Each issue, Braiden Rex-Johnson matches four Pacific Northwest wines with fresh regional ingredients.
Spring arrives, unleashing pent-up excitement for the fresh foods of the season — baby greens, wild mushrooms, assorted shellfish and the first catches of salmon and halibut — that pair so well with the Northwest’s outstanding wines and help us celebrate the rites of spring.
Our spring feast begins with an Okanagan Valley sparkler that is featured on many wine lists in British Columbia. Made like traditional Champagne, Blue Mountain Vineyard Brut Sparkling Wine ($24 CDN) is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grapes. It begins with a toasty, citrus-rich nose that evolves to more
citrus, plus melon and strawberry in the mouth, continuing into a medium-long finish.
This complex wine “sparkles” on its own, but it also makes an impressive accompaniment to Alaskan Spot Prawns with Champagne Sauce, a recipe from my Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2005). Begin by melting two tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of minced shallots and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add half a cup of fish or chicken stock, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to one-quarter cup, stirring occasionally. Add half a cup each of heavy whipping cream and Champagne or sparkling wine, and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add one-eighth teaspoon each salt and white pepper, stir well and serve over poached or lightly sautéed spot prawns.
Our first-course wine comes from one of Washington’s best-known producers. Washington Hills 2005 Riesling (Columbia Valley, $8) is not only a bargain in price, but also a beauty of a spring wine — light golden straw in color and rife with ripe stone fruit — apricots and peaches. Its long finish will leave you tasting orange peel and a bit of sweetness tempered by soft acidity.
Pair this gentle Riesling with a tangy spring salad from Carol Foster’s Short Cuts to Great Cuisine (The Crossing Press, 1994). In a large bowl, whisk half a cup of plain yogurt and two tablespoons each of orange juice and tahini (sesame paste) until smooth. Toss five cups of lightly packed rinsed and trimmed watercress or spinach, three cups of lightly packed torn Boston or Bibb lettuce, four segmented oranges (oranges that have been cut away from the skin, pith and membranes, so only the fruit remains), the tahini dressing and two tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper just before serving.
The Bethel Heights 2004 Chardonnay ($25) from the Willamette Valley is one of those all-around great wines, a not-overly oaked Chardonnay that manages to be perfect for sipping on its own, yet food-friendly, too. Made from 70 percent Dijon clones and 30 percent Old Vine Wente clones, the wine opens with aromas and flavors of pears and apples accented by a pleasing minerality. Hints of wood spice, a rich mouth feel and bright acidity tie up the superb package.
Serve this special Chardonnay with Roasted Halibut with Sherry-Braised Morel Mushrooms, a recipe that’s featured in my new book, Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining (Wiley, 2007), and was created by Ethan Stowell, chef and owner of three dynamic restaurants in Seattle — Union, Tavolàta and How to Cook a Wolf.
First, season (with salt and pepper), then sear four 5-ounce halibut fillets in two tablespoons of olive oil about three to four minutes per side. Next, melt two tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of minced shallots. Cook until softened but not browned, add half a pound of well-cleaned morel mushrooms (cut in half) and stir well.
Add a quarter cup of Manzanilla or Fino Sherry (Note: These sherries are very dry; do not use sweet sherry), stir well and cook until the liquid is almost completely reduced. Fold in two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (whipped to stiff peaks) and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the braised morels among four warm soup bowls, place the halibut on top and serve immediately.
We conclude our spring celebration with the Ste. Chapelle 2005 Skyline Vineyard Riesling Ice Wine ($22 for a 375 ml) from Idaho. This sweet dessert wine is a Wine Press Northwest Platinum award winner, and it’s easy to see why. Juicy flavors of citrus (think orange peel!) and peaches backed by balanced acidity work well with tropical-fruit desserts, such as the Coconut Angel Food Cake with Cara Cara Orange Sorbet it was paired with at the recent Platinum Dinner in Seattle.
But another intriguing possibility is Orange-Coconut Macaroons, a recipe from the venerable Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, Ore., which published The Stephanie Inn Cookbook in 2004. Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and greasing two baking sheets (or lining with parchment paper). Next, in a mixing bowl, combine the juice of one orange; 14 ounces of shredded, sweetened coconut; 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk; two teaspoons of almond extract; and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden. You should end up with about two dozen cookies, heavenly bites with which to celebrate the rites of spring.
Braiden Rex-Johnson has been writing about Pacific Northwest food and wine for 17 years. She is the author of seven books including Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (John Wiley & Sons, October 2007).
Visit her online at NorthwestWiningandDining.com.
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