Curried Pumpkin and Squash Soup Paired with 2010 Fox Run Vineyards Finger Lakes Riesling

With the onset of cooler weather comes pumpkins and all the fine squash family members.  The cooler weather also proclaims the start of soup season...at least in my mind.  Although I love the refreshing cold soups of summer, the luscious soups of fall and winter are always welcome on my table.

Today I made curried pumpkin soup from a couple of pumpkin varieties and a little help from an acorn squash.  Curried pumpkin (or squash) soup is easy, makes the house smell wonderful, and is quite rewarding when paired with a beautiful Riesling like the 2010 Fox Run Vineyards Finger Lakes Riesling.  Using a curried approach to pumpkin makes the wine pairing easy.  Just ask any of your Indian friends and you will find that Rieslings and Gewurztraminers are routine.

Making this soup is easy.  Start by selecting a pumpkin, or a couple of varieties as I did.  Clean the pumpkin then cut into cubes about two inches square (rectangles are fine too!).  Cut enough to completely cover two sheet pans then slice two onions to fill in any remaining holes.  The pumpkin should be placed skin side down.  Season with salt and pepper and place in a 400 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes.  Switch positions (top to bottom) of the sheet pans, and continue to roast for another 25 minutes.

When done roasting, the pumpkin should be fork tender.  Harvest the flesh from and add to a 4 or 5 quart soup pot (including the roasted onions).  Add 32 ounces of chicken broth (vegetable broth works fine as well), 1 tablespoon curry powder and a can of coconut milk.  Stir and bring to temperature over medium heat.  Finally, puree the mixture with a submersion blender, adjust seasoning, ladle into bowls, and garnish with finely sliced scallions.

Now you are ready to enjoy the wonderful magic of Riesling and curry.  For this pairing, I chose one of two successful approaches; medium sweet with good acidity.  The 2010 Fox Run Vineyards Finger Lakes Riesling is delightfully balanced with a touch of sweetness and healthy acidity complementing the citrus, honey, and stone fruit flavors.  This wine has a wonderful nose of apricot and tropical fruits that make it difficult to delay a first sip.  It is inviting to say the least.

When pairing with curry, Riesling reigns.  However, be careful of Riesling that are too sweet.  Either a dry Riesling with strong acidity, or a medium sweet would be a good choice.  The 2010 Fox Run Vineyards Finger Lakes Riesling offered the best of both worlds - mild sweetness and refreshing acidity.  Just right.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Crab Bisque, Crayfish and Cheese Grits, Cajun Fried Aligator with a Sweet and Spicy Remoulade Paired with Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling

In my last post, Adventures in Juice Land Aided by Cold Soup, I wrote about my recent exploration of a juice diet (strong armed by Chef Sue) along with my thoughts on moderation when embarking on any similar dietary trek.  This pairing is part of that moderation and features somewhat of a seafood theme of crab bisque (brackish water) , crayfish and cheese grits (saltwater), and fried alligator (fresh water).

My real dilema with this meal was the wine pairing.  Early on in the conception I settled on a refreshing Riesling.  I was confident a dry Riesling would pair well with the bisque and the alligator, but as I thought further I was concerned a dry Riesling might be challenged by the strong and spicy flavors of the crayfish and grits.  There was only one thing to do - select both a dry Riesling and an off dry Riesling and let the chips fall where they may.  It turned out to be a pleasing decision.

I selected two Rieslings from Chateau Ste Michelle; a 2010 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling, and a 2011 Columbia Valley Riesling.  The winemakers tasting notes for the dry Riesling state “The Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling is a crisp, dry and refreshing style of Riesling. It exhibits fresh flavors of white peach and mandarin orange, and ends with a clean finish. This is an incredibly versatile food wine and my favorite with oysters.”  I agree with these tasting notes and would add that the aromas nicely echo the flavors - you taste precisely what the nose foretells.  I would also add that the wine has a well balanced acidity that reinforces the winemakers claim this is a versatile pairing wine.

