over little salmon eggs (ikura caviar) and then eating that in one bite! AMAZING! (And so we're not so far apart in habits, right)? Smiles. It's a delicious combo!

Mick, the color on these is just tremendous! Each one is more gorgeous than the next! (And I saw some lovely whites on the Cape Jaffa site too)! I'm having fun surfing their site and reading about their joy of life!

Happy Sunday to all! Today is smoked calamari safari over here, and so stay tuned!!!!!!! Cheers! - Leah

moikel · Aug 10, 2014

We have some great Chardonnay here. I like the Margaret River wines,Hunter Valley & the cool climate wines from Victoria & Tassie.
The problem is we have to much of it. It's not hard to grow & we end up with featureless generic wines.
I like them big & buttery.
Scarborough in the Hunter Valley my go to wine about $25.

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