Chabernet

Another Glass of Chabernet

Bulk Blackening Seasoning Recipe

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I've been blackening fish and other proteins since the mid-eighties when there were no such seasonings on the market. Now, you can purchase Chef Paul Prudomme's Blackened Redfish Magic in 2 oz. containers for $3.50. Or, in true Chabernet style, you can make a bulk seasoning and shake it up with your own additions and substitutions. My large batch recipe below yields approximately 24 oz. for a retail value of $42.00, a real necessity in our home where my wife prefers her fish blackened and her wine - Chabernet. As experienced cooks know, you'll need to adjust the proportions as you multiple or divide the size of your batch. Happy seasoning!   We first encountered Blackened Redfish when dining at K-Paul’s in New Orleans Read more [...]

Blackened Fish Recipe

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Awesome Blackened Fish RecipeYo! The 1980’s are calling and they want that recipe back for blackened fish. The big problem is that our tastes have changed over the past 30 years and that old recipe needs an extreme makeover. I’ve been perfecting my own technique and ingredients for blackening fish, chicken, pork, and even steak with some high marks for taste. Hey, Hot Wings survived the 80’s - so why not blackening? We first encountered Blackened Redfish when dining at K-Paul’s in New Orleans around 1985. Chef Paul Prudhomme literally invented this bold method for searing the flavor into fish fillet while keeping the flesh delightfully moist. To say the least, we were bowled over by his signature dish and flew home and bought his Read more [...]

Razor clams: Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

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If there is a city that is the exemplar of all things Chabernet, it would be Barcelona. Sure, the Spaniards also have their sophisticated eateries and designer food scene. However, chowing down on a breakfast of Razor Clams with a glass of Cava in the open market La Boqueria is about as real as it gets. And how convenient that this extraordinary food market is right in the heart of La Ramblas, the only place to be for lovers of food and drink. We rolled out of our hotel bed and walked a few steps to La Boqueria, but it was obvious that many others had been out partying all night.   The assortment of fresh fruit juices was too tempting, so we shared a quick cup before heading to our favorite food stand, Kiosko Universal. The plate Read more [...]

Chabernet with Chinese

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We’re going out for Chinese Food tonight which prompts the question: “What wine pairs well with Chinese?” Like the Dude in the photo, a nice cold beer sounds just about right. But, what if beer makes you bloated or you’re just not a beer-kind-of-person? A great choice for a spicy meal is a Spanish Cava, which is a dry white sparkling wine similar to Champagne. A personal favorite to quaff with spicy Asian food is Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut. If you’ve never consumed this magical wine in the classic black bottle, try it the next time your meal is too spicy for a traditional choice. For example, with our Texas Grilled Shrimp recipe, with a Curry, even with BBQ. Now, back to the issue of wine pairing with Chinese cuisine. It seems Read more [...]

Texas Broiled Shrimp

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I prepared a romantic dinner last night and the main course was spicy shrimp grilled on skewers and served with ice-cold champagne. It brought back fond memories and I wanted to share the secret of the very best shrimp you may ever eat. Deep Dale Lane is a Deep memory     This is my all-time favorite shrimp recipe and it has never failed to please. The texture and flavor of the shrimp are both uniquely satisfying. It is one of the first meals I learned to make as a young man, borrowing the recipe from my father’s favorite cookbook. I greatly improved the original recipe which contained only vegetable oil, lemon, parsley and garlic. One time we grilled the skewers over a portable Hibachi at Scripps Park in La Jolla and the aroma Read more [...]

Cooking smelly fish like Mackerel

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Frozen Mackerel is readily available in many supermarkets and certainly in almost all Asian markets. It is inexpensive, highly nutritious, delicious, but if there is a smellier fish to grill – I’ve not encountered it. My wife just loves grilled Mackerel, but cooking has been banished to the outdoor grill or side burner. If the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, forget about it. A Korean friend resorted to cooking her Mackerel over a butane picnic burner in her garage and almost burned her house down. But, that is another story. On a recent trip to the Amalfi Coast of Italy, we learned a clever trick when served fish grilled with lemon leaves at restaurant Da Vincenzo in Positano. The slightly charred citrus imparted a new dimension Read more [...]

Pitanga Flavored Vodka

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It is perfectly fitting that this first post should be about something very odd, but hopefully interesting and useful. Anyone familiar with foraging in Hawaii or Florida has probably spied a bush loaded with red berries. And, anyone brave enough to taste the berry would have a reaction based upon the exact stage of ripeness of the fruit. At any stage other than being ripe enough to drop off its stem, this fruit will be very sour and quite bitter. However, when you can easily remove the fruit without twisting it off its stem, it is deliciously sweet and tart with a pleasing vegetal aftertaste, and just a slight note of bitterness (tannins). Sounds like a wine description, doesn’t it? Not being wine makers, we decided to attempt to make flavored Read more [...]