General Pairings

Sushi and Wine

In Vino Veritas In Sushi Veritas

History of Sushi

Please join Deo and Sharyon as they present a Food and Wine Pairing of their sushi creations with the exceptional Sonoma County wines of Veritas Ridge Winery. Please enjoy responsibly.

Most people believe sushi is a Japanese cuisine of small portions of rice traditionally served with fish or vegetables. They are served alongside dipping sauces like soy sauce and other items such as pickled ginger slices and wasabi (Japanese horseradish).

Ask where sushi comes from and the immediate answer from almost everyone would be Japan. But they would be wrong. Sushi actu-ally dates back to the 4th century BC and originates from Southeast Asia and specifically China. The salted fish was preserved with fer-mented rice and served as an im-portant source of protein. The cleaned and gutted fish was kept in rice so that the natural fermentation of the rice helped preserve the fish. This storage process took as long as several months. The fish was consumed and the rice discarded. Over time, this process spread throughout China. During later food shortages, rice became too valuable to throw away. The curing time was decreased and both the fish and rice were eaten.

It was not until the 8th century AD that it was introduced into Japan. Since the Japanese preferred to eat the rice with fish, their sushi was consumed earlier in the fermentation process. The fish was still partly raw and the rice had not lost its flavor. Sushi moved from being a food preservation system to a cuisine.

Later in its Japanese history, sushi changed again as the rice was mixed with vinegar and combined with not only fish but also with various vegetables. In around 1600, Dr. Matsumoto Yoshichi used vinegar in the rice to help the curing and give the sour flavor to the fish. Thus, the curing time was reduced to one day.

At the beginning of the 19th century, with store front mobile food stalls dominating the city of Tokyo, sushi chef Yohei Hanaya changed it again when he started the trend of a slice of fresh fish on top of a formed portion of rice.

Today, sushi is made using both raw and cooked fish. When raw fish is used, it must be from a repu-table supplier and be “sushi-grade”.

There are four basic kinds of sushi dishes which are made and presented differently-boat sushi, rolled sushi, pressed sushi and scattered sushi. In today’s presentation, we will feature rolled and scattered sushi, but all are presentations for the same ingredients. 

Rolled sushi is the most popular in the U.S. and is seen as the most complicated to make. Boat sushi is made by wrapping the nori (paper-thin sheets of dried seaweed) around a small amount of rice and topping it with various fish roe or softer toppings such as tuna tartare and tuna mayonnaise.

Pressed sushi is actually the easiest form of sushi. This is made in a 3-piece bamboo sushi pressing box. The toppings are added first and the sushi rice last and the items are pressed. The resulting sushi is the removed “upside down” which is actually right side up and then cut to bite size.

Scattered sushi is also easy to make. The presentation plate is the key. Rice is placed on the plate alongside the featured toppings. This is accompanied by the desired garnishes.

Deo and Sharyon's Basic Sushi Rice Recipe

To Begin: Sushi Rice, Rolling Sushi, Dipping Sauce

The rice is the most important part of every sushi roll. If the rice is not perfect, the rolls and other sushi will not be as tasty. Sharyon swears by this sushi rice recipe and so will you.

The Seasoning for the Sushi Rice

• ¼ cup of rice vinegar

• ¼ cup of mirin (rice wine)
• 4 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of salt
• Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and allow the liquid to cool. Reserve it for later use.

The Sushi Rice

• 3 cups of sushi rice (short-grain, glutenous rice)
• 4 ½ cups of water
• Lint free towel or cheesecloth, dampened
• Gently wash the rice in a large bowl under cold running water for 10 minutes. Drain the rice in a colander and allow it to dry for 20-30 minutes.

Place the washed rice and the water into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover allowing it to cook for 15 minutes or until all the water has absorbed. Turn off the heat and allow it to stand for 10 minutes.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl and pour the seasoning mixture over the rice gently folding in to mois-ten all the rice.

Place this seasoned rice onto a cookie sheet and spread evenly. Do not press hard and try not to mush the rice. Cover the rice with a moistened towel to keep it warm and to prevent it from drying out. Do not refrigerate the sushi rice as it will become hard and dry.

Have small bowls of water with a few drops of vinegar ready to use for moistening hands during the sushi making process.

