The “Mavrodaphne of Patras” wine rightfully encompasses the highest quality class in Greece, as the Mavrodaphne grape variety has all the potential to provide exceptional sweet wines.
Mavrodaphne Karelas is produced from wining 100% “Mavrodaphne” variety grapes, when the law allows using just 50% currants to produce “Mavrodaphne of Patras”. The vines are grown within a specific geographic area and the wine produced falls in the Protected Designation of Origin PDO category.
The Karelas Winery tries to promote Mavrodaphne through many activities, such as participation in International Competitions, International Exhibitions and trade missions, tastings, etc. especially in the last decade.
Mavrodaphne and health
It is commonly known that all red wines are good for the heart, because they contain polyphenones that cleanse the arteries of harmful proteins.
Polyphenols are found in grape skins and pass to wine, because in fermentation on skins must is fermented with the skins.
Another ingredient of red wine, resveratrol remarkably reduces the occurrence of inflammations that lead to heart diseases, strokes and type 2 diabetes.
However, in the region of Achaia, Patras, Mavrodaphne is consumed also by anaemia patients since it has been said to help to increase haemoglobin levels.
Mavrodaphne like all wines and spirits must be consumed in moderation. The high alcohol volume gives one more reason to consume Mavrodaphne at a quantity not exceeding 100 ml per day. After all, this wine has the advantage of not spoiling and a little oxidation improves it rather than downgrading it. We can open a bottle and consume it slowly, even throughout an entire year.
Winemaking-aging-bottling
Despite the fact that the winery does not own any private vineyards, it produces high quality Mavrodaphne wine by carefully selecting its materials, just Mavrodaphne grapes, using modern methods of wine-making and letting the wine age in new oak barrels. Finally, bottling takes place using cutting-edge bottling equipment.
Production
Well before harvest, it begins the process of carefully selecting grapes from semi-mountainous vineyards in western Achaia that are well exposed to sunlight and air.
The grapes reach the winery in plastic trays. There follows the classic fermentation on skins using stainless steel equipment and state-of-the-art tanks. During this phase, it applies the strictest sanitary standards.
When the Baume scale reaches about 5.5 degrees we proceed to alcoholization by using wine alcohol of the coloured juice in the presence of representatives from the Chemical Laboratory - Customs so that the determined alcohol volume designation of the finished product may be about 15.5% VOL and the unfermented sugars about 120 grams per litre.
After a limited period of leaving the new wine with ITS lees, it is decanted in vacuum and left in a clean tank where it is fined using egg whites.
Later on, the wine will be filtered and placed, now clear, in French oak barrels stored at the winery facilities, where it shall remain for at least 1 year.
After this period and further to the certification of the Customs - Chemical Laboratory and Department of Agriculture, this sweet wine comes to acquire the Mavrodaphne of Patras PDO designation.
How to enjoy it
Mavrodaphne is enjoyed mainly as a dessert wine and perfectly accompanies fruits, deserts like chocolate cake or walnut pie and blue cheese like Roquefort. It adores chocolate, a fresh Mavrodaphne could be combined with milk chocolate, while an older vintage Mavrodaphne with a bitter one.
Mavrodaphne produced by adding wine spirits (brandy) instead of wine alcohol, such as Mavrodaphne vintage 2008 by Karelas would ideally accompany a cigar.
It may be served slightly chilled, accompanied by fruits such as pineapple and roasted nuts.
It is recommended as an excellent tonic and is served at 10 - 15oC.
Recipes with Mavrodaphne
We selected some Mavrodaphne-based recipes mainly from the internet and we present them below. The Mavrodaphne has many applications in the kitchen and a search in the search engines gives many results. Searching the internet you will find several references to our Mavrodaphne and suggestions on how to combine it.
With meat
Wild boar with Mavrodaphne
2 kg wild boar
200 ml extra virgin olive oil
400 ml Mavrodaphne
salt, pepper, oregano, pimento and 2 bay leaves
For the sauce:
200 ml red wine
1 tablespoon corn flour
400 ml meat broth
Marinade the meat for 24 hours by placing it in a glass bowl filled with Mavrodaphne.
Sauté the meat in a deep pot with 200 ml extra virgin olive oil for five minutes to create a thin crust around the meat. Then add a pinch of pepper, oregano and pimento.
Allow to simmer for ten minutes in the wild boar's own juices, making sure to stir every one to two minutes. Add the Mavrodaphne used for the marinade, cover the pot and let the meat boil for three hours at low temperature.
After three hours, remove the pot from heat and then with a spoon take 400 ml of the meat broth, pouring it, along with 150 ml Mavrodaphne, in a smaller saucepan.
In 50 ml Mavrodaphne dissolve a tablespoon of corn flour or flour and as soon as the broth and Mavrodaphne mix is warm enough, not boiling, pour in the saucepan. Stir constantly with the eggbeater to avoid lumps. Once it starts boiling, add the meat and all ingredients and leave it to boil for ten minutes.
Accompany your dish with risotto or boiled potatoes with rosemary previously baked in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.
