Riesling food matches wanted (cross-post from WLDG)

I'm hosting a Riesling tasting next week and have been asked for food matches. It's got be be finger food - as this is a tasting, not a dinner.

So can anyone help with
a. matches for the drier Aussie style
b. matches for the sweeter Germanic style.

Thanks in anticipation,
Sue

I'm hosting a Riesling tasting next week and have been asked for food matches. It's got be be finger food - as this is a tasting, not a dinner.

So can anyone help with
a. matches for the drier Aussie style
b. matches for the sweeter Germanic style.

Thanks in anticipation,
Sue

Jumbo Shrimp on Toothpicks

5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
A piece of fresh ginger, about 1-inch cube, peeled and chopped
1 ½ lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 TB vegetable oil
3 TB tomato paste
½ tsp. turmeric
1/8 to ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 TB lemon juice
¾ tsp. salt

Put the garlic and ginger in the container of an electric blender along with 3 TB of water. Blend at high speed until you have a smooth paste.

Wash shrimp well and pat them dry. Cut each shrimp into 3 sections. Set aside.

Heat oil in 10-12-inch skillet over medium flame. When hot, pour in the paste from blender and fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and turmeric. Fry and stir another 2 minutes. Add 4 TB water, the lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. (This much can be done in advance.)

Five minutes before serving time, lift off cover, put in the shrimp, and turn heat to high. Stir and fry the shrimp for about 5 minutes or until they just turn opaque. To serve: Place on platter and stick toothpicks into each piece. Serve hot.

- Madhur Jaffrey

I had initially thought of shrimp creole which we sometimes have with Riesling. Since it needed to be finger food, however, I thought this might work with the sweeter style.

Thanks Linda,
Anything on toothpicks is good. But I can't serve hot food. But these would be OK if not hot, I think. All the flavours would still be there.
Some good suggestions coming through on the Wine Forum as well - including garlic prawns (I think jumbo shrimp is what I know as prawn).

Cheers,
Sue

PS I love Madhur Jaffrey's cooking. I have "Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery" (first published 1982 by BBC) from which I have tried just about every recipe. It was when I was going through an Indian cooking phase. But this recipe is not in that book.

How about prosciutto melon? You can put it on toothpicks.

A plate of some light ham and cheese?

Unsalted Nuts?

Sliced fruit?

All of the above?

rwj

Sue, I was trying to think of things that are easy to assemble. Something no-fuss.

rwj

Robert - good no fuss suggestions. I'm thinking ham and pineapple at this stage - prepared like melon and proscuitto. Had fresh pineapple twice today and it's just delicious at the moment. Delicously sweet with just enough tangy acidity to give a vibrancy to the fresh finish.
I hadn't thought of nuts, though.
Cheers,
Sue

Hi Sue,

I haven't tried the Aussie Riesling yet, but I have had a few Germans, and they are all fantastic with a nice salty aged cheese...so maybe a cheese tray? Or a some charcuterie plates. I like the ham and pineapple idea or the proscuitto and melon ideas as well. Good luck and let us know what you make. Also, I think a thai chicken salad served on endive leaves or individual Boston Bibb lettuce leaves would be nice and go well with the Riesling.

Thanks Maria.
Aussie rieslings are dry and limey and quite weighty in the palate - higher alcohol than Germanic styles, more aligned with Alsace in that department. I like them with anything you would serve a wedge of lemon or lime, with.
Thai Chicken salad in a leaf sounds a nice idea with a sweeter style.
Cheers,
Sue

I like the thai salad in a lettuce wrap idea, although if this is a wine tasting you should keep the hot pepper content low. Another lettuce wrap that matches well with Riesling is a Chinese style saute' of ground/minced chicken or pork with water chestnuts, ginger, spring onion, shredded carrots deglazed with a bit of hoisin sauce and Riesling.

On toothpicks: a thin slice of green apple with slice of gruyere; melon and smoked ham.

Sliced finger sandwiches: crab mashed with butter or mayo and lemon on bread with a slice of cucumber; fresh not too bitter radishes with butter; avocado and crab or goat cheese.

At Ochame they serve a simple but delicious appetizer of an endive leaf topped with lightly salted cucumber and a slice of Unagi. It goes well with bigger Rieslings.

Smoked mackerel on a cracker.

Really.

Mushroom caps with garlic/walnut/parmesan stuffing.

A half pear with equal amounts of blue cheese and salted butter whipped together placed in a lump where the core was, and a walnut half on top.

Gotta stop now - starting to salivate....

Beth Sheligo, my local German Geek, says avoid at all cost garlic with Riesling. Not a good match, and I have seen her prove the point at least once.

Oh, to help you, think Chinese.

[David M. Bueker]

Also avoid raw onions. Ick!

Beth Sheligo, my local German Geek, says avoid at all cost garlic with Riesling. Not a good match, and I have seen her prove the point at least once.

Hmm, seems a bit drastic to me. I see her point with things like bagna cauda or duck with 40 cloves, but I love Kabinett Riesling with greens in a chinese style white sauce, which often has some garlic in it.

[James Roscoe]

Also avoid raw onions. Ick!

Why? For me raw onions and riesling is a natural.

Also avoid raw onions. Ick!

Why? For me raw onions and riesling is a natural.

I'm not a big fan of raw onions, but love cooked onions and nothing goes better with tarte l'oignon than an Alsatian Riesling.....

[David M. Bueker]

Cooked onions (especially caramelized) are great with Riesling.

Raw onions give me a nasty metallic flavor with Riesling (and most wine).