The Sushi-rolling Process
Cover your bamboo sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap so it can be cleaned easily. Nori (dried sea-weed) sheets have a smooth and rough side. Place the smooth side down on the rolling mat. Dip your fingers in the vinegar/water and using the fingertips only, spread a small ball of rice over most of the nori leaving a strip one inch wide at the farthest edge without rice. Spread the rice evenly and try not to overwork it. The nori is now dressed and ready for placement of the fillings for the roll. If you want an “inside-out” roll, flip the nori over at this point and proceed.

Align your fillings on the edge closest to you. Carefully lift up the side of the rolling mat nearest you. Use the mat and your damp fingers to begin rolling the nori away from you. As you continue rolling, fold the edge of the mat back toward you. Once you have the roll almost completed, dip your fingers in vinegar/water and dampen the uncovered edge of the nori. This will allow you to seal the roll as you finish it. Roll the bamboo mat over the completed sushi roll and use it to shape the roll as desired — round, square, or oval.

Dip a very sharp knife in the vinegar/water and allow the water to run down the edge of the blade. Make one smooth cut at the center of the roll. Turn one half so you have the two cut ends aligned. Then continue slicing your sushi roll. You may need to wipe your knife blade and dip the knife into the vinegar/water after each slice, depending on the filling. Cut the roll into bite-size pieces, place on a serving plate and enjoy!

Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 4-inch piece of fresh ginger
• Thinly sliced green onions, green parts only

Place soy sauce into a container with a lid. Peel the ginger and grate on a ginger grater or fine micro-plane. Gather the pulp and squeeze only the juice into the soy sauce. Close the container and shake well. Transfer the dipping sauce into a shallow serv-ing dish and garnish with the green onions.

Wasabi
Wasabi powder is reconstituted with water. Mix with a fork until the wasabi reaches the consistency of paste. 

First Course: Wontons with Tuna Tartare

Wontons

Cut purchased wonton wrappers into two-inch squares and place on a cookie sheet lined with parch-ment paper.

• Brush the wontons with olive oil.
• Sprinkle the wontons with sesame seeds.
• Bake the wontons at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 9 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Tuna Tartare

• 8 oz tuna steak
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 lime, zest grated
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ tsp wasabi powder
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tbsp hot red pepper sauce
• ½ tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup minced scallions, white and green parts (3 scallions)
• 2 tsp minced fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
• 1 ripe Hass avocado
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Chop tuna into ¼ inch squares and place it in a very large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, wasabi, soy sauce, hot red pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Pour over the tuna, add scallions and jalapeno and mix well. Cut the avocado into ¼ inch squares and carefully mix the avocado into the tuna mixture. Add the toasted sesame seeds and season to taste. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour for the flavors to blend. Serve on the wontons.

Wine Pairing:
This course is paired with our Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauvignon Blanc shows tropical fruit and bright pear with a crisp clean finish. It is straw gold in color with tropical honey on the nose. 

Second Course: Smoked Eel and Cream Cheese Roll

Eel is glazed using a mixture of soy, mirin and sake.

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• Honey to taste
• Nori Sushi rice
• 8 oz smoked eel filets, cut into strips lengthwise
• ½ of a ripe avocado, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin strips

Put the soy sauce, mirin and sake in a pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in a teaspoon of honey or enough to sweeten the sauce to your liking. Add the eel to the mixture and cook for another 2 minutes. The eel can be broken into bits as it is stirred. This mixture is then added to the cream cheese and blended well with a fork. Place the mixture into a quart-sized Ziploc bag. Snip the corner of the bag and squeeze the bag to apply the eel mixture to the sushi roll.

Lay your nori in the usual fashion and dress with sushi rice as previously described. Place the eel mixture horizontally along the nearest edge of the nori using the Ziploc bag. Add avocado slices. Roll the nori as instructed and seal using vinegar-infused water.

Garnish with pickled ginger slices and wasabi.

Wine Pairing:
This course is served with our 2009 Alexander Valley Chardonnay. This exceptional and unique char-donnay is possibly the only un-oaked chardonnay produced from Alexander Valley fruit. Crisp, light fruit caress the nostrils as the bright clean pear, mango and tropical fruit flavors wash over the palate. A comparable 100 percent un-oaked chardonnay is hard to find. 

