One of many versions of Tuscan beans, comprised of Cannellini beans simmered with Italian sausage (Shadowcase Farm, Giles Co.), roasted tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, sage, and therapeutic amounts of olive oil.

 

Paired with 2007 Barbaresco.

Recipe:

Soak 1 cup Cannellini beans in 5 cups water overnight. Drain and rinse, bring to boil in 5 cups unsalted water, simmer for about an hour until tender. Drain and set aside.

Cook a small amount of pork (Pancetta, Prosciutto, Italian sausage are all good choices) in a large saute pan, remove pork, leave fat. Add olive oil and  saute 1-2 Tbsp minced garlic in 3-4 Tbsp of fat over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Add chopped fresh sage and rosemary and cook for another minute or so. Add 1/2 cup or so chopped roasted tomatoes (roasted red pepper is also delicious), season with salt and pepper. Saute for another couple of minutes, being careful that the garlic doesn’t get any color.

Add Cannellini beans and pork, another 3-4 Tbsp olive oil, and season again. Stir to combine, and let simmer for several minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

Bon appétit!

After pruning my perennial herbs today, I tossed a couple of handfuls of the cuttings into the grill – rosemary, lavender, sage, and thyme. Use any combination of woody herbs from the garden, farmer’s market, or grocery.

Stir a little bit of olive oil and white wine (about a tablespoon total) into 3-4 Tbsps of Dijon or whole-grain mustard. Add a pinch of chopped fresh or dried herbs.

Coat 2 pork chops, ours are about 1.5″ thick 1-lb chops, with the mustard mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

After pouring the coals in the grill, place the herbs on top of the coals and let them smoke for a couple of minutes.

Add the pork chops and cook (covered for smoking) until desired doneness, turning once or twice to char the outside. For medium doneness, we remove ours at about 150F.

Let the chops rest for 5 minutes and enjoy! Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: I love Albarino with pork. Any medium-bodied, crisp white wine (Sauvignon blanc would be lovely) or rose would pair well. The smokey flavors would also pair with earthy, smokey reds, such as many Bourgognes, Malbec, and Tannat. Cheers!