Plate & Glass
A good Pinot Noir is seductively aromatic with bright, vibrant flavors and moderate tannins. Think of red fruit flavors such as cherries or strawberries, to the earthier tones of dried mushrooms or “forest floor” and florals like violets or dark roses. Pinot Noir pairs well with a wide range of foods. Fruitier versions, (consider our Marland Pinot Noir), make a great match with salmon or other fatty fish, roasted poultry or vegetables and herbs. Bigger, more tannic Pinots, [consider our Wyncroft Pinot Noirs), are ideal with duck and other wild game, hearty casseroles or stews. Here are 2 recipes to open up a bottle with:
Sautéed Mushrooms, Lentils & Wild Rice
Great as a side dish or a vegetarian main course
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ cups small brown or green lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
4 oz small cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
4 oz oyster or other mushrooms, cut into pieces
1 Tablespoon Tamari
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
3 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 – 2 cups cooked wild rice
Place lentils in a large saucepan, cover with stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until tender, about 35 minutes or so (depending upon the type and age of lentils).
Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion and sauté until softened and golden.
Add the garlic and cook stirring for 2 minutes more.
Add the butter, the remaining oil (1 Tablespoon), Tamari and the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and browning. Season with salt & pepper.
Add the cooked lentils, (and more stock if necessary to loosen a bit), chopped parsley, and lemon juice, stirring until warmed through.
Add the cooked wild rice according to your preference of lentil – rice ratio.
Re-taste for salt & pepper. Garnish with additional parsley.
Salmon Teriyaki
INGREDIENTS
Salmon Filets (3 oz. per person, trimmed, skinned and cut into 1” strips)
Teriyaki Marinade (Kikkoman’s or similar)
Teriyaki Glaze (Kikkoman’s or similar)
Hot and Sweet Thai Sauce
Scallions (1 per person)
Marinate salmon fingers in Teriyaki Marinade in a shallow baking dish at room temperature for about an hour, turning every 15 minutes.
Clean scallions and slice into thin coins—1/16” is ideal.
Mix 1 Tablespoon of Teriyaki Glaze with 1 Teaspoon of Thai Hot and Sweet sauce per finger. This will be your GLAZING SAUCE.
Preheat oven to 500F. (If you have a convection oven, so much the better, but don’t reduce the temperature or timing.)
Place the marinated salmon pieces on a broiling or cookie sheet (allowing about a half inch between each piece) lined with aluminum foil. Note, the salmon will cook without turning it.
Place the salmon into the hot oven and check at two minutes. If the fish has become opaque, take it out of the oven. If not, put it in for another 60-90 seconds.
Remove from the oven, and set oven to BROIL.
Using a tablespoon, DRIZZLE the glazing sauce over the top of the fish, using the back of the spoon to spread it.
Put the glazed salmon back into the oven. It will start to caramelize with 60 to 90 seconds, so be vigilant. Remove as soon as the fingers are bubbling and browning at the edges and along the top. Using a thin turner and a pair of tongs, loosen each piece of salmon from the sheet.
Serve with Japanese rice, accompanied by Tamari or a soy sauce of your choice and steamed broccoli. I like to stack the salmon pieces crisscrossed to give the fish a little height. Sprinkle the raw scallions over the fish.
© Alan Richmond 2019