Preferred value sparkling wines, and why mom’s pot pie remains on my menu

by Chef Peter Botros

A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER
One of my mother’s favorite winter dishes was chicken pot pie. So, when we opened Violette’s Cellar in her honor, we naturally had to have a version of it on the menu. I took her recipe for the filling and found a way to serve it in a small plate format as Chicken Pot Pie Empanadas. They have become a guest favorite and menu staple, and there’s something extra satisfying about eating them on a chilly winter night.

Violette’s Cellar in general is about as cozy as you can get, a quality my mother would have focused on if she were designing a restaurant dining room. So, I tried to conceive the venue with her spirit at the forefront. Our dishes are fun and playful, just like she was, the ambience cozy yet chic. I hope she would be proud.

SPARKLING VALUES
During a recent conversation with some industry colleagues, the issue of value of wines came up one of the categories sparkling varieties. We asked ourselves, ‘What makes a wine with bubbles special or valuable?’ Bargain hunters can get hold of one for as little as $5 to $10. Usually, makers in this price class add carbon dioxide in lieu of a second fermentation and pick grapes by machine. That said, there are some acceptable examples, though they typically lack complexity and sweetness balanced properly by acidity. When it comes to pricier examples, there are two processes of production: those made in tanks and then bottled, and those utilizing the “champagne method,” which is a second fermentation inside the bottle, during which yeast sediment is removed (or “disgorged”). There are great examples of both, such as the better prosecco or a Crémant with their shared quality of being slightly less effervescent.

Let’s never underestimate the value of true Champagne, however, which is not a generic term for sparkling wine but refers specifi cally to those produced from the Champagne region of France. I will open a bottle to celebrate just about any occasion. Made in one of the world’s most unique terroirs (meaning regional distinctiveness including soil, yeast, sun exposure, hill inclinations, etc.), Champagne’s grapes, history, and wonder making many of its bottles a symphony of flavors. These are my go to sparkling wines under $30: Martini & Rossi’s Prosecco Collezione Speciale is taking its production up a notch here, with delicate fl avors of apples, lemon, and gardenias. With a long finish and a pleasant amount of bubbles. Retail $20 $25 Gratien & Meyer Brut, Crémant of Loire. From France, this is a great example of how great Champagne can be made in the region inexpensively, its growers wielding more than 150 years of experience. Flavors include fresh pickled apples, lemon zest, ginger, under ripe apricots, and hazelnut, leaving a beautiful note of sweet bread. Retail $25 $29

SEALING THE DEAL
Vacuum Sealers are a great way to maintain freshness and enhance the shelf life of perishable groceries, but did you know many of the world’s top chefs also use them to achieve bold and complex flavors on the quick? Brining, marinating, and pickling times can be twenty times faster when using a sealer, and one of my favorite uses for it is pickling vegetables.

Depending on the application, I choose a blend of aromatic herbs and spices to add to my “master pickling liquid” (four parts white vinegar, three parts water, one part granulated sugar, and one eighth part Kosher salt). Bring ingredients to a boil and let cool for about 10 minutes or until the liquid reaches approximately 130°F. Place vegetables in a vacuum bag or vacuum jar and pour the liquid over the vegetables (ensuring that all veggies are fully submerged). Use the sealer to remove the air; this creates pressure and allows for quick penetration and absorption of flavors. Typically, pickling takes around 48 hours, but this method produces the same effect in just 30 minutes!

A price compromise between $3,000 professional models and throw away versions is this 11 inch wide Weston 65 0501 W Professional Advantage Vacuum Sealer ($175, amazon.com), with heavy duty construction and remarkable vacuum strength for the price.

The Stone House at Clove Lakes/Chef’s Loft, 1150 Clove Road, 718.442.3600, thestonehousesi.com; Violette’s Cellar, 2271 Hylan Boulevard, 718.650.5050, violettescellar.com; Sofia’s Taqueria, 977 Bay St., 929.308.2324, sofiastaquerianyc.com; Corner House BBQ, 100 Lincoln Avenue, 718.987.1227, cornerhousebbq.com COMING SOON: Sally’s Southern, 427 Forest Avenue