Third Course: Shrimp and Avocado Roll  

• 1 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise sprinkled with Sashimi Togarashi
• 1 tsp lemon zestShrimp (16/20 size) cooked, shelled and deveined
• Ripe avocados cut lengthwise into thin strips
• Cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into pieces 2 inches long and ¼ inch square
• Nori
• Sushi rice

Lay your nori in the usual fashion and dress with sushi rice as previously described. Place the shrimp horizontally along the nearest edge of the nori. Brush liberally with mayonnaise and sprinkle with lemon zest. Lay avocado slices and cucumber alongside the shrimp. Roll the nori as instructed and seal us-ing vinegar infused water.

Garnish with pickled ginger slices and wasabi.

Wine Pairing:
We are pairing this roll with our 2007 Sonoma County Chardonnay. It is rich with carmelized pears and shows tropical fruit with perfect acidity and light oak. 

Fourth Course: Duck and Hoisin Roll

You don’t need to flex your Oriental muscles by attempting to cook a duck Asian style. You can stop by your local Chinese grocery store or restaurant and pick up one of the ducks hanging in the window.

Blended Hoisin sauce recipe (divided)

• 
  3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tbsp honey

• Barbecued or Peking duck breast and thigh meat
• 3 tbsp blended hoisin sauce
• Nori
• Cooked sushi rice
• 2 scallions halved and shredded and extra for garnish

Pull the flesh and skin off the bone in big pieces and slice into strips. The crispier pieces of skin can be used as this will add flavor. The fattier pieces of skin may be discarded. Toss the strips of duck meat and skin with half (3 tbsp.) of the blended hoisin sauce.

Lay your nori in the usual fashion and dress with sushi rice as previously described. Lay the pieces of duck horizontally across the near edge of the nori with duck skin and scallions and drizzle over a little more of the blended hoisin sauce.

Roll the nori in the usual fashion and moisten the farthest edge with a finger dipped into the water/vinegar mix to seal the roll.

Garnish with pickled ginger slices and wasabi.

Wine Pairing:
Our Veritas Ridge Pinot Noir is from the cool coastal region of Sonoma County. It is rich in berry with-out the over-intensified earthiness and smokiness commonly noted in the Pinot Noir of the American Northwest. This pairs well with the tangy, smoky hoisin flavor of the duck. 

 Fifth Course: Spicy Tuna Roll

• 8 oz tuna
• ½ tsp sashimi togarashi added to the mayonnaise and whipped
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• Cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into pieces 2 inches long and ¼ inch square

Garnish with pickled ginger slices and wasabi.

Wine Pairing:
When you are pairing a wine with a dish as rich in flavor as this, you need a varietal that achieves bal-ance with distinctive flavor of its own. We offer our Sonoma County Zinfandel. It has a fruit forward mouth that is rich in berries. It is medium-bodied and deep garnet red in color. One sip introduces your tongue to perky red raspberry and a hint of white pepper. The jammy explosion is tempered with silky smooth tannins.

 Sixth Course: Filet Mignon and Rice Scattered Sushi

The Sushi Rice is scattered onto a plate and sprinkled with sliced scallions and served with cooked asparagus spears and scalded filet mignon and horseradish sauce.

• 12 oz filet mignon
• 24 asparagus spears, blanched and cooled
• Horseradish sauce of your choice
• Sushi rice
• Heat 3 cups of beef stock in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil.

Cut a 12 oz filet mignon into thin (1/8 inch) slices using a very sharp butcher knife. Place the slices into a warm cast iron skillet. Pour the boiling liquid over the slices in the skillet until all are covered. Wait 15 seconds and remove slices from the skillet and place onto the scattered rice. The asparagus spears are then placed alongside the mignon and a dollop of horseradish sauce is placed on the meat.

Wine Pairing:
This scattered sushi plate is paired with the Veritas Ridge Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. You will note concentrated flavors of currant, fig and bittersweet cocoa highlighted with rich, soft and well-developed tannins. The finish brings black cherry, mocha, vanilla and solid earthy tones to the palate.

Pizza and Wine

 Dr. Deo and Sharyon Rampertab proudly present a Food and Wine Pairing of their European and American-styled Pizzas with the exceptional Sonoma County wines of Veritas Ridge Winery. 

Please enjoy responsibly.

Deo and Sharyon’s Standard Pizza Dough Recipe

This Pizza dough recipe makes four one pound dough rounds.  A one pound round can be stretched into a 16 inch diameter pizza.  For a deep dish pizza, you will need one and a half pounds of dough.

