Jane's
Monthly Dozen: Wines for Grilling
by Jane Garvey
Years
ago, an editor eager to save space asked me: Do we have to say
"grilled" salmon? Can’t we just say "salmon?"
In a word, no.
Grilling adds a flavor element to whatever is being cooked,
whether vegetables, fruits (yes fruits) or proteins. It's almost
like a seasoning, so it tilts the wine choices in a different
direction from what one might choose were the same foods poached,
baked, steamed or roasted.
So when wine and food writers advise readers to have a certain
wine with chicken, for instance, the question becomes: Chicken
fixed how? What are the seasonings? The embellishments? The
cooking methodology? It all matters.
While I don’t seek to complicate what some folks find downright
intimidating--the business of pairing food and wine--I also
hate to see people led astray by oversimplifications. There
are important considerations to bear in mind when pairing food
and wine, and one of them is how you cooked the material you’re
about to pair with a wine.
Let's take a chicken breast: Poach it in chicken stock, let
it cool in the stock, slice it against the grain, fan it across
some fresh greens, trace it with some curry-accented mayonnaise,
and what do we have here? A dish that wants a dry yet voluptuous
Gewurztraminer, because its exotic character will pick up on
the curry.
Same chicken breast, but this time we're going to leave it on
the bone and roast it in the oven over a bed of say sliced Vidalia
onions and sliced potatoes. (Happens to be one of my favorite
quick meals.) Now I want a Chardonnay with some oak presence
because I need some richness to go with this dish.
Ok, same chicken breast, and this time I'm going to rub it with
some fairly pungent spices, maybe with a little heat to the
spice. Like, say, blackened. Now what? A rosé, dry, but
with good upfront fruit to handle the spice.
Same chicken breast this time is going to be browned off quickly
in a little oil, then set over a bed of tomato sauce and bake
it, then serve it with a side of pasta in oil and fresh herbs.
Ah, now a Sangiovese, please.
Grill the chicken breast, and now you can reach for a dry rosé
or a red wine, because that flavor element created by the grilling
will hook onto the richness of a red wine. But don’t make it
one that's too heavy or too tannic. I find the grilling can
exacerbate tannin bitterness unless the tannins are ripe and
juicy.
We've really worked that chicken breast, haven't we? And look
at the variety of wine pairings! But here’s the thing: If I
substitute pork tenderloin or veal for any of the above, I’m
not changing the wine.
Beef, being heavier and richer than either chicken or pork,
wants to be paired with a more full-bodied, more robust wine.
But the exact choice again depends on the cooking and seasoning.
Restaurants these days are awash with braised short ribs, where
braising renders the meat soft and tender from long, slow cooking.
Softness in the wine will support this texture. I find a Cabernet
Sauvignon too tannic for this dish. Save it for a steak. Instead,
go with savory Pinot Noir (from, say, Central Otago, Martinborough
in New Zealand, Burgundy or more savory styles from Oregon),
as their soft, supple tannins, would be excellent.
But suppose we smoke the same beef short ribs? Smoking foods,
to be done by heaping all the coals to one side of the grill
pan, leaving the other over an empty pan, provides yet a different
flavor element and a different texture. Grilling beef directly
over the coals adds char, not so much smoke. No wonder Argentine
Malbec goes so well with grilled beef at an asado (barbecue)!
Its forward fruit handles the seasoning and the richness and
tannin structure deal well with the fat in the meat.
And then there's cheese. Grilling cheese? Oh for sure. But be
careful which ones you choose. A cheese for grilling can’t be
one that melts easily, or you’ll have a mess. You’ll also not
have anything to eat. Choose Halloumi, from Cyprus, or Mexican
Queso Fresco. Both are firm, zesty, tangy, salty cheeses that
keep their shape--especially Queso Fresco. Bathe either in olive
oil and grill about two minutes per side. Squeeze fresh lemon
on top and sprinkle with fresh herbs--thyme, oregano, marjoram,
parsley (but not sage). Various forms of Sauvignon Blanc are
terrific with this, not to mention a chilled white Santorini
(Greece).
And about that lemon. Ever grill one? Grill the cut lemon, cut
side down, for a few minutes until it's nicely lightly charred.
Squeeze it over grilled chicken or seafood and fish. Again reach
for a Sauvignon Blanc to pair with this fare.
Grilled fruit is a great way to end this grilling meal. After
the coals have tamed a bit, scoop them to one side and place
the fruit on the grill. Pineapple is excellent grilled. Cut
an unpeeled peach in half, remove the pit, and grill it skin
side down. Turn it over for a few minutes of grilling on the
cut side. Peel the peach and serve it with a dollop of mascarpone.
Come fall, grill figs (one of my favorites). Slit them and stuff
them with some honey and a dab of mascarpone, then set them
over the grill opposite the coals. The best wine with this is
a chilled sparkling Moscato, such as the Gianni Doglia Moscato
D’Asti D. O. C. G. 2009, reviewed last month.
So if you’re stuck eating chicken or fish for the rest of your
life, vary the wine depending on how you prepare that chicken
or fish. Amazing what a little variety will do for you.
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