Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008

Wondrous winter feasts

By Braiden Rex-Johnson

The Northwest's wintertime bounty - oysters, mussels and spot prawns; apples and pears; wild mushrooms and winter squash; potatoes and dark leafy greens — makes it one of the most rewarding seasons for cooks. The holidays serve as a convenient excuse for festive feasting, which (naturally!) includes adventurous wine pairings.

We begin our festive feast on that note, with Hinzerling Winery Pale Dry Sherry ($13) from Washington's Yakima Valley. This classic fino-style sherry reminds me of bone-dry sherries I've enjoyed with tapas (Spanish appetizers) while visiting Spain and in trendy Spanish and nuevo-Latino restaurants stateside. Served chilled, its delicate, nutty flavor and slightly tart, bitter aftertaste pairs nicely with the Potato Tapas recipe from the Washington State Potato Commission.

To make the tapas, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub, pat dry, then thinly slice one pound of russet potatoes and arrange them evenly on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the potato slices with one tablespoon of vegetable oil, then sprinkle with two tablespoons of finely chopped onion and kosher salt to taste. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and browned. Remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle with a half-cup diced tomatoes, two tablespoons seeded and diced Anaheim pepper and one cup of shredded, lowfat cheddar cheese (or your favorite Northwest artisanal cheese). Cook until the cheese melts, then drizzle with one cup of prepared salsa.

With its bright, fruit-forward character, Sokol Blosser 2001 Pinot Gris from Oregon's Willamette Valley ($15) forms a lovely counterpoint to our austere aperitif. Pale straw in color, it exhibits pronounced citrus, orange peel and melon aromas and flavors, followed by hints of mineral and spice. With its steely backbone and rich mouth feel, this unoaked Pinot Gris makes an elegant pairing with Wild Mushroom Soup. The recipe comes from Chef/Proprietor Kerry Sear of Seattle's Cascadia restaurant, and is printed in my new Pike Place Market Cookbook (Page 25).

To make the soup, sauté a clove of minced garlic, two thinly sliced shallots and one thinly sliced leek (white and green parts only) in a quarter-cup of butter until softened. Add a half-pound of cleaned and chopped wild mushrooms (chanterelles, morels and/or porcini) and cook three to five minutes. Add one peeled, diced medium russet potato and enough vegetable stock to cover (up to three cups). Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat, purée in small batches and strain. Add one cup of half-and-half and additional stock (as needed) to reach desired consistency. Heat through, then add two tablespoons white truffle oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Our main-course wine, Apex Cellars 2000 Syrah ($30) from Washington's Yakima Valley, is a luscious deep purple color with robust berry and plum aromas, plus hints of cinnamon and leather. The same characteristics follow this vibrant, mouth-filling wine on the palate. I first experienced this wine at the 2003 Taste Washington Viking Culinary Cook-Off, where it was paired with Flank Steak Roulade with Red Wine Sauce. Chefs Holly Smith of Café Juanita in Kirkland, Wash., and Eric Tanaka of Tom Douglas' restaurants in Seattle generously shared their recipe, which begins by lightly caramelizing five tablespoons of granulated sugar, then adding one cup of dry red wine and reducing until syrupy. Slowly stir in three tablespoons unsalted butter and kosher salt to taste.

Next take a two-pound flank steak and pound until a quarter-inch thick. Sauté a pound of gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and one tablepoon minced garlic in one tablespoon each olive oil and unsalted butter until tender-crisp. Spread one side of the flank steak with Dijon mustard, cover with gai lan, salt and pepper generously, then roll the meat jelly-roll style, tying with kitchen string every two inches. Sear the meat on all sides, then cook in a 425-degree oven 10 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest five to 10 minutes before removing and discarding the strings. To serve, cut the meat into one-inch sections and drizzle with the sauce.

We end our holiday feast with Samson Estates Winery Oro Hazelnut Wine ($13), which is produced in Lynden, Wash. It's made by fermenting crushed, lightly roasted Northwest Washington hazelnuts in sugar and water, then fortifying the wine with neutral grape spirits to bring the alcohol level up to 18 percent. This results in a lush wine rife with the nutty aroma and flavor of Washington-grown hazelnuts.

Although you can drink Oro over crushed ice, with coffee or in steamed milk, I like to whip up a warming winter sipper. To make one serving of Hazelnut Coffee Nudge, pour one-quarter cup of hazelnut wine into a cup of strong, freshly brewed coffee (such as Caffé D'arte's extraordinary alderwood-roasted Velletri). Stir in one teaspoon of granulated sugar and top with two tablespoons softly whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg. Store-bought hazelnut biscotti or homemade Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Pike Place Market Cookbook, Page 155) complete this festive winter feast in grand style.

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