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Down through the ages, champagne has been reputed to have an aphrodisiac effect, both on the person drinking it as well as the people surrounding them, according to restaurateurs, bartenders and chefs, not to mention oenophiles.
Bouquet Ventures, owned by Rita and Andre Jammet (former owners of La Caravelle restaurant) have introduced a new line of La Caravelle Champagne with three distinctive labels crafted in Epernay in the Champagne region of France. Their signature Champagne Cuvèe Nina Brut NV is as distinctive as the caravelle ships that carried Christopher Columbus on his voyage to the New World. Their collection also includes Champagne Rosé Brut NV and Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut NV. These three elegant styles of champagne represent a clean contemporary taste that is appropriate to drink at every occasion. Recently a few friends and I enjoyed Cuvée Nina Brut all evening, from hors d’oeuvres right through dessert.
For those who would like to taste La Caravelle Champagne for themselves, this fine wine will be showcased at the upcoming James Beard Chefs and Champagne event on Saturday, July 25, at Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack. There’s no question in my mind that you’ll want to enjoy more than a taste.
Here are three ideal dishes to serve with Brut Cuvée Nina, but the Rosé or Blanc de Blancs would be equally delightful. Bon appetit!
(Serves 6)About 5 pounds small fresh mussels in the shell, cleaned and de-bearded1 cup white wine1 large shallot choppedFreshly ground black pepper1 lemon, juiced and zested1 pound small shrimp, cooked1 cup fresh small green peas, cooked and well drained2 cups cooked saffron rice16 to 20 small white mushroom caps (or medium mushrooms, quartered), washed, rolled in equal parts olive oil and champagne vinegar (about 1½ tablespoons of each)Small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped1 bunch watercressFor the dressing:(about 2½ cups)1 pound cucumbers, peeled, seeded and gratedSea salt to taste2 hard-cooked eggs2/3 cup Philadelphia cream cheese, softened1/3 cup light cream or half and half3 tablespoons tomato paste1/4 cup capers, drained and chopped2 large cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press1 tablespoon minced chives3 scallions, minced2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, fresh basil, and/or dillJuice and zest of 1 lemon or more to tasteSea salt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteFew drops Tabasco sauce to tasteTo make dressing:
Peel, seed, and grate cucumbers. Sprinkle with salt and let stand in a colander for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every now and then to draw out their liquid. Rinse well under cold running water and drain well, then squeeze out the water and pat dry with paper towels.
Push the hard-cooked eggs through a fine mesh sieve (to make a mimosa).
In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, beat the cream cheese. Add light cream or half and half and mix until smooth.
Add sieved eggs, squeezed cucumber, tomato paste and capers.
Add garlic, chives, scallions, herbs, and lemon zest.
Blend well, add lemon juice for consistency, season with salt, pepper and Tabasco, and mix well again. Taste and correct the seasonings. Set aside in cool area of the kitchen or refrigerate if made a few hours ahead.
Meanwhile, make the saffron rice. Cook one cup of long grain rice in two cups of boiling salted water with a pinch of saffron until the rice is tender, about fifteen minutes or until the water is absorbed. Set aside can be done ahead and chilled.
To make salad:
Add shallot, mussels and wine to a large skillet with a lid over high heat. Cover the pan and cook the mussels, shaking the pan every 2 minutes or so until the mussels have opened.
Discard any unopened mussels, drain and cool until you are able to handle them. Shell the mussels, season with black pepper and lemon juice, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked rice, mussels, shrimp and peas with the mushrooms. Add about half of the chopped parsley and just enough sauce to hold the salad together. Taste and correct the seasonings with salt and pepper.
To serve, line a large platter with watercress, place the salad in the middle and spoon about one cup of sauce over the salad to coat. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with crusty French bread and champagne.
(Serves 6)1½ pounds tender young green beans, tails snipped2 small tender fennel bulbs, washed and trimmed4 small ripe tomatoes, peeled and seededHandful fresh chervilSmall bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped1 cup pitted Nicoise black olives12 to 18 anchovy fillets2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves cut into chiffonadeOptional: 3 medium hard-cooked eggs for garnishFor the dressing:1 large clove garlic, mashed1 large shallot, minced8 large basil leaves, washed and patted dry, mincedSea salt to tasteAbout 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons champagne vinegarFreshly ground black pepper to tasteTo prepare:
To make the dressing, work in a mortar and pestle or with the side of a chef knife to mash garlic and shallot together with basil and salt until the mixture becomes a green paste.
Slowly, in a steady stream, add olive oil until this mixture becomes a fine paste, then slowly stir in the vinegar and season with pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the beans until tender but firm. Run the beans under cold water, drain, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, slice the fennel very thin and quarter the tomatoes and toss both vegetables together with the beans, chervil, parsley, and olives. Add the salad dressing and mix well.
Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Garnish the salad with anchovy fillets, hard-cooked eggs, if using, and chiffonade of basil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to four hours. Bring to room temperature just before serving.
(Serves 4 to 6)
1½ pounds spinach-filled tortellini (preferably made with spinach pasta dough)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch red pepper flakes
About 1 tablespoon snipped chives
About 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
12 to 18 very thin spears blanched asparagus cut into half-inch lengths
12 to 18 fresh sugar snap peas, strings removed, blanched and cut into thin bias slices
About 1 cup small cherry tomatoes (red, yellow or orange) halved or quartered if medium size
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
To prepare:
Before serving time, prepare the asparagus, sugar snap peas, and cherry tomatoes and set aside.
Add olive oil and sauté shallots until soft in a large skillet over medium high heat, about 3 minutes.
Add heavy cream all at once, bring to a boil and simmer until thick and somewhat reduced. Add red pepper flakes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the tortellini until tender or according to the directions on the side of the package, about 10 to 14 minutes. Drain well.
Stir the Parmesan cheese into the cream sauce, add hot tortellini, chives, mint, asparagus, sugar snap peas and toss well until coated with the sauce.
Mound the mixture in the center of six small plates, garnish with tomatoes and drizzle a little olive oil over the top, with a few drops around the edge of the pasta. Serve at once with champagne.
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