Roasted Lobster with Pesto + Ca'Bolani Sauvignon for #ItalianFWT

To Friuli...
This month the Italian Food, Wine & Travel - #ItalianFWT - blogging group is traveling to Friuli. Join our live chat Saturday December 5th at 11am EST on Twitter at #ItalianFWT.  We can't wait to hear from you.

from wikipedia.com

This region lies in northeast Italy, bordering Slovenia and Austria, and includes the provinces of Trieste, Gorizia, Pordenone, and Udine. Due to its geography, the region has quite a unique blend of Italian, Slavic and Austrian cultural roots.

The Rest of the #ItalianFWT Crew...

• Vino Travels – Pignolo and Schioppettino and Picolit, oh my!
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla – Roasted Lobster with Pesto + Ca'Bolani Sauvignon
• Rockin Red Blog – Wine at the Center of Cultural Crossroads
• Food Wine Click – Friuli Wines with Nutmeg Braised Goat
• Enofylz Wine Blog – A Taste of Friuli, Got Pignolo?
• Cooking Chat -  Lightened Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Wine from Friuli
• Italophilia - Castello di Miramare: Pearl of the Adriatic
• Orna - A Stroll through Grado: The Sunny Isle
• The Wining Hour - Friuli Pinot Grigio and Roasted Branzino

We can't wait to start off the 2016 new year with you exploring some of the lesser known regions of Italy starting in January with the Basilicata region.  So come back on Saturday January 2nd as we explore the rest of Italy's regions. 

In the Glass...

As a wine-making region, archaeologists see evidence of viticulture as far back as 1000. There is an ancient building called the Rosazzo Abbey near Manzano. Though its structures are an amalgam of different styles and eras, it is surrounded by numerous vineyards that date back to Medieval times.

Nearly three dozen different grapes varieties are grown in the region, including international varietals such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as well as local varietals of Refosco dal peduncolo Rosso, Schioppettino, Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Verduzzo. Researching those local grapes, I found myself regretting that I didn't hunt harder for one of those wines, especially the Verduzzo whose youthful characteristics of peach and nut deepen into honey notes as the wines age. That sounds so intriguing!

Local Sauvignon Blancs are made in a style reminiscent of Sancerre with elements of smoke, herbs honey, and hazelnut. I picked up a bottle of Ca'Bolani Sauvignon Superiore which - from my reading - has more to do with the elevation from which the grapes come versus a designation of a better wine.

The wine was a golden straw in color with flecks of green. On the nose, its bouquet was an alluring combination of sage, pepper, and elderberry. On the palate, it simultaneously boasted intensity and finesse. Delicate and refined, I thought it would pair well with a lobster dinner.

On the Plate...

While polenta is staple of everyday cuisine in this part of Italy, I longed to pair the Ca'Bolani with lobster. The boys were all for it. "We love lobster!" they shrieked when they saw me come home from the market. This is a fairly simply dish that shines with its fresh components - a pistachio pesto and Kaffir limes.

Roasted Lobster with Pesto

Ingredients serves 4

• 2 lobsters, boiled or steamed
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 4 Tablespoons pesto*
• 1 Kaffir Makrut lime, quartered (click to read about these limes)

*Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto

• 2 cups fresh cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon caramelized shallots
• 1/2 cup raw pistachios
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
• juice from 1 organic lemon (I used Meyer lemon because we have a tree in our backyard)

Procedure
Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto
Place all of the ingredients into the blender. Pulse a few times, drizzle in olive oil, and resume pulsing.  Pulse. Oil. Pulse. Oil.

If you want a smoother, sauce-like pesto, add more olive oil and blend longer; if you want a chunkier pesto, use less oil and blend for less time.  So simple. So fresh. So fragrant.

Lobster
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. When the lobster are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Lay the lobsters on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Smear 1 Tablespoon pesto on the cut-side of the lobster and lay 1 Tablespoon butter the length of the lobster.  Roast for 15 minutes. Serve with a quarter of lime on the side. Serve hot.

Jake and I thoroughly enjoyed this pairing. The delicate lobster with herbaceous notes perfectly mirrored the flavors in the wine. I have another bottle. I will try it with polenta and crab next.