Tag Archives: food and wine pairing

Sparkling Wine Paired with Asian Cuisine

Sparkling Wine Pairing

Asian inspired cuisine can be difficult to pair wine to, but sparkling wine is often the very best pairing. This is especially true for Edible Rhody Magazine’s delicious Make Your Own Noodle Bowl.

The tiny bubbles of sparkling wine do a great job of cleansing the palate in between bites and gets your mouth ready for another go.  We also love the tone that sparkling wine sets for your meal:  a carefree, light-hearted party time!  We strongly recommend the Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut: extremely lively bubbles and beautiful flavors of lemon and bergamot orange, with notes of butter and hazelnuts.

Looking for great holiday wines? Read the Bottles Top Holiday Wines list!

Perrier Jouet Grand Brut

MAKE IT YOUR OWN NOODLE BOWL
by Amy McCoy, author of Poor Girl Gourmet and founder of PoorGirlGourmet.com

1 (10-ounce) package udon noodles or 4 individual packs ramen, seasoning packets discarded
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (1-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 (½-pound) sweet potato, washed and peeled and sliced in ¼-inch-thick half-rounds
1 bunch scallions, sliced crosswise into ½-inch rounds
1 small head bok choy (approximately 8 ounces), washed, trimmed, sliced into 1-inch-wide ribbons
1 medium bunch Swiss chard (approximately 8 ounces), washed, trimmed, sliced into 1-inch-wide ribbons
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large eggs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges (optional)

Prepare the noodles according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, combine the vegetable stock and soy sauce, then add the ginger and sliced sweet potato to the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Once the sweet potato is fork-tender (approximately 10 minutes) add scallions, bok choy and Swiss chard. Simmer until the greens are wilted and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add noodles and stir well. Keep over low heat.

Working quickly so noodles don’t get mushy, heat the oil in a medium sauté or frying pan and fry the eggs to your desired doneness.

Divide noodles among 4 warmed bowls. Add vegetables and broth and season with salt and pepper. Top each with 1 fried egg and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve each with a lime wedge. Serves 4.

 

Start a Holiday Dinner with Chardonnay & a Sugar Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Few things are better in the winter than a rich soup for a weekend lunch or to start off a holiday dinner, and a bottle of Chardonnay is the perfect accompaniment. One of our current favorites in the store is Laetitia Chardonnay, ideal with warm appetizers like Edible Rhody Magazine’s Sugar Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Hazelnut Crema. Yummo!

The apple and pear flavors of Chardonnay make for a seamless pairing with the unique and delicious flavors of the pumpkin.  In addition to the ripe apple and pear flavors, Laetitia Estate Chardonnay from California has a touch of creamy vanilla flavors that will set off the handful of spices used in the soup.

You can find Laetitia Chardonnay on our large in-store display of Top Holiday Wines. Not only is this wine delicious, but it’s handsome and perfect to bring along to your next dinner party! Enjoy!

laetitia

SUGAR PUMPKIN SOUP WITH TOASTED HAZELNUT CREMA

Executive Chef Willis Stepp, Public Kitchen & Bar, Providence

Stock up on fresh local sugar pumpkins and make a few batches of this flavorful and velvety soup for the freezer. It’s perfect on a cold winter’s day for lunch and makes an elegant starter for an evening or holiday meal.

3 cups peeled, seeded and cubed sugar pumpkin
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
½ cup minced sweet onion
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground clove
½ cup toasted hazelnuts
1 cup water
½ cup chopped shallots
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 375°. Toss cubed pumpkin in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, broken into bits. Spread out on a lined sheet pan. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until pumpkin is soft and tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Melt remaining butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, making sure not to brown. Add stock, heavy cream, brown sugar, spices and roasted pumpkin. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes. Purée in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and check for seasoning.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepot bring the toasted hazelnuts to a boil in 1 cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes or until hazelnuts are tender. Strain nuts and reserve liquid.

In a food processor add nuts, 1 tablespoon olive oil and shallots. Purée until nuts form a uniform smooth paste, adding scant cooking liquid, if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into warm shallow bowls. Garnish with a dollop of hazelnut crema and a sprinkling of chives. Makes 6 servings.

Gourds Galore! Italian White Wine Pairing & Butternut Squash Purée

The brisk air is coming and the holidays are closer than we want to admit, so get a jump start on those recipes and test them out now! A great side dish and accompaniment especially to Thanksgiving is Puréed Butternut Squash with Sage and Parmesan. Especially since winter squash is best from October to November.

Creamy, sweet, and earthy this butternut squash dish will go wonderfully with a nice chilled glass of Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Bianco. Full of stone fruit, licorice and mineral notes, this well-structured Italian white will enhance the richness and hints of sage in the dish.

Food and Wine Pairing - Butternut Squash and an Italian White

 

Butternut Squash
Modern day squash developed from the wild squash that originated in an area between Guatemala and Mexico. It has been consumed for over 10,000 years, but was first cultivated for their seeds instead of their bitter flesh. As time progressed and the squash cultivation spread, varieties with a sweeter-tasting flesh were developed and consumed specifically for their flesh.

A variety of winter squash, Butternut squash is shaped like a large pear with cream-colored skin, orange flesh ,and a sweet, nutty flavor similar to that of a pumpkin. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange and acquires a richer, sweeter taste. Used in all areas of the kitchen it can be roasted, toasted, puréed for soups, mashed, or used in casseroles, breads, and muffins. Butternut squash is also a great source of obtaining your vitamins this chilly season!

Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Blanco

Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Bianco
Located on Italy’s west Coast, Mastroberardino is Campania’s most renowned winery and has been the most important player in preserving the vinous heritage of the region. The winery was established in the 1750s by famed winemaker Pietro di Mastro Berardino, and with his family, has always searched out and resuscitated native grape varietals that phylloxera diminished. Some of these grapes include Aglianico, Falanghina, Fianco, Piedirosso, Greco and Coda di Volpe. Ten generations later they are still producing the most amazing wines with indigenous grapes and was recently appointed to reintroduce vine growing to the ancient city of Pompeii.

Translated as “tears of Christ” the story behind the name of Lacryma Christi is that when God found a corner of Heaven stolen by Lucifer, He cried and where his tears fell, there grew the grapes, Coda di Volpe, that make Lacryma Christi.

Lacryma Christi Bianco is pale yellow in color, with aromas of pear and tree fruits that are complimented by hints of white peach and licorice. The palate is full of minerality, structure, and body that makes this a very food-friendly wine.

Puréed Butternut Squash with Sage and Parmesan
Yield: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 oz. crème fraiche
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 – 5 fresh sage leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.

3. Rub the insides with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

4. On a foil or parchment lined sheet pan, lay the squash cut side down and tuck a few sage leaves into the cavity of each squash.

5. Place the squash in the oven and roast until it is very soft and fork tender, about 35 – 40 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside until it has cooled enough to handle.

6. Scoop out the flesh and place in a food processor with the crème fraiche, half the Parmesan cheese and blend until silky smooth. Add salt and pepper as needed.

7. Fill deep serving or baking dishes with the mixture and sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese. Bake until golden brown and warm throughout, about 15 minutes.

8. Serve warm.

– By Kimberly Vroegindewey