The 2011 Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling is the slightly sweeter sibling of the 2010 dry Riesling.  The sweetness is developed in moderation and does not detract from the prominent peach and citrus flavors.  Winemakers tasting notes: “Our Columbia Valley Riesling is a blend of Riesling from throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley. We craft it to be a refreshing, off-dry Riesling vintage after vintage. The wine delivers sweet lime and peach character with subtle mineral notes. This is our “any day Riesling” that is a pleasure to drink and easy to match with a variety of foods.”  At times, the sweetness of some Rieslings can limit pairing options, but in this case the sweetness is sufficiently moderated that pairing options are more diverse than the sweeter interpretations.

The great fun of this pairing - two wines and three components to the meal - presented six pairing combinations leading to a thoughtful and enjoyable meal.  I will start by saying both of the wines worked nicely across the plate.  The peach flavor featured in both wines worked splendidly across each of the pairings.  However, both Chef Sue and I had our favorites - and our assessment was in lock step.  The dry Riesling worked best with the crab bisque and the alligator.  Both benefited form the well balanced acidity.  Our favorite pairing was the 2011 Riesling with the crayfish and grits.  The added sweetness balanced perfectly with the piquance of the crayfish and cheese grits. 

At less than $10, these wines are exceptional values, magically enjoyable, and great choices for pairing with your favorite dishes.  I highly recommend both for your next pairing or simply enjoying as a refreshing choice on a warm summer day.


As you read through the recipes, you will note that the quantities far exceed a dinner for two designed for moderation.  I plan on enjoying the leftovers for a couple of days!  Blissful.


One final note - please accept my apologies for the photography.  Unlike my normal dining room photo studio products, these shots were taken with my iPhone.  I sadly forgot to pack my camera and lighting kit for our weekend retreat.  I will do better next time barring any further age induced memory lapse.


Recipes


Crab Bisque


Ingredients

• 1 pound freshly picked crab meat
• kernels from four ears of roasted corn
• 1/2 onion diced
• 5 basil leaves finely chopped
• juice from 5 large tomatoes (either use a juicer, or mash the tomatoes through a colander) 
• 1 pint heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine corn, onion, basil and tomato juice in a pot over medium heat and allow to cook for two hours (important in reducing the acidity).  Add water as necessary to maintain appropriate consistency.
2. Just before you are ready to serve, add the crab and heavy cream.  Bring to serving temperature and ladle into bowls.

Crayfish and Cheese Grits



Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup stone-ground grits
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 pound cleaned precooked crayfish
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 tomato finely diced
• juice from 1 lime
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Bring water and half and half to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil.  Sauté onions and garlic until onions are tender.
3. Add diced tomato, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, creole seasoning, and chili pepper. Sauté until liquid is reduced by half.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Plate the grits and top with shrimp mixture.  Enjoy.

Cajun Fried Alligator

Ingredients

• 1 pound aligator loin cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup corn meal
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare egg wash by beating egg with a dash of water.
2. Prepare breading by combining corn meal, panko, cajun seasoning and a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Coat alligator cubes in egg wash then coat with breading.
4. Gently place coated alligator in 375 degree oil and cook until golden brown.
5. Serve with sweet chili pepper remoulade for dipping.

Sweet Chili Pepper Remoulade

Mix 1/2 cup sweet chili pepper sauce (available at any Asian market) with 1/2 cup mayonaise.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Butter Poached Scallops Filet of Flounder over Pesto Fettucini Paired with 2008 Koonowla Clare Valley Riesling and 2008 Fournier Pere & Fils Sancerre Cuvee Silex

Just about a year ago, I prepared and posted an article featuring butter poached divers scallops, flounder filet over pesto fettucini.  This meal was a last minute gig and I was not prepared to photograph and did not put much thought into a wine pairing.  Since the original post, I prepared it again, made an appropriate wine pairing, and of course, took care of the photography.

For the recipes, please follow the link to the original post.  In this post, I will talk about the wine selection and the joy of our wine pairing (as well as share photographs of round 2).

In my original post, I recommended a dry riesling.  I stick by this recommendation and believe it to be a good choice.  However, I did not fully follow my own recommendation and decided to take another path.  One of the great things about food and wine pairing is that there is not a single answer.  Wines with completely different characteristics can work with a meal for dramatically divergent reasons.  This time around I chose a 2008 Koonowla Clare Valley Riesling and 2008 Fournier Pere & Fils Sancerre Cuvee Silex.

