Two Palates, One Passion—Uncorking Wisdom, One Article at a Time!

SOMM&SOMM

Category: Recipes

  • Perfect Pairings: Semillón w/Pan-fried Cod and Lemon Dill Sauce

    Perfect Pairings: Semillón w/Pan-fried Cod and Lemon Dill Sauce

    Fish is versatile, but can quickly become boring and mundane. We eat fish often, and are always looking for ways to create dishes that connect interesting wines with fish-friendly herbs and spices. This particular dish–simple as it seems–was perfectly paired with an amazing old-vine Semillón from Patagonia, Argentina. Together, this fish dish and wine pairing was anything but ordinary.

    A side note…

    About a year ago, Tammy and I reluctantly subscribed to one of the mainstream meals-delivered-to-your-door services. At the time, it was the trend for busy individuals with little to no time for grocery shopping. While the idea of fresh fruit, vegetables and proteins delivered to your door sounded great, we quickly realized that the company we chose took very little care in how they packaged and shipped the products. We cancelled after the first delivery.

    Imagine our trepidation when presented with the opportunity to subscribe to a service that promised fresh caught salmon delivered monthly. Regardless, we decided to give it a try. The Wild Alaskan Company delivered on their promise of freshness, consistency and care. We highly recommend subscribing to this service. The fish in this recipe was from our subscription.

    Description

    There are many ways to prepare cod. The most popular being battered and fried into the pub-centric dish–fish and chips. Nothing like it 😉 When you’re looking to perfect date night dish, however, reach for the herbs, spices and of course… the wine! This dish could pair with other white wines–such as Chablis or Viognier–but the under-appreciated Semillón (Sémillon) grape makes for a perfect pairing.

    Sémillon shines alongside Sauvignon Blanc in the Bordeaux region of France. Lower percentages are used in the typical 80-20 white Bordeaux blends, but Sémillon is the star of the noble-rot nectar of Sauternes. The Sémillon grape in Argentina (referred to as Semillón) has characteristics unique to grapes grown in cooler climates and higher altitudes. With a higher acidity, natural lemon notes and noticeably longer finish, this wine is the perfect compliment to lighter fish dishes. The dill and lemon sauce bring it all together.

    Recipe

    2 Fillets of Cod (5-6 oz. each – Wild Alaskan Company)

    Salt and Pepper

    1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter

    Olive Oil

    Lemon Zest

    Juice from Half a Lemon

    1 tsp. Dried Dill

    1/4 Cup Chicken Broth

    1/2 Clove of Minced Garlic

    1/4 Cup Cream (I used Half and Half)

    Make sure to dry the fish fillets with a paper towel. This will ensure the fillets brown-up nicely in the pan. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper.

    With the stove on medium heat, heat the butter and olive oil. Once the olive oil and butter are hot, place the fillets in the pan and cook for 4 minutes or so. We are trying to get a nice even golden sear. Carefully flip the fillets and cook the other side for an additional 4 minutes. Remove the fillets and set aside.

    Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for a minute. Turn the heat down slightly and add the cream, chicken broth and a dash of salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens (usually 5 minutes). Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and dill.

    Plate it. Pour the wine and enjoy! We recommend a 2018 Matias Riccitelli Wines Old Vines Semillón

  • Trendy Cocktails: Verbena

    Trendy Cocktails: Verbena

    Several years ago while visiting Las Vegas we had the opportunity to taste (ok… drink) a few ‘secret’ cocktails from The Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan. One of the cocktails, called the Verbena, was an experience like no other. The cocktail itself was a creative lemon-ginger riff on the classic Margarita, but the addition of the edible garnish brought the cocktail to a different level.

    The flowering herb Acmella oleracea (grown in the tropics) has many different names–such as toothache plant, buzz button and Szechuan button. The seemingly timid looking garnish causes a tingling sensation to the inside of your mouth and tastebuds when chewed. From there, the entire cocktail is elevated into an experience worthy of repeating again and again (and again).

