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Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 10:09 am
by Dale Williams
So having a dinner with wine geeks tomorrow (as opposed to a wine geek dinner, there will be 4 significant others who aren't geeky, so I'll have to govern my tendency to talk about wine). Betsy and I are alternating courses. I'll do some canapes to go with opening Champagne (and some Riesling that some will follow through meal). Betsy is going to do shrimp timbales for a white course (2nd course), final/main course is short ribs with an orzo/cabbage stew (with Bordeaux). End with cheese and dessert. It's the 3rd course I am looking for ideas for.

The requirements:
1) needs to be done in advance (for most part, could be thrown in oven, but I don't want to be fussing in kitchen)
2) it's to be paired with PN (older)
3) it can't be too weighty- it precedes the short ribs, lighter better, and maybe vegetarian a plus.

Simplest would be a mushroom tart or puff pastry, but the best version of the former I've ever had came from one of the guests, a bit daunting. I can't do pasta with orzo following. I also thought of some spinach/tofu napoleans that I do as a match for Chenin blanc or sparkling, maybe revising with a wild mushroom topping and dropping the pickled ginger. Any ideas?

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 10:27 am
by Jo Ann Henderson
What about braised fennel? Can be made ahead with the final touches (heavy cream, parmesan cheese and a pinch of graed nutmeg) thrown into the oven for the final 30 minutes of cooking while you are completing course #2. You will need:

Fennel bulbs (about 1/2 bulb per person)
braising liquid (I prefer chicken stock)
butter
garlic
heavy cream
nutmeg
parmesan cheese

Quarter bulbs and place in tagine or baking dish, add enough braising liquid to cover about 1/2" of pan, dot with butter and sliced garlic (light hand with this ingredient). Cover with foil and bake in 350degree oven for about 40 mins. Remove from oven, lace with heavy cream, grate over pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepepr, and sprinkle with generous amount of parmesan cheese. Return to oven uncovered, bake until heated through and parmesan is nicely browned. Serve glazed with a bit of the cooking liquid.

Hope this helps.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:05 am
by Howie Hart
Jenise posted this several years ago. Bacon, potato and cheese cake (gratin)http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5080&p=40283

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:12 am
by Dale Williams
Sounds like a great recipe, Joanne, but there are 3 fennel bulbs in the short rib braise (and fronds as garnish), might be overload!
Thanks Howie, that sounds like a recipe I'd like, it's an idea

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:24 am
by Jeff Grossman
Pain Perdu: replace any sugar or cinnamon with 1/2 cup grated parmesan; bake in the oven. Now you just need a little pot of mushrooms simmered in cream and tarragon.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:59 am
by Mark Lipton
I like Jeff's idea a lot. What about a couple of mushroom/caramelized onion (white) pizzas? They could be prepared ahead of time and cooked on demand, or could even be cooked ahead of time and served at room temperature.

Mark Lipton

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 3:44 pm
by Rahsaan
I've never been a huge fan of soups and wine pairings, but if you're not trying to get too geeky then you could do a cauliflower soup with accents of mushrooms/woodsey things to bring it into Burg realm. And if you want to keep it light then not too much dairy and maybe topped off with balsamico/saba/various vinegars that might play well with PN.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 4:21 pm
by Rahsaan
Along those lines, a beet soup/tricked-out borscht might also match well, going in lots of different directions depending on the type of beets, the stock, and the garnish.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 4:56 pm
by Rahsaan
Or, some sort of beet 'salad'. You could roast the beets and served them sliced and dressed/garnished in various ways.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 5:15 pm
by Mark Lipton
Rahsaan wrote:Or, some sort of beet 'salad'. You could roast the beets and served them sliced and dressed/garnished in various ways.


Rahsaan,
Much as I adore beets, I find that they don't pair too well with wine. Their sweetness and intense earthiness tend to overwhelm most wines. Have you had different experiences?

Mark Lipton

don't forget carrots

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:17 pm
by Rahsaan
Mark Lipton wrote:
Rahsaan wrote:Or, some sort of beet 'salad'. You could roast the beets and served them sliced and dressed/garnished in various ways.


Rahsaan,
Much as I adore beets, I find that they don't pair too well with wine. Their sweetness and intense earthiness tend to overwhelm most wines. Have you had different experiences?

Mark Lipton


I think beets can play well in certain circumstances, depending on the extent to which they are the starring role. I think of beets especially with Burgundy or Beaujolais, because of the flavor connections, although I agree the beets may need to be tamed.

