Vintage Recipes

Several weeks ago, a friend asked me to recommend a Barolo she wanted to use in a recipe for beef braised in red wine. The recipe specifically stated Barolo should be used.

I was caught off guard. Barolo is one of Italy’s most famous and most expensive wines. It is hailed as "the king of Italian wines" and must be aged three to four years in oak barrels before bottling. Since young Barolos are tannic, they must age another five years or so. Would I cook with a Barolo? Is there a substitute that would impart a rich flavor and at the same time would cost much less?

Braised beef can be made with a C�tes du Rh�ne, a Pinot Noir or a Cabernet Sauvignon. I began to think about the wines I always have on hand for cooking. My husband Edward and I can be a bit unorthodox when it comes to sipping wines with specific foods. All the old rules were thrown out long ago. We once believed that red wines enhance beef and hearty fare while white wines are best with fish. Creative American and European chefs presented new ideas and new dishes for cooking with wine.

My refrigerator and wine rack always contain champagne, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and chardonnay. I prefer rich oaky chardonnays to the lighter, somewhat sweeter ones. As for reds, Pinot Noirs and C�tes du Rh�nes fill the culinary and sipping bill nicely. I always have preferred burgundy wines.

The barbecue season is upon us, and anything can go on the hot coals these days. What kinds of wines go best with barbecue? Can we add some wine to our favorite barbecue-sauce recipe? Of course we can.

To me, grilled salmon tastes delicious marinated in red wine. Salmon is a fatty fish and holds up to rich wines. The burgundy family fares perfect here. If you prefer white, a grassy Sauvignon Blanc or buttery chardonnay enhance the richness of salmon.

I like to add wine when I marinate beef, pork, chicken and fish. Marinades really don’t tenderize beef. They simply add flavor.

Here are recipes for cooking with moderately priced wines. You can cook on the outdoor grill, indoor grill, in the oven or on top of the stove. The French and the Italians like to sip the same wine with which they cook a specific dish. I do too.

Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken breasts, on the bone, each split in half
8 chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bottled barbecue sauce of your choice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Splash of Tabasco sauce
1 cup Sauvignon Blanc or 1 cup Pinot Noir

Directions:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set aside. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pour the bottled barbecue sauce into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Place the chicken in several large Ziploc bags or two large glass lasagna pans. Add the barbecue sauce and coat evenly over the chicken. You can do this the day before you cook the chicken or early in the morning.

If you are cooking indoors, bring the chicken to room temperature and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes.

Serves six to eight.

Note from Phyllis: Years ago, we decided to toss a barbecue on a cold snowy February evening. After sampling several wines, we agreed a crisp grassy Sauvignon Blanc held up best when it came to spicy barbecue sauce.

Salmon in Red Wine

Ingredients:

6 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Red wine of your choice, such as C�tes du Rh�nes or Pinot Noir
Fresh rosemary leaves

Directions:

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the salmon in a large glass lasagna pan. Cover with wine and scatter fresh rosemary leaves over the salmon. Marinate overnight or early in the day.

Remove the salmon from the marinade. Reserve the marinade. Grill the salmon or bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. While the fish cooks, pour the marinade into a saucepan. Heat on low. You can add 1 tablespoon of butter for added richness and flavor.

Serves six.

My Scampi

Ingredients:
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 fat cloves garlic, sliced
1 and one-half cups Pinot Grigio
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions:

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Heat the olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Add the garlic and sauté a few minutes. Do not burn the garlic. Add the shrimp and sauté until they turn pink, about three to five minutes. Shrimp cook quickly and you don’t want to overcook them. Remove the shrimp and set aside. Raise the heat to high, add the wine and cook until the sauce is bubbling. Add the butter and cook until the sauce is a bit reduced. Return the shrimp to the skillet and heat through.

Serves six to eight.

Note from Phyllis: If you want to grill the shrimp, simply marinate them in the wine before grilling. Then prepare the sauce in the skillet.

Steaks with White Wine

Ingredients:

6 rib-eye, Delmonico or filet mignon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A rich buttery chardonnay of your choice

Directions:

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place them into two glass lasagna pans and cover with the wine. Marinate overnight or early in the day. Bring the steaks to room temperature before cooking.

Grill the steaks to your liking. Place the wine in a saucepan and warm through. You can add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for added flavor and richness.

Serves six.

Note from Phyllis: A number of years ago, I attended a beef tasting dinner presented by John Mariani, the well-known Italian-American food writer. He served a Far Niente Chardonnay from California with a simply grilled rib eye steak. I thought it odd at first until I sipped the wine with the beef. It tasted unusually delicious. Many California chardonnay have a rich buttery oaky flavor. The Acacia Winery in Napa California makes a fine chardonnay.