    Of course we needed to recreate the experience for family and friends, so the first order of business was to find the ‘buzz buttons.’ A quick search on Google pointed us to Marx Foods where you can buy them in bulk. At the same time, I found a website to order Yuzu juice and placed an order for two bottles. Both bottles were damaged and the juice (most of it) leaked out. I was able to taste the Yuzu juice, and in my complete frustration with the supplier decided to use common juices to create the same flavor profile.

    This recipe uses the combination of lime, orange, grapefruit and lemon to get the Yuzu-like flavor of the original cocktail.

    The Verbena 

    1 ½ oz. Tequila (Herradura Blanco) 

    1 oz. Ginger Syrup 

    ½ oz. Lime Juice 

    ½ oz. Grapefruit Juice 

    1 oz. Orange Juice 

    1 oz. Lemon Juice 

    1 Szechuan Button (marxfoods.com)

    Place all of the liquid ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake vigorously. Pour into an ice-filled glass, add the Szechuan Button and enjoy.

    Cheers 😉 

  • Trendy Cocktails: Singapore Sling

    Trendy Cocktails: Singapore Sling

    There are many theories on the origin of this very trendy cocktail–the Singapore Sling. The most popular and least disputed involves an alchemist disguised as a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore 😉

    At the start of the 20th century, a bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon working at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel, decided to create a cocktail specifically for the ladies. At the time, it was not proper for ladies to consume alcohol in public. Boon’s idea was to disguise the cocktail as fruit juice… and the rest is history.

    Over the years I have seen (and tasted) many variations of this cocktail. Versions served in asian restaurants and high-traffic tourist areas are bright red in color and sickening sweet. My favorite version pays homage to the originator, and at the same time introduces a better balance between sweet, sour and bitter. Get your bar tools ready… here we go.

    Singapore Sling

    2 oz. Gin

    1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

    1 oz. Cherry Brandy

    1 oz . Pineapple Juice

    1/2 oz. Cointreau

    1/2 oz. Benedictine D.O.M.

    1/4 oz. Grenadine (I make my own)

    Dash of Angostura bitters

    The French-produced Benedictine liquor brings herb and spice notes that seem to amplify the already complex flavors of gin. Cointreau tastes very different than its French cousin–Grand Marnier, and shouldn’t be substituted.

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled (about 30 seconds). Pour into a chilled martini glass (yes, that’s what I said), garnish with a cherry or three and enjoy. This is a 6 oz. (ok… just over 6 oz.) cocktail, so I prefer serving in a chilled sour glass. I really like the “drink specific” line of glasses from Ridel. The Sour Cocktail Glass is perfect for this drink. 

    Enjoy!

  • Perfect Pairings: Gewürztraminer w/Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Perfect Pairings: Gewürztraminer w/Sweet and Sour Chicken

    With so many variations of Asian cuisine, there isn’t a one-glass-fits-all wine. In fact, there are several perfect pairings within this gastro-genre. Alsace Gewürztraminer and the westernized Cantonese Sweet and Sour Chicken dish breaks the “if it grows together, it goes together” basic rule of food and wine pairing. It is important to note that not all Gewürztraminer wines will work in this scenario.

    Gewürztraminer from Alsace, France

    The Gewürztraminer wines of Alsace tend to be off-dry. Gewürztraminer from other regions can be sweeter with Riesling-like characteristics.

    No, I am not really comparing Riesling to Gewürztraminer 😉 There are, however, certain characteristics unique to Alsace Gewürztraminer making it the right choice for this dish.

    So… why does this pairing work so well? Dry, fruity and spicy version of this varietal stand up perfectly to the bold intense flavors of this dish.

    Trimbach Gewürztraminer 2016 – Alsace, France

    Heat up the wok, chill the wine, and lets get started…

    Tammy’s Sweet and Sour Chicken

    2 Green Peppers

    2 Tomatoes

    2 Carrots

    Chicken Breasts (1 per person)

    3-4 Green Onions

    1 Small Can of Pineapple Chunks

    Prepare the batter (ingredients and instructions below). Cut the chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces. Cut vegetables and tomatoes (technically not a vegetable) into bite-size chunks. Blanch the carrots and green peppers and set aside for later. Batter the chicken pieces and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Prepare the sauce (ingredients and instructions below).

