No other country can boast as many different styles of wines than France.  While it can be daunting to make sense of the names and places, we have picked some our favorite French wines to pair with delicious recipes from Edible Rhody magazine. Enjoy Hugel Pinot Blanc and Bichot Macon Village with this fantastic Striped Bass and Corn Pudding recipe. We invite you to try something novel and delicious this fall season!

2011 Albert Bichot Macon Village, Burgundy

Not an oaky/buttery Chardonnay!  Still rich and full bodied, but with more ripe apple and pear flavors.  A great wine to pair with meals with lots of veggies and butter.

2009 Hugel ‘Cuvee les Amore’ Pinot Blanc, Alsace
More savory than fruity, Pinot Blanc makes a great pairing with fall foods.  Look for flavors and aromas of roasted nuts and sweet hay with nice full body and a smooth and luxurious finish.  Nice lighter style that won’t overpower the delicate flavors of the bass, but with enough brightness to compliment the other flavors in the dish.

Grilled Striped Bass with Sweet Corn Pudding and Peach Relish
Jonathan Cambra, executive chef, Boat House Waterfront Dining, Tiverton

September is time for those last peaches, some late-season corn (perfect for corn pudding) along with fresh striper. Together they make a perfect end-of-summer dish. Make sure you use corn that has been picked the same day so the sugars haven’t had time to convert to starch. 

Peach Relish:
2 ripened peaches, diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 jalapeño, roasted, peeled, seeded and minced
6 chives, minced
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Corn Pudding:
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 sweet onions (about 2½ cups), julienned
2 tablespoons garlic (about 4 cloves), minced
12 ears whole sweet corn, freshly roasted (or steamed), kernels removed
½ cup fresh herbs (tarragon, basil, parsley), washed, dried, stemmed and chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Splash of lime juice

Striped Bass:
Cooking oil spray
4 pieces (6 ounces each) boneless, trimmed striped bass, skin removed
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

To prepare the relish, combine the peaches, lime juice, jalapeño and chives in a mixing bowl. If you want a more spicy relish, add some of the jalapeño seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the pudding, heat canola oil in a saucepan, add onions and garlic and cover. Sweat the onions and garlic over low to medium heat until translucent. Add roasted corn kernels and cook for 8–10 minutes. Add contents of saucepan to blender and purée until very smooth. Return to saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until it reaches a thick consistency. Add the mixed herbs, butter and season with salt, pepper and lime juice.

To prepare the fish, preheat grill on high for 15–20 minutes or prepare coals. Spray grill with cooking oil. Season fish liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Place fish on grill, top side down first. Grill for 7–10 minutes on each side. Remove from grill. 

Serve fish atop corn pudding and garnish with a small spoonful of peach relish. Serves 4 as a main course.