Volume 11, Issue 67 - October 3, 2006 |
Good Day Member,
 "WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT teaches you the principles of understanding how
to find the perfect match for any meal. Whether you're drinking Champagne or
beer, sake or port, this book makes finding the ideal pairing easy and fun."
—Roger Dagorn, master sommelier, and David Waltuck, chef-owner, Chanterelle
(NYC)
We are joined again today by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of the
groundbreaking new book WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT: The Definitive Guide to
Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea — even Water — Based on
Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers.
Dornenburg, who studied with Madeleine Kamman at the School for American Chefs
and cooked at top restaurants in New York City and Boston, swears his cooking
improved after he earned his sommelier's certificate from the Sommelier Society
of America. (Page passed the introductory course of the Court of Master
Sommeliers.)
But you don't have to complete a formal program of wine study before you can get
started with food and wine pairing. Just learning the basics can launch you on
your way. (See examples below.)
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Cornish Hen with Pomegranate, Honey and Roasted Almonds
Adapted from the recipe by
Rafih Benjelloun
Imperial Fez
Atlanta, Georgia
www.imperialfez.com
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
5 Cornish hens (about 1 pound each) cut into quarters
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
generous pinch of saffron threads
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup raisins
1 cup roasted almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a large casserole. Sauté the onions until browned.
Add the Cornish hens, parsley, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt
to taste, pepper and water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 20
minutes or until the juices of the thigh run clear when pierced.
Remove the Cornish hens from the casserole. Add the honey, pomegranate juice and
raisins to the casserole and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Arrange the Cornish hens on a big platter and spoon the sauce over.
Garnish with the almonds and sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Beverage Pairing Recommendation:
Serve with a fruity red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.
Adapted from
THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.
|
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For example:
- When in doubt and a white wine is called for, serve
Riesling, which is the #1 food-friendliest white wine.
- When in doubt and a red wine is called for, Pinot Noir, which is the
#1 food-friendliest red wine.
- When really in doubt, serve Champagne or another sparkling wine (e.g.
cava, prosecco, sekt, etc.) — as they go with just about everything!
- Explore other beverages outside of wine. Another option with incredible
food-pairing versatility (because of its low alcohol and effervescence) is
hard cider — which is especially great with cheese, crepes, oysters, and
seafood. As Best Cellars' Joshua Wesson told us, "Cider can handle foods that
are spicy, oily, sweet and sour, or salty — brilliantly!"
- Serving any beverage, such as hard cider, in glassware that matches
the setting and the dish can keep it casual (e.g. a chilled mug) or dress it
up as even more formal (e.g. a white wine glass or even a Champagne flute).
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 Diced
Szechuan Chicken Soong
(Chicken in Lettuce Leaves)
Adapted from the recipe by
Michael Tong
Shun Lee Palace
New York, NY
www.shunleepalace.com
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 large, boned chicken breast, about 1 pound
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch, separated
2 long green chiles, hot or mild
10 or 12 water chestnuts, canned or preferably fresh
1/2 cup finely diced celery
3 teaspoons finely diced carrots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons or more finely chopped garlic
3 teaspoons finely chopped scallions
2 teaspoons Shao Hsing or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate, optional
1 teaspoon water
2 cups peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Preparation:
Core the lettuce and separate into leaves. Pile on a platter and set aside.
Place the chicken breast on a flat surface and, holding a sharp kitchen knife
almost parallel to the cutting surface, cut the breast into the thinnest
possible slices. Stack the slices and cut into thin strips. Cut the strips into
tiny cubes. There should be about two cups total.
Place the chicken meat in a mixing bowl and add the egg white, salt and add one
tablespoon cornstarch. Blend well with fingers. Refrigerate 30 minutes or
longer.
Core the chiles. Split them in half and cut into thin strips. Cut the strips
into small cubes. There should be about one half-cup.
Slice the water chestnuts thinly. Cut the slices into small cubes. There should
be about one half-cup.
Combine the chopped chiles, water chestnuts, celery, carrots and ginger. Set
aside.
In another bowl, combine the garlic and scallion and set aside.
Combine the wine, soy sauce, chile paste, sugar and monosodium glutamate and
set aside.
Combine the remaining one tablespoon of cornstarch and the water and stir to
blend. Set aside.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or skillet and when it is hot add the chicken, stir
constantly to separate the cubes. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes and drain. Set aside.
Return two tablespoons of the oil to the wok and add the celery and water
chestnut mixture. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds and add the scallion and
garlic. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds or until the chicken is piping hot. Add
the wine and soy sauce mixture and the sesame oil. Stir the cornstarch mixture
until smooth and add it quickly. Stir rapidly about 30 seconds and transfer to a
hot platter.
Serve the chicken with the lettuce on the side. Let guests help themselves,
adding a spoonful or so of the chicken mixture to a lettuce leaf and folding it
before eating.
Beverage Pairing Recommendation:
Serve Szechuan chicken soong with an Alsatian Gewurztraminer or an
off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling, or even a rose.
Adapted from
THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.
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