    Add blanched vegetables, tomatoes, and golden-fried chicken to the thickened sauce (make sure to add the chicken last). Heat thoroughly and serve.

    Open the wine and enjoy! 

    Batter

    1 Egg

    1 Cup Flour

    1/2 Cup Cornstarch

    6 tbsp Cooking Oil

    1 Cup + 2 tbsp Very Cold Water

    1 tsp Baking Powder

    1/2 tsp Salt

    Dash of Pepper

    Mix all of the dry ingredients, and add the liquids. Optional: Add a few drops of yellow food coloring.

    Sauce

    3/4 Cup Water

    1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice

    5 tbsp Sugar

    3 tbsp Vinegar

    1 tbsp Soy Sauce

    1 tbsp Ketchup

    3 tsp Cornstarch + 2 tbsp Water (Mixed into a Paste)

    In a saucepan, whisk all of the ingredients together except the cornstarch paste. Bring to a boil. Add cornstarch paste to thicken.

  • Trendy Cocktails: Autumn Leaves

    Trendy Cocktails: Autumn Leaves

    Fall weather calls for dark liquors. It’s time to put away the Summer tiki cocktails and gin-infused libations. Cooler weather inspires mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts alike to concoct liquid expressions of the season. There are many classic cocktails to keep us warm during the cooling months of Autumn. Only a few brown liquor cocktails arouse the senses, and recall flavors of Fall. This Manhattan-inspired cocktail is Autumn in a glass.

    This Manhattan-inspired cocktail is Autumn in a glass.

    For me, Fall is a season of baking spices, earthy citrus, and fiery colors. So… in that spirit, I set out to create a cocktail that pays homage to the season. The Autumn Leaves cocktail is smooth and inviting. The cinnamon spiced bourbon is framed perfectly by the Aperol, while the sweet vermouth gives a nostalgic characteristic to the cocktail. It all comes together perfectly with the addition of several dashes of orange bitters.

    Autumn Leaves

    2 oz. Cinnamon Spiced Bourbon (I prefer Jim Beam Red Stag Spiced Bourbon)

    1 oz. Sweet Vermouth

    1/2 oz. Aperol Apertivo

    4-6 Dashes of Orange Bitters

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. That’s right… I said shake. The bourbon Gods frown upon the very idea of shaking a cocktail, but this is an exception. The syrupy Aperol doesn’t mix well enough (for my taste) during a classic Manhattan-style stir. Also, I prefer the complete integration of the ingredients along with the semi-frothiness and opaque Fall colors from shaking this cocktail.

    Strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a cherry.

    Enjoy!

  • Trendy Cocktails: The Blood & Bourbon

    Trendy Cocktails: The Blood & Bourbon

    Finding the right pre-dinner cocktail can sometimes be a challenge. As with wine, there is a difference between ‘right’ and ‘right now.’ Sometimes we succumb to convenience… and choose the ‘right now’ option. A pre-dinner cocktail should set the tone and expectations for the upcoming culinary experience. As a side note, I consider every meal (including pizza delivery) a culinary experience if you are sharing it with friends and family.

    The Blood & Bourbon Cocktail has everything you need to get those tastebuds working. The blood orange liquor provides just enough citrus, while the tarragon gives the subtle herbiness to put bring cocktail to the next level.

    The Blood & Bourbon Cocktail

    2 oz. Bourbon (my wife prefers Basil Hayden)

    1/2 oz. Blood Orange Liquor

    1 oz. Sweet Vermouth

    4 to 6 Dashes Orange Bitters

    Pinch of Crushed Tarragon

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a coupe-style or martini glass. Keep everything close by because you’ll want another one 😉

    Cheers!