• 6 ½ cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tbsp (2 packets) dry active yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 ¾ cups lukewarm water

Mix the yeast, sugar, salt and oil with the water in a large mixer bowl. 
Place on mixer with dough hook and set speed to 2.  Add flour slowly and continue mixing until all flour is incorporated.  You may stop the mixer periodically to scrape flour off the edges of the bowl.  When mixing is complete, remove and let stand for 2 hours until dough rises and collapses or flattens out.  The dough may be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 12 days.


COURSE ONE: THE AZORES

The Azores is a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 900 miles from Lisbon and about 2,400 miles from the east coast of North America. The Monchique Islet on Flores Island is regarded as the westernmost point in Europe, even though from a geological standpoint the two westernmost Azorean islands, Flores and Corvo actually lie on the North American plate. The current Azores' main industries are tourism, cattle raising for milk and meat, and fishing.

The nine major Azorean islands and the eight small Formigas extend for more than 370 miles and lie in a northwest-southeast direction. All of the islands have volcanic origins, although Santa Maria also has some reef contribution. Mount Pico on Pico Island, at 7,713 ft in altitude, is the highest in all of Portugal. The Azores are actually the tops of some of the tallest mountains on the planet, as measured from their base at the bottom of the ocean.

Because these once uninhabited, remote islands were settled sporadically over a span of two centuries, their culture, dialect, cuisine and traditions vary considerably from island to island. Farming and fishing are key industries that support the Azorean economy.

The St. George cheese you are enjoying today is made in Sonoma County from cow’s milk in the traditional Azorean fashion and is being paired tonight in a very untraditional fashion with our Veritas Ridge Blanc de Noir Carneros Champagne.  Also in this course is a bright blend of anti-oxidant rich dried fruit and Italian Salami.  


COURSE TWO: SPAIN COMES TO ITALY

Pizza was traditionally a poor man’s meal in Italy.  It’s said that the pizza that made Naples world famous is the Pizza Margherita in Italian or Pizza Margarita to the rest of the world. It was first baked in 1889 by a local man and the town baker named Rafaelle Esposito. He created the pizza in honor of a visit to Naples by the King and Queen of Spain, King Umberto and Queen Margherita.  Italy was a part of the Spanish Kingdom at this time, but the Italians were proud of their long and deep heritage.  The Queen enjoyed the flatbread served widely by the commoners.  Seeing this, Esposito designed a pizza more fitting a Queen and decided to follow the colors of the Italian flag.  He chose tomatoes for the red, basil for the green and Mozzarella for the white, to create the famous and patriotic pizza we still eat today.  Deo and Sharyon have added a twist with the addition of ricotta cheese.

This simplest of pizzas is paired with our Sauvignon Blanc.  The Sauvignon Blanc shows tropical fruit and bright pear with a crisp clean finish.  It is straw gold in color with tropical honey on the nose.

Margherita Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced onion
• 1 clove garlic sliced very thinly-wise guys style
• 8-12 whole basil leaves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 drops of white truffle oil
• 8 oz ricotta cheese
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese

Slice tomatoes into 1/8 inch thick rounds.  Reserve for pizza topping.

Work the dough ball into a flat round on a lightly floured pizza peel or pizza sheet.  Mix minced garlic, onion and olive oil with 3 drops of white truffle oil.  Apply evenly to the pizza dough.  Place the slices of tomato evenly in a circle centered on the pizza crust leaving some room between the slices.  Place a basil leaf and a slice of garlic on each slice of tomato.  Place a small dollop of ricotta cheese between the tomato slices as well as near the center of the circle.  Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the entire pizza crust.

Place on the lowest rack of a pre-heated 425 degree oven onto a pizza stone (if you have one) or on the pizza sheet.  Cook until the bottom of the crust is toasted to the desired crispness.


COURSE THREE: WE MOVE ON TO GREECE

Greek Pizza started very early on in World History.  It did not resemble the pizza of today.  The farmers as well as the members of Greece’s army took this early pizza with them as it was easy to eat.  It was comprised of a flatbread crust and a variety of regional vegetables.  Because it did not have cheese or sauce, it did not need further cooking after they left the house.  It is believed that this was before tomatoes were discovered as this fruit would likely have been added if it were available.

Tonight, we will be starting with this concept but in an effort to add Deo and Sharyon’s personality to the mix, we will be using our homemade sauce as the base and feta and mozzarella to top it all off.  The vegetables we offer are eggplant, artichoke and kalamata olives.  Rosemary is added for a definitive Greek flair.

