Sip Northwest, Winter 2015
IN THE KITCHEN PHOTOS BY AMY PENNINGTON It is good to know that not all alcohol burns off in cooking as is commonly held According to the U S Department of Agriculture when spirits are added to boiling liquid sautés or used in a flambé more than half of the alcohol added is retained The amount of alcohol drops even lower when its exposed to heat longer such as with baking Gin appears to be the most commonly used spirit in cooking and chefs across the Northwest use it liberally often pulling from local producers Gin gets its distinctive flavor from the juniper berry a spiced sharp flavor that attributes to the characteristic burn on the palate This strong flavor and quality plays well with food as do the other botanicals commonly used in gin distillation such as orange zest coriander or anise all of which result in harmonious pairings with lighter fare such as fish greens and fruit In Kamloops British Columbia the elegant BROWNSTONE RESTAURANT douses blueberries in gin allowing them to marinate and develop deep flavor This loose sauce is then paired with smoked pork chops the sharp quality of the gin working well with the smoke Down in HERBY PASTA WITH CLAMS VODKA SAUCE Recipe by Amy Pennington SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 5 garlic cloves peeled and sliced 1 shallot finely minced 4 slices prosciutto torn into pieces cup Batch 206 Distillery Micro Batched vodka 64 SIPNORTHWEST COM 1 pound small clams brushed and cleaned 4 portions pasta one small box cup mixed herbs parsley dill mint celery leaves Parmesan for garnish optional DIRECTIONS Boil a pot of salted water for the pasta In a large sauté pan with high sides heat the olive oil and butter over mediumhigh heat When the butter is melted and starting to bubble add the garlic and shallot Sauté until cooked and starting to brown at the edges about 8 to 10 minutes Add the prosciutto and let sit stirring only occasionally allowing it to get brown and crispy about 4 minutes When the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan deglaze with the vodka and scrape up any brown bits Add clams to the pan and cover steaming until the clams are just opening about 3 to 5 minutes Remove from heat and set aside CREATIVE COOKERY WITH VODKA While the clams are steaming drop the pasta into the pot of boiling water and cook until al dente about 10 minutes A minute before the pasta is ready put the sauté pan with the clams back over high heat It will start to sizzle almost immediately Pour a cup of the pasta water into the sauté pan and stir continuously When the pasta is al dente drain and add to the sauté pan Cook until the pasta water starts to evaporate and bubble at the bottom of the pan about 3 minutes Add the greens and herbs and toss to wilt Remove from the heat immediately and spoon four equal portions into shallow bowls shave Parmesan over the top if desired and serve
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