BurlingtonCountyTimes.com

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Former Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil autographing Former Eagles player Vince bottles of his Papale and wife Janet help wine. themselves to the food prepared by the Madison’s executive chef, Jack Connor and paired with Vermeil Wines. Connor, prepared Skuna Bay Gravlox for the event.

Former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil brings the fruits of his labor to Riverside. By SALLY FRIEDMAN “I was drinking wine as a young child. It was But mingled with those rich memories are the CORRESPONDENT served with meals and treated with great respect,” ones of wine, and of living surrounded by the fam- It’s not unusual to see beloved former Eagles said the Chester County, Pa., resident who looks ily vineyards. coach Dick Vermeil surrounded by legions of his remarkably unchanged since his coaching years. “It was a beautiful way of life, not always fans. And he was again on a recent evening at Cafe Vermeil shows no signs of tough football lore easy because you were always depending on the Madison in Riverside. when he remembers growing up in his great- weather, and Mother Nature can be tricky,” said But this time, many of the conversations grandfather’s home in Calistoga, a part of the Vermeil. weren’t about the new season, or any of the old world where wine reigns. With a mixed French and Italian heritage, ones. They were about the gift of the vines, wine. Football was there — Vermeil, not surprisingly, handed down since 1900 from his pater- And Vermeil is no slouch when it comes to was his high school’s successful quarterback, and nal great-great-grandfather, Vermeil has wine. It’s in his DNA, it’s in his family his- continued playing in college at San Jose State, responded to that strong wine culture tory, and now it’s very much on his mind then on to college coaching at Stanford. The with zest, and respect. since he has launched his own company, Vermeil was once sent home Vermeil Wines, from the family next chapter included a stint with the Los Ange- les Rams, then the head coaching job at UCLA. from elementary school for winery in Calistoga, Calif. He’s having wine in his thermos. deeply involved in the process He arrived in Philadelphia as head coach of the and even rides a tractor Eagles and took the team to Super Bowl XV in on his long visits to 1981. See VERMEIL, California. After a 14-year absence from coaching, Vermeil Page D2 became head coach of the St. Louis Rams, and within three years, took the Rams from a losing team to a win in Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000.

Bottles of wine from the Calistoga, Calif, vineyard of Vermeil, who lives in Chester County, Pa.

Staff photos by Pete Picknally

Braised pork chops dressed up with cider and dried fruit sauce

By DIANE ROSSEN WORTHINGTON heat, so don’t overcook them. TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES Trichinella spiralis, a parasite found in Pork chops are perfect for quick meals since pork, dies at 137 degrees, so cooking past that they don’t take long to prepare. temperature should ensure your dish would be They come from the loin portion of the safe, as well as delicious. pig and are available boned and with the bone Serve these chops with simple buttered noo- attached. dles, spaetzle or roasted potatoes. A California I prefer the center cut rib chop with the bone zinfandel, a Gewurztraminer or a big chardon- attached because the bone adds more moisture nay would make a nice wine accompaniment. to the meat when you cook it — and it also looks BRAISED PORK CHOPS WITH pretty. CIDER AND DRIED FRUIT Pork may be the other white meat, but some- Sauce: times, it can be tasteless and dry. It has been bred 1 cup diced dried apricots to be very lean, which may be good for our waist- ½ cup dried cranberries lines but challenging for our taste buds. 1 cup apple cider This recipe takes advantage of brief cooking ½ cup water and a savory-sweet sauce to enhance the simple 3 tablespoons unsalted butter pork chop. 1 onion, fi nely chopped Combining dried fruit with fresh apples and 1 apple (Pippin or Granny Smith), peeled, cored apple cider into an autumnal sauce makes this and chopped into 1½-inch pieces pork chop dish perfect for weeknights or a din- 1 cup beef or chicken broth Salt and freshly ground black pepper ner party. 2 tablespoons oil While many recipes recommend cooking 6 bone-in center-cut pork chops, 1½ inches thick, pork to an interior temperature of 160 degrees, about ¾ pound each I have found that is too high. The pork should ½ cup apple brandy be slightly pink and cooked to 145 degrees for 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard both optimum fl avor and texture. The chops will 2 tablespoons fi nely chopped parsley, for garnish continue to cook, gaining another 5 degrees of interior temperature, after you take them off the See PORK, Page D2 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2013 FOOD D2 BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES Vermeil Continued from Page D1