From http://www.dailynews24.gr/
Pork fillet with pleurotus mushrooms and Mavrodaphne
A great combination of Mavrodaphne, cream, pleurotus mushrooms and pork meat. Accompany with rice or if you feel really hungry with nice pasta like papardelle!
Ingredients:
1 Pork fillet, sliced
1 / 2 kg Plevrotus mushrooms
1 / 2 cup olive oil
2 medium onions,
2 carrots, sliced
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
250 ml Cream
1 / 2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 1 / 4 cup Mavrodaphne
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
1. Sauté the onions and carrots in a big pan. Add the peppers and continue to sauté until vegetables are soft
2. Add the meat and sprinkle with the cayenne and freshly ground pepper. Allow the meat to brown on both sides
3. Finish with 3 / 4 cup Mavrodaphne and cook over low heat until
the alcohol evaporates
4. Remove the meat and vegetables and place the mushrooms in the pan at higher heat. The plevrotus mushrooms will release many fluids; leave them as long as it takes for the fluids to evaporate
5. Add the rest of the Mavrodaphne and lower the heat
6. After 3 minutes add the meat with the vegetables and continue for another 2-3 minutes
7. Finally add the cream and continue cooking for another 3 minutes for the sauce to become firm
From http://sintagoulis.gr/kreata/psaronefri-me-pleyrotoys-kai-mayrodafni
Pork fillet with plums and Mavrodaphne
Ingredients
1 kg pork fillet
500gr dried plums (no cores)
500 ml Mavrodaphne
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon peel
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp mixed pepper grains
salt - pepper
1tablespoon fresh rosemary
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 table spoon butter or margarine
a little flour
Serves
4-6 people
Instructions
1. Cut the plums in half and place in a big jar (or tightly sealing container) along with 300ml Mavrodaphne, garlic, lemon peel, pepper grains, rosemary and cinnamon sticks. Let them soak all night long (~8 hours).
2. Wash and dry the pork fillets, remove visible fat and cut into slices.
3. Add salt and pepper, flour well and sauté in a wide pot (or deep pan with lid) in half of the oil already heated. Sauté over high heat on both sides until slightly browned and finish immediately with the remaining 200ml Mavrodaphne, stirring and lowering the heat.
4. Add the plums along with the all contents, close the lid and simmer until the sauce becomes firm.
5. Before finishing remove the cinnamon sticks, add the remaining olive oil and butter and stir.
6. * Plums should have almost melted giving a sauce texture to your dish...
7. It does not require much cooking, pork fillet is a clean piece of meat that is quickly done.
From
http://www.sintagespareas.gr/sintages/psaronefri-me-damaskina-kai-mayrodafni.html
Mavrodaphne Barbecue sauce
Ingredients
1 cup Mavrodaphne
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce or salt
One teaspoon hot sauce or grated pepper
Six cloves of garlic finely chopped or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Two green onions, chopped or three tablespoons chopped onion
Preparation
Pour the Mavrodaphne in a saucepan and add the sugar while stirring at low heat.
when the sugar melts, add the rest of the ingredients.
The result is a sweet delicious dark sauce like the one used by the Chinese in Chinese fried lamb chops (Chinese spareribs)
The sauce is suitable for all meats, but mostly with pork and lamb.
An alternative Mavrodaphne-based sauce is the one known as “Mavrodaphne sauce” consisting of mayonnaise, sugar, soy sauce, salt, hot sauce garlic and onion.
from
http://gogreece.about.com/library/weekly/blmavrod.htm
With poultry
ROOSTER WITH SPAGHETTI
Ingredients
1 Rooster
a little oil
Half a glass of Mavrodaphne
1 can tomato juice
enough water equal to cover the meat
Salt - pepper
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 pepper grains
4-5 cloves sticks
A little pimento
A little nutmeg
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic
The peel of one orange
A little sugar
Preparation
Heat the oil in the pot. Cut the rooster in portions and fry in oil. If there is no room for all the pieces, take them out on paper towel and continue with the rest.
Place the pieces back in the pot and finish with Mavrodaphne.
Add the tomato sauce and water, salt - pepper, the spices, onion, garlic, orange and a little sugar.
Cook over low heat for 1 ½ hour depending on the rooster.
(Recipe: Katerina Moustaki)
Pastitsada
Ingredients
1 kilo beef in portions
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
5 pimento grains
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 cup Mavrodaphne
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 can grated tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 / 2 teaspoon cinnamon
ground pimento
clove ground
nutmeg
salt
pepper
1 pack macaroni
1 / 2 cup grated Parmesan
1 / 4 cup butter
grated Parmesan
Preparation
Sauté the meat in oil, add the onion, garlic and all of the whole spices. Finish with wine, add the tomato, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar and the rest of the spices and cook until soft and left with enough sauce.
Boil the macaroni. Sprinkle with cheese Heat the butter in a pan and add to saucepan. Add half the sauce and stir. Sprinkle cheese on a plate. Serve the macaroni. Add the meat with its sauce on top and cheese if desired.
