One of the questions we get asked the most at Laithwaites is ‘what food goes with [insert name of wine here]?’
So when one of our favourite Italian wineries asked us if we’d like to share a recipe with our readers, the answer was a resounding ‘yes’.
We’ve been working with the family-owned Barbanera for years and just love their Saracosa Governo Rosso, a classic Tuscan red filled to the brim with intense dark cherry, cocoa and vanilla flavours.
Suave and seductive, it’s a full, rounded blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, aged for four months in small oak barrels. And in a process called governo (it’s in the name!) a portion of grapes were left to dry for 20 days, adding terrific concentration to the wine.
We’ve been drinking it for years with rich casseroles, but when we tried this recipe suggested by the winery we wondered why we hadn’t tried simpler, fresh flavours sooner.
The recipe is called tagliata di Cinta Senese alla griglia con radicchio rosso e pinoli tostati – or grilled Cinta Senese sliced steak with red radicchio and toasted peanuts if you don’t speak Italian.
Grilled pork steak with radicchio and peanuts
Serves 2
- 2 Cinta Senese pork steaks (or rare breed pork if you can’t find Cinta Senese)
- 2 heads of red radicchio, washed and shredded
- 1 small glass white wine (we used Barnanera’s La Scelta di Sofia
- 50g unsalted peanuts
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Heat a griddle or heavy-based frying pan over a high heat and, when it’s warm, place the pork steak on it
- Cook the steak for around 7 minutes on each side, then remove from the grill and let it rest while you cook the accompaniment
- Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in the pan and add the shredded radicchio and the peanuts
- Let them fry for 2 minutes, then simmer with the wine until reduced
- Season to taste
- Once the meat has rested slice it thinly, place on a plate and top with the cooked radicchio
- Enjoy your meal with a good glass of Saracosa Governo Toscana Rosso IGT!