“It was just an accepted thing that food, family and wine went together,” he said. Today, celebrated wine- maker Paul G. Smith crafts the Vermeil line of wines at Smith’s On the Edge Win- ery, with rich sources from Napa Valley vineyards. Pork Guests at the Madison Continued from Page D1 sampled the wine and food pairings that had been To make the sauce: set out at various stations Bring the dried fruit, around the restaurant, apple cider and water often chatting with Vermeil to a boil on high heat. about their own wine — Remove from the heat and football memories. and let soften for 10 The selections included minutes. the luminary offerings of In a large skillet, heat the Madison’s award-win- 2 tablespoons of butter ning executive chef, Jack on medium-high. Sauté Connors. The chef had the onion for about 5 to 7 prepared Skuna Bay Grav- minutes or until softened lax anointed with Bombay and lightly browned. Add Sapphire Gin, citrus and the apple pieces and sauté local chives to be enjoyed another 2 to 3 minutes or with Vermeil Wine’s 2011 until nicely coated. Sauvignon Blanc, and at Add the softened fruit another station, Berkshire mixture and broth. Sim- Pork Tenderloin served mer on medium heat for with the winery’s Jean 5 more minutes or until Louis Vermeil Cabernet slightly thickened. Add Sauvignon 2009. salt and pepper and taste “The restaurant already for seasoning. Reserve. is offering Vermeil Wines,” In another large skil- said Madison owner Bob let, heat the remaining Halgas, who is proud of the tablespoon of butter and restaurant’s wine awards, the 2 tablespoons of oil in wine list and its wine cellar. the pan on medium-high. “And tonight, more than Season the pork chops 150 people are discovering with salt and pepper. Vermeil wines, and clearly Sauté the chops for enjoying them.” about 5 minutes and then The well-named turn over with tongs. XXXIV Proprietary Red Continue cooking until 2009, a nod to Vermeil’s browned and just cooked Super Bowl win, was paired through, about another 3 with Connors’ Lancaster minutes. Place the chops Organic Filet of Beef with on a platter and cover Mushrooms and Shallot with foil. Ragout. Discard the drippings. Vermeil Wines Zin- Over medium heat, add fandel Luvisi 1908 Block the apple brandy to the Vineyard, 2009, Connors’ pan and deglaze the pan choice for having the right by scraping up the brown degree of sweetness, accom- bits. panied The Madison’s pop- Add the reserved ular dessert station where fruit sauce and mustard chocolate and raspberry and bring to a simmer, petit fours left guests smil- stirring, for 3 minutes, ing broadly. or until the alcohol has “It’s my joy to share burned off. Add salt my own love of wine with PETE PICKNALLY / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER and pepper and taste for those who already know Dick Vermeil (center) is seen with seasoning. wine, and those who are The Madison owner Bob Halgas (left) Return the pork chops and executive chef Jack Connor. learning about it, and I’m to the pan and spoon a great believer in the idea sauce over the chops. that to be good, a wine Braise for about 3 more doesn’t have to be expen- minutes or until the sive,” said Vermeil. pork is heated through “And I get a real kick but still tender. Garnish out of helping people fi nd with parsley and serve their way to the one or Vermeil immediately. two wines they’ll enjoy by Wines 2011 Serves 6. Sauvignon encouraging them.” Diane Rossen Worthington is Spoken like a true Blanc. the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple coach. Holidays,” and a James Beard award-winning radio show host. Seafood gumbo is rich with Cajun flavor