My choice was made on the basis of the need for acidity to balance the richness of the butter poached scallops and prominent bright fruit to balance the strength of the pesto.  The 2008 Koonowla Clare Valley Riesling answered brilliantly on both accounts with very nice acidity coupled with bright lemon and green apple fruit flavors.  This part of the pairing was brilliant.

The 2008 Fournier Pere & Fils Sancerre Cuvee Silex from Loire France worked spectacularly with respect to the acidity.  This wine is clean and crisp.  However, the fruit was more subdued than the Riesling and was balanced with the minerality one would expect from a Sancerre.  We were very pleased with the less prominent grapefruit flavors balanced with the minerality and how well this played with the pesto.  This was a pleasant surprise that brought smiles around the table.

As we enter the summer months, this is a somewhat rich yet refreshing meal with equally refreshing wines.  I will not repost the recipes here, but encourage you to visit my prior post for the details (butter poached divers scallops, flounder filet over pesto fettucini).

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Goan Fish Curry Paired with 2009 Delaplane Cellars LoCo Virginia Viognier and 2010 Swedenburg Estate Vineyard Virginia Riesling.

I have a long love affair with Indian food.  The amazing aromas, complex flavors, enticing textures, and beautiful colors make me all tingly inside - not unlike my first kiss with Joyce Klunder just 39 years ago.  And even better, Indian food is not difficult to prepare – except for the breads.

To date, I have conquered dhal pouri (see Curried Chicken and Potato Roti Paired with Chenin Blanc) and barra (see Trinidad Doubles, Cucumber Chutney, Trinidad Pepper Sauce Paired with 2010 Cupcake Vineyards Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc) but have not yet perfected naan.  My attempt at naan for this pairing was an admirable effort, but I am not yet satisfied.  I am fairly confident in the recipe, but have not perfected the baking part.

When I posted to Facebook about my pending attempt at this meal, good friend John Downey, mentioned that his lovely wife Ji had nailed the preparation by grilling the naan.  Once I get the grilling instructions from Ji, I will have a great excuse to prepare another Indian feast, and report back with my results. 

My next attempt at naan may be another shot at Goan fish curry.  Although our meal was excellent, and our dinner party was all smiles, the dish did not quite meet the memory of my favored experience of this dish.  A couple years back, I spent about a period working as a consultant in Abu Dhabi.  During my time there, we frequented a restaurant that in my opinion prepared the best Goan Curry…period.  Now, I am chasing.

In comparison, the recipe you will find here featured more spice and less sweetness than my memory of the wonderful Abu Dhabi Goan fish curry.  My next attempt will back off just slightly on the heat and substitute coconut milk for the water in the gravy.

As for the wine pairing, I decided to experiment with two distinct approaches to balancing the moderate heat of the curry.  I chose a Virginia Riesling intending to balance the piquance with sweetness, and a Virginia Viognier as a fruit forward approach to provide balance.  We were rewarded with two excellent pairings, but the dinner crowd nodded in agreement that the Riesling made the better pairing.

Our first wine was a 2009 Delaplane Cellars LoCo Virginia Viognier featuring aromas and flavors of apricot, peach and honeysuckle with a full rich mouth feel one would expect from a full bodied Chardonnay.  My pairing instincts were good – the fruit of the Viognier did a splendid job of balancing the heat of the curry.  The full body also did a fine job of standing up to the richness of the dish.  The only downfall of this pairing was the attenuation of the fruit flavors which faded quickly when faced with the boldness of the curry.  I would guess this wine will do much better with respect to allowing the fruit flavors to linger with the recipe modifications I mentioned earlier.

The second wine on our pairing list was the 2010 Swedenburg Estate Vineyard Virginia Riesling.  The principal characteristics of this wine that made for a successful pairing include prominent green apple flavors accompanied by a pleasant floral aroma, mild sweetness and well balanced acidity.  Unlike the Viognier, the sweetness and strong acidity led to a longer finish that lingered through each bite of the curry.  Without the sudden vanishing of flavor, we reached our unanimous agreement that the Riesling was the preferred pairing.

As a side note, in absence of the pairing, I preferred the Viognier.  The 2009 Delaplane Cellars LoCo Virginia Viognier is a wonderfully complex and rich wine featuring beautiful fruit flavors and well balanced acidity.  For my drier taste preference, the 2010 Swedenburg Estate Vineyard Virginia Riesling is too sweet – but exactly the reason it worked so well with the Goan fish curry.

