Now that we are all home and cooking from a limited pantry, I would like to offer some fun ideas on what to pair with some staples. My heart goes out to all the medical workers on the frontlines who are risking their health and lives every day for us. I am so happy to see all my friends and family staying home and doing their part to stem this epidemic. Here are a few ideas for that time at home, which is a great excuse to break into that wine collection, or order something new to try from online.
Let’s start with an old family favorite that has been passed down through the generations, using basic ingredients that most everyone has in their pantry. A lovely gourmet survival staple, chili and rice. Now, depending on how savory your chili is of course, you want to match that with a nice medium to full bodied red. A traditional chili does not have beans, but is filled with delicious beef, sometimes a pork and beef blend to add richness. Following that, seasoning is layered in, so you can develop the cumin, paprika, cloves and black pepper, spices you can match in a good wine. Try a balanced red like a Malbec or a Cabernet Sauvignon. If your chili is particularly hot, you may want to opt for beer so you don’t lose all of the notes in your wine, but a medium or mild chilly can handle a rich red wine. The more complex the seasoning of the dish, the more complexity you want in that wine so it doesn’t fall flat, but pulls out those spices you enjoy, like black pepper and clove. If you are opting for a vegetarian version, the wine will still taste great!
I am fortunate enough to live in a multicultural household, so there is double the delicious canned good items in our pantry already. My husband is from Bulgaria, where they have survived a lot more than a little toilet paper shortage. One great pantry find across the country of Bulgaria will include pickled cabbage. Defrost those pork chops and go to town on this salty dish: you can either cook the cabbage and pork together or sauté the pickled cabbage with olive oil, black pepper and paprika to serve as a side. Now with wine pairing you want to keep fluidity. Only drink things you like. But it’s also nice to steer that to a little better pairing. Take pickled cabbage for example. It’s high in acidity. For a wine to match that you really want to choose a nice level of acidity. If you don’t have Bulgarian Gamza handy, a Syrah, or another full bodied red with lovely dark fruits can work well. If you would prefer to stick to a vegetarian version, go for a Riesling. It has a high acidity to math the tart pickle, and a lot of aromas that create a nice balance.
There is no longer any pasta on the shelves, so I will assume everyone has it readily available. Let’s add a little of our wine and use it for a light wine and butter sauce. Personally I keep a mini bottle of white and red on standby for cooking, it makes for a less expensive dish. If you can, take out the frozen shrimp! Sauté it with garlic and butter and add it to the wine sauce for a delightful seafood pasta dish. A lovely and delectable protein that makes a balanced quarantine cuisine. The best pasta for this dish is linguine but you can get a wonderful result with regular spaghetti. Really, because it’s a crisis, any type of pasta will work (don’t tell your Italian grandma!). I would definitely recommend you pair a white wine here, preferably a Sauvignon Blanc. Region is not as important, this is just one I have on hand currently. What you are looking for is the beautiful citrus notes to lift your dish, those lifts of lemon and other citrus like grapefruit (you can find those grapefruit nuances in a Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) really bring the shrimp to life, and match well with the crisp acidity.
A wonderful item that lasts up to a month in the fridge is smoked salmon. The layers of smokey notes can do miracles with the fatty fish. You can add a creamy jarred Créme Fraiche, diced red onions, dill, or even little capers to season your salmon. Toast a slice of frozen bread on the side. With this dish we want to go for a lovely Chardonnay. The buttery Chardonnay perfectly pairs with the fatty fish, and the lemon notes add that lift and pair perfectly. Try a French Burgundy if you have it available, or a nice oaky Chardonnay from California. It’s the oak that gives those toast and butter flavors that match so well.
I hope you all are doing well. Let me know if you try any of the combinations, or ones of your own. Enjoy!
Written by Jess Sandberg
the Wandering Wine Lover
Follow us @have_wine_will_travel
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