Photography and styling: Liron Almog
The land of Canaan, the flow of milk and honey.
Abundant Tnuva and extends over mountains, hills, plains, streams, wadis and ravines.
In the north, the green Galilee, many shades and cultures and its beauty is powerful and numerous.
Its paths are covered with vineyards like ancient rugs.
For many years the wine world has strayed slightly from the ancient romance that characterizes its traditional roots.
Wine was sipped in the ancient days of Canaan, long before this or that sommelier matched a neatly branded bottle for a pompous chef’s dish.
I, who had learned a thing or two in the past year about the supreme power of nature, decided towards the new year, to dedicate myself to a primordial, wild and natural doing.
I sought to stretch the boundaries of the concept of "sustainability" with another inch of daring.
Maya Darin cooks in the vineyards, Liron Almog
The source of inspiration for him is a fascinating small talk with Michael Avery, one of the two winemakers of the Galilee Mountains Winery, a winery that works on every issue of sustainability and ecology engraved on its flag and the heart of its people.
While sipping a cool and wonderful Yaron Rosa glass, I asked the winemaker to trust his work - what would you like to eat alongside the wine you have created?
The question of innocence has led to an exciting surge of boundless doing - and here it is.
On the banks of the Hasbani River gorge I spread out the wares of the area's farmers: saltines stalks, seasonal okra, trout fished from the river that morning.
The celebration was joined by delicacies from local producers such as old-fashioned shame cheese from Mitzpe Yamim Dairy and amber honey from the Kibbutz Dan apiary.
On the wooden table was placed a straw basket full of gatherings from the vineyard which in Kibbutz Yiftach - where we collected - Doris Paran the main grape and I - vine twigs, vine leaves in a variety of shades and sizes, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, unripe grapes and even ripe figs we picked from the fig tree planted.
I lit a charcoal grill in the heart of the natural thicket so typical of the northern streams, I invited the winery's chief winemaker, Micha and Adia, and of course Michael, who lit the flame with me and brought me to cook a wild wine feast on the banks of a northern stream at the height of the hot harvest season.
Blanc de Noir, whose Hebrew name is "white from red", was paired with a spicy cheese of shame, wrapped in a garland of collections from the villages of the Galilee.
I happily drank the white oak and Sasson, while grilling trout fish neatly wrapped in vine and banana leaves.
From the cluster of tiny unripe grapes I made a dip that accompanied the tender meat of the tender fish with scorching acidity.
Vineyards cooking session, Liron Almog
For the Gali Patti bottle, we practiced lamb chops, roasted with figs and okra and served with vineyard chimichurri.
In nature it is called the pollen - this is how the "From the Vineyard to the Plate" menu was created, created in an uncontrollable burst of mutual pollination between a winemaker and a cook.
Shame cheese wrapped in summer weeds
List of ingredients for 4 servings:
2 slices of shame cheese (semi-soft cheese made from goat's milk) 150 grams each
8 large vine leaves
2 different herbs (salt, hyssop, oregano, thyme, rosemary)
¼ A cup of olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons honey
1 lime
Ground black pepper
For pickled grapes:
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon, or other "black" grapes
1 teaspoon Atlantic salt
1 teaspoon sugar
A little lime juice
Preparation:
Prepare pickled grapes: Mix all the ingredients and soak together for at least 15 minutes.
Place the cheese on a vine leaf, each slice on its own leaf.
Pour olive oil and honey over the cheese.
Place on each cheese a bouquet of herbs tied with a tying string and over it another vine leaf.
If working on a grill - place the cheese placed on the vine leaf on the hot grill net and leave to roast for about a minute, turning to the other side carefully and roasting again for a minute on the other side, which is also wrapped in a vine leaf.
If working with a home oven - preheat oven to high heat, 220 degrees, place the wrapped cheese on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and roast for about 4 minutes.
Remove from the grill or remove from the oven, squeeze a little lime twist and serve with the pickled grapes and good bread.
Shame cheese wrapped in summer weeds, Liron Almog
Trout wrapped in vine leaves and banana leaves
List of ingredients for 4 servings:
4 fresh and whole trout
8 lemon slices
4 different bouquets of herbs (thyme, coriander, parsley)
4 cloves of garlic slices
8 vine leaves
4 banana leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Grated black pepper to taste
For a yogurt dip:
2 cups yogurt sheep
A handful of chopped spice leaves (mint, dill, vine leaves, coriander)
2 tablespoons unripe grapes or pickled capers
¼ A cup of olive oil
Salt to taste
Grated black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Fill the stomach of each fish with a bouquet of herbs, lemon slices, slices of garlic.
Season with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Wrap the fish in a vine and over a layer of banana leaves - tied with string.
If there are no banana leaves, wrap in baking paper and top with aluminum foil.
If working on a grill - roast the fish on a hot charcoal grill for about 7 minutes on each side.
If working with a home oven - preheat oven to high heat, 200 degrees, roast the fish for about 12 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients of the yogurt dip.
When the fish is ready, remove the banana leaf shell or the baking paper and aluminum and serve only with the vine leaf shell.
Trout wrapped in vine leaves and banana leaves, Liron Almog
Lamb chops with figs, okra and vineyards
List of ingredients for 4 servings:
12 units of chopped lamb chops (with clean and bare bone)
12 pieces of halved figs
½ A pound of Thai okra
2 pcs halved purple onion
4 pieces of red chili, whole
1 halved lemon
Olive oil as needed
Salt to taste
Grated black pepper to taste
For Chimichurri vineyards:
A handful of young and delicate vine leaves
1 bunch of parsley
1 small chopped purple onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
A handful of chopped grapes
½ A cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Grated black pepper to taste
Lamb chops with figs, okra and vineyards, Liron Almog
Preparation:
Prepare the chimichurri: Finely chop the leaves.
Mix all the ingredients together and adjust seasoning.
Place figs, okra, purple onion, lemon and chili on a cast iron skillet.
Season with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Season the ribs with salt and pepper.
If working on a grill - place the pan on the hot coals and not on the grid.
Allow the vegetables and fruits to roast over high heat for about 4 minutes.
Remove from the coals, place the grid back on the grill and roast the ribs on the grid for about 3 minutes on each side, including the sides (depending on the size of the chunks).
If there is room, leave the pan on the grid to keep warm.
Remove from the heat and serve with the chimichurri.
If working on a home stove - place the pan on a high flame and roast the vegetables and fruits for about 4 minutes.
Roast the ribs on a cast strip pan for about 3 minutes on each side, including the sides.