Recipes

Goan Fish Curry

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fish cleaned and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Any firm white fish or tuna will work well.  I used Basa – an inexpensive Asian catfish.
• Pulp from two tamarind pods
• 2 medium onions diced
• 2 medium tomatoes diced
• 8 dried red chilies with stems removed
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh finely grated ginger
• 1 ½ cups grated coconut
• 2 tablespoons coriander powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red chili powder
• 2 jalapeno peppers diced
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Put the onion, tomato, coconut, ginger, garlic, jalapenos, dry red chillies, all the spices, tamarind pulp, and water into your food blender and blend until smooth.
2. Heat a large skillet on a medium heat, add ghee.
3. Add the blended mixture and heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Adjust seasoning (salt), reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Add the fish and continue to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Serve over basmati rice.

Naan

Ingredients

• 1 ½ teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons ghee
• 3 tablespoons yoghurt

Preparation

1. Add the dry yeast and sugar to the warm water and stir till the yeast is dissolved. Set aside until the mixture begins to froth.
2. Add flour, salt, yeast mixture, 3 tablespoons of ghee and all the yogurt to a mixing bowl and knead with a dough hook (or you can do it manually).
3. Cover and allow to rest for about 90 minutes or until the dough doubles in volume.
4. Punch the dough down and knead again for 10 minutes.
5. Equally divide the dough and form 8 round balls.
6. Lightly flour a rolling surface  and roll out to 7 inch circles.
7. Preheat your oven 400 F.
8. Grease a sheet pan with the remaining ghee and cook the naan (three at a time) until the Naan begins to puff out and get lightly brown. Flip the Naan and repeat.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Apple Cider and White Wine Braised Pork Shoulder Käsespätzle Paired with 2004 Cuvee Jean Baptiste Adam Aslace Kaefferkopf Riesling

This pairing was inspired by my love for German food and a desire to master the art of making spaetzle.  My history of spaetzle consumption includes two forms; spaetzle prepared in a German restaurant, and the mediocre (at best) store-purchased-dehydrated spaetzle.  The difference between the two is akin to the difference between fresh homemade pasta and the stuff in the box on the grocery shelf.

After a bit of research and a couple trial runs, I found that making spaetzle at home is quick, easy, and fun.  Honestly, it is dramatically easier than making fresh pasta.  For this meal, I decided to use the spaetzle in a German casserole called Käsespätzle.  This dish is a traditional German recipe popular for it's ease in preparation, and who can argue with cheese and onions?

To accompany the cheesy spaetzley goodness, I decided to braise a pork shoulder in apple cider and white wine.  Another easy preparation of what I would consider German comfort food.

My pairing selection for our little Germany night began with the idea of a dry Riesling.  As I ventured to the wine cellar and found I had no German Rieslings (they usually don't last long around our house) and found a French Riesling - a 2004 Cuvee Jean Baptiste Adam Aslace Kaefferkopf Riesling.  A French Riesling, why not?  The Germans and French get along well right?

This Riesling met my desires of a dry riesling with healthy acidity and prominent fruit.  Although in general, Rieslings are intended to be consumed young, the acidity and complex structure of this wine revealed beautiful minerality imparted by the granite dominated soil from the region.  Although nearly 8 years old, this wine aged exceptionally well.

In summary, the pairing was spectacular with the fruit, acidity, and minerality complementing the warm tender flavors of the braised pork shoulder and käsespätzle.

Recipes

White Wine and Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pork shoulder
• 6 garlic cloves, cut into halves and imbedded in the pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 medium onions, halved lengthwise then sliced
• Add equal portions of cider and white wine to bring liquid to about 1 inch below top of pork shoulder
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert garlic. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over moderately high heat then brown meat on all sides.  Remove pork shoulder and set aside.

4. Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat until tender.
5. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized.

6. Deglaze with a cup of cider and return pork to pot.
7. Add a cup of wine, then add equal amounts wine and cider until liquid level is about 1 inch below the top of the pork shoulder.

7. Cover pot and braise pork until very tender - 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

8. Transfer pork to a serving dish and let rest while boiling cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced by ½.  Adjust seasoning and serve over sliced pork shoulder.

