Label for the Cabernet Brownie, part of the swag bag from the event.
On Monday evening, September 20, 2010, I was invited by Marla to an event hosted by Chef Rachel of Blackmarket Bakery to learn about, then cook with – Cabernet Wine Flour.
A beautiful example of using someone else’s throwaway, the folks over at Marche Noir Foods have figured out how to use leftover cabernet grape skins after they’ve been pressed for wine. And the bonus? It’s high in iron, high in fiber, and high in antioxidants. So we couldn’t be happier that we can access this stuff anytime we want, and just 15 miles away from home. Did I also mention it’s earthy and delicious?
As the kid without a formal cooking background, but who dreams of someday running a Bistro, I couldn’t help but salivate at what Rachel has created at Blackmarket Bakery. Something about walking into a professional kitchen, spending 3 hours in close quarters with others, standing on my feet, bathing in fluorescent lighting, then creating something that people actually enjoy… made me happy. So very happy that at 11:00 PM, I was still wide awake in bed, conjuring up a long to-do list to get myself to the official Rustic Garden Bistro.
Below are many, many links to what other bloggers created this evening. I’ll just quickly recap the evening by say I’m the one who got stuck late in the office, showed up thirty minutes late, and didn’t come with my Iron Chef secret ingredient. Yep, that was me. I am so, so incredibly sorry. But, Priscilla took pity on me and let me in on her chiles so we could pair up and make a chile relleno.
Oh, and the kid who showed up late and didn’t bring her secret ingredient?! She forgot her camera, too. Not that it would have helped much; my point n’ shoot doesn’t do too well under fluorescent light (no tripod or steady arm). So, the below snapshots were taken by my handy Blackberry. You’ll see much better photos from the other attendees of the evening:
Team effort with Priscilla to Chile Rellenos, coated in sparkling water and wine flour, stuffed with cheese and nuts, and sitting on a trio of sauces…
…with roasted red pepper, butternut squash puree and parsley oil.
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Marla | Family Fresh Cooking | Event Recap Here
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Chef Louise | 2 Be Satisfied | Event Recap Here
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Chef Renee | Chef-Renee | Event Recap Here
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Quyen | Kitchen Runway
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Ciaran | Momfluential | Event Recap Here
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Anne | Orange Coast Magazine
~ Items Created with Secret Ingredients after Surveying Available Kitchen Ingredients ~
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Pesto Pasta with Vegetables (Francis and Niki)
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Cabernet rotini with cipollines, mushrooms and smoked salmon with maple vinegar and toasted almonds (Anne and Chef Renee)
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Chile Rellenos w/ Roasted Red Pepper, Butternut Shallot Puree and Parsley Oil (Priscilla and ME!)
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Pumpkin, Shallot and Gorgonzola Ravioli in a Mushroom Pine Nut Butter Sauce (Julia and Quyen)
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Ravioli with Fig Paste and Gouda (Dianne)
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Cabernet Focaccia with Brown Sugar Balsamic Figs, Blue Cheese and Rosemary (Chef Louise)
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Dragonfruit Fruit with Grapes and Lemon Curd on Focaccia (Anne)
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Chocolate Hazelnut Torte (Marla and Ciaran)
On the way out the door at 10:30 PM that evening, Rachel gifted us all with a little black and red swag bag of wine flour products. Already, I’ve used just about all of them. So now I need to come back for more. Below, I’m sharing a quick linguine recipe, made with the wine flour linguine that came in the bag. It’s a simple recipe to showcase the linguine. And supplemented by some dried porcini we picked up from Far West Fungi at the Ferry Street Building the weekend we eloped to San Francisco in July.
What a wonderful evening of Iron Chef adventures, new friends and new inspiration. Thank you, Rachel, for such an informative, creative and fun event.
I’m full of inspiration and happy memories today.
[K]
When’s the last time your creative juices overflowed?
Cabernet Wine Linguine with Porcini and Cream Reduction.
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Ingredients
- • ¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- • 4 ounces Cabernet wine flour
- • ½ small brown onion, chopped
- • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- • 1 tablespoon olive oil
- • ½ cup heavy cream
- • 1 ounce freshly grated parmesan cheese
- • Handful parsley, chopped (yield 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Minute 1: Reconstitute dried porcini mushrooms. Boil 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Turn off heat and add in dry porcini mushrooms, then cover with a lid. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile:
- Minute 3: Bring a second pot of salted water to a boil and cook wine flour linguine to al dente; about 6-7 minutes. When cooked, drain pasta and set aside.
- Minute 10: Pull porcini mushrooms out of the water, dry with a paper towel, chop, then sauté in a medium saucepan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are brown, about 7 minutes, and set aside.
- Minute 17: In the same sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and cook chopped onion over medium heat until translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Minute 24: Add in the water the porcini mushrooms were reconstituted in, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until they’re fully absorbed in the onions.
- Minute 29: Add cream and simmer until reduced. Grate in parmesan cheese and remove from heat. Add in porcini mushrooms, then toss in parsley and wine flour linguine. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate and serve immediately.
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Source: Rustic Garden Bistro
Detail on the pasta.
A special shoutout to Far West Fungi for this honeymoon souvenir.
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Hah, I wouldn’t call it pity, girl. You’re the sauce Queen and I couldn’t have created such a fabulous looking dish without you! What is more perfect than a linguine with porcini mushrooms and cream? I bet it tasted divine!
This is fascinating–I’ve cooked pasta in red wine before (spoiler alert: it’s amazing) but never with flour made from the grapes.
I am SO craving this right now!
You had me at wine flour Kim…I must procure some of that, stat!
creamy creamy pasta i love you… great recipe, simple ingredients turned into something delicious- total bistro food.
did you change your site? i think it looks different- like it
Louise
This was so nice! Sorry, I am finally getting some time to come back and comment. I love that you made the delicious dish and from your swag bag supplies! You were great with those chilies and the sauces, very clever! Nice to meet you!