From the Chef
On Her Majesty's Secret Service and under the cover of night we came up with this pairing of the 2013 Uproot Grenache Blanc. We brought in our guest sommelier to test it and who approved. He liked the match of toasted walnuts, which accompany the rice. Rice seemed to this cook to be a good tabula rasa to begin from.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups meat stock (veal or poultry)
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 cup carnaroli or arborio rice
- 1/4 cup walnut pieces
- 8-10 leaves fresh sage
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- Superfine flour, like Wondra
- 2 ounces radicchio, shredded into ribbons
- 2 tablespoons manchego cheese, grated
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Toast the walnut pieces in a dry pan. Season with some sea salt and set aside.
- Place the sage leaves on a plate and dust lightly with flour.
- Bring the stock to a steady simmer and hold at low-medium heat on the stove top.
- In a wide, shallow pan melt butter, then add the shallot. Stir until it just begins to color. Add the rice and stir to toast, 1-2 minutes.
- In a separate skillet, heat a tablespoon of butter until it’s brown and nutty and fry the sage leaves.
- Continue to stir the rice until it’s al dente. Taste for seasoning and adjust with sea salt and ground pepper. Grate in abundant manchego. When it’s done, the risotto should be wet and creamy. Plate, and top each portion with a little radicchio and a few sage leaves.
- Pour yourself a glass of Uproot and Enjoy!