Käsespätzle

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions

• 2 tsp. olive oil (20 ml)
• 1 tsp. butter 9(10 ml)
• 2 medium onions (400 grams) quartered and sliced

Spaetzle (per person)

• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
•  2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Casserole

• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 6 oz. Gruyère
• Butter and breadcrumbs for casserole dish

Preparation

1. Start by making the caramelized onions about one hour before the casserole needs to go into the oven. Heat the butter and oil in a non-stick pan on medium, turn heat to low and add onions. Stir every few minutes until onions are lightly browned and sweet enough for your taste. 
2. Turn off heat and set onions aside.
3. Mix the dough several minutes until glossy. The dough should be wetter than brownie batter but not as wet as pancake batter.
4. Dip a wood board into the boiling water, to help the dough slide off when you are making your noodles.  I found using a glass cutting board works better than a "spaetzle board."
5. Spread dough over spaetzle board about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
6. Use a spaetzle knife, scraper, or pastry knife to slide 1/4 inch strips of the dough into the not-quite-boiling water.  A little twist of the rist, and keeping everything wet will aid in the process. 
7. The spaetzle noodles are done when they float to the top.  Ladle the spaetzle from the water and place in a bowl.  Repeat from step 5 until dough is used.
8. Butter and line a casserole dish with bread crumbs.
9. When noodles are done, add them to the pan with the onions. Add the grated nutmeg and 3/4 of the grated cheese and stir to mix.
10. Place noodles into the casserole, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake, covered, at 350ºF for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. 

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

I

Curry Seared Chicken with a Curry Ginger Orange Reduction Paired with 2010 Fox Run Vineyard Finger Lakes Riesling

I wandered to the kitchen and found a bag of oranges leftover from our Thanksgiving feast and wondered what should I do with all those oranges.  Chef Sue regularly makes a concoction of juice including any number of green things and fruit resulting in an evil brew with the flavor of alfalfa and a hint of fruit.  I knew a bag of oranges far outstretched her juicing needs, so I began to think of what productive use I could find for them.

It took only minutes to decide on a curry ginger orange reduction to drizzle over something – but what?  The second inspiration came from a recent preparation of chicken breasts created by Chef Sue.  She took a couple of chicken breasts, coated them in a mixture of cayenne, paprika, chili powder, and whatever else was within reach.  She then seared them in a heavy skillet to seal the juices and encrust the seasoning.  The uncovered skillet then went into a preheated 350 degree F oven until the internal temp of the breasts reached 125 degrees.  The skillet was then removed from the oven and the breasts allowed to rest (in the skillet) for 20 to 30 minutes.  The retained heat from the skillet and the chicken continued to heat and cook the center while resting (it must be a heavy skillet). The result is the most tender and juiciest breast you will ever taste.

It is important to note the chicken will not achieve the USDA recommended temperature of 165 degrees.  If you choose to use this approach, do it knowing that you are not complying with the USDA recommendations.  I am personally ok with this, but it is your decision to follow my example.

Back to our story – I used Chef Sue’s preparation but changed the seasoning to include curry powder, coriander, cumin, ground ginger and salt.  With this substitution, the seasoning for the chicken mimicked the seasoning in the orange reduction that included fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, minced garlic, fresh ginger, curry powder, and chili powder.

Knowing this would be a curried flavor bomb, I decided on a 2010 Fox Run Vineyard Finger Lakes Riesling.  I knew I would need the sweetness of a Riesling to balance the strong curry component.  A semi-dry wine with tropical fruit aromas and flavors of peach, citrus, and honey, the 2010 Fox Run Vineyard Finger Lakes Riesling was a perfect choice.

I was drawn to this Riesling not only for the characteristics I was looking for, but also because it comes from the Finger Lakes region of New York.  I had not yet tried a wine from this region and was anxious to give it a try.  I was not disappointed.  At $12, this wine is a crowd pleaser and an exceptional value.  I am looking forward to sampling more wines from Fox Run Vineyards and the Finger Lake region.

Recipes

Curry Seared Chicken

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Curry Powder
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Ground ginger
• Salt

Preparation

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper
2. Coat chicken with a mixture of the spices and salt.
3. Sear chicken breasts on high heat.
4. Remove from heat and add six orange slices per chicken breast
5. Place chicken in preheated oven at 350 degrees until internal temp reaches 125.
6. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 30 minutes uncovered. Leaving it uncovered is important. If you leave it covered, the steam will tighten the grain and the breast will be less tender.

