deVine Table

Sure, we’ve all heard by now we don’t have to abide by the old rule of drinking only white wine with chicken or fish. Yet, how many people know how to go about pairing red wine with these dishes? One method is to pay close attention to what you prepare to accompany the dish. Put a sauce on it.

In our house, we typically put these sauces over simply roasted chicken or a hearty fish such as salmon or halibut. Sometimes, we improvise and put them on pizza or pasta. It’s that simple.

Here are some of our favorite sauces to pair with red wine.

1. Romesco Sauce, such as the version from the reliable food blog, Simply Recipes,  stands up to Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.  Try the Romesco over prawns sauteed in garlic.
2. Savory Blueberry Sauce pairs wonderfully with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
3. Mole Sauce can top everything from traditional roasted turkey breast to anunexpected pasta dish and has a complex flavor profile that plays nicely with Malbec.
4. Sun Dried Tomato and Red Pepper Pesto make a delightful accompaniment for Sangiovese.
5. A deVine Twist on Pesto pairs nicely with Barbera.

Do you have a favorite sauce to serve up when you’re pouring a big red?

This is a great recipe not only because it is quick and easy, it’s also elegant enough to serve on an occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Your sweetie will think you spent all day on it! Plus, this versatile sauce can be served with a variety of different proteins from tofu to pork, whichever your heart desires.

Inspiration for this dish came from a recipe provided by the Neighborhood Farmer’s Market Alliance. Makes enough sauce for at least 4 entrees.

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Prawns Poached in Cream Over Couscous

If you think being a student at the Northwest Wine Academy sounds like fun, you’re right! One of my current assignments is a group research project focused on a meal paired with wine. The “task” is to dine together with other students, then describe the meal, the wine pairings, and overall impressions of the meal. As luck would have it, my friends were planning a multi-course meal to celebrate my birthday in our traditional way. That meal has become fodder for this project. The topic happens to dovetail nicely into the theme for this blog, so I am sharing it here as this meal exemplifies what I consider the be the ultimate in food and wine pairing. (more…)

Earlier this year Chef Sabrina Tinsley of Osteria la Spiga taught a cooking class at PCC that I was delighted to attend. One of the dishes she introduced us to that evening was Zuppa di Finocchio e Noci – also known as Fennel Walnut Soup. It’s easy to prepare, vegetarian, and pairs well with wine.

I recently prepared this soup for a dinner party we hosted at which we were serving Merlot. Ed claimed that this dish along with the Northstar 2002 Columbia Valley Merlot created his absolute favorite pairing of the evening.

This recipe is reprinted with the kind permission of Chef Tinsley.

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Cherry and Basil Salad on the deVine Table

When we went to the Wine Bloggers’ Conference in Walla Walla, I knew we’d come back with more wine. I just didn’t think we’d come back with as much as two cases. Two cases on its own really isn’t that much for a household that regularly consumes wine and entertains guests. It’s just that we don’t have room to store any more wine. So, we decided to host a dinner for friends in an effort to alleviate our “storage problem.”

Our friends also happen to be wine bloggers from Washington State Wine and Beer and Washington Wine Report.  So what wine do you serve to wine bloggers? Bubbles are always a great way to start any party. As if the drink isn’t festive enough, Argyle Winery makes a unique red sparkler from 100% Pinot Noir that is a beautiful intense red. It always starts a conversation on its own. Then we moved onto Fumé Blanc for the appetizer. For the next course we selected two Merlots to drink side by side – one from Washington and one from California. That’s right, we served these Washington winos some California juice! Terroir vs. terroir. Following that, we served two Bordeaux blends made with grapes from the same vineyard but at the hands of different winemakers. Winemaker vs. winemaker. For dessert, a late harvest Gewurztraminer that I promised Ed we’d open the next time he joined us for dinner.

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Risotto Topped with Mushrooms

I resisted making risotto for years, thinking it would keep me tied to the stove all day. After a cooking lesson with Johnny Zhu, I discovered that’s not the case and have been making it ever since! It’s a great dish for a dinner party because the day before your event you can cook it half way, put it on a baking sheet to cool, cover, and refrigerate it overnight. When your guests have arrived, put the remaining stock on the stove and bring it to a simmer. Put the risotto in a large pot, and finish the dish.

This is what I call a great “base” dish. Start out with the risotto, then combine it with something that will help it pair with a wine. For example, top the finished risotto with some sauteed mushrooms and maybe a drizzle of truffle oil, and you have a great dish to match with a Pinot Noir. This recipe is adapted from Nick Stellino’s Glorious Italian Cooking.

• 3 cups chicken stock

Bring the chicken stock to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to keep it warm. You will be adding it to the risotto later.

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggianno cheese
• 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (shhhh, Johnny says this is the secret ingredient!)

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. After the butter has melted, add the minced onion and cook until it is translucent. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, cooking until it is fragrant. Add the rice and stir about 2 minutes so that it gets coated by the oil. Increase the heat to medium high and add the wine and salt. Stir until the wine is evaporated. Add a ladle full of the warm stock, and stir until almost evaporated.Continue to add a ladle full of stock at a time until the risotto is cooked. You can take a test bite after about 15 minutes to see if it’s still too tough, in which case you would add more stock. When the rice is tender, take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheeses. Let the risotto rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Wine Pairings

The best approach here is to first decide what wine you plan on serving, and then figure out what herbs or sauces will create a “bridge” between the food and the wine.

To enjoy this dish with a Merlot, add Herbs de Provence during preparation, then top the finished risotto with a braised fennel sauce. We like this preparation with Northstar Merlot.

Prefer a white wine? Top the finished risotto with langoustines or prawns that have been sauteed in garlic and butter, then serve with a Chardonnay such as Rulo Winery’s Birch Creek Chardonnay.

Top the risotto with Fairbank’s Portabello Pieces and serve an earthy Pinot Noir alongside.

Feel like drinking a Cabernet Sauvignon? Pair your cab with risotto cakes made from leftover risotto, and a romesco sauce for dipping. Simply form risotto into patties using a 1/4 cup measuring cup (I use the measuring cup like a mold). Dredge each patty in breadcrumbs then refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Fry the patties on each side in about 1/4 inch of oil until golden, drain on paper towels, and serve with romesco alongside.

Have fun experimenting with different pairings.  You could even make a party of it! Select several different bottles of wine,  make one pot of risotto, and pass around several sauces or bridge items for your guests to try on top of the risotto. Your guests can help you decide which pairings work best. What a fun, easy dinner party!