From
http://lena-saltandpepper.blogspot.com/
In Salads
Salad with spinach, fruit and Mavrodaphne sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 French lettuce, coarsely cut
150 gr. baby spinach trimmed in leaves
half a bunch of rocket
2 oranges,
walnuts coarsely grated
4 dried figs
100 gr.gorgonzola (optional)
Sauce:
1 cup Mavrodaphne
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
salt, pepper
Simmer the figs with wine, for about 10 min until soft. Cut in 4.
Beat in a shakers the wine left from the rest of the sauce ingredients well.
Spread in a salad bowl the vegetables with the orange, cut in small pieces without the membrane.
Add the figs and the cheese, if desired, into small pieces.
Sprinkle with the sauce and add the walnuts.
If not served immediately then add the dressing just 10 minutes before serving, otherwise the salad will become watery. Add the walnuts just before serving, because otherwise their taste will be spoiled by the acidity of the sauce
Source
http://cookthebook.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-post_21.html
Dressing with vinegar and Mavrodaphne
Rocket, parmesan, sun-dried tomato, sprinkled with vinegar and Mavrodaphne (1 wine glass, ½ vinegar, ½ Mavrodaphne)
With seafood
Soup with shrimp and clams
Ingredients
½ kg shrimp
1 canned clams
1 leek
1-2 carrots
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 egg yolk
Mavrodaphne wine
salt pepper
1 tablespoon tomato juice
Preparation
Put 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and salt in a saucepan with water. When the water starts to boil, add the shrimp. Allow to boil for 8 minutes, if small, 12 minutes if large. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the shrimp to cool in their broth. Peel the shrimp and remove their tails. Smash their heads in a mortar. Pour the pulp in a pot along with the shrimp broth to boil, then strain the broth.
In a saucepan heat 4 tablespoons butter. Chop 1 leek, 1 to 2 carrots and a little celery, wash them and then put them in a saucepan, stirring well with a wooden spoon. Add flour. Continue to stir and add the shrimp broth, which has first been strained letting it boil for about 15 minutes. Bring the mixture to a boil again after adding the mussels, hard flour, and a beaten egg yolk. Also, add 70 ml Mavrodaphne and a little pepper. Add croutons, if you want. Served hot.
Octopus cooked in Mavrodaphne of Patras and frumenty mousse
Recipe by Lefteris Lazarou
For 4 people
INGREDIENTS
100 ml olive oil
250 gr. sliced onions
10 large fresh mint leaves,
chopped 1 kilo octopus, cleaned, with the tentacles separated
2 bay leaves
1/2 litre of Mavrodaphne wine of Patras
100 ml white Assyrtiko wine
250 ml tomato sauce
150 ml fish stock
salt
pepper
FOR THE FRUMENTY:
500 ml fish stock
250 gr. onion, chopped
500 gr. sour frumenty
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
100 ml white Assyrtiko wine
Salt
Pepper
250 ml fresh milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice
PREPARATION
Prepare the octopus. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion. Then add the mint and the octopus. Sauté for 2-3 minutes over high heat. Add the bay leaves and continue cooking for 6-7 minutes. Finish with Mavrodaphne. Add the tomatoes and stock, add salt and pepper and cover the pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the octopus gets soft. Remove the octopus and keep aside. Reduce the sauce to pulp in a blender on high speed and pour through fine sieve.
Prepare the frumenty. In a big pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion. Add the frumenty and sauté all together for 3-4 minutes to get rid of the of the flour smell from the frumenty. Add the Assyrtiko wine. Add the fish stock and add salt and pepper. Cook until the frumenty gets soft and absorbs all the liquid, about 10 minutes. Pour the hot frumenty in a blender and blend on high speed. Add milk gradually, beating constantly until batter. Balance the flavour of the frumenty with a little lemon juice. Spread the frumenty in the centre of each plate. Spread the sauce around the frumenty forming a circle. Place 2 of tentacles in the centre of each plate, sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil and garnish with fresh mint.
From
http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=159820
Desserts
Figs with cheese and Mavrodaphne
Ingredients
150 gr manouri cheese
150 gr katiki cheese
100 gr cream cheese (Philadelphia)
150 gr dried figs
2 cups Mavrodaphne
1 cup red wine
10 cinnamon sticks
Preparation
Cut the figs and leave them to boil in red wine, Mavrodaphne and the spices for 20 minutes. Allow to cool Mix the cheeses with half the figs and spread on an aluminium foil.
Wrap the mixture into rolls and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Then cut the roll into slices and serve with the rest of the figs and the wine sauce.
Source
http://www.mavrodaphne.gr/
http://www.foodspk.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=2745
alternative recipe for figs with cream cheese and Mavrodaphne from aklofagas.blogspot at
http://kalofagas.blogspot.com/2008/01 / figs-in-mavrodaphne-with-manouri.html
alternative recipe for figs with cream cheese and Mavrodaphne from aklofagas.blogspot at
http://kalofagas.blogspot.com/2008/01 / figs-in-mavrodaphne-with-manouri.html
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