Curry Ginger Orange Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
• Zest 1/2 orange
• Slices from one orange (cut the rind down to the meat, then slice out the orange segments leaving the membranes on the carcass)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 ounces fresh grated ginger root
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat small sauce pan to Medium-High
2. Add minced garlic to sauce pan and toast until just turning brown
3. Add ginger to pan for about one minute.
4. When ginger is starting to look toasty, add orange juice to pan along with salt, curry, and chili powder.
5. At just under a boil, reduce by 1/2 or until you achieve a consistency you like being careful not to burn the sauce.
6. When you achieve the desired consistency, add the butter, stir until melted, taste and adjust with salt. If you taste the sauce prior to adding the butter, you may be surprised by the orange zest and strength of the spice flavors. The butter will sweeten the sauce and even out the rough edges.

Plating

Place chicken over a bed of basmati rice and drizzle with sauce.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Fresh Tuna Three Ways; Tuna and Avocado Tartare, Seared tuna with Mango Peach Salsa, and Toasted Fennel and Cumin Crusted Tuna Steak on a Bed of Spicy Summer Vegetable Quinoa

If you are a fan of fresh tuna, you are going to love this three course tuna love fest.  The courses were inspired by the idea of using tuna as the central theme running through three preparations of increasingly cooked approaches.  The other theme that runs through the courses is seasonal fruits and vegetables.  Joining Chef Sue and I for this adventure in tunatopia were good friends Don, Beth, Richter and Meredith who contributed to the adventure by bringing wine for the second and third courses – each a beautiful choice.



Fresh tuna, the foundation for this meal is, is the critical step in ensuring success.  Fortunately, living in DC, we have the Maine Avenue fish market where fresh seafood is plentiful.  Picking up a tuna steak at your local grocery is not recommended.  Sushi restaurants use both fresh and frozen fish. With today’s freezing technology, fish can be frozen quickly to retain freshness, flavor and color. As long as it is not kept frozen a long time and goes to the market quickly the fish will have a good fresh flavor.

However, I recommend you stay away from packaged frozen fish, unless it is sold specifically as sushi grade.  When selecting your fish, look for bright fresh color and avoid off or pale colors.  Try to avoid purchasing Ahi tuna or albacore loins that have too many distinct white lines in the flesh.  This sinew is not so much of an issue for the seared tuna, but can make the preparation and enjoyment of the tartare more challenging.  Finally, the flesh should be firm, and should not smell “fishy.”


First Course:  Tuna and Avocado Tartare with Avocado Butter paired with 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Estate Bottled Riesling Kabinet.




Along with the fresh tuna flavors, this dish features strong tartness from the avocado butter, and pleasant piquance from the Trinidad pepper sauce.  These flavors led me to select the 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Estate Bottled Riesling Kabinet balancing the tart and piquance with the mild sweetness of the Riesling.  This wine is subtle and pleasant with flavors of honeysuckle and pear.  These subtle flavors let the flavor of the tuna shine through and made for an enjoyable pairing.




Second Course:  Seared Tuna with Mango Peach Salsa Paired with 2009 Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay




I am a big fan of properly prepared seared tuna, and this pairing took it to a new level.  The deep rich flavors of the seared tuna combined with the fresh flavors of the mango and peach (with a touch of heat from the jalapenos) were elevated to a new level when enjoyed with the 2009 Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay.  This Chardonnay hits you first with big buttery flavors – a wonderful butter bomb.  Next you are treated to some wonderful fruit and a delicious mouth feel.  In the words of the winemaker “On the palate, flavors of pears, peaches and melons are backed with lively acidity. A nice touch of vanilla-scented oak provides an added flavor dimension. The creamy palate has a lingering finish of melon and citrus fruit with a satisfying buttery complexity.”  The melon and peach flavors present a splendid compliment to the peach and mango salsa.  This is a wonderful wine that will be making my list of favorites.


