To kick off this weeklong series of small plates with wine pairings. I have a decadent little appetizer, Prosciutto-Wrapped Truffle Fries. My brother Grant chose to match this small plate with Montaudon Brut Champagne NV.
The recipe comes from Michael Chiarello’s latest cookbook Bottega: Bold Italian Flavors from the Heart of California’s Wine Country.
I gotta admit, I am kind of a Michael Chiarello groupie. But this has nothing to do with his multiple appearances on Food Network nor would I ever consider buying any of the overly thematic ‘lifestyle’ merchandise he sells at his Napa Style stores and online.
Nope, I’m a fan from his days as the chef-owner of Napa Valley’s Tra Vigne, and most especially from his cookbook of the same name.
You see the 1990s were when I started developing an interest in cooking. And though I like to say I’m an untrained cook, that’s not entirely true. I started learning to cook from Michael Chiarello, and his first few cookbooks were my primary tools
Tra Vigne especially helped guide my journey in the kitchen and develop my palate for ‘bold tastes and refined techniques’. The recipes in that book were presented by seasons, giving me my first real lesson in the concept of eating seasonally and locally. Certainly Chiarello did not invent this style of eating. He grew up eating that way in a family of Italian food lovers in rural Northern California. But I have to give Chiarello the credit for introducing me to these ideas long before they were fashionable.
So all during Chiarello’s worldwide wonderings as a paid shill, I still held him and his cooking in high esteem. But with each passing year the luster of his glory days at Tra Vigne began to fade a bit in my mind. I still pulled out his cookbooks. His style of cooking and choice of ingredients made it easy for me to be inspired and to adapt some of his greatest creations on my own. As my culinary skills grew, my confidence to create food (inspired by his books and his style) grew as well. So I’ll always owe him something for guiding me along a path that has become a passion.
Naturally I was intrigued when I heard Chiarello had opened up a 
new Napa Valley restaurant in 2008 called Bottega. I put a visit on my ‘to do’ list. But for some reason I never made it to the restaurant to see if my hero worship was ready to be buffed up and brought back out on the plate. Maybe it was the economy, maybe it was my feeling that he wasn’t the chef he once was (as fair or unfair as that may be). But I never made the trip out there to see for myself.
I suspect my loss of interest in his new venture may have been more than just geography or economics. Because the simple fact is the restaurant business is not an easy life, even for a Food Network Star. Could he slip back into that grind? I honestly figured once he had left the stress and the long hours of day-to-day restaurant work behind him it would prove too difficult to return, because it seems to me the Food Network churns out primadonnas as much as anything else.
But here I am, ready to eat those words because if the restaurant is half as good as the new cookbook, then Bottega (the restaurant) needs to go right back on my ‘to-do’ list.
With this his 6th cookbook, Chiarello brings me back to the culinary creations that so inspired me more than a decade ago. As he does in his previous books and on the television Chiarello shares his cooking philosophy in a wide-open and personable manner. He even opens up the pantry at Bottega with a section of cooking staples even the home cook can master. There are also plenty of great antipasti like the bruschetta trio, green eggs and ham, or torn figs with burrata. There are also Italian standards– executed with so much flair you’ll wonder why you have not mastered them before. Take gnocchi. In this book he brings us both potato and ricotta versions; one following the other. Read these two recipes one after the other and you will finally understand the difference between the two. He includes plenty of tempting meat, as well as chicken and duck. But it is his pork recipes that will bring me back quite soon. Particularly the Crispy Pork Shanks with Red Wine Agrodolce.
Any of these could have easily been adapted to suit my menu of small plates. But I chose his Proscuitto-Wrapped Truffle Fries (pg. 46) because the bold ingredients and daring combination is perfect for sharing just a few bites among friends. It’s a plate of big flavors, with enough decadence to drop your jaw. So this recipe is a great way to set the stage for a luxurious evening spent dining fireside with friends in my own home.
My brother Grant has chosen a non-vintage Champagne– special enough to mark the occasion, but with enough casual elegance to comfortably sit alongside Chiarello’s simple yet romantic Prosciutto-Wrapped Truffle Fries serves 6 CLICK here for a printable recipe.
