November Wine and Food Pairing: Rotisserie Roasted Lamb Leg and Qu.ale

For this month’s Wine and food Paring Chase Devitt of  Denver Brider paired his Rotisserie Roasted Leg Lamb and side (cucumber, mint, cilantro, harissa, tzatziki, lemon) along with Qu.ale, a red wine picked out by Carolyn Joy of Joy Wine & Spirits.

Carolyn  says that “Thanksgiving can be complicated, with the turkey, all the sides, …. and the wine, let alone all the family dynamics.  Thanksgiving feasts are a potpourri of flavors, textures and nuances – savory or spicy stuffing, creamy potatoes, zesty or tart fruits, braised veggies… the list goes on.  At Joy Wine and Spirits, nothing makes us happier, than to dissect a meal and then put it back together with specific wine pairings.  But, many listeners just want to keep it simple. Qu.ale, is a perfect complement to such a complicated meal.  It is a refreshing, slightly fruity wine, pleasing for all and easy on the pocketbook. In addition, drinking Qu.ale means listeners are also giving back to one of four charities, (you choose), are drinking from 100 percent recycled bottles and the grapes are grown organically!

A safe bet in choosing a wine for Thanksgiving is to keep it clean, avoid a lot of oak and tannin and avoid high alcohol wines that compete not only for your taste buds but your common sense as well.  Save the high alcohol for a little treat at the end, like a delicious sweet sherry to savor with that pecan or pumpkin pie”.Interview with Rodney Franks, Carolyn Joy of Joy Wine & Spirits and Chase Devitt of Denver Brider

Lamb Leg Rub

300g garlic

80g   dried oregano

20g   fennel seed

15g   chili flake

20g   smoked paprika

40g   black pepper

100g salt

1000g blended oil

Combine all spices in blender and blend until well ground.  Add garlic, olive oil and blend until the mixture is paste like.

Cous Cous

½ c butter

2qt couscous

3qt water

1 onion minced

1 head garlic minced

1tsp fennel pollen

zest of one orange

2t salt

Sweat onion and garlic in butter until translucent (no color) aprox 10 min.  Add fennel pollen and orange zest and salt and couscous and toast for two min. Add water and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and cover for 10 min.  Uncover and let sit for 5 min.  Fluff with a rubber spatula.

Cous Cous Salad

2c cooked cous cous

1/2c cucumbers (large dice)

1/2c feta crumbles

1/4c radish sliced thin

2T lemon juice

3T evoo

Pinch mint leaves

Pinch cilantro leaves

Harrisa

1 can piquillo peppers

3T Ancho powder

3T Chipotle powder

2T Caraway

2T Cumin

2T Corriander

1/2 cup Lemon juice

2 Heads of garlic

1Q oil

Method: Toast all the spices. Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Tatziki

1 tub sour cream

2 large cucumbers, small dice

2 lemons zest and juice

½ c mint, chopped

S&P to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Makes 3 quarts.

Naan Recipe

472 g warm water

24 g fast acting active dry yeast

24 g sugar

1432 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

24 g salt

212 g canola oil

350 g plain greek yogurt

olive oil for cooking

Directions: In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar and let stand for 5 minutes, until it’s a little fizzy/foamy. Stir in the flour, salt, oil, and yogurt and stir, then knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Cover with a dish towel and let rise until doubled in size; about an hour.

Roll out with plenty of flour to approx. 1/8th inch thick and punch with ring cutter.