Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008

Autumn promises savory feasts

By Braiden Rex-Johnson

Come September, October and November, the glorious gluttony of summer gives way to the deliberately cooked fare of fall. Entertaining becomes more formal as it shifts from back yard to indoors, while the promise of holiday feasting lingers just around the corner.

The change of seasons brings with it those hidden heralds of fall: wild mushrooms. These toothsome nuggets foraged from Northwest forests are easily transformed into Wild Mushroom Butter, a sophisticated appetizer for autumn entertaining. In this recipe from Inside the Pike Place Market, a half-pound of assorted wild mushrooms are cooked with a quarter cup of unsalted butter along with two cloves of thinly sliced garlic.

Stir the mushrooms for a couple of minutes, then add two teaspoons of minced fresh marjoram along with a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt plus the same amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook about five minutes more, then take the 'shrooms off the heat and cool. Next place a half-cup of softened unsalted butter in a food processor or blender and pulse briefly, add the 'shrooms and pan juices, plus three tablespoons of Cognac or dry Sherry. Pulse this mixture until the mushrooms still have a bit of texture, then scoop into an attractive bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Serve the butter on lightly toasted baguette slices along with a delicately fruity, floral wine such as Quails' Gate Estate Winery 1999 chenin blanc ($14 Canadian) from the Okanagan Valley. This wine teases the nose with its grapefruit and passion fruit aromas. But in the mouth, its citrus and green apple high notes and herbaceous tones form a nice complement to the musky mushroom butter.

Another enticing appetizer employs the Northwest's shellfish bounty, which reaches its peak in fall and winter. To roast a batch of Mussels with Garlic Butter, a recipe from the Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook, arrange four pounds of scrubbed, debearded mussels among two large rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Put the mussels in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for about five minutes or until most of the bivalves open.

Meanwhile, melt two tablespoons of butter in a small skillet, add two cloves of minced garlic, then cook until the garlic is softened. Add a quarter cup of minced fresh parsley and cook 30 seconds more, stirring constantly. Set the garlic butter aside while you remove the mussels that have opened and continue cooking the rest a few minutes longer. Discard any mussels that don't open, then return the remaining mussels to the baking sheets, drizzle with garlic butter, and place in the oven until they are warmed through.

Serve the mussels with viognier (vee-own-yay), a food-friendly variety that serves as a tantalizing transition wine from summer to autumn and a lighter alternative to chardonnay. W.B. Bridgman's 1999 viognier ($17) from the Yakima Valley is a gutsy representative of this varietal with intense floral and spice aromas and a rich mouth feel. Peach and orange blossom flavors, with just a hint of sweetness, predominate on the tongue to create a dramatic counterpoint to the briny nectar of the rich, roasted mussels.

When I first tasted Ste. Chapelle's 1997 reserve syrah ($20) from Idaho, I was taken with its clear, ruby-rust color, its slightly leathery nose, mellow tannins and cherry and black pepper flavors. This wine would go perfectly with duck, my mind flashed, and I was inspired to devise an original recipe that is easy, yet elegant enough for company.

To make Honey Cranberry Sauce, soak a half-cup of dried sweetened cranberries (sometimes called "craisins") in hot water for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together a quarter cup of fruity red wine, a half cup of honey, two tablespoons of orange juice, and two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. Cook this mixture eight to 10 minutes, then remove it from the heat, add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir well, add the softened cranberries, and serve the sauce over pan-seared, grilled or broiled duck breasts. Complete instructions on cooking duck are available on the Duck Council Web site at www.duckling.org.

Our autumn feast concludes with Royal Raspberry Dessert Wine ($16) from China Bend Vineyards & Winery in Kettle Falls, Wash. Sipping this dessert wine, which is made from organically grown raspberries, is like quaffing thick, fresh raspberry juice, but even better thanks to its sweet tanginess and mellow alcoholic kick (18 percent).

Its taste intensifies when paired with Raspberries with Honey-Almond Cream, a recipe from the Pike Place Market Cookbook. Just beat two cups of heavy whipping cream until it forms a thick liquid. Add one-half teaspoon of almond extract and 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey, and beat until soft peaks form. Now divide four cups of fresh raspberries and the cream among four brandy snifters, and garnish with toasted, slivered almonds and mint leaves. Royal Raspberry also works well with anything chocolate, the darker the better, for an adult twist on the classic combination of fruit and chocolate.

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