SERIOUS FUN FOOD
Greg Henry
SippitySup
Chiarello has an obvious passion for food and an amazing sense of humor. He was edited so poorly on Top Chef Masters– they really made him look like a jerk and in reality he is one of the nicest celebrity chefs I’ve ever met 🙂
I’ve always enjoyed Michael’s cookbooks and recipes, but have yet to really settle in to one, but I have to say after you showcased this recipe I am ready. What a lovely treat, certain to elevate any festivities to the next level.
Greg ~ seriously am loving your small plate series — just THE BESTEST!!!
Wow, I would need about 10 pounds of these.…they look great!! Congrats on making Food Buzz Top 9!!!
congrats on top 9 too!
we are MC fans, looking forward to getting that book.
LL
I loved the list of small plates and pairings…As for the truffle fries, if you send me 26, it would be OK ;D
The best for you in 2011 !!
Un beso,
Cristina
Wish I could reach into that page and grab one. I’d love to eat this immediately. And it’s classy to boot!
Oh these look good. Wonderful flavor combination.
Greg
what a beautifully composed and I am sure delicious small plate! I love being able to sample many things and being able to pair them with the right wine!
What a great way to enjoy a meal! You did an outstanding job with this presentation! Congrats on your top 9!!
Have a Happy and Healthy New Year
Dennis
Truffle fried? Wow. Never tried that before. Sounds like it could be a big hit though! Thanks for sharing.
This idea is so simple, yet novel at the same time. Your review is excellent. I love that you kind of weaved us through your personal association with Chiarello. These kinds of posts are the reason I read blogs!!! Thank you for bringing attention to this book. I am really jonesing for the pistachio financier with the poached prunes. Yum, can’t wait to try these!!
Cheers.
These look like such delightful bites! Love the truffle flavor with the fries!
Now those are some fries!
I love Napa Valley. I’ve driven a long way just to visit the giant Dean And Deluca there. Never had the pleasure of dining at Tra Vigne — clearly I missed out.
I never deep fry anything because my house doesn’t have a good ventilation system, but if you made these for me I would certainly welcome that. That picture is stunning.
…he definitely showed a bit of an ugly side to his personality on Top Chef Masters. However, I’ve always liked his Italian/California style in the kitchen.
I love the pairing of this with champagne. Looks like the perfect bite for New Year’s Eve.
I wouldn’t know whether to try for a couple of ladylike bites or just scarf the whole thing down at once. So pretty and delectable.
I like him only because he could be one of my cousins *and* I like his cooking style and ingredient choices and combinations OK — I like him!
— I just made truffle fries for a catered party last week too bad it was kosher so no prosciutto to be found.…
These thin cut fries look like a crispy, salty snack but on a much more sophisticated level than just chips and dip.
I was surprised he didn’t use the double fry method but figure he knows what he is doing far more than I do!
Unfortunately Trevor would insult this dish by immediately pouring ketchup over it.
Your feelings about foodadonnas is shared by many.
I’m with you, Greg. I’m a fan of Chiarello, too. I frequented Napa in the 90’s with my friends and Tra Vigne was a regular stop. I’ve yet to pick up his latest book but if this is what I can expect, I’ll put it on top of my wish-list and perhaps the restaurant, too. That small plate looks positively lovely!
I picked him up during his PBS special… while I was well on my way to becoming a “trained-by-cookbooks-and-cooking-shows” home chef, MC resonated with me. NapaStyle, the goofy concept lifestyle store, annoyed me severely and I wrote him off. I’ve skipped Bottega (Book and Resto) for the same reason, but I’ll give it another look if you plan to do the same!
I have been a fan of Michael Chiarello, too. He just seems so low-key and self-assured in the kitchen, but it seems as though, once Food Network gets ahold of a great chef, I sort of fall out of love with them. It’s like they’ve sold their souls or something.
It’s good to hear that Chiarello hasn’t lost his magic in the kitchen, and I’m sure your guests will appreciate your magical homage as well:)