We are pairing this pizza with our Sonoma County Chardonnay.  It is rich with carmelized pears and shows tropical fruit with perfect acidity and light oak.


Greek Pizza

Ingredients

Work the dough round into a flat round on a lightly floured pizza peel or pizza sheet.  Place minced garlic, onion, basil, oregano, rosemary and olive oil in a heated skillet on medium high heat.  Add the eggplant and cook for 5 minutes or until it softens turning frequently.  Add the artichoke and olives and cook for an additional 5 minutes until all components are tender.  Remove from heat and let stand to cool.  Apply evenly to the pizza dough.  Sprinkle the feta cheese evenly over the entire pizza crust.  Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the entire pizza crust.

Place on the lowest rack of a pre-heated 425 degree oven onto a pizza stone (if you have one) or on the pizza sheet.  Cook until the bottom of the crust is toasted to the desired crispness. 


COURSE FOUR: A LA FRANCE

Food historians tell us the practice of pairing of citrus fruits with fatty meat is thousands of years old, likely originating in the Middle East. Examples are found in many cultures and cuisines. The acid in the fruit counteracts the fat in the meat, making the dish more enjoyable and digestible. Think: pork chops and applesauce; goose and cherry sauce, fish and lemon, and duck a l'orange.

Ducks have been consumed by humans from prehistoric times forward. They are native to most continents. Recipes evolved according to local taste. Bitter oranges were introduced, via Spain, in the early middle ages.

As the name suggests, Duck a l'Orange, likely originated in France. Grand masters of classic French cuisine roasted ducks, noting the practice was revived from earlier times. The earliest French recipes we find combining ducks and oranges were published in the 19th century.


Camembert is a soft, creamy, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese. It was first made in the late 18th century in Normandy in northern France.  Camembert was reputedly invented in 1791 by Marie Harel, a farmer from Normandy, thanks to advice from a priest who came from Brie. The origin of the cheese known today as Camembert is more likely to rest with the beginnings of the industrialization of the cheese making process at the end of the 19th century. In 1890, an engineer, M. Ridel invented the wooden box which was used to carry the cheese and helped to send it for longer distances, in particular to America where it became very popular. These boxes are still used today.

Camembert can be used in many dishes, but is also popularly eaten uncooked on bread or with wine or meat, as the subtle flavor and texture does not survive heating. It is usually served at room temperature and has a flavor reminiscent of butter.

The name Pinot Noir refers to wines produced predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit.  Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.

Our Veritas Ridge Pinot Noir is from the cool coastal region of Sonoma County.  It is rich in berry without the over-intensified earthiness and smokiness commonly noted in the Pinot Noir of the American Northwest. 

Please enjoy our Duck a l’Orange and camembert pizza.

Duck a l’Orange Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless duck breasts with skin
• 4 oz orange marmalade
• 4 oz pinot noir
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp garlic pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz camembert cheese

Duck a l’Orange

Score the duck breasts in a cross hatch pattern, 3 slits in each direction.  Lightly rub each breast with the salt and garlic pepper.  Place each breast skin side down in a heated skillet with the oil and sear the breast for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Pour off the duck fat.  Turn the breasts over and reduce heat to medium-low.  Add the wine to the skillet to deglaze stirring lightly.  Add the marmalade to the duck breasts and cover the skillet.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and remove duck breasts and let cool.  Reserve the liquid for later use.  Once cooled, slice thinly across the grain of the breast. 

Work the dough ball into a flat round on a lightly floured pizza peel or pizza sheet.  Spoon the reserved liquid onto the dough and apply evenly to coat the surface.  Place the breast slices into the liquid to coat each piece and then place each piece onto the coated crust covering the pizza evenly.  Place the slices of camembert cheese evenly onto the sliced duck breast.

Place on the lowest rack of a pre-heated 425 degree oven onto a pizza stone (if you have one) or on the pizza sheet.  Cook until the bottom of the crust is toasted to the desired crispness.


COURSE FIVE: THE MEDITERRANEAN COASTLINE

Pesto finds it’s origins in the Mediterranean region.  Its ingredients are all found in these coastal countries.  A now classic mix of herbs, pine nuts, onions, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, vinegar, olive oil and parmesan cheese can serve as the base for any spread to be applied to simple flatbread.  We have taken the pesto and made it the base sauce of our pizza.  The light texture and flavor of chicken breast are enhanced by this rich pungent blend.  The pizza is lightly topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

When you are pairing a wine with a meal as rich in flavor as this, you need a varietal with the ability to fight back with flavor of its own.  May we offer our Sonoma County Zinfandel.  It has a fruit forward mouth that is rich in berries.  It is medium-bodied and deep garnet red in color.  One sip introduces your tongue to perky red raspberry and a hint of white pepper.  The jammy explosion is tempered with silky smooth tannins.  

