This is a new feature for the Review of Washington Blog. Each month, simultaneously with the monthly issue going on line, there will be a listing of food pairings with the wines reviewed in that issue. Here are the pairings for this month.
Pan Fried Oysters
This is an easy dish. Dip small size fresh oysters in egg and dredge them in bread crumbs. Fry in cooking oil until brown. I usually accompany them with cole slaw.
2010 Sparkrman Cellars "Pearl" Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley
2010 Buty Semillon-Sauvignon-Muscadelle, Columbia Valley
2010 Ross Andrew "Meadow" White, Washington/Oregon
Erik McLaughlin's Lentil Pasta and Vegetable Soup
Erik, Director of Wineries for Tranche Cellars and Corliss Estates, prepared this at a tasting of "Rhone-style" reds and whites. Here is his recipe.
Before starting, make sure you have a cup of cooked pasta or brown rice ready to add at the end. If not, start with preparing this.
Boil, covered 1 ½ cups your favorite Letnils (for this type of recipe, I prefer French Green Lentils, called “Puy Lentils) in 2 cups Vegetable stock or Vegetable broth and 2 cups water. Cooking time will vary on type of lentil from aprox 15-60 minutes. Green lentils will take 20-25 minutes. Boil until delicately yielding to bite into but still firm and holding shape.
Simultaneously, in a separate pan sauté mirapoix (mixture of finely diced ½ cup carrots, ½ cup celery, 1 cup onion) in olive or vegetable oil (I prefer half and half, just enough to lightly coat the pan) until carrots start to soften and onions are translucent.
In same sauté pan add a little more oil, then add 3 cloves finely minced garlic cloves and 1-2 cups (depending upon intensity of flavor of mushroom selected) sliced mushrooms (any type will do, but morels are best for this recipe). Saute until garlic just starts to turn color (before browning) and mushrooms start to stick to pan. Deglaze the pan with aprox ¼ - ½ cup white wine, making sure you use a flat spatula to scrape up any bits stuck to the pan into the deglazing liquid. Simmer, adding more wine to keep mixture moist until mushrooms are fully cooked. Stir in a bit of your favorite fresh or dried herb mixture, about 1-3 teaspoons (depending upon preference) of Cholula or Tapatio (or Tabasco or any other red chile based hot sauce), and 1 Tblespoon Miso if you have it. Give it all a quick sauté, keeping the mixture moist.
By this time your lentils will hopefully be cooked, with the boiling liquid turning dark brown and still soupy. If not done, keep cooking until lentils are soft to the tooth. If cooking liquid starts to reduce, add more vegetable broth/water to keep to a soupy consistency.
Once lentils are cooked add sauté mixture and 1 cup cooked pasta (penne works well), or for an even healthier option, 1 cup cooked brown rice. Brown rice, will absorb much of the liquid in the soup, so you will likely need to add more liquid. Stir all together and taste. Add salt, pepper, and more hot sauce to taste.
Serve right away with a loaf of crusty, artisan bread.
Any left-overs will freeze and re-heat well.
2007 or 2006 Tranche Cellars Slice of Pape Red, Columbia Valley (2006 vintage reviewed July, 2011)
2008 Cougar Crest "Syrillo" Red, Walla Walla Valley
2008 :Nota Bene "Una Notte" Red, Columbia Valley
Poulet Saute "Beausejour"
This is an adaptation of a recipe in Pierre Franey's 60 Minute Gourmet. Saute a quartered frying chicken. When brown, add chopped garlic or shallots, cook a bit more, then add a bit of white wine and fresh thyme. Then cook until tender. The aromas of Petit Verdot pairs nicely.
2008 Januik Petit Verdot, Columbia Valley
2007 Cougar Crest Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley
If you prefer a white, try this aromatic wine:
2010 DeLille Cellars Doyenne Roussanne, Red Mountain
The Bank and Grill's Roasted Pork Loin
Paul Freeman and Jeanine Gordon prepared this for Glencorrie Winery's Barn Dinner. Take a center cut pork loin (about 2/1/2 inches in diameter) and rub with garlic, herbs (preferably thyme), pepper and salt, and roast unti barely pink. Serve with vegetables and a huckleberry reduction sauce.
2008 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
2008 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley
An Outstanding Malbec from Kerloo Cellars
Ordinarily, I don’t publish reviews of wines that are available to only a select few, whether only through winery clubs or otherwise. However, I am making an exception for this particular wine. The members of the Kerloo Calling Club are extremely fortunate to have this.
2009 Kerloo Cellars Malbec, Yakima Valley, Chelle den Millie Vineyard
I first tasted this wine from the barrel the spring after harvest and found it highly promising. It has evolved into a gorgeously aromatic, silky Malbec. It displays a deep purplish ruby color, and ripe blackberries, cherries and blueberries jump out of the glass, with scents of lavender, oriental perfumes, violets, smoldering incense and white pepper. On the palate, the flavors are super saturated, redolent of true blue fruits, intermixed with stony Missoula flood minerals, licorice, dark chocolate and mocha. On the back, the ripe fruit energizes with squeezes of blueberry and cherry juices and picks up tones of orange peel, roasted nuts, kirsch liqueur, crème brulée and light oak (25% new, 75% neutral) all merging effortlessly into a lingering fine-grained tannin finish. 19+/20 points.