Which makes me think that an even better idea than roasted beets would be a roasted carrot/roasted beet dish, again maybe garnished with saba/balsamico, perhaps a flavored oil, and perhaps some cheese. You could lay it out like caprese or stack it like napoleon.

beet

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 9:37 pm
by Rahsaan
As it happens, tonight I had a side dish of beets. Sauteed and then simmered in mushroom stock, finished with saba and red wine vinegar. It did not cause a wine offense and was a fair partner to 2006 Jasmin. The mushroom omelette and roasted potatoes may have been better matches with the food, but all in all the dinner plate was nice, no problematic clashes occured, and we were happy.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:32 pm
by Dale Williams
I like Jeff's idea a lot, and think I will probably do that. I'm thinking oven not fried toast (less attention required), with a mix mushroom (shiitake, dried morel, cremini) sautee that can be done in advance. I might do a duck garnish. Best part is at least all the other geeks know Jeff, and I can blame him if it doesn't work.

I did think of a soup, particularly a mushroom/madeira one that Betsy loves, but we did it for a SOBER tasting in Dec and don't want repeats for one guest. The cauliflower soup idea is nice one for future/

I came late to loving beets (mostly canned- home canned, but still- as a kid), but love roasted beets. But agree they tend to overwhelm (for my tastes) if dominant I do find golden beets a bit more laid back. Beefy borscht though isn't bad with wine. But how was the Jasmin?

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:06 am
by Jeff Grossman
Dale Williams wrote:Best part is at least all the other geeks know Jeff, and I can blame him if it doesn't work.

At the least, I can always serve as a bad example!

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:34 am
by Rahsaan
Dale Williams wrote:But how was the Jasmin?


Beautiful nose, but the palate varied over the night. I'm hoping it's just shut down. Nowhere near as glorious or harmonious as a recent 06 Texier Brezeme Pergaud, which is what inspired me to check on the Jasmin.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:04 pm
by Dale Williams
Hmm, I should have that Brezeme, will dig it out.

Everyone, thanks for suggestions, I went with Jeff's, which was a winner. I rehydrated some morels, sauteed with garlic, shiitakes, and creminis (well in advance). Poured a milk/egg custard over the bread, pressed on parmesan right before guests arrived. Just let it sit till 25 mnutes before that course, then baked. Warmed shrooms and added cream and herbs. Topped bread, with a watercress salad on side. Tasty, easy, wine friendly, and didn't require a lot of time away from dinner table. ! I had actually planned to garnish with a bit of smoked duck breast but store no longer carries, but it didn't need it. If I had to do over again, I'd have seasoned custard a bit more aggressively- just used s & p, but not quite enough, without the mushrooms a little bland (with sauce fine).

Garlicky shrimp timables from a Jacques Pepin recipe was good, as was a short ribs recipe from Ming Tsai over a kind of cabbage/orzo "risotto"
http://www.recipelink.com/msgbrd/board_ ... 37411.html

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 3:20 pm
by Jenise
Mark Lipton wrote:
Rahsaan wrote:Or, some sort of beet 'salad'. You could roast the beets and served them sliced and dressed/garnished in various ways.


Rahsaan,
Much as I adore beets, I find that they don't pair too well with wine. Their sweetness and intense earthiness tend to overwhelm most wines. Have you had different experiences?

Mark Lipton


Was away for the weekend so didn't jump in earlier, but I want to mention that not all beets are created equal. Chiogga, sometimes also called peppermint because of the red/white swirl, are earthier and less sweet, and pair better with aged pinot noir than the sweeter standard dark red variety. Too late to help Dale, but something to note.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 11:36 pm
by Jeff Grossman
Dale Williams wrote:...a winner.

:D

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 11:49 am
by Jenise
Yeah, great suggestion, Jeff. Might have to steal it!

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:34 pm
by Bill Spohn
I didn't see this either, but I'll offer a couple of options after the fact.

1 - I take about 3 cups of whipping cream and simmer it with mushrooms - my favourite is chanterelles but morels work perfectly too. Simmer quite awhile on a low burner and the mixture will almost suddenly colour and thicken. Add a couple of tbs. sherry and some fresh thyme, and S&P and serve in pasty cases you can buy and cook quickly in the oven. This works superbly with any red wine with decent acidity (e.g. many Italians, Burgs etc.)

2 - do a salad layer with whatever greens you can find, and marinate and grill quail to put on top - perfect size for a small course and a perfect match with a Burg.

A final alternative would be a pate, but that takes more work to make

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:40 am
by Carrie L.
I too was thinking along the lines of what Jeff offered. Reminds me a lot of an appetizer we had at a great restaurant in Providence. I think a little veal stock added to the cream would be a wonderful addition if you have some handy.

Re: Ideas for a light course with PN

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:59 am
by Dale Williams
Bill, I believe you mentioned the sherry/cream sauce on afw a few years back, I've done a few times (without or without shells)
Carrie, we generally do have veal stock, would be good, in this case I used some of the morel rehydration stock.

So beets. Last night our second course at a 1983 claret dinner at Harry's was duck salad. Greens tossed with shredded duck, on a bed of beets with dried cherries. A quick test confirmed my theory that red beets and red Bordeaux will never make my drink pairing list. So I moved lettuce to side, add all the beets and cherries, drank some water, sip of white Bordeaux, more water, then back to the duck salad with some Ducru. Works for me.