Third Course:  Toasted Fennel and Cumin Crusted Tuna Steak on a Bed of Spicy Summer Vegetable Quinoa Paired with 2009 Takutai Nelson New Zealand Pinot Noir



Finally, our third application of heat.  The tuna for this course was prepared much like the seared tuna in the second course, but at a lower heat and longer time resulting in a beautiful piece of fish heated through while maintaining bright beautiful internal color.  The fennel and cumin crust added deep complimentary flavors that worked brilliantly with the piquance component of the summer vegetable quinoa.  In contrast to the first two courses, this dish demanded a wine with more body, and the 2009 Takutai Nelson New Zealand Pinot Noir responded perfectly.  According to the winemaker, '”The cool, stony-soiled maritime region of Nelson often delivers lighter, fragrant and taut pinot noirs. This Pinot has a lovely nose of cherry jam, mint, wood spice and toasty notes. It’s mid-weight, fairly supple, silky and smooth on the mid-palate, with fine tannin and a toasty, bitter coffee finish.”  This pairing was a pleasant surprise with the relatively deeper and richer medium bodied flavors of both the dish and the wine complimenting each other with brilliant elegance.


Recipes

Please note that these recipes are based on servings for six (and a few leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch!)


Tuna and Avocado Tartare with Avocado Butter
Avocado Butter


Ingredients

• 2 diced ripe avocados
• Juice from two freshly squeezed limes
• 4 teaspoons honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. This is a tart sauce that you can adjust by adding either more or less honey. I recommend going with the quantities listed, then adjusting to your taste. Don't be afraid of the acidic tartness, it works great with the tartare.

Tartare


Ingredients

• 1 grated celery root
• 3 fresh medium tuna steaks (sushi grade tuna) finely diced
• 2 tablespoons course mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon Trinidad pepper sauce (see my recipe for Trinidad Pepper Sauce)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 bunches finely sliced green onion
• 1 diced ripe avocado
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine tuna, olive oil, mustard capers, pepper sauce, cilantro, and green onion in a large bowl.
2. Gently fold in the avocado and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Plate with a small bed of grated celery root, top with tartare then finish with a dollop of avocado butter.

Seared Tuna with Mango Peach Salsa


Ingredients

• 3 fresh medium sized tuna steaks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 diced medium onions
• 2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 diced ripe mango
• 1 diced ripe peach
• Juice from 1 freshly squeezed orange
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 minced fresh seeded jalapeno peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

Preparation

1. Sauté the olive oil, onions, and ginger in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Add the diced mango and peach, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and jalapeno; cook for 10 more minutes, until orange juice is reduced, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat and add the mint.
6. Heat a sauté pan over high heat until very hot.
7. Season the tuna liberally with salt and pepper.
8. When the pan is very hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and then the tuna steaks.
9. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the outside is browned.
10. Slice the seared tuna about 1/4 inch thick and serve over the the salsa.

Toasted Fennel and Cumin Crusted Tuna


Ingredients

• 1/3 cup whole fennel seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup cumin seeds, toasted
• 3 tuna steaks
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Place fennel and cumin seeds in a coffee grinder and coarsely grind.
2. Add ground seeds to a hot skillet over high heat and toast until the first signs of smoke appear. Remove from heat and spread over a large plate.
3. Brush tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat .
5. Dredge both sides of the tuna in the toasted fennel and cumin seeds.
6. Sauté, for 5 minutes over medium heat until golden brown, turn over and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Summer Vegetable Quinoa


Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups Quinoa
• Water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow zucchini julienned or cut into 1/4 inch rings - your choice
• 1 green zucchini julienned or cut into 1/4 inch rings - your choice
• 1 leek finely sliced
• 1 onion finely sliced
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Trinidad pepper sauce (see my recipe for Trinidad Pepper Sauce)

Preparation

1. Prepare quinoa according to directions or 2 cups water for one cup of quinoa. Add water to quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover for 18 minutes.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan and sauté the vegetables until just cooked through.
3. Add the vegetables, 3 tablespoons olive oil, Trinidad pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar to the quinoa.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Plate a bed of quinoa and top with 1/2 of a tuna steak.