Gumbo, a hearty stew heavy pot or Dutch oven the remaining scallions. made with anything from over medium for 2 minutes. Makes 8 servings. sausage or duck to rabbit or Add fl our and cook, stirring Active time: 1 hour, 20 seafood, starts with a roux, slowly and constantly, minutes. a mix of fl our and oil that’s until the mixture smells cooked until it turns dark very toasty and is the color Total time: 2¼ hours. and nutty, giving the stew of peanut butter, 5 to 10 recipe its signature earthy Recipe nutrition per minutes. serving: 246 calories; 10 g fat fl avor. Add bell peppers, This crab and shrimp (1 g sat, 6 g mono); 109 mg onions, 1 cup scallions, cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrate; gumbo recipe comes from celery and garlic and cook, 0 g added sugars; 20 g protein; Eula Mae Dore, who was the stirring often, until the 5 g fi ber; 731 mg sodium; 686 cook at the Commissary on vegetables are tender and mg potassium Avery Island, home to the lightly golden, 10 to 12 makers of Tabasco sauce. minutes. Stir in the okra, Nutrition bonus: Vitamin Just as most cooks of her tomatoes, stock (or water), C (92 percent Daily Value), generation did, she learned ham, bay leaves, thyme, Folate (25 percent DV), Iron Cajun cooking by watching, Worcestershire, hot sauce rather than from cookbooks. (24 percent DV), Potassium And you can serve it with and salt. Reduce the heat (20 percent DV), Vitamin A brown rice. to medium-low, cover and (19 percent DV) simmer, adjusting the heat 1 carbohydrate servings SEAFOOD GUMBO as necessary to maintain a 5 tablespoons canola oil, slow, steady simmer, for 45 Exchanges: 3 vegetable, 2 divided minutes. lean meat, 2 fat 1 pound okra, fresh or frozen (thawed), trimmed Add shrimp and Recipe adapted from “Eula Mae’s and cut into ¼-inch-thick crabmeat to the pot and Cajun Kitchen” by Eula Mae Dore rounds simmer, uncovered, until the and Marcelle R. Bienvenu (Harvard Common Press, 2007) 4 teaspoons distilled white shrimp are cooked through, vinegar about 8 minutes. Discard EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating 1/3 cup all-purpose fl our the bay leaves and thyme. 2 cups chopped green bell as a way of life. Online at www. Garnish with parsley and eatingwell.com. peppers 1¼ cups chopped yellow onions All Sausage Is Made 100% 1¼ cups chopped scallions, Great for Gluten Free. divided TAILGATING On Premises With No additives, 1 cup chopped celery Original Family Recipe. preservatives 1 clove garlic, minced or fillers. 1 28-ounce can diced Over Since 1955 tomatoes with their juice 20 flavors for 2 cups seafood stock or breakfast, BEST water lunch Sausage and you have ½ cup cubed boiled deli 1 pound peeled, deveined dinner. ever ham Heat 1 tablespoon oil frequently, until the okra is tasted!! raw shrimp (26-30 count) 2 bay leaves in a large nonstick skillet browned and no longer has 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ ½ pound lump crabmeat, over medium. Add okra and “sticky strings” attached, 2 any shells or cartilage teaspoon dried cook, stirring often, until it to 3 minutes more. Remove 1 tablespoon Worcestershire removed NNOWOW OOPENPEN 7 DDAYSAYS • SSHIPPINGHIPPING NNOWOW AAVAILABLEVAILABLE starts to turn dark brown, from heat and set aside. Italian Specialty Items, Cheeses, Pasta, Fresh Italian Bread & Rolls. sauce 2 tablespoons chopped 1 teaspoon hot sauce parsley 18 to 22 minutes. Add Heat the remaining 4 Woodbourne Plaza, 934 Woodbourne Rd., Levittown, PA 19057 1/8 teaspoon salt vinegar and cook, stirring tablespoons oil in a large 215-9Gerome (215-943-7663) • geromesausage.com Monday - Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 9am-5pm; Sunday 10am-5pm