Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core — leave the teensy ones whole
- 4 ounces pancetta, sliced ¼ inch thick, optional
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar or 1/2 cup standard, store-bought balsamic
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. (If your oven runs cool, set it to 425ºF .)
- Place the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet, including any of the loose leaves. Cut the pancetta into ½-inch dice and add to the pan. Add the olive oil, the 1 ½ tsp. salt (or less — start with a teaspoon if you are sensitive to salt) and the ½ teaspoon pepper and toss with your hands. Spread out the mixture in a single layer.
- Roast the Brussels sprouts until they’re tender and nicely browned and the pancetta is cooked, 20 to 30 minutes, tossing once at the 20-minute mark.
- Meanwhile, if using standard balsamic vinegar, place it in a small saucepan or frying pan and simmer gently until it is reduced by half and looking syrupy — be careful here! Err on the side of under reducing — once the balsamic starts thickening, it can burn quickly. At the first sign of the balsamic getting too thick or dark, transfer it to a small bowl.
- Remove pan from the oven, drizzle immediately with the balsamic vinegar and toss again. (or use entire quarter cup of reduced balsamic, but add to taste.) Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
© Recipe and Photo courtesy of Alexandra Cooks. All rights reserved.
NOVEMBER WINE CLUB:
Skylark
Red Belly
Mendocino County
North Coast, California
MELLOW WINE STYLE
Purple in the glass. Aromas of black cherry, plum, black licorice and a violet floral top note completes the engaging and complex nose. The red and black fruits on the palate turn creamy, silky and supple; as the medium-bodied palate is polished with lovely fruit viscosity buffered by inner mouth perfume. This is an eminently drinkable vintage for Red Belly, enjoyable now and for the next decade. – Jeb Dunnuck, 90 pts.
WINEMAKING DETAILS:
Red Belly is Skylark’s ode to the South of France where blending varietals to create a unique synergy is the way of life. Blending compatible varietals together is a centuries old tradition, and the Skylark team loved the challenges and complexities that came with that tradition. The 2018 Red belly is comprised of 40% Niemi Vineyard Carignan, 40% Ashurst Vineyard Syrah and 20% Sawyer Vineyard Grenache. Each varietal is handpicked fermented separately by native yeasts, then after secondary fermentation in barrel, the cepage is finalized after multiple blending sessions. The goal for Red Belly is juicy fruit, integrated tannins and early accessibility with mid-term aging potential. They definitely achieved that here.
“To reflect our palates, the portfolio at Skylark includes crisp, flavorful, aromatic white wines and full-bodied, rich, spicy red wines. As we have long admired the beautiful white wines produced in Alsace and Austria, our Pinot Blanc is a California rendition of a classic European varietal.” – John Lancaster and Robert Perkins
Information & Photos © Skylark Wine Company – All Rights Reserved.
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