Dolby Coffee Table Talk : Pairing California Wines With Food

DOLBY’S PAIRING CALIFORNIA WINES WITH FOOD

CONTENTS Salmon Wrapped in Fig Leaves with Thyme and Fig Dressing

1

Wagon Wheel Grilled Cheese

2

Three Sauce Recipes for Fresh Oysters

3

Baked Oysters with Spicy Tomato Salsa

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Salmon Wrapped in Fig Leaves with Thyme and Fig Dressing Serving size 4. About 25 minutes.

INGREDIENTS 4 pieces of 5 ounce King salmon, skinned and deboned (preferable local king salmon)

Fig Dressing ½ cup dried white figs, finely chopped 1 anchovy, rinsed and dried

(optional)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 large fig leaves, washed and dried

1 tablespoon Brandy or Armagnac

fresh thyme, 1 large bunch (about 16 branches)

3 tablespoons walnuts, warmed but not toasted

olive oil salt and pepper

1 tablespoon orange zest 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salmon

salt and freshly cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the washed and dried fig leaves onto a flat surface shiny side down. Lay one piece of salmon in the middle of each fig leaf.

Brush the salmon with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place 4 whole sticks of thyme on top.

Wrap the fig leaf around the salmon - it doesn’t matter if it is not completely sealed, then turn the salmon over, sealed side down, to hold the leaf in place.

Place the wrapped salmon onto a shallow sided sheet pan and bake in the upper part of the oven until just cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Dressing In a food processor or large Mortar, combine all the dressing ingredients and mix until it forms into a thick paste.

Whisk the oil and vinegar together by hand into the fig paste to create a loose vinaigrette - then drizzle over the fish (also great on roasted vegetables).

CHEFS TIPS •

The fig leaf provides tropical flavors of coconut to the salmon.

•

You can grill the fig wrapped salmon and finish in the oven - I serve this dish in summer with grilled vegetables such as red and yellow bell peppers.

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The dressing can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before serving.

WINE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

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• • • •

Broc Cellars “Got Grapes” Valdiguié – Mendocino, CA $28 Porter Creek Old Vine Carignan – Mendocino County, CA $28 Unti Vineyards Barbera – Dry Creek Valley, CA $38 Donkey and Goat “The Bear” Red Blend – El Dorado, CA $42

Wagon Wheel Grilled Cheese Not just your average grilled cheese sandwich!

About 20 minutes.

INGREDIENTS fresh whole butter Cowgirl Creamery Wagon Wheel cheese Levain bread or white country loaf (preferably 1 day old) DIRECTIONS Put a generous amount of sliced Wagon Wheel cheese between 2 slices of bread.

Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet (such as cast iron). Then add the sandwich to the pan and cook over medium heat until golden on the bottom.

Remove the sandwich and add fresh butter to the pan before placing the sandwich back into the pan on the second side until golden and the cheese is melted.

Cut the sandwich in half and serve hot.

Chefs Notes • The sandwich can be covered near the end of cooking and finished in a 400 degree oven to help melt the cheese if necessary.

• Add a thin spread to your sandwich of olive tapenade, sundried tomatoes, basil pesto, or Pico de Gallo.

Suggested wine pairings • Broc Cellars “Got Grapes” Valdiguié – Mendocino, CA $28 • Porter Creek Old Vine Carignan – Mendocino County, CA $28 • Unti Vineyards Barbera – Dry Creek Valley, CA $38 • Donkey and Goat “The Bear” Red Blend – El Dorado, CA $42

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Three Sauce Recipes for Fresh Oysters Three sauce recipes for fresh oysters on the half shell. Combine ingredients and allow to meld for at least 4 hours – serve chilled.

Champagne Mignonette 1 cup California Pink Sparkling Rose, of choice (suggest - Scharffenberger Cellars Brut Rose) 1/3 cup Champagne vinegar 3 tablespoons shallots, finely diced 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper Cilantro Mignonette ½ medium shallot, finely diced ¼ teaspoon serrano chile, seeded and finely diced 2 teaspoons cilantro or tarragon, finely chopped 1 cup rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice touch of sugar (optional) Italian style Oyster Cocktail Sauce 1 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh grated horseradish ½ lemon, juiced ¼ teaspoon tabasco sauce salt and freshly cracked pepper Suggested wine pairings • Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, North Coast, CA - $41 • Twomey Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, CA - $25

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Baked Oysters with Spicy Tomato Salsa A spicy-tangy tomato salsa that pairs perfectly with gilled or baked oysters - Serves 4.

2 dozen Blue Point oysters (or your preferred oyster – recommend medium size).

INGREDIENTS – Tomato Salsa 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped ¼ medium red onion, diced 6 sprigs fresh cilantro – stem and leaves, chopped Juice of ½ lime 1 Serrano Chile - with seeds, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and blended DIRECTIONS Combine above ingredients and allow flavors to meld for at least 20-30 minutes. Can be made up to 4 hours in advance.

To bake your oysters (top shell removed, save the juice) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place raw oyster in the half shell onto rock salt to hold the oyster stable.

Ladle 1 tablespoon of salsa over each oyster and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until bubbling around the edges.

To grill your oysters (whole) Place whole oysters on a hot grill, deep shell down, and cook until the oysters open 8 to 10 minutes.

Open the oysters and save the juice by pouring into a small bowl.

Once the oysters are open pour the juice back into each shell and top with a tablespoon of room temperature tomato salsa.

Place back on the grill for 2 minutes just to heat through, this gives the salsa a smoky flavor. *Serve either method on fresh rock salt with wedges of lemon and your favorite chili sauce Suggested wine pairings • Halleck Vineyard “ Not Your Mothers” Dry White Zinfandel, Russian River Valley - $29 • Phillips Hill Boontling Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley - $30

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