Each issue, Braiden Rex-Johnson matches four Pacific Northwest wines with fresh regional ingredients.
As the leaves change color and that little nip enters the air, Northwest cooks welcome the heartier food preparations of the season, along with autumn's amazing abundance of Dungeness crab and shellfish; game meats, turkey and holiday roasts; artisanal cheese; and fall produce, herbs and nuts.
Our harvest supper begins with Dungeness Crab with Ginger-Cilantro Mayonnaise, a recipe from Hilda Jones, proprietor, with husband Earl, of Abacela Winery in Southern Oregon's Umpqua Valley. Begin by placing one whole egg, one egg yolk, two tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, half a teaspoon of kosher salt and one-quarter teaspoon Dijon mustard in a food processor or blender and pulse for 15 seconds, or until well mixed. With the motor running, add half a cup of light olive oil in a slow, steady stream, a few tablespoons at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Repeat with half a cup of canola oil. Add half a bunch of fresh cilantro (rinsed, patted dry and coarsely chopped) and one tablespoon freshly grated gingerroot and pulse until incorporated. Taste and add additional cilantro if desired. Serve the mayonnaise with two or three precooked and chilled cracked Dungeness crabs.
The sweet crab and luscious green goddesslike dressing make a pleasant pairing with Abacela's 2006 Albariño ($23). Made from estate-grown grapes, this award-winning white wine displays stone fruit and citrus aromas. Creamy pineapple and apple flavors lead on the palate with a crisp, dry, mineral-rich finish, the perfect seafood wine.
I enjoyed our first-course dish at Seattle's sumptuous Smash Wine Bar, where then-chef Kristen Ratcliffe prepared some delectable Duck and Shiitake Spring Rolls filled with shredded green cabbage, minced ginger, crushed garlic, sliced shiitakes, fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper and duck confit. She wrapped the filling in egg roll wrappers and fried the spring rolls.
Chef Kristen's lovely duo of dipping sauces included a Sweet Chili Sauce made by combining one-half cup sweet chili sauce, one tablespoon Sriracha sauce and one tablespoon chili garlic sauce in a small, nonreactive mixing bowl. Chill before serving. Make her Sesame Ginger Sauce by combining one-quarter cup soy sauce, one-quarter cup seasoned rice vinegar, two tablespoons regular (not toasted) sesame oil and one tablespoon each chopped fresh gingerroot and garlic in a small, nonreactive mixing bowl. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes, then strain and chill before serving.
Jeffrey Dorgan, former wine director at Smash, suggested several wine pairings with the Duck and Shiitake Spring Rolls including an off-dry Riesling, Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine blend. But most intriguing was Powers Winery 2004 Syrah ($13) from the Columbia Valley. This intense wine abounds with complex aromas of dark fruits (black currant, plum and boysenberry) and a touch of vanilla. These aromas carry onto the full-bodied palate with the addition of black pepper. Jeffrey even remarked on a "soy sauce" note that pairs so well with Chef Kristen's Asian dipping sauces.
Our entrée recipe comes from the recipe section of the Web site of Inniskillin Winery in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley: Balsamic-Vinegar/Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin. To make the pork, place one-quarter cup each balsamic vinegar and light olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Add half a cup of coarsely chopped fresh herbs of the season (such as sage, thyme and flat-leaf parsley), one tablespoon chopped shallots and one-half teaspoon minced garlic and pulse until smooth and shiny. Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag and add a 1 1/2-pound pork tenderloin (or a similar amount of boneless, skinless turkey breasts to celebrate the season), rubbing the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate at least six hours or, preferably, overnight, then grill over medium heat, about eight to 10 minutes per side.
Serve the pork (or poultry) with Inniskillin Okanagan Reserve Series 2005 Pinot Noir ($18 Canadian), a lush Pinot with intense cherry aromas and well-integrated spicy oak. Ripe raspberry flavors come out on the palate, leading to a long, lingering finish.
We conclude our ode to autumn with an elegant, yet simple cheese course. Caramelized Brie with Hazelnuts is an adaptation of a recipe from Short Cuts to Great Cuisine (Crossing Press, 1994). Arrange a 4 1/2-ounce wheel of ripe Brie on a serving dish. Blend a quarter cup granulated sugar with two tablespoons water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Without stirring, swirl the pan occasionally until the mixture turns golden brown, about five minutes. Immediately pour the sugar over the Brie. Quickly arrange eight whole hazelnuts (skins removed) on the Brie and let rest five minutes, so the caramel hardens. Serve within 30 minutes by cracking the topping with a knife and serving with fresh apple or pear wedges.
Pair the sweet/earthy cheese with Bookwalter Winery 2006 Riesling ($16) from the Columbia Valley. This outstanding Riesling is exceptionally fragrant, its ripe melon and sweet pear flavors backed by racy acidity. Neither dry nor sweet, the wine both complements and offsets the sugar-crusted Brie and forms the fitting finale for any fall feast.
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