Our Wine of the Week, Carlisle 2018 Zinfandel, Piner-Olivet Ranches, Russian River Valley ($38), is a swirl of beautiful darkness, with a deep garnet hue and heady aromas that suggest dark berries and those wild Italian, brandy-soaked cherries known as amarena. Flavors are complex and layered, with a foundation of sweet spice: Think allspice, clove, star anise and black pepper. Resting atop these flavors you’ll notice rich, mouth-filling fruit, from black raspberry and mulberries to black plum. Threads of dried herbs and crushed blackberry leaves rise and fall amidst the cornucopia of fruit.
The wine is young and there’s a bit of roughness to the tannins that you’ll notice primarily at the outer edges of your palate, characteristics that will resolve as the wine ages.
To enjoy it while it is young, think meat, especially beef, bison, venison and slow-cooked lamb shanks. A grilled burger that has a coin of blue cheese butter inside is a fabulous match. Whole grain pasta tossed with tomatoes that have been roasted with garlic and olive oil until they fall apart is a great match, too. Add a bit of smoke — say, smoked beef ribs or figs wrapped in bacon and grilled — and you’ll bring out other dimensions of the wine. Vegetarians will enjoy this powerhouse zinfandel with eggplant parmigiana, roasted carrot risotto or fettuccine with roasted garlic cream sauce topped with a dollop of black olive tapenade.
For today’s recipe, I’ve used the wine itself to make a vinaigrette that also serves as a marinade for hanger steak. The combination is a symphony for your taste buds.
Pan-Seared Hanger Steak with Zinfandel Vinaigrette
Makes 2 servings to 3
1 shallot, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
Generous pinch of ground allspice or ground clove
2 tablespoons best-quality red wine vinegar
⅓ cup robust zinfandel
Black pepper in a mill
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of granulated sugar, if needed
1 hanger steak
Put the shallot into a pint glass jar and add the oregano, several generous pinches of salt, the allspice or clove and the vinegar. Stir and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the wine and add several very generous turns of black pepper and the olive oil. Stir, taste and if it seems a bit dull or flat, add another pinch of salt and a couple pinches of sugar. Taste and repeat until it is absolutely delicious. Seal the jar and shake well. Set aside.
Put the steak into a small freezer bag, add about half the vinaigrette and seal the bag, pushing out as much air as possible. Massage the meat through the bag for a minute or two and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
To finish, prepare accompaniments (see Note below) and when they are nearly done, set a heavy skillet over high heat. Remove the steak from its bag and set it in the hot pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more for rare and a minute or two longer for medium-rare.
Transfer to a clean work surface and let rest for 5 minutes.
To serve, slice the steak across the grain (crosswise) into pieces about ¼-inch thick. Divide among warmed plates, spoon the remaining vinaigrette over everything, season with a little more salt and pepper and enjoy right away.
Note: I like to serve this with farro and figs, cut in half and pan-seared on their cut side for just a minute or two. You also can serve it with wilted spinach and roasted potatoes or with green beans cooked in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes. If you prefer lighter accompaniments, serve the sliced steak over a mound of salad greens and fresh herbs.
Variation: To feed 4 to 6 people, double the recipe for the vinaigrette and use beef tri-tip instead of hanger steak. Skirt steak is also delicious prepared this way.
Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “Vinaigrettes & Other Dressings,” from which this recipe is adapted. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.
The Link LonkJuly 29, 2020 at 07:14AM
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Marinated hanger steak highlights zinfandel's layered flavors - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
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