 Sundried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

• 4 ounces sundried tomatoes soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to rehydrate
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt to taste
  

Sundried Tomato Pesto Chicken Pizza

• 6 oz sundried tomato pesto divided into 2 equal parts
• 1 lb chicken breast cut into strips
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 oz parmesan cheese finely shredded

In a heated skillet, place oil and chicken strips.  Sear the chicken quickly and add 3 oz of the sundried tomato pesto mix.  Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Work the dough ball into a flat round on a lightly floured pizza peel or pizza sheet.  Spoon the remaining sundried tomato pesto mixture onto the dough and apply evenly to coat the surface.  Place the chicken breast pieces onto the coated crust covering the pizza evenly.  Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and finally the mozzarella cheese.

Place on the lowest rack of a pre-heated 425 degree oven onto a pizza stone (if you have one) or on the pizza sheet.  Cook until the bottom of the crust is toasted to the desired crispness. 


COURSE SIX: PIZZA COMES TO CHICAGO

Chicago-style pizza is a deep-dish pizza style developed in Chicago. Chicago-style pizza has a buttery crust up to three inches tall at the edge, slightly higher than the large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce, acting as a large bowl. The term also refers to "stuffed" pizza, another Chicago style. While in Chicago most pizzerias serve thin-crust pizza, generally in a style characteristic to the city, the term Chicago-style pizza is used to describe this deep-dish style of pizza.  The Chicago-style "deep-dish" pizza was invented at Pizzeria Uno, in Chicago, in 1943, reportedly by Uno's founder Ike Sewell, a former University of Texas football star. However, a 1956 article from the Chicago Daily News asserts that Uno's original pizza chef Rudy Malnati developed the recipe.



This pizza is unique, because it is far from the roots of an original Italian pizza. It does not include ‘thin crusts’ or ‘delicate toppings,’ but rather it is made with a heavy, thick crust and large amounts of cheese, sauce, and ingredients.  In the 1940s, during World War II, this kind of a pizza was very widely used, because it was more like a casserole that could feed several mouths for a low price, which was perfect for a war-time country.


Deo and Sharyon’s version of this classic is the mother of all pizzas.  This bounty includes mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, hot and sweet Italian sausage, mushrooms, black olives, red onion, green and red bell peppers and hearty sauce topped with parmesan cheese.


The mother of all pizzas is paired with the Veritas Ridge Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon.  You will note concentrated flavors of currant, fig and bittersweet cocoa highlighted with rich, soft and well-developed tannins.  The finish brings black cherry, mocha, vanilla and solid earthy tones to the palate.

Deo’s Deep-Dish Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 lb mozzarella cheese slices
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
• 8 oz pepperoni slices
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 8 oz mushrooms sliced or quartered
• 6 oz sliced black olives
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• 4 oz parmesan cheese finely shredded
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic pepper

Work the dough round into a flat round on a lightly floured pizza peel or pizza sheet.  Continue to work the dough until it is about 18 inches in diameter.  Place this dough into the deep dish pan so that the dough is touching the entire surface of the inside of the pan.  Don’t worry about any extra dough hanging out the edges of the pan.  Cover the bottom of the crust with the cheese slices so that the entire surface is covered with cheese.  Use all the mozzarella on this layer.

Remove sausage from casing and mix together evenly.  Place the sausage between layers of plastic wrap.  Roll this sausage into a flat disk using a rolling pin.  Place the disk of sausage into the pizza pan on top of the cheese.  Line the sausage with pepperoni slices to cover the disk.  Place the dice d onion, peppers, mushrooms and black olives evenly into the pan.  Mix the basil, oregano and garlic pepper into the sauce and mix well.  Spoon the tomato sauce mixture into the pan until it reaches the top of the pan. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and fold any overhanging crust over onto the pizza.

Place on the lowest rack of a pre-heated 425 degree oven onto a pizza stone (if you have one) or on the pizza sheet.  Cook for 45 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is toasted to the desired crispness.