In vino veritas, buen provecho

Craig

Butter Poached Divers Scallops, Flounder Fillet over Pesto Fettuccini Paired with a Dry Riesling

Sorry friends, no great food photography for this post, but I have arranged for a suitable stand in – some photography from the Washing DC Maine Avenue Fish Market.  In all honesty, this pairing was a completely unplanned and happy coincidence that started with a hyper-productive basil plant in the garden of Chef Sue.  This recipe was built from from the base up.  Here is the stream of consciousness that occurred yesterday afternoon:

1. Oooh, lots of basil.  What to do?
2. Basil = Pesto.  Yes!!!
3. Pesto needs pasta – fettuccini.  Yes!!!
4. What do we have that might like to sit on a bed of pesto fettuccini?  Flounder fillet.  Yes!!!
5. But why stop at the flounder?  If we could just add one more thing, this may turn into something really special.  Scallops!!!

So there you have it.  I told Chef Sue what I was up to, and she picked up the scallops on the way home and a bottle of mass produced Riesling.  We will not spend much time on the wine, but I will comment that even though this was a non-vintage $5 bottle of Riesling, the pairing worked well.  I think a dryer and bit more sophisticated Riesling would have been better, but this was an unplanned pairing and completely adequate.  If you are like me, I can’t afford to drink the wine I would like to drink whenever I want to drink it.

One of the reasons the Riesling worked was the addition of a very light breading to the fillets that included some cayenne pepper for a hint of piquancy.  The sweetness of the Riesling was a nice contrast to the pepper while also complementing the sweet butter flavors of the scallops, flounder, and the garlic butter sauce that was drizzled over the top.

This was a super easy dish to prepare and took only 30 minutes.  Before presenting the recipes, let me set up the process that gets you to a 30 minute meal:

1. Boil the water for the pasta
2. Preheat oven to 375, and prep fillets to go in the oven. 20 – 25 minutes in the oven.
3. Make Pesto.
4. At 6 minutes to go before the fillets are done, prepare the scallops and garlic butter sauce.

Recipes

Pesto

Stick with me here, because this will be a description of what I made, rather than a precise recipe.  But honestly, I have tasted so many pesto recipes, each with their own little twist, this is more a matter of being in the ball park than being precise.

I started by visiting Chef Sue’s garden and picked enough basil leaves to fill the bowl of a mini food processors (about 5 inches in diameter and 4 inches tall).  To this I added a handful (pretty precise, huh?) of almonds.  Yes, I said almonds and not pine nuts.  Pine nuts are expensive and over rated – the almonds worked fine (and I happened to have them).  Add a tablespoon of minced garlic, and about a one ounce chunk of parmesan cheese.  Pulse the food processor until you have a coarse cut.  Then begin to add olive oil slowly as you continue to pulse.  Continue to add the olive oil until you achieve a consistency you like.  Season to taste.  Easy stuff.

Later on, when your pasta is done, add the pesto to the pasta and combine completely to coat the pasta.  Rely on the heat of the pasta – there is no need to heat the pesto.

Baked Flounder Fillets

Again, this is soooo easy, I’m going with a description rather than a normal recipe format.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Dredge your fillets (any nice white fish will do, no need to stick with flounder – I am a huge fan of cod and haddock) in a mixture of of corn flower or corn meal with a small amount of cayenne pepper.  This can be adjusted according to your taste.  I went for the subtle side.

Place the fillets on a sheet pan, add some sliced onions on each fillet along with a squeeze of lemon or lime, a drizzle of butter, and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes.  Your goal is firm fish that flake easily with a fork.

Butter Poached Scallops in a Garlic Butter Sauce

In a small skillet, sauté 1/2 onion and a tablespoon of garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter.  When the onions soften, add two more tablespoons of butter, and push the onions to one side of the small skillet.  Add the scallops at medium high heat.  For a serving of two, I used five divers scallops (big ones – an inch + in height) cut in half to make 10 smaller scallops about 1/2 inch thick.  The butter should cover at least the bottom half of the scallops (this is really a matter of picking the right size skillet – small).  After two minutes, flip the scallops and continue for another two minutes.

Plating

Begin with a bed of pesto fettuccini, then add a fillet.  Over the fillet, arrange five scallops.  Over the whole construction, spoon on the sautéed onions and garlic in which the scallops were prepared.  Garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.

Final Words

This recipe and pairing was a happy coincidence.  It was not planned.  It just happened, and I am glad it did.  Give it a try with a dry Riesling.  You will not be disappointed.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig